A mounting method and a mounting structure for the solid-state image pickup element in the image reading-out apparatus aiming at assembling the element with high precision and eliminating positional deviation occurring thereafter. The mounting structure comprises a solid-state image pickup element fixing member having a focusing lens fixed thereon, a basic board having the element mounted thereon, and a solid-state image pickup element supporting member from which the basic board can be detached. Between the fixing member and the supporting member are provided connecting portions, and the supporting member is bonded to the fixing member by filling the gap between the connecting portions with the adhesive agent. The connecting portions are constructed with the projection part provided on the fixing member and the hole part provided on the supporting member or vice versa.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup element, in particular, a mounting method and structure for the solid-state image pickup element in the image reading-out apparatus for reading out an optical image by use of the above-mentioned solid-state image pickup element, wherein the above element is employed as the image reading-out portion in the facsimile device, copying machine, scanner, etc.
The invention further relates to a supporting structure for supporting an adjusted member such as the solid-state image pickup apparatus, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
In a conventional optical image reading-out apparatus by use of the solid-state image pickup element, as shown in FIG. 19, an object 3 is focused on a solid-state image pickup element, through an image focusing lens 2 and the same is read out therefrom.
Furthermore, the solid-state image pickup element employs a one-line solid-state image pickup element 4 having plural miniature optoelectric conversion elements arranged in a row (hereinafter, called solely "pixel") usually consisting of a dimension of several .mu.m .times. several .mu.m.
In such an image reading-out apparatus, the line image focused by an image focusing lens 2 is situated on a solid-state image pickup element 1. And further, in order to read out the optical property (focus, magnification, etc.) with the predetermined precision required, it is necessary to perform positional adjustment by finely moving the image focusing lens 2 and the pixel line 4 of the one-line solid-state image pickup element 1 in the five directions of x, y, z, .beta., and .gamma. as shown in FIG. 20. The reference numeral 26 represents an optical axis, in FIG. 20.
Furthermore, in recent years, in order to read out the color image, a solid-state image pickup element 1a having three-line elements 4a, 4b, and 4c respectively arranged on three lines per respective pixels; Red (called "R", later), Green (called "G", later), Blue (called "B", later) respectively having the peaks of the light separation into its spectral components sensitivity at R, G, and B is employed on some occasions.
On this occasion, since a margin for the position of the three-line solid-state image pickup element 1a occurs also in the direction .alpha. shown in FIG. 20 in addition to the adjustment in the above-mentioned five directions, it is necessary to perform the adjustment in six directions in total (a first axial direction along the optical axis 26, second and third axial directions which are perpendicular to the first axial direction; and first, second and third rotational directions respectively around the first, second and third axial directions).
Usually, the high precision (.+-. several .mu.m) of the positional adjustment of such solid-state image pickup element 1a is required on this occasion. In particular, the indispensable one for attaining the above-mentioned requirement is the technology of preventing the position of the solid-state image pickup element 1a from deviating from the predetermined position at the time of fixing the element after adjusting the position thereof as mentioned above.
Even though the position is adjusted with high precision, when the position deviates at the time of fixing it turns out to be necessary to adjust the position once again. Or otherwise, in the case of adopting the fixing method capable of separating, there is no way except for abolishing the separated portion, and thereby there arises a cause of taking longer time for adjusting the position or raising the manufacturing cost. In such a situation, the technology as mentioned above is required.
As to such fixing, although the fixing method by screw has been frequently adopted conventionally, the other fixing method by adhesive agent has been tried in recent years on many occasions, because the amount of the positional deviation is too large (several hundreds .mu.m or several tens .mu.m) and on the other hand the positional deviation caused by the latter method is smaller than that caused by the former method.
As to the mixing method by use of the adhesive agent, the method is roughly classified into two. The first one is the method of bringing both portions to be bonded into direct contact with each other. The second one is the method of providing a gap therebetween. The former method is called "Direct Contact Adhering", while the latter is called "Filling-up Adhering".
In recent years, there are proposed various sorts of solid-state image pickup element fixing methods. As one example of them, the specification of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 62-139466/1987 describes that a complicated mechanism is disposed at the side of the image reading-out apparatus such that the portions to be bonded are always brought into direct contact with each other even though the position of the solid-state image pickup element is adjusted.
In such a method as described in the specification, the positional adjustment itself of the solid-state image pickup element not only turns out to be complicated, but it is necessary to provide position adjusting mechanism not required for attaining the essential function of reading out the image in the image reading-out apparatus. Consequently, the considerable cost of the parts not required for attaining the essential function is added inevitably, and thereby it follows that the cost of manufacturing is raised largely.
Furthermore, since there exist a large number of movable parts in the adjustment mechanism, many portions to be bonded have to be provided necessarily, and further positional deviation due to bonding occurs on many occasions. Those above-mentioned matters are the defects of the conventional structures (prior arts).
Furthermore, in the case of adopting the method proposed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 62-268263, although the directly contacting portion for fixing the solid-state image pickup element by use of an adhesive agent is not formed with a complicated mechanism and thereby the cost is not raised, the solid-state image pickup element is brought into direct contact with a part of the image reading-out apparatus and adhered thereon, and there is no problem if the directly-contacting parts of the above both portions are located on the predetermined position, and on the contrary, if the directly-contacting parts thereof deviate from the predetermined position it is impossible to determine the solid-state image pickup element's position only by bringing both into direct contact. Consequently, a washer is interposed therebetween for adjustment of positioning and thereafter both are bonded to each other.
However, in such a method, it is difficult to perform the positional adjustment of several-.mu.m level rapidly and with high precision. Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare the washer per each adjustment and thereby it turns out to be difficult to cope with the problems for the mass-production thereof.
Furthermore, the porn, at issue (problem to be solved) commonly proposed in the above-mentioned two Japanese Laid-open Patent Applications is that since both portions to be bonded are brought into direct contact with each other and nevertheless both are not brought into completely tight contact with each other and thereby there exists therebetween a gap of several hundred .mu.m or less, the adhesive agent infiltrates into (fills) the interior of the member to be fixed by the action of the capillary phenomenon on some occasions in relation to the factors; the surface tension and density both inherent in the adhesive agent or the afore-mentioned gap.
For this reason, according to the willing state thereof, it causes a positional deviation of the member to be fixed at the time of hardening the adhesive agent. Furthermore, in the case of employing an optically-hardening type adhesive agent, the light rays cannot be radiated into the interior of the member to be fixed, and thereby not-hardened portions remain in the adhesive agent. In such a situation, even though the members to be fixed are put on the predetermined position, the hardening of the adhesive agent advances later due to the thermal variation, etc., and thereby the positional deviation occurs. The above is the defect of the related (prior) art.
On the other hand, there are proposed various sorts of the fixing method of the solid-state image pickup element utilizing the filling adhesion. One of them is described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 61-118707/1986 proposing the fixing method. In this method, there is provided a complicated mechanism enabling the positional adjustment of the solid-state image pickup element having a fixing-side member and a directly-contacting portion. In such construction, the directly-contacting portions are not brought into direct contact with each other. Instead, the adhesive agent fills the portions having the gap not coming into direct contact with each other.
In such a method as mentioned above, it is not profitable that cost up may be caused as in the afore-mentioned case of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 62-139466/1987. Furthermore, there exist another direct-contact portions of the solid-state image pickup element and the fixed-side member in addition to the portions to be bonded. In particular, since screw and resilient body are employed as the direct-contact member, the screw is loosened due to vibration and/or temperature (thermal) variation, or the resilient body exerts an eternal force on the solid-state image pickup element by the action of vibration or plastic deformation. Those matters cause the positional deviation of the solid-state image pickup element on some occasions.
Usually, in the method of "Filling Adhesion", in case that the adhesive strength and the positional deviation due to adhesion are respectively required to be set to the desired values without any unevenness, it is necessary to uniformly fill the portions to be bonded with the adhesive agent so as to form an optional shape, and it is further necessary to set the amount of the adhesive agent as small as possible.
In this method, in order to uniformly fill the portions to be bonded with the adhesive agent, it is preferable to employ the adhesive agent having low viscosity. However, as shown in FIG. 22, if a gap E between mounting plate 38 and solid state image pickup element 1 is not small, the adhesive agent 24 flows out from the gap E in the case of employing the adhesive agent of low viscosity.
On the other hand, even though the gap E is made small, the adhesive agent 24 flows out from the gap portion by the action of the capillary phenomenon on some occasions. In the case of employing an optically-hardening type adhesive agent, the light rays are not radiated on the gap portion and thereby the not-hardened portion remains. Even though the portions to be bonded are located on the predetermined positions at the time of adjusting and fixing, the hardening of the adhesive agent proceeds later due to the temperature (thermal) variation. Probably, it follows that the position of the solid-state image pickup element deviates from the predetermined.
Furthermore, in this method, there exists a problem to be solved that the required amount of the adhesive agent is too much, from the viewpoint of the dimension (square measure) of the adhesive agent coming into contact with the object to be bonded. Consequently, there occurs a troublesome matter that, for the above reasons, the position of the solid-state image pickup element deviates from the predetermined and the cost regarding the adhesive agent is raised. Those are the troubles (demerit) of the conventional (prior) art.
And further, on the other hand, according to the fixing method of the solid-state image pickup element proposed in a magazine; Nikkei Mechanical (published on Jun. 29, 1992-Page 88), there exists no adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the solid-state image pickup element.
Consequently, it does not cause any cost-up as mentioned in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 62-139466/1987, and further, since the object to be bonded is constructed with a cylindrical hole and a cylindrical pin, it does not require a large amount of the adhesion agent, and nevertheless sufficient adhering dimension (square measure) can be secured. It follows that the adhesive strength is improved and the amount of the positional deviation is reduced.
However, even in this method, there arises a problem that the adhesive agent overflows downward if the gap between the cylindrical hole and the cylindrical pin is not small. On the contrary, if the gap is made too small, there arises another problem that it is difficult to put the adhesive agent throughout into the gap. Furthermore, in the case of employing the optically-hardening type adhesive agent, the light rays cannot easily infiltrate into the bottom portion of the gap. Consequently, it needs a long time to completely harden the adhesive agent or not-hardened portion remains. It follows that there arises a problem that the positional deviation of the solid-state image pickup element occurs as in the other method as mentioned above.
In such a situation, the present applicant (inventor) proposes the following structure in connection with the mounting method and the mounting structure of the solid-state image pickup element in the image reading-out apparatus. The patent application describing the above-mentioned method and structure has been filed at the same time as that of the above patent application.
Namely, a mounting structure of a solid-state image pickup element in an image reading-out apparatus proposed by the inventor comprises a solid-state image pickup element, an image focusing lens for focusing image, a fixing member for fixing the solid-state image pickup element which further fixes the image focusing lens, a basic board having the solid-state image pickup element mounted thereon, and a support member for supporting the solid-state image pickup element on which the basic board is mounted so as to be detachable therefrom,
wherein connecting portions are provided between the solid-state image pickup element fixing member and the solid-state image pickup element supporting member, PA1 wherein the connecting portions are bonded to the solid-state image pickup element fixing member after adjusting the position of the solid-state image pickup element supporting member, PA1 wherein the connecting portions are constructed with a projection/hole portion provided on image pickup element and a hole/projection portion provided on the support member for supporting the solid-state image pickup element, PA1 wherein a gap portion between a projection part and a hole part of the projection/hole portion and the hole/projection portion is formed such that the injection side for injecting adhesive agent or the tip end side of the projection part turns out to be wide, and PA1 wherein said connecting portions are bonded to each other by dispensing (painting or applying) the adhesive agent on the gap portion after performing the positional adjustment by use of a jig.
Furthermore, the present applicant (inventor) has proposed the mounting method and the mounting structure of the solid-state image pickup element in the image reading-out apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-91733/1994, in which the solid-state image pickup element can be assembled with high accuracy and further the positional deviation seldom occurs thereafter.

Mounting method and structure for a solid-state image pickup element in an image reading-out apparatus


An electrode assembly for electrical discharge machining (EDM) a slot in a wall includes a plurality of laterally abutting individual electrodes having a collective perimeter configuration complementary with the slot. The electrodes define a collective height equal to the sum of their individual heights which may be substantially greater than the individual widths thereof for machining a correspondingly high aspect ratio slot in the wall.

The present invention relates generally to electrical discharge machining (EDM), and, more specifically, to an improved electrode for forming high aspect ratio holes.
Electrical discharge machining is a common process for forming holes of various shapes and configurations in a metal workpiece. An electrode having the desired shape is advanced toward the workpiece, with a suitable DC power supply effecting an anode and cathode between the workpiece and electrode for forming a controlled spark which melts and vaporizes the workpiece material to form the desired hole. An insulating liquid or dielectric fluid, such as a suitable oil or de-ionized water, provides insulation against premature spark discharge, cools the machined area, and flushes away the removed material.
EDM is commonly used for forming cooling air holes or slots in gas turbine airfoils to provide film cooling thereof during operation. Large turbine airfoils are used in an exemplary land based gas turbine engine sized and configured for power generation, such as driving an electrical generator in a utility grid. Pressurized air from a compressor is mixed with fuel and ignited in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases which flow downstream to a turbine which powers the compressor as well as produces output power. A typical turbine stage includes a row of nozzle vanes and a corresponding row of rotor blades mounted to the perimeter of a rotor disk. The vanes and blades have suitably configured airfoils over which the hot combustion gases flow for extracting energy therefrom. The vanes and blades are therefore typically cooled using a portion of the pressurized air bled from the compressor which is channeled through the respective airfoils and out various holes formed through the walls thereof.
Vane and blade airfoils conventionally include leading and trailing edges extending from root to tip, with opposite concave and convex sides forming respective pressure and suction surfaces. The inside of the airfoil is hollow and is suitably provided with the pressurized cooling air which is discharged through various types of film cooling holes extending through either or both of the pressure and suction sidewalls. In one typical embodiment, the film cooling holes are inclined at a small acute angle of about 15.degree. to the surface of the sidewall and each extends through a considerable axial length of the sidewall for defining an inlet inside the airfoil and an outlet on the outside surface. The cooling air is channeled from the inside of the airfoil, out the film cooling holes, and develops a boundary layer of film cooling air for protecting the airfoil from the hot environment created by the combustion gases.
Typical film cooling holes are usually round in cross section and may be formed by conventional EDM or laser drilling for example. Non-circular film cooling holes, such as rectangular holes, have been developed for improving film cooling effectiveness. Rectangular holes or slots have a section aspect ratio defined by the longest side or height divided by the shortest side or width which is preferably greater than 1.0. The holes also have a depth aspect ratio defined by the length or depth of the hole through the airfoil sidewall divided by the width, which is typically larger than the section aspect ratio. In the large turbine airfoils found in a power generation gas turbine engine, the depth aspect ratio can be on the order of about 50, for example with a two inch length and a 40 mil width.
Accordingly, the large section and depth aspect ratios of an exemplary rectangular film cooling hole or slot at the small inclination angle of about 15.degree. substantially increases the complexity of forming such holes during the manufacturing of the vane or blade airfoils.
For example, conventional EDM employs either solid or flush-through hollow electrodes for producing holes in a workpiece wall such as a turbine airfoil. The solid electrode may be formed with the required shape, and the dielectric fluid is suitably channeled between the electrode and the hole being formed thereby. In the flushing electrode, a center passage is provided through the electrode for conventionally providing the dielectric fluid through the electrode so that deeper or higher depth aspect ratio holes may be formed. The solid electrodes are limited in machining depths by their ability to effectively remove material debris during the machining process, with flushing electrodes being used for machining greater hole depths since they more effectively flush the dielectric fluid.
Since EDM electrodes are consumed during operation, the turnaround time for manufacturing electrodes and the cost thereof are significant factors in the electrode design. In order to inexpensively produce flushing electrodes, circular tubes are typically plastically flattened into a generally rectangular or square configuration for forming corresponding rectangular or square EDM holes in the workpiece. However, there are practical limits in providing these flattened flushing electrodes with relatively large section aspect ratios. If the aspect ratio is too large, the walls of the tube during the manufacturing process will collapse into a dogbone shape and lose the rectangular shape desired.
Furthermore, at relatively large section aspect ratios, the long sides of the rectangular become more resilient which can destabilize the EDM process due to dynamic vibratory excitation of the long walls, which in turn can cause undesirable hole shape or oversizing thereof. Electrode deflection at the shallow entry angles, of about 15.degree. for example, can also occur which decreases the accuracy of the hole location along the minor axis of the rectangle, as well as causing inefficient and slow EDM cutting action.
The wall thickness of the tubular electrode must be suitably large for both accommodating inherent wear of the electrode during the EDM process as well as providing suitable structural stiffness of the electrode. The required center passage in the flushing electrode provides a practical limit on the minimum dimension of the electrode. In view of these exemplary considerations, a conventional, rectangular flushing electrode has an upper section aspect ratio of about 1.6 for forming a rectangular hole of about 80 by 50 mils for example. Since higher section aspect ratios substantially greater than this presently attainable ratio are desired for improving film cooling slot performance, an improved EDM electrode is desired.

High aspect ratio EDM electrode assembly


A main memory system includes a main memory device including a first memory device implemented with a volatile memory and a second memory device implemented with a non-volatile memory, the main memory system being configured such that, when entering a sleep mode, the memory device reads a portion of data stored in the first memory device to store the read data in the second memory device, and, after the portion of data is read, the first memory device and the second memory device are powered off.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate generally to power management of electronic devices, and more particularly to a main memory system, a computer system and a method of operating a system to receive a transmission signal from an external device while keeping a low-power state in a maximum or, alternatively, high-level sleep mode.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
According to increasing demands on electronic devices to process a large amount of data with a high speed, it becomes important to implement semiconductor products with a higher degree of integration, a higher performance and a lower power. Particularly in case of mobile devices operating based on an imbedded battery, it is critical to minimize power consumption.
In general, the mobile device is in a partially operating state for a longer time than in a fully operating state. Accordingly it is required to reduce power consumption by powering off a portion of the mobile device to enter a standby mode. In this case, with maintaining the low-power state, it is required to receive and process a signal and/or data transmitted wirelessly from the external device.

Systems having a maximum sleep mode and method of operating the same


A syringe tip is connected to a syringe head by an assembly that permits quick detachment and replacement of syringe tips without the use of tools. The assembly is adjustable for permitting or restricting rotation of syringe tip.

A syringe is used in dentistry for controlled delivery of liquid, air, or a combination of liquid and air, to the mouth of the patient. A syringe generally includes a syringe head that is manipulated by the operator and connected by flexible conduits to a source of water and compressed air. A tubular, elongated syringe tip is connected to the syringe head.
A conventional syringe tip comprises an inner tube and a concentric outer tube. The inner tube mates at one end with a liquid-outlet port in the syringe head, thereby providing a conduit for the liquid from the syringe head to the free end of the syringe tip.
The outer tube of the syringe tip has an inside diameter that is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the inner tube, thereby defining between the inner and outer tubes an annular air delivery chamber extending along the length of the syringe tip. The outer tube of the syringe tip joins the inner tube at the tip end that connects to the syringe head. At that end, the air delivery chamber is substantially closed, except for an air-inlet port in the outer tube that connects that chamber with an air-outlet port in the syringe head. Air flows out of the air delivery chamber at the free end of the syringe tip.
The operator controls the flow of liquid or gas through the syringe tip by operating valves that are mounted in the syringe head.
Syringe tips are disinfected after use with a single patient. Consequently, the mechanism employed for connecting the syringe tips to a syringe head should provide for quick and simple replacement of syringe tips while ensuring an effective seal between the syringe head and the connected syringe tip.
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a prior art syringe tip assembly 10 for connecting a syringe tip 20 to a conventional syringe head 22. The syringe head 22 includes a threaded aperture 24, the innermost end of which aperture is in a fluid communication with a liquid-outlet port 26 and an air-outlet port 28 formed in the head 22. The liquid-outlet port 26 is connected to a flexible conduit (not shown) that extends from the syringe head 22 to a source of liquid, such as water. Similarly, the air-outlet port 28 is connected to a flexible conduit that connects the syringe head 22 with a source of compressed air. The liquid-outlet port 26 and the air-outlet port 28 are opened and closed by internal valves. A three-position button 30 is manipulated by the operator to control the valves.
The syringe tip 20 includes an elongated inner tube 32 and a concentric outer tube 34. The syringe tip 20 has a connecting end 36 that connects to the syringe head 22, and a free end 38 from which the liquid and air are expelled.
The connecting end 36 of the syringe tip fits into one end of a generally tubular coupler 40. The coupler 40 has near its innermost end 42 a threaded portion 44 that threads into the threaded aperture 24 in the syringe head 22.
At the connecting end 36 of the syringe tip 20, the inner tube 32 protrudes from the outer tube 34 to fit within the liquid-outlet port 26 in the syringe head. An annulus 46 is formed to protrude from the innermost end 42 of the coupler 40. An O-ring 48 fits inside the annulus 46. The annulus 46 and O-ring 48 are sized so that the O-ring 48 is firmly compressed against the syringe head 22 and around the portion of the inner tube 32 that protrudes from the outer tube 34 (FIG. 2). The O-ring 48, therefore, seals the connection between the liquid-outlet port 26 and the inner tube 32.
The end 66 of the coupler 40 that is opposite the annulus 46 carries external threads 50 for receiving a retainer nut 52 through which nut the syringe tip 20 extends as described below. A smooth portion of the exterior wall of the coupler 40 between the threaded portions 44, 50 carries an O-ring 54 for sealing the annular space between the retainer nut 52 and syringe head 22 whenever the nut 52 is tightened to the coupler 40.
The retainer nut 52 is a hollow, generally frustum shaped member having an inner end 56 and an outer end 58. The interior of the inner end 56 of the retainer nut 52 is threaded to engage the threads 50 on the coupler 40. Part of the outer surface of the inner end 56 is hexagonal in cross-section to receive a wrench for tightening the retainer nut 52 to the coupler 40.
Whenever the retainer nut 52 is tightened to the coupler 40 with the connecting end 36 of the syringe tip 20 in place (FIG. 2), a locking O-ring 60, which fits inside the retainer nut 52, is firmly compressed between a tapered sleeve 64 and the outer end 66 of the coupler 40 so that the locking O-ring 60 is forced into an annular recess 62 formed in the outer surface of the outer tube 34.
More particularly, the outer surface 67 of the tapered sleeve 64 tapers outwardly (i.e., to the left in FIG. 2) and bears against a correspondingly tapered surface 68 defined by the inside wall of the retainer nut 52. The locking O-ring 60 is located between the tapered sleeve 64 and the outer end 66 of the coupler 40. As a result, whenever the retainer nut 52 is threaded onto the coupler 40, the tapered sleeve 64 is forced against the locking O-ring 60, compressing the ring 60 as mentioned above, thereby securing the syringe tip 20 to the coupler 40 (hence, to the syringe head 22).
The outer tube 34 is crimped to the inner tube 32 at connecting end 36 to close the end of the air delivery chamber 70 that is defined between the outer tube 34 and the inner tube 32. An annular recess 72 is formed near the crimped end. Two or more inlet ports 74 are formed through the outer tube 34 at the recess 72. An air passage 75 is defined between the outer surface of the tube 34 and the inner wall 76 of the coupler 40 at the crimped end of the outer tube 34. This air passage 75 is in fluid communication with the air-outlet port 28 in the syringe head 22 via holes 78 in the innermost end 42 of the coupler 40.
The just described prior art syringe tip assembly 10 is designed so that the retainer nut 52 must be securely fastened to the coupler 40 in order to retain the syringe tip 20 in place. Accordingly, it is necessary to employ a tool for loosening the retainer nut 52 to permit removal of the syringe tip 20. In loosening the retainer nut 52, the nut may be backed completely off the threads 50 of the coupler 40, which can lead to the separation and loss of internal parts, such as the tapered sleeve 64 and the locking O-ring 60.
In some dental procedures it is desireable to secure the tip 20 to the syringe head 22 so that it is irrotatable about its longitudinal axis. Such an irrotatable syringe tip may be desirable, for example, when the tip 20 is used for retracting the cheek of a patient. The tip must be secured against rotation because the retraction force applied to the bent free end of the tip 20 tends to rotate the tip within the coupler 40. The prior art syringe tip assembly 10 just described is designed so that the compressed locking O-ring 60 normally secures the tip 20 to be irrotatable about its longitudinal axis.
In other applications, a rotatable syringe tip is preferred. The tip 20 can be made rotatable by loosening the retainer nut 52, thereby permitting the locking O-ring 60 to resile and reduce the force applied by the O-ring to the outer tube 34. By loosening the retainer nut 52, however, it is possible that subsequent rotation of the syringe tip 20 will be transferred via the O-ring 60 to the retainer nut 52, which can eventually unthread the retainer nut 52 and cause the tip 20, retainer nut 52, and internal parts to fall from the syringe head 22.
In the past, split collets have been available for replacing the tapered sleeve 64 mentioned above. The force of the retainer nut interior surface 68 against the split collet tightens the collet 64 to the tip 20 to restrict tip rotation. The collet, however, may be lost in the event that the retainer nut 52 is loosened as described above.
This invention is directed to an assembly for connecting a syringe tip to a syringe head and provides for rapid replacement of the syringe tip. In many applications, the need for a tool to loosen the connection is eliminated.
The assembly is adjustable for permitting or prohibiting rotation of the syringe tip about its longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, the assembly is configured so that rotation of the tip can not unthread the retainer nut from the coupler. In another embodiment, the assembly is configured so that individual components (collet and O-rings) are not free to fall from the coupler even though the retainer nut is removed.
As another aspect of this invention, the assembly is constructed so that it may be used with existing syringe heads.


The Aircraft Emergency Services Call Management System enables the unique identification of each passenger wireless device in use in an aircraft and the corresponding identification of the passenger associated with the passenger wireless device. This passenger wireless device registration data is stored as database entries in a ground-based Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database which associates each aircraft with its registered passenger wireless devices. The origination of an emergency services call by any registered passenger wireless device results in the call being routed to a serving Public Safety Access Point (PSAP) where the passenger is connected to an emergency services operator. Since the aircraft flight crew and cabin crew are the only personnel on site that can be relied upon to provide some sort of emergency services response, they are included in the emergency services call.

It is a problem in the field of wireless communications to manage the wireless services provided by an aircraft network to passengers (also termed "subscribers" herein) who are located in the aircraft as they roam among cell sites in the non-terrestrial cellular communication network. The aircraft network serves a plurality of subscribers, yet has a link to the ground-based network via a wide bandwidth connection that concurrently serves multiple individual subscribers. The management of this wide bandwidth connection to enable the individual identification of aircraft-based subscribers has yet to be addressed in existing wireless networks.
In the field of terrestrial cellular communications, it is common for a wireless subscriber to move throughout the area served by the network of their home cellular service provider and maintain their desired subscriber feature set. Feature set availability throughout the home network is managed by the home cellular service provider's database, often termed a Home Location Register (HLR), with data connections to one or more switches (packet or circuit), and various ancillary equipment, such as voice mail and short message servers, to enable this seamless feature set management. Each subscriber is associated with a one-to-one communication connection, which comprises a channel on the serving cell site, to access the desired communication services.
Emergency Services access is an important feature of existing telecommunications networks, with the network being capable of not only identifying the subscriber but also their present location to facilitate dispatching emergency services personnel. A universal code, such as 911 in North America and 112 in Europe, is used to access emergency dispatch personnel at predefined sites termed "Public Safety Access Points (PSAPs)". Enhanced 911 (E911) is an extension of this basic service and is defined by the transmission of callback number and geographical location information to the emergency dispatch personnel. The term "geographical location information" is used to refer to information about the physical position of a subscriber in the physical environment as opposed to a communications network address. For example, it comprises a civic address, postal address, street address, latitude and longitude information, or geodetic location information. E911 may be implemented for landline and/or wireless devices. Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that emulates a phone call, but instead of using a circuit based system such as the telephone network, it utilizes packetized data transmission techniques most notably implemented in the Internet. Thus, in the existing telecommunications networks, there are a number of instances where the geographical location of the subscriber cannot be identified.
In order to promptly dispatch emergency service vehicles or other assistance to the correct destination, accurate information about the geographical location of the subscriber is needed. In conventional wire-line switched telephone networks, it is possible to provide the subscriber location information relatively easily because telephone handsets are fixed in particular locations. Static database entries can then be made in a database which is accessible to the emergency services personnel at the Public Safety Access Points (PSAPs) to associate a subscriber's home address and telephone number. However, for mobile communication systems, the use of such static database entries is not possible because the geographical location of a wireless communications device varies over time.
Another problem concerns routing emergency calls to the correct destination. For regular calls, this is not such an issue because the subscriber enters specific details of the required call destination. However, for emergency calls, the jurisdiction for emergency services answering points typically is quite small, for example, at the county level in the USA. This information about the geographical location of the subscriber is needed to determine the routing of the call to the proper Public Safety Access Point (PSAP). Misrouting of calls to the wrong answering point leads to costs in transferring calls, impacts reliability, and leads to delays in dispatching emergency services personnel which are significant in life-threatening situations.
When wireless subscribers enter the non-terrestrial cellular communication network (that is, they fly in an aircraft as passengers), they encounter a unique environment that traditionally has been disconnected from the terrestrial cellular network, where the wireless network of the aircraft interfaces the subscriber (also termed "passenger" herein) to various services and content. The aircraft wireless network, therefore, can function as a content filter or can create unique types of content that are directed to the individual passengers who are onboard the aircraft. However, although the aircraft network serves a plurality of passengers, it has a link to the ground-based Access Network via a wide bandwidth radio frequency connection that has a single IP address on the ground-based Access Network. The wide bandwidth radio frequency connection concurrently carries the communications of multiple individual passengers, but these communications cannot be individually identified by the ground-based Access Network. The management of this wide bandwidth connection to enable the individual identification of passengers via the assignment of individual unique IP addresses to each passenger wireless device has yet to be addressed in existing wireless networks.
Furthermore, the processing of an emergency services call where the subscriber is located in an aircraft raises issues heretofore never addressed, especially since the location of the subscriber continually changes as the aircraft continues on its flight. The aircraft flight crew and cabin crew are the only personnel on site that can be relied upon to provide some sort of emergency services response, and they must be intimately involved in an emergency services call. In addition, emergency services personnel cannot be dispatched to the aircraft, but the aircraft can be dispatched to an alternate destination given the proper authorization to enable the emergency to be resolved at that alternate location. However, the process to effectuate such a decision and the communications architecture to support this process are presently not developed.

System for managing an aircraft-oriented emergency services call in an airborne wireless cellular network


A method of evaluating a contribution of a cylinder to an engine includes measuring a first revolutions per minute of the engine during an enabled state; determining a dwell period of the cylinder; applying a direct current voltage signal into a negative terminal of an ignition coil of the engine during the dwell period to disable the cylinder and create a disabled state; and measuring a second revolutions per minute of the engine during the disabled state. A system for evaluating a contribution of a cylinder to an engine includes a first measure module, a determine module, an apply module, and a second measure module. The first measure module measures a first revolutions per minute of the engine during an enabled state. The determine module determines a dwell period of the cylinder. The apply module applies a direct current voltage signal into a negative terminal of an ignition coil of the engine during the dwell period to disable the cylinder and create a disabled state. The second measure module measures a second revolutions per minute of the engine during the disabled state.

Internal combustion engines frequently misfire on one or more cylinders, requiring repair to that cylinder or cylinders. In order to diagnose such engines, one must determine which cylinder is encountering a problem. The diagnostics typically involve disabling a cylinder and then monitoring the resulting engine performance. Each cylinder is evaluated to determine which cylinder or cylinders is encountering a problem. In general, if a properly operating cylinder is disabled, the engine will run rougher. Conversely, if a non-properly operating cylinder is disabled, there will be little impact on the performance of the engine. By systematically disabling the cylinders of the engine one at a time, one can locate the defective cylinder.
A variety of techniques for disabling a cylinder are known, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,532 (the '532 patent). There are disadvantages to these prior systems. One such disadvantage is that they are difficult to connect to the engine. In today's engines, the component parts are less accessible and are often hidden under plastic cladding. So, attaching all the necessary leads to disable a cylinder is a daunting task. In FIG. 1 of the '532 patent, several different leads are required to perform the test. In today's engine, most of those engine components are inaccessible.
Therefore, improvements are desirable.

Method and systems for determining internal combustion engine cylinder condition


A universal sight tool for use with pistol slides to remove, install, and adjust the front and/or rear sights which are carried in a dovetail in the slide. The tool is also useful to drill and tap barrels and receivers for sights, beads and scope mounts. The tool includes a frame mounted to a stand, an adjustable sight carriage to engage a sight to be adjusted, a slide leveler/barrel support, a floor plate, fixed and mobile jaws to engage and retain the slide, and bushings on top of the frame to guide drills and taps for drilling and tapping of barrels and receivers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a universal sight tool for removing installing and adjusting dovetailed sights on pistol slides, of the type which clamps the slide, with a movable carriage to engage and manipulate the sight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The removal, installation or adjustment of sights carried in a pistol slide is often a difficult task.
Many pistol slides such as used on a Colt .45 automatic pistol or a Glock pistol have front or rear sights which are set in a dovetail in the slide, which sights are adjusted at the factory and the dovetail is peened to retain the sight in place. Many shooters seek to use better sights than are supplied at the factory, or wish to adjust the front or rear sight to compensate for changes in the barrel and/or to obtain a greater degree of accuracy.
A common method of changing and adjusting sights is to mount the pistol slide in a vise, and use a steel punch to strike the sight and change its location in the dovetail, or to remove it all together so that a new sight may be installed. This method of sight adjustment or removal is crude, often damages or destroys the sight and/or dovetail, and does not lend itself to the degree of accuracy required by the user.
The universal sight tool of the invention permits of fine adjustment of a sight, provides fast removal of an old sight and installation of a new one, does not damage the sight or the slide, and includes provisions for drilling and tapping of receivers or barrels for installation of scope mounts, sights and beads.


A processor for processing semiconductor articles, such as integrated circuit wafers, flat panel displays, semiconductor substrates, and data disks. The processor has an interface section which receives articles in article carriers. The interface section transfers the articles from carriers into processing arrays. A conveyor having an automated arm assembly moves article arrays to and between processing stations. The processing stations are accessed from an enclosed area adjoining the interface section.

The processing of semiconductor wafers, flat panel displays and other semiconductor articles has become of great economic significance due to the large volume of integrated circuits, electronic displays, data disks, and similar articles being produced.
The size of features used in integrated circuits, panel displays and data disks have decreased significantly, thus providing greater integration and greater capacity. This has been possible due to improved lithography techniques and improved processing.
The reduction in feature size has been limited by contamination. This is true because various contaminating particles, crystals, metals and organics lead to defects in the resulting products. The limitations on feature size caused by contaminants have prevented full utilization of the resolution capability of known lithography techniques. Thus there remains an acute need for improved methods and systems for processing semiconductor wafers, display panels, data disks and similar articles requiring very low levels of contamination during processing.


A core bar for a rubber track includes wings on both sides to be embedded in an elastic member of the rubber track, a bridging center for connecting the wings, and driving protrusions provided on both sides of the bridging center and projecting from the inner circumferential surface of the rubber track. The bridging center has at least one projection projecting from the wings in a longitudinal direction of the rubber track. Projections of the core bars embedded in the elastic member overlap with each other to form a continuous passage for a track roller. As an alternative, the core bar includes a driving center protrusion provided at the center of the core bar and adapted to engage a sprocket wheel for driving the rubber track and track roller traveling surfaces extending along the driving center protrusion on both sides thereof. Sprockets for driving the rubber track is formed in the circumference with opened recesses alternately positioned in its both surfaces and engaged with the driving center protrusions of the core bars.

This invention relates to core bars for a rubber track, and more particularly to a rubber track traveling device mainly for use in construction equipment, earthworking equipment and the like.
Although rubber tracks have been used mainly for agricultural equipment, recently they have been employed for construction equipment and earthworking equipment. The rubber track includes an endless belt-shaped rubber-like elastic member, a number of core bars embedded therein and aligned in the longitudinal direction thereof and extending in traverse directions thereof, and steel cords (tension-resistant members) embedded in the endless elastic member to surround the core bars circumferentially outwardly. As such, rubber tracks are made of rubber-like materials, vibrations to be transmitted to occupants are mitigated and paved roads are not damaged. Therefore, rubber tracks have been used willingly.
On the other hand, however, when a vehicle equipped with rubber tracks moves on sandy terrain or quarries, the rubber tracks are likely to shift from advancing directions of the vehicle due to elongations and contractions of the rubber-like material in vertical and horizontal or other directions. As a result, the rubber tracks unavoidably get off sprocket wheels or track rollers of the vehicle. Various attempts have been made in order to prevent the dislodgement of the rubber tracks from the vehicle, but they have not met with success.
The present invention relates to an improvement of an inner track roller type rubber track whose core bars are formed with driving protrusions on the inner circumference of the rubber track. FIG. 1 illustrates in cross-section a prior art rubber track of the inner track roller type and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rubber track. The core bar 2 of the rubber track includes wings 3 and 4 on both sides embedded in the rubber-like elastic member 1, a bridging center 5 connecting the wings 3 and 4, and a pair of protrusions 6 and 7 provided on both sides of the bridging center 5 and projecting from the inner circumferential surface of the rubber track. The core bars 2 are surrounded outwardly by steel cords 8 embedded in the rubber-like elastic member 1 in its longitudinal directions. As can be seen from the drawings, the bridging center 5 of the core bar 2 engages teeth of a sprocket wheel 9, and the elastic member 1 between the bridging centers of core bars 2 is formed with recesses 10 for the sprocket wheel 9. A track roller 17 provided on a vehicle rolls on the passage between the protrusions 6 and 7.
The bridging center 5 of the core bar 2 is required to have a predetermined width and a predetermined thickness for engagement with the sprocket wheel 9. Therefore, when the track roller 17 rolls between the protrusions 6 and 7 of the core bars 2, it repeatedly rides over the bridging centers 5 and falls onto the recesses 10 of the elastic member 1. As a result, personnel on the vehicle unfavorably undergo violent vibrations or oscillations. This is the largest disadvantage of the inner track roller type rubber track although it has a certain effect for prevention of rollers getting off the track. Such a disadvantage is unavoidable so long as the bridging center 5 engages the teeth of the sprocket wheel 9.
On the other hand, there is another driving system in which a rubber track is directly formed in its circumference with driving protrusions adapted to engage driving wheels. In this system, there is a tendency for small stones to jam between the driving protrusions and the driving wheels which cause cracks in the inner circumferential surface of the rubber track. Particularly, when track rollers roll on the inner circumference of the rubber track, sand and small stones tend to jam between track rollers and the rubber track to cause cracks in the inner circumferential surface of the rubber track. Therefore, this driving system involves a problem in durability for use as a rubber track.
FIG. 3 illustrates another prior art rubber track, which is used for construction equipment and can be usually used in place of an iron shoe crawler. Core bars 2 made by casting or forging are embedded with constant intervals in an endless rubber member 1. The core bar 2 includes wings 3 and 4, an engaging portion 5 engaging sprocket wheels, and protrusions 6 and 7 on both sides of the engaging portion 5 and projecting onto the inner circumference of the rubber track. Track rollers 9' roll on the upper surfaces of the protrusions 6 and 7. In the case of the iron shoe crawler, the track rollers 9' roll on links (not shown). Moreover, steel cords 8 as tension-resistant members are embedded usually in a row in the endless rubber member 1 on the outer circumferential side of the wings 3 and 4 of the core bars 2.
In rubber tracks used in large type construction equipment, the width of the tracks is often several tens cm, and core bars 2 used in the rubber tracks are much longer and thicker, whose weight is as much as several kg. Therefore, the weight of a rubber track including a number of such heavy core bars 2 embedded therein is as much as several hundreds kg. However, only the engaging portions of the core bars engaging the sprocket wheels serve to receive the driving force for driving the heavy and bulky rubber track.
On the other hand, the rubber track 1 is always subjected to tensile forces when it is running. Only the core bars 2 serve to maintain the rubber track 1 in a flat state against such tensile forces. Therefore, the center portions of the core bars 2 are subjected to great moments of inertia. Moreover, as the rubber track is formed along its longitudinal center line with recesses in a row for the sprocket wheels so that the longitudinal center portion of the rubber track is devoid of steel cords. As a result, the steel cords are divided at the center portion into two groups. Therefore, the wings 3 and 4 become longer and thus moments acting upon the core bars become larger as well. In conjunction with these facts, the center portions or the sprocket wheel engaging portions 5 of the core bars 2 must be wider and thicker in addition to the longer wings 3 and 4. As a result, great amounts of the material are needed for the rubber tracks.
In the prior art rubber track shown in FIG. 3, moreover, the two protrusions 6 and 7 of the core bar 2 are needed for traveling surfaces for the track roller 9'. Although these two protrusions 6 and 7 serve to prevent the rubber track from getting off, they are wasteful for the material of the core bar. What is worse still, when running on rocks or inclined surfaces, inclinations of the track roller 9' and the rubber track 1 become different so that the rubber track 1, particularly the protrusions 6 and 7 are likely to move away from the track roller 9' so that the rubber track unavoidably gets off from the vehicle.

Core bar for rubber track and rubber track traveling device


An accommodative intra-ocular lens deformable between the unaccommodating and accommodating configurations upon the relaxation and contraction of the ciliary muscle. The lens anterior and posterior portions are substantially sealingly joined together about their peripheral edges and define a lens internal volume filled with a substantially incompressible lens internal fluid. Causing a variable internal fluid pressure exerted on the lens inner surfaces. The lens is configured such that radius of curvature of both the central and peripheral sections of the lens anterior portion will decrease upon an increase in internal fluid pressure and increase upon a decrease in internal fluid pressure.

As is well known, light enters the eye through the cornea. Besides serving as a protective covering for the front of the eye, the cornea also helps focus light on the retina located at the back of the eye. After passing through the cornea, light enters the pupil located In the middle of the iris.
Behind the iris sits the lens. The lens divides the eyeball of mammalian into two segments, each filled with fluid. The anterior segment extends from the cornea to the lens. The posterior segment extends from the back edges of the lens to the retina. The anterior segment itself is divided into two chambers. The anterior chamber extends from the cornea to the iris while the posterior chamber extends from the iris to the lens.
The anterior segment is filled with a fluid called the aqueous humor that nourishes its internal structures. The posterior segment contains a gel-like substance called the vitreous humor. These fluids help the eyeball maintain its shape.
The mammalian crystalline lens typically has a natural elasticity and, in its relaxed state, assumes a substantially bi-convex configuration wherein it has a generally circular cross-section of two convex refracting surfaces. Generally, the curvature of the posterior surface of the lens, i.e. the surface adjacent to the vitreous body, is somewhat greater than that of the anterior surface.
The lens is generally located on the optical axis of the eye, i.e. in a substantially straight line drawn from the centre of the cornea to the macula on the retina at the posterior portion of the globe. The lens is closely surrounded by a membranous capsule that serves as an intermediate structure in the support and actuation of the lens. The lens capsule has transparent elastic anterior and posterior walls or capsular membranes. The lens and its capsule are suspended on the optical axis behind the pupil by a circular assembly of cobweb-like and radially-directed collagenous fibers commonly referred to as the zonules, that are attached at their inner ends to the equatorial region of the lens capsule and at their outer ends to the ciliary body, a muscular ring of tissue located just within the outer supporting structure of the eye, known as the sclera.
By changing its shape, the lens focuses light onto the retina. Normally, the eye creates a clear image because the cornea and lens refract incoming light rays to focus them on the retina. The shape of the cornea is fixed, but the lens changes shape to focus on objects at various distances from the eye. The diopter value of a lens is defined as the reciprocal of the focal lens, i.e.:Diopter=1/focal length (m)
Focal length is the distance from the centre of the lens to the object being viewed. The focal length must decrease as magnification Increases. The diopter value expresses the refractive capacity of a lens which is associated with the radius of curvature of the optics. Generally, an increased diopter value indicates that the optic is thicker and also has a lesser radius of curvature, thus possessing greater light bending capability.
During a process known as accommodation, the shape of the lens is altered and, hence, its refractive properties thereby adjusted, to allow the eye to focus on objects at varying distances. A typical healthy eye has sufficient accommodation to enable focused vision on objects ranging in distance from infinity, which is generally defined as beyond 20 feet from the eye, to very near, i.e. typically closer than 10 inches.
Accommodation occurs when the ciliary muscle moves the lens from its relaxed or "unaccommodated" state to a contracted or "accommodated state". The ciliary body or muscle is relaxed in the unaccommodated eye and, therefore, assumes its largest diameter. When the viewer is observing an image located at a distance, the sensory cells within the retina signal the ciliary body to relax.
Accommodation occurs when the ciliary muscle moves the lens from its relaxed or "unaccommodated" state to a contracted or "accommodated" state. When the viewer is observing an image located at a distance, the sensory cells within the retina signal the ciliary body to relax. Conversely, the ciliary muscle is contracted in an effort for the eye to be focused on a near object.
Various accommodation theories have been proposed over the years. Probably, the most widely held theory of accommodation is that proposed by Helmholtz. According the Helmholtz theory, when focusing at near, the contraction of the ciliary muscle decreases the equatorial circumlenticular space. This, in turn, reduces the tension on the zonules and allows the lens to round up, hence increasing optical power. When viewing a distant object, the relaxation of the ciliary muscle increases the equatorial circumlenticular space causing an increase in zonular tension. The increase in zonular tension, in turn, causes the surfaces of the lens to flatten and the optical power of the lens to decrease.
According to the Schachar theory, while tension on equatorial zonules is increased during accommodation, the anterior and posterior zonules are simultaneously relaxing.
According to the Coleman theory, the lens, zonules and anterior vitreous comprise a diaphragm between the anterior and vitreous chambers of the eye. Ciliary muscle contraction initiates a pressure gradient between the vitreous and aqueous compartments that support the anterior lens shape in the mechanically reproducible state of a steep radius of curvature In the centre of the lens with slight flattening of the peripheral anterior lens, i.e. the shape, in cross-section, of a catenary.
According to Young, there is a pressure increase in the vitreous chamber under accommodation and convergence, and this increase in pressure is directly related to the amount of accommodation extended. Young feels that it is difficult to explain this pressure increase using the Helmholtz theory. A possibly more compatible explanation will be that of Tschering, claiming that the ciliary muscle, in pulling on the choroid, presses the vitreous, the ciliary body and the posterior part of the zonules against the lens, which is thus forcibly altered in shape.
According to Coleman, neither of these two theories of accommodation fully explains how the eye responds during accommodation. Coleman's model of the accommodative mechanism explains accommodation as a function of both lens plasticity and vitreous support based on analysis of hydraulic forces in the eye, showing that active vitreous support is consistent with decreased zonular tension and that the two theories are not contradictory.
The present invention takes into consideration the well-observed phenomena that there seems to be an increase in vitreous pressure during accommodation, possibly in relation with contraction of the ciliary muscle. Also, there seems to be a decrease in equatorial circumlenticular space upon muscle contraction.
Regardless of the theory, the natural accommodative capability thus involves contraction and relaxation of the ciliary muscles by the brain to alter the shape of the lens to the appropriate refractive parameters for focusing the light rays entering the eye onto the retina in order to provide both near and distant vision.
The natural accommodative capability thus involves contraction and relaxation of the ciliary muscles by the brain to alter the shape of the lens to the appropriate refractive parameters for focusing the light rays entering the eye on the retina in order to divide both near vision and distant vision.
There are multiple reasons for loss of accommodation. Typically, starting at age mid-40, a typical human eye begins to gradually lose its near distance vision, a process also referred to as presbyopia. One of the reasons is that the crystalline lens may become too hard to change back and forth from a thin lens to a thick lens.
The common approach for addressing such problem of loss of accommodation is to wear reading glasses. The prior art has also shown various attempts to solve presbyopia by implanting intra-ocular lenses.
Another conventional use for intra-ocular lenses is the replacement of the natural lens by an intra-ocular lens during cataract surgery. Indeed, in response to various physiological conditions, the most notable being the occurrence of cataracts, the natural crystalline lens may have to be removed and replaced by an intra-ocular lens.
The prior art discloses various examples of so-called monofocal intra-ocular lenses. Such monofocal intra-ocular lenses are produced with a single vision correction power, that being a vision correction power typically for distance vision. However, such conventional monofocal intra-ocular lenses typically do not provide sufficient near vision correction for reading or other situations where near vision is required.
The prior art also discloses so-called multifocal intra-ocular lenses that are produced with a lens providing more than one optical power, for example, a distance vision correction power and a near vision correction power. Although such multifocal intra-ocular lenses have proven to be relatively effective in providing the desired range of vision correction power, they may not be totally acceptable to some patients due to the simultaneous vision characteristics of such lenses which may produce halo and/or glare and/or decreased contrast sensitivity phenomena.
In order to provide patients with a range of vision correction powers with reduced risks of producing halo or glare phenomena, so-called accommodative intra-ocular lenses have been suggested in the prior art. Such prior art accommodative intra-ocular lenses may provide, for example, for the axial movement of the monofocal optic in order to vary the focus of an image on the retina. Most prior art accommodative intra-ocular lenses, however, suffer from some drawbacks.
For example, some prior art accommodative intra-ocular lenses are often limited by the amount of movement required to produce adequate accommodation.
Another problem encountered with the use of some prior art accommodative intra-ocular lenses is often referred to as posterior capsule opacification resulting from cell growth from the capsular bag unto the optics of the accommodative intra-ocular lens resulting from the presence of then latter. Such posterior capsule opacification can interfere with the clarity of the optic to the detriment of the vision of the lens wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,199 to Banko approaches the problem of providing a focusable intra-ocular lens by providing a replacement intra-ocular lens of deformable material sutured to the ciliary body. This intra-ocular lens functions in much the same manner as the natural crystalline lens, but may cause bleeding because it requires sutures.
In an attempt to circumvent some of the problems associated with prior art lenses, U.S. Patent application Publication No. U.S. 2007/0129801 A1 naming J. Stuart Cummings as inventor and published Jun. 7, 2007 discloses an accommodative intra-ocular lens having an optic formed of solid silicone and liquid silicone. The optic is substantially circular and has a posterior portion of solid silicone extending into an anterior annular portion of solid silicone forming an outer diameter portion extending from the posterior side to an anterior side of the lens. The optic also includes a solid central anterior portion extending from the anterior annular portion which includes a membrane substantially thinner than the solid posterior and solid annular portions. The membrane is capable of deformation. The optic also includes a liquid silicone retained therein by the aforesaid solid portions. The optic is designed so that the anterior portion can change in radius of curvature upon an increase in vitreous cavity pressure on the posterior solid portion.
Although circumventing some of the problems associated with the prior art, the accommodative intra-ocular lens disclosed in this publication nevertheless suffers from some drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks associated with the structure disclosed in the Cumming application resides in the fact that the configuration of the anterior and posterior portions of the lens is such that the solid portions of the lens increase the risks that the latter creates refractive aberrations such as halo, glare and reduced contrast sensitivity. Indeed, for example, the configuration of the anterior portion of the lens is such that portions Identified respectively by the reference numerals 12b and 12d will deform substantially differently upon an increase in vitreous cavity pressure in part due to the relatively abrupt change in thickness at their juncture. The portions identified by the reference numerals 12a and 12b are designed so as to be sufficiently solid to prevent deformation of the optic upon implantation into the eye. This rigidity will also potentially contribute to the creation of refractive aberrations during use.
Against this background, there exists a need for an improved accommodative intra-ocular lens.


Throughflow openings are provided for a cooling medium in a coolable component. The throughflow opening comprises an insert that reduces the size of the first opening cross-section to a second opening cross-section, and that is released from the first opening if the second opening cross-section becomes blocked as a result of a local temperature rise and a thermally unstable joining between the insert and the component, being mounted in a first opening. The present throughflow opening greatly reduces the risk of damage to components to be cooled, in particular turbine blades, as a result of fine throughflow openings becoming blocked.

In the field of continuous flow machines, in particular gas turbines in installations for power generation or in aviation, increasingly high turbine inlet temperatures of the hot gas are being strived for and achieved in order to increase the power. However, these higher temperatures present a problem for the integrity of those turbine components which are loaded by high temperatures, in particular the turbine blades. The inlet temperatures to the first turbine stage in modem gas turbines are already higher than the melting point of the blade material. In order to prevent damage to the turbine blades caused by these high operating temperatures, the blade components are cooled via cooling channels running within the blades.
One known cooling method for cooling gas turbine blades is internal, convective cooling. In this cooling technique, which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, cooling air is introduced into the blade root through the rotor shaft, from where it is carried in cooling channels which run within the blade itself, in which cooling channels it absorbs the heat from the turbine blade. The heated cooling air is, finally, blown out of the turbine blade through suitably arranged holes and slots. So-called impingement cooling and film cooling are generally used in conjunction with this convective cooling. In the case of impingement cooling, the cooling air strikes the inner face of the wall of the turbine blade through small throughflow openings, while, in the case of film cooling, it is passed to the outer surface of the turbine blade through small throughflow openings, where it forms a thin cooling air film. The cooling air for cooling the turbine blades is generally taken from the compressor stage, with a portion of the compressed air being tapped off and being passed to the respective continuous flow machine components to be cooled, for cooling purposes.
Adequate and reliable cooling of components of a continuous flow machine represents a major aspect of their operation. Modem high-temperature gas turbines require a cleverly designed cooling system, in particular for cooling the highly loaded turbine blades, in order to achieve high efficiency. However, during operation of a cooling system such as this in a continuous flow machine, problems can occur with the cooling channels or cooling air holes becoming blocked by dirt or dust particles, which can originate from the atmosphere or from components of the continuous flow machine located upstream of the cooling channels, and which can be introduced into the cooling channels with the cooling medium. Because the minimum cooling medium mass flow is no longer maintained, blocking of individual cooling channels or cooling air holes can lead to a considerable local temperature load on the component to be cooled, with the component possibly becoming damaged.
There are numerous measures for preventing cooling air holes in continuous flow machines from becoming blocked. By way of example, it is known in order to reduce or to avoid the risk of blocking for dust extractors, such as cyclones, to be arranged within the cooling circuit, which separate dirt or dust particles from the cooling medium. Vortices are produced in the cooling medium in these dust extractors, by means of which the dust and dirt particles are separated from the cooling medium by virtue of their inertia, and are removed from the cooling medium via a separate dust extraction opening.
The use of a dust extractor such as this in the form of an axial cyclone is disclosed, for example, in DE 198 34 376 A1. The cooling air coming from the compressor stage is in this case passed through the axial cyclone before it enters the first guide vane of the turbine stage. A spin generator is formed in the axial cyclone, which produces a vortex in the cooling air, on the basis of which the more inert dirt and dust particles strike the wall of the axial cyclone, from where they are deposited. They are extracted via appropriate extraction channels at the base of the cyclone.
In a further technique, which in some cases is used in conjunction with dust extractors, specific dust extraction openings are provided in the cooling channels within the turbine blade, from which relatively large dust or dirt particles emerge as a result of their inertia. One example of the arrangement of dust extraction openings such as these in the cooling channels is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,122.
Despite the measures implemented so far, it is, however, not possible to completely preclude the possibility of dust or dirt particles entering the cooling channels of the component to be cooled as far as narrow throughflow openings for the cooling medium, and for these throughflow openings to become blocked.


A method and apparatus, in some embodiments the apparatus includes a flex cable terminating at a first end and a second end and having a plurality of conductors therein, and a repeater circuit disposed between the first end and the second end and connected to at least one of the plurality of conductors to re-transmit a signal transmitted on the at least one of the plurality of conductors.

A standard printed circuit board (PCB) based interconnect may have significant transmission losses. Transmission losses may be greater at higher frequencies. For example, a 20 inch channel of a multilayer PCB may have a loss of about 37 db at about 10 Ghz. The transmission losses may be reduced by, for example, constructing the PCB using materials having better dielectric characteristics and eliminating or minimizing discontinuities in the PCB.
However, even with better composite materials and elimination or reduction of discontinuities, significant losses may still be observed over long transmission links, particularly at high data rates (e.g., 20 inches at 20 Gigabits/second). Also, the use of better composite materials may be costly to implement.
Thus, there is a general need for an interconnect structure and method suitable for efficient high frequency data transmissions.


The techniques provide for a reconfigurable extraction column length based on the number of columns from a plurality of columns configured for use in an extraction apparatus. The apparatus includes a plurality of columns that each have an inlet, a central portion configured to hold extractable material during an extraction process, and an outlet. The reconfigurable extraction apparatus also includes a piping system connected to each of the plurality of columns that can selectively connect each of the plurality of columns, such that each column from the plurality of columns can be configured for an extraction process either singularly or in series or in parallel with one or more other columns from the plurality of columns, administering a solvent to one or more of the plurality of columns, and outputting the solvent after an extraction process occurs in the one or more of the plurality of columns.

A counterflow process is a common technique to extract soluble compounds from solids, such as to extract flavor, aroma and caffeine compounds from coffee grounds. Counterflow systems are often characterized as those having two flows of different compounds, e.g., some combination of gases, liquids and solids, traveling in opposite directions (or holding one stationary while the other flows around or through it). They can be designed to maximize the exchange of certain properties (e.g., heat or dissolvable solids concentration) from one flow or compound to the other and they achieve this by maintaining an essentially constant gradient between the two over the entire length of the flow system. For example, in a counterflow coffee extraction system, the difference in concentration of certain desirable dissolvable solids between a solvent (e.g., water) and a solid (e.g., coffee grounds) remains generally similar from one end of the extraction column or system to the other. In parallel flow systems, the gradient between the two is often initially very high, but drops off quickly along the length of the flow path.
Traditional counterflow processes for some compounds, e.g., coffee extraction, can be negatively affected by uncontrolled conditions such as under extraction (e.g., which can result in loss of revenue), over extraction (e.g., hydrolysis of cellulose fibers leading to bitter taste and shelf unstable extracts), inadequate column length (e.g., inadequate total dissolved solids ("TDS") leading to the need for concentrating post extraction), and/or plugged column(s) (e.g., which can cause a loss of flow, revenue loss and excessive extraction times).
Many such extraction systems can be difficult to load, unload and/or clean. For example, some extraction systems can leave behind a slurry of wet grinds that needs to be de-watered post-extraction prior to disposal and/or reuse elsewhere as fuel or nutrients or landfill. Extraction columns can be wet-flushed, but this process requires re-wetting the spent grinds, which can make evacuation easier, but at the expense of producing wet, spent grinds that need additional processing to become recyclable (e.g., into fuel or soil nutrients).
Many extraction systems are of either the batch type or the continuous type, and typically offer the operator limited options while processing desired extracts (e.g., in terms of TDS and volume). None of the current systems are versatile enough to provide most of the benefits of both the batch and continuous type and with a selectable column length that is both heatable and coolable.
Many extraction systems are also often unable to simply bypass areas of the extraction column that are either spent or plugged or have developed channel flows. These systems typically offer less than optimal control of the various aspects of extraction, including being in control of contact time, temperature, pressure, dry spotting, and/or under or over extraction.
Some extraction methods are based a cold extraction process where ground coffee is simply soaked in cold water while held in a cloth sack for an extended time period. This method is microbially unstable, and the resulting cold brew coffee has a taste that is quite different from hot brewed coffee, which is often the standard to be met.
Some extraction methods may use a solvent that is too hot, resulting in, for example, breakdown (e.g., hydrolysis) of the cellulose present in a coffee bean and/or inclusion of the coffee bean's woody fiber in the extract.

Semi-continuous apparatus for creating an extract from coffee or other extractable materials


An ink is provided, which includes a resin, UV curable monomer, and photo initiator. The resin is formed by reacting a plurality of end capping agents with a dendrimer compound in an environment including esterification catalyst, inhibitor, and first solvent. The dendrimer compound is formed by reacting a multi-hydroxy compound and a plurality of hydroxy-containing epoxy compounds in an environment including alkaline catalyst and second solvent. The multi-hydroxy compound and the hydroxy-containing epoxy compounds have a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:20, and the multi-hydroxy compound and the end capping agents have a molar ratio of 1:6 to 1:20. The end capping agents include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, glycidyl methacrylate, or 2-amino acrylic acid. The resin and the UV curable monomer have a weight ratio of 100:30 to 100:5000, and the resin and the photo initiator have a weight ratio of 100:30 to 100:500.

Conventional solvent-based inks are gradually replaced with UV curable inks due to the advantages of the UV curable inks, such as environmental safety, energy- and material-efficient, quick customization, and digital automated manufacturing. The UV curable inks are mainly applied as a layer of high hardness and reinforced protection, such as hard plate substrates (e.g. PCB), protective coating for panels, or the like. The coatings formed from conventional UV curable inks lack flexibility, thereby failing to be applicable in flexible substrates such as PET film, PU film, or the like. The 3D printing and inkjet printing require an ink that is fast curing and has a low contraction ratio, which cannot be achieved by the conventional UV curable inks. Accordingly, a novel UV curable ink and coating is called for to meet the above requirements.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A brake fluid pressure control apparatus is disclosed which is capable of providing a good brake feel at the initial stage of pressure reapplication. The brake fluid pressure control apparatus comprises a pressure receiving device 25 and a valve mechanism 19 for closing a fluid passage 10 from a master cylinder 7 to wheel cylinders 8. The wheel cylinder fluid pressure is held by closing the fluid passage when the vehicle is brought to a halt with the brake applied, so that the vehicle can be held stationary if the driver takes his food off the brake pedal. When the pressure is to be applied again from the master cylinder 7, the pressure applied during the initial period of this reapplication of the master cylinder pressure is received by the pressure receiving device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake fluid pressure control apparatus for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a brake fluid pressure control apparatus capable of keeping the motor vehicle stationary with a driver's foot off a brake pedal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a prior-art technique of this type, a brake pressure holding device shown in FIG. 7 has been known. In this drawing, when a specific period of time has passed, with the brake pedal depressed by the driver, in the state that the halt of the vehicle is detected by the main control device not illustrated, a solenoid valve 36 inserted in a main a fluid passage 10 connected between a master cylinder 7 and wheel cylinders 8 is closed to hold the fluid pressure in the wheel cylinders 8, thus holding the vehicle in the stationary state even if the driver takes his foot from the brake pedal.
In the above-described prior-art device, it is necessary to press the brake pedal again to apply the fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders 8 in case the fluid pressure in the wheel cylinders 8 has dropped while the brakes are applied.
The master cylinder 7 has a master piston 34. Around this master piston 34 is fitted a master cup 33 produced of an elastic material such as a synthetic rubber, thereby preventing fluid leakage caused by the fluid pressure from the wheel cylinder 8 side.
Provided in the inside peripheral surface of the master cylinder 7, close to the master cup 33, is a relief port 30 for discharging the fluid pressure out from the chamber of the master cylinder 7.
On ordinary brake operation, the brake pedal is depressed to gradually increase the master cylinder fluid pressure, and accordingly increasing the wheel cylinder fluid pressure. The driver, therefore, can obtain a satisfactory brake feel as he further depresses the brake pedal for a predetermined stroke.
However, when applying the fluid pressure again to the wheel cylinders 8 with the fluid held in the wheel cylinders 8, the master piston 34 starts moving toward pressure application. As the master cup 33 has passed the relief port 30, the fluid pressure from the wheel cylinder 8 is directly applied to the master cup 33. Therefore, brake pedal reaction force suddenly increases and a brake feel differs a great deal from that in ordinary brake operation, resulting in a very heavy brake pedal.


A method and system for conducting, managing and executing over a communication network, an auction of claims or assets to buyers having expressed interest in purchasing claims or assets is presented. The method includes placing an indication of the availability of at least one of said assets at a remote site, wherein said indication is accessible by each of said buyers over said network, notifying at least one buyer predeterminedly expressing interest in items contained within said claims or assets of the availability of said at least one claim or asset, determining a market value of said at least one claim or asset based on historical data of same or similar claims or assets, dynamically adjusting the market value, conducting an interactive bidding process, notifying one of the bidding buyers of acceptance of a corresponding bid when said bid satisfies predetermined criteria, and recording the accepted bid.

It is believed that the market size of bankruptcy claims trading is approximately $25 billion per year. However, bankruptcy claims trading is known and performed by a relatively small number of sophisticated buyers that understand and follow bankruptcy filings. A conventional bankruptcy process involves one or more buyers monitoring cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, in which the buyer has expressed an interest. The buyer may then contact the sellers of the asset(s) of the bankrupt organization at key information points. The buyer and seller may negotiate a price for the assets or a bankruptcy trustee may order a sale of the assets, for example, through an auction, to obtain the highest price a buyer may be willing to pay.
Depending on the sophistication of seller and their credit exposure, there is often little or no information regarding a fair market price of the bankruptcy asset(s). Similarly, there is no established method for a buyer to determine a fair market price of the bankruptcy assets. Difficulty in determining a fair market value for claims and a limited trading community further hinders the auction process. Hence, in an auction of bankruptcy assets a seller may not know whether the value received is too low and, correspondingly, a buyer may not know whether the price paid is too high.
Hence, there is a need for a method and system that creates an effective environment for trading in the sale of bankruptcy assets which can also determine a valuation of bankruptcy assets based on previous or similar sales and/or transactions.

Method and system for auctioning assets and valuing same


A junction lens device is made by joining a high refractive lens and a low refractive lens using an adhesive. A coating layer for index matching is formed on a surface of at least one of the high refractive lens and the low refractive lens contacting the adhesive to reduce a reflection ratio on a junction surface. The coating layer is formed such that a reflection ratio on the junction surface with respect to a visible light ray is not more than about 0.2%.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-78163, filed on Nov. 10, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a junction lens device made by joining a high refractive lens and a low refractive lens, a zoom lens optical system employing the junction lens device, and a camera employing the zoom lens optical system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A zoom lens optical system for camcorders or digital still cameras has been developed to be compact while having a high resolution. To meet this trend, use of a junction lens device made by joining a high refractive lens and a low refractive lens is necessary. This is because aberrations, such as high-order chromatism, generated on an off-axis due to magnification chromatism can be minimized by using the junction lens device.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional double junction lens device. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional double junction lens device 1 is made by joining a high refractive lens 3 and a low refractive lens 5 using an adhesive. When external light is incident on the double junction lens device 1, a reflection ratio on a high refractive junction surface 3a is about 1.18% which is very high.
Thus, when the conventional double junction lens device 1 is used as a front lens of a zoom lens optical system, a large amount of flare and/or ghost is generated by the light reflected by the high refractive junction surface 3a.

Junction lens device, zoom lens optical system employing same, and camera employing the zoom lens optical system


A fan blade is provided with a recess for mounting an air freshener insert therein. The air freshener insert, after being mounted in the recess provided in the blade, releases a fragrance which is dispersed in the air when the fan blade is in rotary motion due to airflow over the air freshener insert.

Rooms of a home can often take on strong odors. If a meal with strong-smelling food has recently been prepared in a kitchen, the cooking odors can often spread to different rooms of the home. Other odors from trash cans or toilets may also linger in bathrooms, bedrooms or kitchens.
In order to eliminate these odors, there are various steps that can be taken. Air freshener sprays can be sprayed around a room or a window can be opened to allow fresh air to enter a room. Other methods of eliminating odors include thoroughly cleaning a room or using a solid or plug-in air freshener.
A prior art ceiling fan blade assembly comprises a housing, an electric motor mounted in the housing, a plurality of fan blades secured to the shaft of the motor, and in a majority of fan blade assemblies on the market, a light bulb depends from the housing. Electric wires connect the motor and the light bulb to the home's electrical system. According to applicant's invention, the fan blade is provided with a recess and an air freshener insert is designed to snap into the recess and contains a scented oil, gel, or the like.

Ceiling fan with fragrance dispensing blade


Method for preparing a natural organic macromolecular water treatment agent including: dissolving amylose corn starch in an alkali solution, stirring for 30 min, to obtain a suspension, freezing the suspension to fully frozen state, melting and dialyzing, to obtain a corn starch dispersion; mixing a modified flax fiber, the dispersion, nano-hybrid silica and distilled water, performing 800 W ultrasonication for 10 min, to obtain a treated suspension; taking an amount of a superabsorbent macromolecular resin with a certain shape, making it absorb water and swell into a solid hydrogel with the certain shape; mixing the solid hydrogel and the treated suspension, static defoaming, loading into a mold and solidifing, drying until the solid hydrogel is completely dehydrated, to obtain a hollow agent; spraying a catalytic degrading agent/toxin degrading agent on the surface of the hollow agent and/or the inner wall of holes thereof, to obtain the target agent.

In recent years, with the gradual increase of the discharge of industrial and agricultural wastewater and municipal sewage, the rivers, lakes and reservoirs in China are generally polluted to varying degrees, and the water quality is deteriorating, causing serious harm to the ecological environment and human health.
Traditional methods for wastewater treatment include ion exchange method, solvent extraction method, chemical precipitation method, oxidation-reduction method, adsorption method, electrochemical treatment method and membrane technology method. Most of the methods, however, have the problems such as large dosage of chemicals, high cost, unsatisfactory effect, and being prone to secondary pollution. Among these methods, the adsorption method is simple for operation, and has low cost and high efficiency.
Currently, it has become a research hotspot to develop an adsorbent that is non-toxic, and has low cost, high efficiency and strong complexing capacity. The use of natural macromolecular compounds, agricultural and forestry wastes, and industrial by-products as the adsorbent in wastewater treatment has attracted more and more attention.

Method for preparing natural organic macromolecular water treatment agent


A shock-absorbing device includes a shock-absorbing cylinder, an air cell mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder, an upper seal cover mounted on an upper end of the air cell and having a side provided with a mounting portion mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder, and a lower seal cover mounted on a lower end of the air cell and having a side provided with a mounting section mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder. Thus, the mounting portion of the upper seal cover and the mounting section of the lower seal cover are directly mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder, so that the upper seal cover and the lower seal cover are directly mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder easily and quickly to assemble the shock-absorbing device without needing aid of any screw or other hand tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shock-absorbing device and, more particularly, to an air-cushion type shock-absorbing device for a wheeled vehicle, such as a car and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional shock-absorbing device for a wheeled vehicle in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a shock-absorbing cylinder 50, an air cell 51 mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder 50, two seal covers 55 mounted on two ends of the air cell 51, and two clamping rings 52 pressing the two ends of the air cell 51 and combined with the two seal covers 55. Each of the two ends of the air cell 51 is provided with a hooking flange 511, and each of the two clamping rings 52 is provided with a lip 521 hooked on the respective hooking flange 511 of the air cell 51. The two clamping rings 52 are combined with the two seal covers 55 by a plurality of screws 54. In operation, when the shock-absorbing device is mounted on a car, the two seal covers 55 and the shock-absorbing cylinder 50 are mounted between the car body and the wheels of the car. Thus, when the car is subjected to a larger shock or vibration, the shock-absorbing cylinder 50 is retracted inwardly or extended outwardly, and the air cell 51 is compressed or expanded so as to buffer the shock or vibration, thereby providing a shock-absorbing effect to the car. However, the screws 54 are easily loosened during a long-term utilization, so that the air contained in the air cell 51 easily leaks outwardly from the gap between the two clamping rings 52 and the two seal covers 55.
Another conventional shock-absorbing device for a wheeled vehicle in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 7 comprises a shock-absorbing cylinder 60, an air cell 61 mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder 60, two seal covers 62 mounted on two ends of the air cell 61, and two mounting seats 63 combined with the two seal covers 62 and mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder 60. The two seal covers 62 are mounted on the shock-absorbing cylinder 60 by the two mounting seats 63. The two mounting seats 63 are combined with the two seal covers 62 by a plurality of screws 65. In operation, when the shock-absorbing device is mounted on a car, the two mounting seats 63 and the shock-absorbing cylinder 60 are mounted between the car body and the wheels of the car. Thus, when the car is subjected to a larger shock or vibration, the shock-absorbing cylinder 60 is retracted inwardly or extended outwardly, and the air cell 61 is compressed or expanded so as to buffer the shock or vibration, thereby providing a shock-absorbing effect to the car. However, it is necessary to make the two mounting seats 63 additionally, thereby greatly increasing the costs of fabrication. In addition, some of the screws 65 are extended into the air cell 61 and are easily loosened during a long-term utilization, so that the air contained in the air cell 51 easily leaks outwardly from the lower one of the two seal covers 62 and the lower one of the two mounting seats 63.

Air-cushion type shock-absorbing device for a wheeled vehicle


A traction motor for an electric vehicle, comprises a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted to the stator. The rotor comprises a rotor core and magnets fixed to the rotor core. The rotor core has 2P rotor poles formed by the magnets, P being an integer greater than one. The stator comprises a stator core having S teeth and field windings wound on the teeth, S being equal to 3·m·P where m is the number of phases. Field windings of each phase comprises P winding units. Each the winding unit comprises a first coil and a second coil connected in series. The first coils have a larger coil pitch and a greater number of turns compared to the second coils.

Synchronous motors are widely used as traction motors for electric vehicles. Electric energy is converted into mechanical energy by the traction motor to drive the vehicle. In an hybrid electric vehicle, other types of energy can be converted into electric energy for use by the traction motor. However, traditional traction motors are noisy and have a low efficiency. Therefore, there is a desire for an improved traction motor.