A capillary electrophoresis method and apparatus (10) are disclosed in which pressure or vacuum is selectively applied to an outlet end (16) of the capillary tube (12) during sample loading, sample separation and sample mobilization past a detector (34). The vacuum can be used to load a sample mixture from the reservoir (20) quickly into the capillary tube (12), and then also move the sample quickly toward a detector (34) once it has been separated. When a voltage is applied across the capillary tube (12) to effect separation of analytes in the mixture sample, the pressure or vacuum can be selectively controlled as desired to either augment or oppose the effects of electroosmotic flow, and thereby enhance the sample separation. The pressure or vacuum can be adjusted during any phase of the operation and feedback circuitry (110) can be employed to control the flow rate of a sample through the capillary tube automatically.

The present invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for controlling liquid flow in capillary electrophoresis (CE).
CE is a known technique for effecting separation of a mixture of analytes in which a voltage is applied across a capillary containing a sample, and the resulting electric field causes electrophoretic flow of charged molecular species in the sample. This technique can be utilized, for example, to separate proteins having different charges because the applied electric field will cause the differently charged proteins to travel at different velocities, thereby causing separation of them along the length of the capillary.
The charged ions have an electrophoretic mobility which is proportional to the magnitude of their charge density, and this is one of the major forces for causing separations in CE. Another force results from the ionization of silanol groups along the wall of the capillary. In particular, when a fused silica capillary is employed and is filled with an aqueous solution having a pH above approximately 2, the surface silanol groups will become ionized, resulting in a negative charge on the wall of the capillary. Cations (positively charged ions) of the aqueous solution are attracted to the negatively charged capillary wall thereby forming an electrical double layer at the capillary wall solute interface. When a voltage is applied across the capillary, these cations flow towards a cathode end of the capillary, thereby resulting in a bulk flow of fluid in this direction. This bulk flow is referred to as electroendosmosis or electro-osmotic flow, otherwise known as EOF.
Electrophoretic mobility and EOF are therefore the two major electrical forces in CE. This can be illustrated by assuming the typical situation where the EOF is greater than the electrophoretic mobility of the materials in the sample to be analyzed. Cations are electrophoretically mobilized toward the cathode end of the capillary, and their electrophoretic mobility towards the cathode is enhanced by the EOF. On the other hand, anions (negatively charged ions) are electrophoretically attracted toward the anode end of the capillary, but since the EOF is greater than the electrophoretic mobility, the anions net movement is toward the cathode with the bulk flow. In this situation, the order of flow of analytes passing a detector positioned at the cathode end of the capillary will be cations, then neutral species, then anions. It will be understood that the higher the magnitude of the EOF relative to the electrophoretic mobility, the more close together the various analytes will be as they pass the detector. Thus, if the effects of the EOF can be reduced, the analytes can be more spread out, thereby increasing the resolution of the separation.
A number of problems are presented in conducting separations with CE. First, in order to effect a separation of a mixture of analytes, some method must be employed to load the analyte mixture sample into the capillary. The most common methods are electrokinetic and hydrodynamic sample loading. Electrokinetic sample loading, also called electrokinetic injection or electromigration, utilizes both electrophoretic and electroosmotic flow to introduce a sample into the capillary. The inlet end of the capillary and a power supply's anode are placed into a sample containing vial, and a voltage is applied across the capillary for a period of time. The strength and duration of the resulting electric field ideally determine the amount of the sample introduced into the capillary; however, there is a bias in this method of sample introduction. Briefly, cations are introduced into the capillary by virtue of both electrophoretic mobility and EOF. However, uncharged species and anions are introduced into the capillary by virtue of only EOF since their electrophoretic mobility is either zero in the case of uncharged species, or in the direction of the anode in the case of anions. Thus, anions migrate into the capillary more slowly than uncharged species because of the electrical attraction of the anions toward the anode. Therefore, the different electrophoretic mobilities of the analytes arising from their different charge densities is a source of bias in sample loading by electrokinetic injection. Another bias occurs because different electrolyte buffer solutions have different electrophoretic and EOF rates, resulting in different amounts of sample being injected.
Several approaches to eliminating these sources of bias in electrokinetic injection have been reported, all of which implicitly aim to decouple electrophoretic flow from EOF, thereby accomplishing sample introduction through EOF alone. This decoupling has in all cases been achieved through approaches involving alterations to the capillary structure itself, such as by introducing porous glass or a frit, coupling to an additional capillary or fracturing the capillary. These approaches all require specialized capillary manufacturing techniques, are rather complex and labor intensive, and do not address the problems associated with the changes in the electrolyte buffer solution.
A nonelectrical sample loading method, such as hydrodynamic sample loading, avoids all of the problems associated with electrokinetic sample loading. All hydrodynamic sample loading methods involve, by one means or another, a pressure differential between the inlet and outlet ends of the capillary. This can be accomplished simply by raising the inlet end of the capillary above the outlet end, or through the use of either a pressure pump or syringe pump at the inlet end of the capillary, or a vacuum pump at the outlet of the capillary. Most known hydrodynamic sample loading methods are rather bulky and expensive to implement. Further, all of these methods suffer from potential band broadening with an attendant loss of resolution if the pressure differential is so large, or the inside diameter of the capillary is so small, that the injection front is distorted. For example, in one experiment with an optimized commercial CE system using pressures as low as 0.497 psi for sample loading, the experimentally determined injected volume per unit time deviated from a calculated theoretical value by 6.1%.
Another problem with conventional CE systems is that of controlling the effects of the EOF. Because the EOF is a source of a zone broadening in free zone CE, or disturbs focused zones in isoelectric focusing CE, many investigators have attempted to eliminate EOF entirely. Reducing the EOF below zero, i.e., reversing the direction of the EOF, or increasing the EOF may be advantageous in some applications such as micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) because resolution may be increased and analysis time reduced.
A number of techniques have been employed to increase, decrease or eliminate the effects of the EOF. One such technique involves coating the inner surface of the capillary with a material whose charge is different from that of the uncoated capillary. Use of an electrically neutral coating material would eliminate the surface charge that gives rise to EOF, while use of the material whose charge is more negative than that of the inner surface of the capillary would increase the EOF. On the other hand, use of a material whose charge is positive would reverse the direction of the EOF. However, the use of coatings to change the EOF has drawbacks. In particular, the coatings degrade with use over time and suffer from the complexity involved in the coating procedures. Also, these methods all result in a capillary with a changed, but not adjustable EOF.
Another technique for changing the EOF involves the use of electrolyte buffer additives which cause Coulombic repulsion between the capillary surface and the analytes to reduce the EOF. Other additives may be used to increase or reverse the EOF. Unfortunately, use of such additives presents the possibility that the additive may adversely affect the material to be analyzed. Further, the use of these methods once again does not provide for adjustment of the EOF during CE. Yet another method for changing or controlling the EOF involves the manipulation of the bulk flow through the application of electric fields or temperature gradients, although these methods tend to be overly complex.
A third problem in conventional CE systems is presented by the need to move the sample material past a detector of some kind after the analytes therein have been separated. More particularly, once the individual components in the analyte mixture sample have been separated, they are caused to flow past a detector, such as a UV absorbance, radioactive decay or fluorescence detector, so that some attribute of the component can be sensed thereby. Then the component flows out of the capillary into the reservoir disposed at the outlet end thereof. Electrophoretic mobility, EOF and pressure have all been utilized to achieve this mobilization through the capillary. The same problems associated with sample loading occur in mobilization; namely, electrophoretic mobilization may be biased, EOF is difficult to control and pressure systems have been relatively crude and inaccurate. Once again, none of these approaches allows the real-time control of the rate of mobilization.
An example of the mobilization problem occurs in isoelectric focusing (IEF) CE. In IEF CE, a pH gradient is formed along the length of the capillary and analytes migrate through this gradient until they reach the pH zone where their net charge is zero, and they stop moving. Thus, the EOF needs to be eliminated so that there is no bulk fluid flow. In this manner, an analyte is focused into a zone at its isoelectric point. After the separation is completed in this manner, the zones must be mobilized past a detector, ideally without any disturbance of the focused zones.
For this purpose, an electrophoretic mobilization technique called salt mobilization has been developed and commercialized. Once focusing is completed, the electric field is turned off, salt is added either to the anode or cathode buffer reservoirs and the field is reapplied, thus causing an excess of either H.sup.+ or OH.sup.- to enter the capillary thereby changing the pH gradient and causing migration toward the cathode or anode as the case may be. This system is ideally set up so that the pH gradient will flow past the detector window on its way toward the electrode. This procedure suffers from the need to perform the multiple steps discussed above. In addition, the focused zones are susceptible to diffusion while the field is turned off and to an electrophoretic bias during the electrically driven mobilization. Hence, reproducibility and resolution are often adversely affected.
Another technique used for mobilization in IEF CE is to sharply reduce, but not eliminate, the EOF, such as through the inclusion of methyl cellulose in the electrolyte buffer. The reduced EOF can then be employed for mobilization once the separation is completed, however, this technique requires a compromise between the separation resolution and the mobilization speed. Further, the rate of mobilization cannot be adjusted with this technique.

Capillary eletrophoresis method and apparatus


A pipe testing apparatus includes a rupture device for testing a rupture strength of a pipe. The rupture device has two clamping heads respectively accepting associated ends of the pipe which extends between the clamping heads, and a pressure-application system having a feed channel for imposing a fluid upon the pipe. The rupture device includes a tie rod which connects the clamping heads and extends through the pipe in coaxial relationship thereto such that an annular space is formed between the tie rod and the pipe, with the feed channel feeding into the annular space.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for testing a rupture strength of a pipe.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
Pipes are subjected to stress-rupture tests in order to examine their rupture strength and/or to examine their material properties. These tests are carried out by a rupture device which closes the ends of a pipe being tested by means of clamping heads which are each associated to a traverse bar. Both traverse bars are interconnected by at least two anchoring rods. Once the interior space is filled with fluid, a pump subjects the pipe to a pressure force which is increased until the pipe is caused to rupture. As a result of the test, circumferential stress, fracture surface formation and the like can be evaluated.
It is known to provide a rupture device with clamping heads made of two parts. Each clamping head has a ram with cone and a conical shoe as abutment. The ram is inserted with the cone in one end of a pipe, whereby the end is widened in a funnel-shaped manner. Ram and conical shoes are clamped together to generate the necessary sealing forces, using bolts or hydraulic cylinders. Axial forces generated by the internal pressure are opposed by struts. This type of rupture device is complicated in structure and difficult to use.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved pipe testing apparatus which obviates prior art shortcomings and is simple in structure while still being reliable in operation.

Apparatus for testing a rupture strength of a pipe


A power management system for turbine engines includes a plurality of switches, each allowing for engine speed and engine torque to be controlled together. The switches correspond to various modes of operation of the turbine engine. When a switch is selected, a mode signal is supplied to a FADEC which, in response, issues speed and torque commands to an associated engine. The FADEC includes function generators that issue the torque commands as a function of outside ambient conditions. The torque commands are continuously updated for changing ambient conditions. Further, takeoff torque can be corrected for heating conditions. The power management system can also provide torque commands as a linear function of power lever angle.

In conventional power management systems for turboprop engines, each engine is controlled by two levers: a speed lever and a power lever. The speed lever is coupled to a propeller governor. By adjusting the speed lever, a pilot can command the propeller governor to a desired speed. The propeller governor maintains the engine at the fixed speed by adjusting propeller blade angle. The power lever is coupled to a hydromechanical metering unit or digital engine control. In response to the angle of the power lever, the hydromechanical metering unit or digital engine control adjusts engine power by adjusting fuel flow or gas generator speed.
Much of the pilot's time is spent adjusting the engine to the required torque for specific operating conditions. Torque is a function of ambient conditions including temperature, altitude and mach number. Typically, the pilot looks at a flight manual for the torque for the day and adjusts the respective levers to obtain the power required for takeoff. The pilot sets the speed lever to a preset engine speed. Then, the pilot adjusts the power lever. As the power lever is advanced with the speed lever in a set position, the hydromechanical metering unit increases engine fuel flow within predetermined limits or the digital engine control increases gas generator speeds. For example these limits prevent compressor stall and combustor flameout. The power turbine is increased until the set point of the propeller governor is reached, at which time the propeller governor begins to adjust blade angle to hold the propeller at a fixed speed. Fuel flow is increased until the desired torque for the day is obtained, while blade angle is adjusted by the propeller governor to hold the propeller speed.
Once the aircraft has taken off and reached a cruising altitude, the pilot readjusts engine speed and torque to cruise levels. However, prior to adjusting the engine speed, the pilot reduces engine power to avoid overtorque or overtemperature conditions. Once engine power is low enough to safely adjust engine speed, the pilot iteratively adjusts the speed lever and observes an RPM gauge until the desired speed for cruise is reached. Then, engine torque is readjusted. Once again, the pilot refers to the flight manual to obtain the cruise torque at the prevalent ambient conditions. Then, he closes the loop on torque by iteratively adjusting the power lever.
As gas generator speed and/or fuel flow is being adjusted, the pilot must compensate for certain time constants associated with the engine. The steady-state torque level is not evident until the time constants associated with the propeller governor have washed out. Therefore, the pilot must close the loop on torque by watching a torque gauge and iteratively adjusting the power lever to obtain the desired torque at the ambient conditions.
Further, the pilot must compensate for changes in ambient conditions. As these conditions change, the desired torques also change. Unless the pilot adjusts the power lever, the engine is forced to operate at lower efficiency.
Changes in ambient conditions also affect the predictability of engine power. The engine requires more fuel to reach one hundred percent torque on a hot day than on a cold day. Therefore, on one day, the power lever angle required for one hundred percent torque might be different than the power lever angle on another day. As a consequence, the pilot cannot set the power lever to a known angle. Instead, the pilot must watch the torque gauge and iteratively adjust the power lever until the engine operates at one hundred percent torque.
The pilot must spend additional time adjusting the power lever during descent. Descent rate is directly affected by flight idle fuel flow provided by the hydromechanical metering unit. The flight idle fuel flow is preset achieve an optimal descent rate. However, at a fixed power lever angle, engine power varies as a function of altitude. Thus, the engine power changes as the aircraft descends and, as a result, the descent of the aircraft is not maintained at a constant rate. If a constant descent rate is required, the pilot must continuously adjust the power lever to maintain the requisite descent rate.
Finally, pilot workload is increased as a consequence of the engine power being unpredictable. Changes in ambient conditions affect the fuel flow required to obtain a given torque. For example, the engine requires more fuel flow to reach one-hundred percent power on a hot day than on a cold day. Therefore, the power lever angle required for one-hundred percent torque can vary from day to day. Because the pilot never knows the exact angle at which he can obtain one hundred percent power, he must iteratively adjust the power lever until such a power level is reached.
It is apparent that these procedures entail considerable pilot workload during critical phases of flight, including significant "heads down" activity.

Power management system for turbine engines


The invention relates to a service that forms groups from subscribers to a communication network by means of data sets allocated to the subscribers which are available within the communication network. The identifications of the subscribers are filed in fields of the data sets. The service automatically checks selected fields of the data sets for identical identifications and automatically groups those subscribers that have identical identifications in the selected fields.

Modern communication networks made up of communication systems comprise central or distributed databases in which the subscribers connected to the communication networks have been recorded. For each subscriber, the databases contain a data record in which the subscriber-specific information has been stored in fields, that is to say at specific positions in the data record. The fields may also be referred to as elements of the data records.
In telecommunication systems, often also referred to as telecommunication installations, this information comprises at least the telephone number of the subscriber, in addition to the statement indicating the physical access unit, the "location". In addition, it regularly also includes further identifiers, for example the name of the subscriber, his department name, statements about his authorization to make outside and international calls and the like. In this case, the subscribers in telecommunication networks, which are formed from at least one telecommunication system, are often associated with groups. Each subscriber may be a member of one group or else of a plurality of groups. One known example is the call acceptance group, in which incoming calls which are not answered by the called subscriber within a predetermined time can be taken by the other members of this group. A similar example is the multiaddress call service feature, in which a workgroup is additionally assigned a group telephone number which, when dialed, involves the call being routed to all of the telephones of the group members and thus being able to be taken by any group member. The subscribers in a boss/secretary relationship, where incoming calls for the boss are also signaled on the secretary's telephone, are also a small group. Finally, the "closed user group", in which only calls within this group can be connected, is also a group in the aforementioned sense.
The association with one or more groups is set in the telecommunication systems to which the subscribers are connected. This is usually also recorded in the data records.
The printed document U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,619 "Regional Centrex" shows a method, called "Regional Centrex", in which closed user groups are formed in a public communication network having a plurality of communication installations and beyond the boundaries of a single communication installation. To this end, each of the communication installations connected to the method manages a database ("Centrex File") which lists all those local users for whom the Centrex method is intended to apply and who are registered on the respective local communication installation in question. The respective local databases in the individual communication installations are managed from a central site using commands ("Operation and Maintenance Command"). In this case, various commands for creating a data record, erasing a data record, creating a group, removing a group etc. are provided.
The group association in communication systems which are in the form of e-mail systems for interchanging electronic mail has special features. In the e-mail systems, data records containing the identifiers relating to the subscribers may likewise be stored in a database. These data records then also have various fields, at least one of which contains the subscriber's e-mail address. Further fields in the data records may contain, by way of example, the subscriber's name, an organization unit, a site or building information item, the telephone number and fax number and the like. In the e-mail systems too, subscribers can be combined to produce groups. One known example of this is "distribution lists", where the addressee specified for sending a message is the name of a list, and each subscriber recorded in this list receives a copy of this message. A subscriber's association with such a list can be recorded in the data record, or alternatively there may be a separate list in which the subscribers to be addressed using this list are recorded. The group association in e-mail systems thus does not imperatively need to be noted in the data records, but rather is frequently stored in a separate list in which all of the subscribers to be addressed using this list are recorded.
In communication systems and communication networks, particularly those having a large number of subscribers and/or a number of subscribers which changes frequently over time, it has been found to be disadvantageous that the grouping of subscribers entails a high level of complexity which regularly needs to be achieved manually. In communication networks, which comprise a plurality of communication systems, it is frequently necessary to alter a large number of data records or lists in what is often a plurality of databases in order to create or change group relationships.

Method and device for forming groups from subscribers to a communication network


The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, with a first operating range as the lean operating range, to discharge the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst by means of an engine control device switching from the lean operating range to the rich operating range taking place. As claimed in the invention, the engine control device blocks switching into the lean operating range if the additional amount of fuel consumption for discharges in a certain, definable evaluation interval which extends over several lean operating phases is greater than or equal to the reduced amount of fuel consumption by lean operation in this monitoring interval. Furthermore, the engine control device enables lean operation and thus switching between the lean operating range and the homogeneous operating range if the additional amount of fuel consumption for discharges in the evaluation interval is smaller than the reduced amount of fuel consumption by lean operation in this evaluation interval. The reduced amount of fuel consumption is determined as a function of the raw mass flow value of the nitrogen oxide averaged over the evaluation interval, as a function of the amount of fuel saved which has been averaged over the evaluation time interval in the lean operating phases which occur in the evaluation interval compared to the homogeneous operating range phases in this evaluation interval, and as a function of the time between two torque requirements which exceed a definable load boundary value and/or rpm boundary value and which cause departure from the lean operating range, which time has been averaged over the evaluation interval, while the additional amount of fuel consumption is determined as a function of a storage catalyst charging state averaged over the evaluation interval.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.
In current automotive engineering, spark ignition engines as internal combustion engines with direct gasoline injection are preferred over conventional manifold injection, since these internal combustion engines compared to conventional spark ignition engines have distinctly more dynamics, are superior with respect to torque and output, and at the same time enable a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 15%. This is made possible by so-called stratification in the partial load range, in which an ignitable mixture is required only in the area of the spark plug, while the remaining combustion chamber is filled with air. Since conventional internal combustion engines which operate according to the manifold principle can no longer be ignited at such a high air excess as is present in direct gasoline injection, in this stratification mode the fuel mixture is concentrated around the spark plug which is positioned centrally in the combustion chamber, while pure air is present in the edge areas of the combustion chamber. In order to be able to center the fuel mixture around the central spark plug positioned in the combustion chamber, a dedicated air flow in the combustion chamber is necessary, a so-called tumble flow. An intensive, roller-shaped flow is formed for that purpose and fuel is injected only in the last third of the upward motion of the piston. The combination of the special air flow and the dedicated geometry of the piston which has for example a pronounced fuel flow depression, concentrates the especially finely atomized fuel in a so-called "mixture ball" optimally around the spark plug and reliably ignites it. The engine control or engine control device provides for the respectively optimum adjustment of injection parameters (injection instant, fuel pressure).
These internal combustion engines can therefore be operated for a correspondingly long time in lean operation; this overall has a beneficial effect on fuel consumption, as has already been described in the foregoing. This lean operation however entails the disadvantage of a much greater amount of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas so that the nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the lean exhaust gas can no longer be completely reduced with a three-way catalyst. In order to keep nitrogen oxide emissions within prescribed limits, for example the Euro-IV boundary value, nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are used additionally in conjunction with such internal combustion engines. These nitrogen oxide storage catalysts are operated such that in them the large amounts of nitrogen oxides which are produced by the internal combustion engine are stored. As the amount of stored nitrogen oxides increases, a saturation state in the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is reached so that the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst must be discharged. To this end, for a so-called discharge phase, switching takes place briefly to substoichiometric, rich engine operation by means of the engine control or engine control device, in which the internal combustion engine is operated with a rich mixture which has a shortage of air. At the start of this discharge phase, the oxygen reservoir of the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is generally emptied, by which the oxygen which is necessary for the discharge process is made available. In this discharge process the stored nitrogen oxide is reduced to nitrogen (N2) especially by the hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) which are present in a large amounts under these rich operating conditions; this nitrogen can then be released into the environment. Operating the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle in a first operating range as the lean operating range is already known in general; in this first operating range the internal combustion engine is operated with a lean mixture which has an air excess and thus an oxygen excess, and the nitrogen oxides produced by the internal combustion engine are stored in a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst, to discharge the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst by means of an engine control device switching from the lean operating range to the rich operating range taking place, in which the internal combustion engine is operated with a rich mixture which has a shortage of air and in which the nitrogen oxides stored in the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst during the lean operating range are discharged from the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst. Furthermore there is a second operating range as a homogeneous operating range in which the internal combustion engine is operated with an essentially stoichiometric homogeneous mixture (lambda=1), switching between the lean operating range and the homogeneous operating range being undertaken by the engine control device depending on the operation-dictated load requirement and/or rpm requirement when a definable switching condition is reached, and switching taking place by the engine control device into the rich operating range first for discharge of the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst before switching from the lean operating range to the homogeneous operating range. Specifically, the lean operating range in this instance is for example a stratified one in conjunction with a dynamic driving style, as is the case for example in city driving, switching generally takes place by the engine control device based on the lean operating range in which the lambda value is approximately 1.4, in particular based on the operation-dictated increased load requirement and/or rpm requirement, into the homogenous operating range, in which the internal combustion engine is operated essentially with a stoichiometric homogeneous mixture of lambda=1. Before switching into the homogeneous operating range, the engine control device switches first into the rich operating range in order to discharge the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst. Research has shown that in this operating mode, in spite of temporary lean operation, the theoretical lean operation fuel savings potential which is actually present is not fully exhausted. Another problem here is that in a very dynamic driving style it is necessary to depart from the lean operating range due to an increased demand for torque more often under certain circumstances, by which then each time there is a need for nitrogen oxide storage catalyst discharge, i.e., a rich operating phase. This also leads to increased fuel consumption.
Similar process guidance is known from the generic DE 100 64 279 A1, in which, depending on the deterioration of the exhaust gas composition, switching takes place between lean, rich and homogeneous operation. The switching decision is made depending on the deterioration of the storage capacity of the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst which is designated as the NOx absorption means. In particular, when a deterioration of the efficiency of the nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is ascertained, lean operation which is designated as an oxygen excess-air-fuel ratio operation is to be blocked.
DE 197 53 718 C1 discloses a process for operating a diesel engine which comprises an engine control which controls operation of the diesel engine depending on the engine characteristics and which enables rich/lean control of the diesel engine. The engine control comprises a computer which effects switching to rich or lean operation of the diesel engine depending on predetermined switching criteria. Furthermore, there are sensors which communicate with the computer and which monitor the parameters are necessary for the switching criteria, and a memory which communicates with the computer, in which the engine characteristics are stored for operation of the diesel engine. The computer effects switching from lean to rich operation when the maintenance of a regeneration temperature of the storage catalyst element through which the exhaust gases of the diesel engine have flowed and the presence of a predetermined charging state of the storage catalyst element through which the exhaust gases of the diesel engine have flowed are satisfied as the switching criteria. Furthermore, the computer effects switching back from rich to lean operation when one of the switching criteria for switching from lean to rich operation is not present or a regeneration time has elapsed which depends on the respective charging state of the storage catalyst element through which the exhaust gases of the diesel engine have flowed at the start of the rich operating phase, or there is a predetermined content of the reducing agent in the exhaust gases downstream from the storage catalyst element or the exhaust gas temperature is below a predetermined threshold value.
Furthermore, in the dissertation of Andreas Hertzberg (Stuttgart 2001) entitled "Operating strategies for a spark ignition engine with direct injection and a NOx storage catalyst" in Chapter 6, especially under item 6.4.2, tests on operation of an internal combustion engine in lean operation are described and evaluated. Here the focus was especially on the consumption difference of various test driving cycles depending on torque threshold values.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle


A thin film transistor (TFT) capable of reducing the leakage current on the occasion when the transistor is OFF and lowering the resistance of an interconnection layer connected to source/drain regions and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In the thin film transistor, the length in the channel width direction of a polycrystalline silicon film 15 in junction parts 15c of a pair of source/drain regions 15b and a channel region 15a is smaller than the length in the channel width direction of polycrystalline silicon film 15 in source/drain regions 15b. Accordingly, the leakage current generated in junction parts 15c on the occasion when the TFT is OFF is reduced. In addition, it is unnecessary to reduce the length in the channel width direction of source/drain regions 15b, so that the resistance of an interconnection layer connected to source/drain regions 15b is lowered as compared to the conventional one.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thin film transistors (TFTs) and manufacturing methods thereof, and, more particularly, to a MOS silicon thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
So far, a static random access memory (hereinafter referred to as a SRAM) is known as a semiconductor memory device. FIG. 59 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a memory cell in a conventional SRAM. Referring to FIG. 59, a memory cell 180 includes a CMOS flip-flop connected between a power supply Vcc and ground Vss and NMOS field effect transistors Q5 and Q6 for accessing connected between a bit line 181 and the flip-flop and between a bit line 182 and the flip-flop, respectively.
The flip-flop includes first and second CMOS inverters which are cross-coupled. One of the inverters is implemented with a PMOS thin film transistor Q1 and an NMOS drive field effect transistor Q2, and the other is implemented with a PMOS thin film transistor Q3 and an NMOS drive field effect transistor Q4. Gates of transistors Q5 and Q6 are connected to a word line 183.
FIG. 60 is a plan view of a conventional semiconductor device (SRAM) having a thin film transistor (TFT). FIG. 61 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 60 taken along line 61--61. The sectional structure of the semiconductor device having a TFT illustrated in FIG. 61 is disclosed, for example, in IEEE Electron Device Letters (Vol. EDL-4, No. 8, P-272-274, 1983) and Denshi Joho Tsushin Gakkai Gijyutsu Kenkyu Hokoku (Vol. 89, No. 67, P-1-6, 1989) and so on.
Referring to FIGS. 60 and 61, a conventional semiconductor device having a TFT includes a silicon substrate 201, a P-well 202 formed on the surface of silicon substrate 201, element isolating regions 204 formed spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in a predetermined region in P well 202, p-type impurity regions 203 formed beneath element isolating regions 204, respectively, low concentration impurity regions 209a formed spaced beneath element isolating from each other between adjacent element isolating regions 203, a high concentration impurity region 207a formed to be continuous with one end of low concentration impurity region 209a, a gate electrode 206a formed on semiconductor substrate 201 between adjacent high concentration impurity regions 207a with a gate oxide film 205a interposed therebetween, and sidewalls 208a formed on both sidewall parts of gate electrode 206a.
The conventional semiconductor device having a TFT further includes an impurity region 210 formed in another region isolated by an element isolating oxide film 204 on the surface of semiconductor substrate 201, an impurity region 218 formed spaced a predetermined distance apart from impurity region 210, high concentration impurity regions 209b formed to be continuous with impurity regions 210, 218, respectively, low concentration impurity regions 207b formed to be continuous with high concentration impurity regions 209b, respectively, a gate electrode 206b formed on semiconductor substrate 201 between impurity region 210 and impurity region 218 with a gate insulating film 205b interposed therebetween, and sidewalls 208b formed on both sidewall parts of gate electrode 206b.
The conventional semiconductor device having a TFT further includes a contact electrode 211 formed to be electrically in contact with impurity region 210, a polycrystalline silicon film 215 (215a, 215b) electrically connected to contact electrode 211 and formed to extend onto an interlayer insulating film 212, a gate electrode 213 formed under a channel region 215 in polycrystalline silicon film 215 with a gate oxide film 214 interposed therebetween, an interlayer insulating film 216 formed to cover the whole surface and having an opening on impurity region 218, a barrier metal layer 219 formed to be electrically connected to impurity region 218 in a contact part 217 and to extend onto interlayer insulating film 216, an aluminum interconnection 220 formed on barrier metal layer 219, and a passivation film (PSG film) 221 formed on aluminum interconnection 220.
An N-type MOS transistor is implemented with a pair of impurity regions 207a (209a), gate oxide film 205a, and gate electrode 206a. In addition, an N-type MOS transistor is implemented with impurity region 210, impurity region 218, gate oxide film 205b, and gate electrode 206b. A TFT transistor is implemented with gate electrode 213, gate oxide film 214, and polycrystalline silicon film 215. Specifically, channel region 215a and a pair of source/drain regions 215b of the TFT transistor are formed in polycrystalline silicon film 215.
FIGS. 62 to 72 are sectional views for describing a manufacturing process (a first step to an eleventh step) of the conventional semiconductor device having a TFT illustrated in FIG. 61. Now, referring to FIGS. 61 to 72, a manufacturing process of the conventional semiconductor device having a TFT will be described.
First, as illustrated in FIG. 63, a P-well 202 is formed on an N-type semiconductor substrate 201 in a state illustrated in FIG. 62. P-type impurity regions 203 and element isolating oxide films 204 are formed in predetermined regions on the surface of P-well 202.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 64, a polycrystalline silicon film 206 is formed on the whole surface. Resists 222 are formed in predetermined regions on polycrystalline silicon film 206. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 65, polycrystalline silicon film 206 is etched using resist films 222 (See FIG. 64) as a mask to form gate electrodes 206a and 206b. Ion implantation is carried out on semiconductor substrate 201 using gate electrodes 206a, 206b as a mask to form low concentration impurity regions 207a, 207b. Sidewalls 208a, 208b are formed on both sidewall parts of gate electrodes 206a, 206b. Ion implantation is carried out on semiconductor substrate 201 using gate electrodes 206a, 206b and sidewalls 208a, 208b as a mask to form high concentration impurity regions 209a, 209b.
As described above, adjacent two N-type MOS transistors are formed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 66, an interlayer oxide film 212a is formed on the whole surface. A contact electrode 211 is formed to be electrically connected to one of high concentration impurity regions 209b through an opening in interlayer oxide film 212a. An impurity region 210 is formed by carrying out heat treatment.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 67, an interlayer oxide film 212b is formed on the whole surface. A gate electrode 213 of a TFT is formed on interlayer oxide film 212b in a region above gate electrode 206a.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 68, a gate oxide film 214 of the TFT is formed on the whole surface. A contact part is opened in interlayer insulating film 212b and gate oxide film 214 on contact electrode 211.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 69, a polycrystalline silicon film 215 is formed to be electrically connected to contact part 211 and to extent onto gate electrode 213 with gate oxide film 214 interposed therebetween. N-type impurities are implanted into polycrystalline silicon film 215.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 70, a resist 223 is formed on a channel region 215a in polycrystalline silicon film 215 (215a, 215b). P-type impurities (BF.sub.2.sup.+) are ion-implanted into polycrystalline silicon film 215 (215b) using resist 223 as a mask. Source/drain regions 215b of the TFT are formed by doing this.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 71, resist 223 (See FIG. 70) is removed, and then an interlayer insulating film 216 is formed on the whole surface. An opening 216a is formed in a region in interlayer insulating film 216 on high concentration impurity region 209b not connected with contact electrode 211 N-type impurities are implanted into the surface of semiconductor substrate 201 exposed in opening 216a. An impurity region 218 is formed by doing this.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 72, a barrier metal layer 219 is formed in a contact part 217 to be electrically connected to impurity region 218 and to extend onto interlayer insulating film 216. Aluminum interconnection 220 is formed on barrier metal layer 219 using a sputtering process.
Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 61, a passivation film (PSG film) 221 is formed on aluminum interconnection 220.
The conventional semiconductor device having a TFT was completed as described above.
As described above, channel region 215a and source/drain regions 215b of the TFT are formed in polycrystalline silicon film 215 in the conventional semiconductor device having a TFT.
FIG. 73 is an enlarged plan view of the TFT part illustrated in FIG. 61. FIG. 74 is a sectional view of the TFT part illustrated in FIG. 73. Referring to FIGS. 73 and 74, the leakage current is larger on the occasion when it is OFF is larger as the surface area of a junction part 215c of channel region 215a and source/drain region 215b in the channel width direction is larger in the conventional TFT.
Specifically, the junction boundary of junction part 215c has a crystal structure in which a plurality of silicon crystals are combined. If the surface area of the plurality of silicon crystals combined on the junction boundary becomes large, the leakage current is also increased on the occasion when the transistor is OFF.
So far, it is proposed to reduce the thickness of the whole of polycrystalline silicon 215c) as an approach for this.
However, if the thickness of polycrystalline silicon film 215 (215a, 215b, 215c) is reduced, the implantation energy must be made extremely low in order to prevent penetration of impurities when impurities are ion-implanted into source/drain regions 215b. Therefore, there was a problem that uniformity of the implantation amount of ions is degraded. In addition, there was also a problem that a long time is required for the implantation process if implantation is carried out with low energy.
In addition, in a case where source/drain region 215b is extended and used as an interconnection layer, there was disadvantage that the resistance of the interconnection layer is made high by reducing the thickness of polycrystalline silicon film 215 (215a, 215b, 215c). As a result, there was a problem that it is not possible to realize speeding up of the transistor.
Specifically, so far, there were problems that a long time is required when impurities are introduced into source/drain regions 215 if the thickness of polycrystalline silicon film 215 is reduced in order to reduce the leakage current on the occasion when the TFT transistor is OFF, the resistance of the interconnection layer connected to source/drain region 215b becomes high, and so on. As a result, it was difficult to reduce the leakage current and lower the resistance of an interconnection layer connected to the source/drain region in the conventional TFT (Thin Film Transistor).

Thin film transistor with reduced leakage current


A placement device, comprising: a guide section for guiding an elastic member; a first nip roll and a second nip roll for pressing together the elastic member and a web; a transfer section capable of transferring the guide section across the web; and an indicating section for indicating a position, wherein when the guide section comes close to the position while moving in a first direction, the transfer section can stop transferring the guide section in response to a signal from the indicating section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a placement device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a disposable worn article such as a paper diaper, an elastic member is placed at a predetermined position for forming gathers (e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-70412). A gather control device described in this publication includes a pair of nip rolls for sandwiching an elastic member between two webs, and an aperture section for guiding the elastic member between the webs.
The device places the elastic member in a predetermined pattern on the web by moving the aperture section. The line along which the elastic member is placed varies for different sizes and designs of articles. If, for example, the position of the elastic member placed on the web along leg portions is shifted from the position of leg holes made in the web, a good product cannot be produced. Therefore, it is important to accurately form the line at a predetermined position.
However, the publication mentioned above fails to disclose a method for controlling the gather control device and other devices in phase with one another.


The present invention concerns a procedure for continuous or batch production in one or possibly more steps in one or more furnaces of silicon metal (Si), possibly silumin (AlSi alloys) and/or aluminium metal (Al) in the required conditions in a melting bath, preferably using feldspar or feldspar containing rocks dissolved in a fluoride and process equipment for implementing the procedure. Highly pure silicon is produced by electrolysis (step I) in a first furnace comprising a replaceable carbon anode (3) located at the bottom of the furnace and a carbon cathode (1) located at the top of the furnace. For the production of silumin the Si-poor residual electrolyte from step I is transferred to a second furnace and aluminium metal is added (step II). Aluminium metal is produced in a third furnace (step III) by electrolysis after Si has been removed in step I and possibly in step II. The present invention also concerns the production of silicon, possibly silumin and/or aluminium by using process equipment comprising tow or more furnaces integrated to form one unit with (an) intermediate partition wall(s) which is/are designated to transfer the electrolyte from one furnace to another.

The present invention concerns a procedure for continuous and batch production in one or possibly more steps in one or more furnaces of silicon "metal" (Si), possibly silumin (AlSi alloys) and/or aluminium metal (Al) in the required ratio in a molten bath, preferably using feldspar or feldspar containing rocks dissolved in a fluoride, as well as process equipment for the implementation of the procedure.
Controlled production of high purity silicon by electrolysis using feldspar or species of rock containing feldspar dissolved in fluoride has been a problem up to now.
Continuous production of silicon and silumin has previously been described in ISBN 82-993110-0-4, which is the inventor's own publication. Minerals (species of rock) poor in iron such as feldspar ((Ca, Na, Ka)Al.sub.2-1 Si.sub.2-3 O), pegmatite, granite syenite or anorthosite can be used in a mixture with NaF or cryolite and electrolysed directly with an Al (Al--Si) cathode to produce pure Si (99%). The disadvantage of the method stated in relation to the present application is that electrolysis for the production of Si cannot take place in controlled fashion separately from aluminothermic reduction when Al is present. As the aluminothermic reduction is rapid, a lot of Al will be oxidised and used at the same time as current passes through the cell for the reduction of Si (IV). As a lot of Al is consumed, a lot of Al(III) must be recovered to form Al by electrolysis and, besides, a lot of silumin is formed. Today, this is not desirable because the Si market is much larger than the silumin market. Besides, electrolysis of Si on Al requires more energy with a Si-rich Al cathode surface because solid Si is formed at a process temperature of 1000.degree. C. (melting point (Si)=1410.degree. C.). Solid Si has semiconductor properties and, therefore, high electrical resistance. The Si particles which are formed are deposited mainly on the outside of the molten Al metal (in this case Si should be considered as the cathode instead of Al).
In ISBN 82-993110-0-4, it is further stated that Si crystals containing approximately 1% Al will crystallise on the Al cathode surface, in silumin and/or at the bottom. The Si crystals formed by electrolysis can be sucked, raked and/or filtered from the Al cathode. The disadvantage of so much (1%) Al being formed in the Si crystals is that it is difficult to remove this Al by known refinement methods. Since only small amounts of Si are observed formed on the surface and at the bottom, it is difficult to remove them with known technique.
The equipment in ISBN 82-993110-0-4, as sketched in FIG. 1, lacks detail and does not show how Si is separated from the silumin. Nor does it show how the electrolyte runs over into the bath in which the Al is produced. U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,233 describes the production of Si, a metal silicide, fluorocarbons and silicon tetrafluoride in one and the same step, but the quality of the Si and the temperature of the process are not stated. The starting materials are SiO.sub.2 dissolved in alkaline or alkaline earth fluorides or fluorides of rare earth metals. The cathode is made of metal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,043, just silicon is produced and it is important that the raw material (silica) is pure. The silica raw material is dissolved in cryolite. During electrolysis Si sticks to the cathode like an adhesive ball; the cathode must be removed and cleaned periodically. The anode and the cathode are fastened vertically beside one another.

Method and apparatus for the production of silicium metal, silumin and aluminium metal


A memory architecture includes a matrixed arrangement of memory cell arrays having interstitial separations bounding each memory cell array. The interstitial separations between memory cell arrays include longitudinal streets, carrying row decoders, and latitudinal streets, carrying column decoders that include sense amplifiers. Decoder control circuits are disposed in the intersections of the longitudinal and latitudinal streets. Each decoder control circuit includes drivers for providing addressing or other signals to pairs of adjacent row or column decoders. Each driver provides a signal to more than one decoder, such as to each of the row or column decoders between which the decoder control circuit is interposed. The decoder control circuit requires fewer drivers, which can be staggered or laterally offset to better accommodate magnitude reductions of the interstitial separations between memory cell arrays, thereby increasing storage density.

Integrated circuit memories that are used for electronic data storage include dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), synchronous random access memories or other types of memories that include a matrix of selectively addressable memory cells.
For example, FIG. 1 is a floorplan block diagram that illustrates the architecture of a conventional DRAM 100, which typically includes a matrixed arrangement of multiple memory cell arrays 105, each of which is understood to contain a matrixed arrangement of memory cells. The interstitial separations between the memory cell arrays 105 carry support circuits for addressing the memory cells in the memory cell arrays 105, such as for performing reading and writing operations. The interstitial separations include longitudinal streets 110 and latitudinal streets 115.
Longitudinal streets 110 typically include column decoder and sense amplifier circuits, which together are adjacent to or interposed between ones of memory cell arrays 105. The column decoder and sense amplifier circuits are used for reading data from and writing data to selected digit lines, which are in the memory cell arrays 105 and are coupled to memory cells therein. Latitudinal streets 115 typically include row decoders that are adjacent to or interposed between ones of memory cell arrays 105. The row decoder circuits are used for selectively activating word lines in a memory cell array 105 for accessing memory cells therein.
The column decoder and sense amplifier circuits in the longitudinal streets 110 and the row decoder circuits in the latitudinal streets 115 are sometimes referred to collectively as "pitch cell" circuits, because such circuits are laid out on the same pitch (spacing between adjacent ones) of the digit lines and word lines to which they are respectively coupled. The interstitial separations between memory cell arrays 105 occupy a considerable portion of the integrated circuit DRAM. In order to improve storage density, for reducing the component size of integrated circuit DRAM 100 or for increasing the data storage capability of integrated circuit DRAM 100, the magnitude of the interstitial separations between memory cell arrays 105 should be decreased, such as by electrical circuit design or physical layout design techniques. For example, it is known in the art to provide an output driver in a row decoder that is interposed between two memory cell arrays 105, where an output node of the output driver provides an output signal to a word line in each of the memory cell arrays 105 between which the row decoder is interposed. This reduces the size of the row decoder and the magnitude of the interstitial separations between memory cell arrays.
However, even if such design techniques are successful, there is a need in the art to provide, in a spatially efficient manner, control signals (e.g., addressing signals) to the row decoders in the latitudinal streets 115 and to the column decoders in the longitudinal streets 110. Thus, in order to fully realize the gains in storage density arising from reducing the magnitude of the interstitial separations between memory cell arrays 105, there is a need in the art to accommodate such magnitude reductions when providing signals to the pitch cells carried within the interstitial separations.

Memory architecture and decoder addressing


Disclosed is a technique for compensating for optical passband shift of an optical component (for example an optical demultiplexer). A broadband source coupled to a dispersive element generates a chirped pulsed optical signal. Data is modulated onto particular wavelengths of the chirped pulsed optical signal by appropriately synchronizing a data modulator. The modulated signal is transmitted to the downstream optical demultiplexer, which may be subject to passband shift due to, for example, changes in environmental conditions. A feedback signal from an output port of the demultiplexer is provided to the transmitter and is used to phase shift the modulator. The phase shift results in effectively adjusting the wavelength onto which the data is modulated to substantially correspond to the passband centers of the demultiplexer.

Optical networks use light to transmit information between points of the network. In a passive optical network (PON) the transmission facility between the transmitter and the receivers consists of passive (i.e., un-powered) optical components. Thus, once an optical signal leaves the transmission facility, the optical signals are routed to their destination via passive components, relying on the inherent properties of such components to ensure appropriate signal routing.
One type of optical network which is becoming increasingly popular is the wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network, which multiplexes multiple wavelengths of light on a single fiber for transmission through the network. Such systems provide for high bandwidth transmission between the transmission facility and receivers. At the transmitter, various wavelengths are generated and they are multiplexed onto a single fiber. The fiber then leaves the transmission facility and the multiplexed signal travels along the outside transmission facilities toward the customer premises (generally an optical network unit (ONU)). Prior to entering the ONU, the multiplexed optical signal must be demultiplexed, such that each ONU receives the appropriate wavelength associated with the particular ONU.
The multiplexed signals are demultiplexed using an optical demultiplexer which is designed to receive the multiple wavelengths at one input port, and demultiplex the wavelengths such that a particular wavelength exits at each of a plurality of output ports of the demultiplexer. More particularly, the demultiplexer will have certain passband characteristics such that particular wavelengths will be output on each of the output ports. Preferably, each output passband will be centered upon the desired wavelength to be output on the associated port. Thus, for example, a demultiplexer which receives on its input port a broadband signal containing wavelengths λ1, λ2, λ3, λ4 will output λ1 on output port 1, λ2 on output port 2, λ3 on output port 3, and λ4 on output port 4. As such, the WDM demultiplexer should have the characteristic that the passband of output port 1 is centered on λ1, the passband of output port 2 is centered on λ2, the passband of output port 3 is centered on λ3, and the passband of output port 4 is centered on λ4.
Passive optical network components in the transmission network, such as WDM demultiplexers, are often located in the outside transmission facility and as such, are subject to environmental conditions. In particular, the temperature of the WDM demultiplexers will vary with changes in the ambient outside temperature. A problem arises in that it is a characteristic of such devices that their passband characteristics change with a change in temperature of the component. Thus, as the outside temperature changes, the passbands of the component will shift such that the passbands of the output ports will not be centered on the appropriate wavelengths.
As a result of the aforementioned passband shifts, the power of the signal routed to the customer premise ONU's will be lowered, depending on the severity of the passband shift. Various techniques are known for addressing this problem. One such technique requires that the temperature of the WDM demultiplexer in the outside transmission facility be temperature controlled to maintain the component at an appropriate operating temperature. This is a less than desirable technique because it requires active monitoring and temperature control in the outside transmission facility. Another technique for addressing this problem is to adjust the wavelengths generated by the transmitter to compensate for the passband shift of the demultiplexer in the field. This is also a less than desirable technique in typical WDM systems because many lasers must be adjusted together making a uniform shift difficult to maintain. Furthermore, since laser wavelengths are typically adjusted by varying the laser's temperature, the output power of each laser source will be adversely affected. Another technique for addressing this problem is to use a thermal (i.e., temperature insensitive) devices in the outside transmission facility. However, these devices tend to be very complex and expensive.

Modulation phase shift to compensate for optical passband shift


The present disclosure relates to conductive adhesives and inks. The disclosed conductive adhesives include glues and epoxies, based on graphene and graphene/carbon composites and the methods of manufacture thereof, such conductive adhesives exhibiting excellent conductivity, thermal properties, durability, low curing temperatures, mechanical flexibility, and reduced environmental impact. Further, adhesives with conductive additives such as silver nanowires and the methods of production thereof are disclosed herein.

Device packaging and assembly plays an important role in the modern electronics industry. In many cases, an electronic component comprises a printed circuit board and a plurality of electronic components such as chips, energy sources, and memory devices attached to the circuit board. Some such electronic devices are designed to be flexible for increased durability and ease of use.
Current techniques to adhere electrical components comprise sewing, mechanical fastening, and thermal bonding.

Methods for conductive adhesives based on graphene and applications thereof

The Regents of the University of California


A lightweight beer dispensing system comprising a small carbon dioxide pressure bottle attached directly to an adjustable pressure regulator that can be set to avoid excess foaming is attached directly to a keg tap having a delivery faucet. The invention taps a full size beer keg and uses CO2 to keep the beer fresh thus avoiding the problem of introducing oxygen into the beer keg.

We can trace the beginning of beer drinking far back beyond the dawn of recorded time. Most likely, a crude form of beer was discovered by accident when someone mixed barley with water and then let it sit long enough for stray yeast cells to settle, triggering fermentation. The Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Hebrews, Africans, Chinese, Incas, Teutons, Saxons and various wandering tribes all discovered beer by various independent means. The dispensing system used by these early brewers were amphora, mugs and the early equivalent of straws, which were used to sip the liquid beer while avoiding the brewer's residue.
From the middle ages, when the use of hops made beer clear, until the 1890's, beer was stored in and dispensed from wooden barrels through simple valves and delivered to the drinker mug or glass by gravity flow. From the 1950's to the present most draft beer has been shipped in and dispensed from kegs that are cylindrical, made of stainless steel or aluminum and contain an extractor tube.
To dispense the beer from the keg a pressurizing gas, air or CO2, is forced into the keg through a beer keg tap. The liquid beer is forced out through the extractor tube, flexible hoses and a delivery faucet. Air is very undesirable as a pressurizing gas because the oxygen in air makes beer quickly go stale or sour. Air can be used when the entire keg is to be drunk quickly. Air cannot be used as a pressurizing gas if the keg must be stored and the beer consumed over a period of time.
There are two general types of beer dispensing systems taught by the prior art. One is a commercial system that uses heavy pressure bottles of compressed carbon dioxide gas operating through regulators and pressure lines to pressurize one or more kegs. The other is a consumer system usually used at a party or picnic that uses an air pump, which may be a hand powered or electrically operated compressor, to pressurize the keg. This is therefore commonly known as a picnic pump system.
Advantages of the commercial beer dispensing systems include the use of CO2 dispensing systems that prevent air from coming in contact with the keg beer and thus allowing the keg beer to stay fresh for a longer period of time than when air is used as a pressurizing gas. Another advantage of a commercial beer dispensing system is the ability to control the pressure of the gas supplied to the keg through the use of adjustable regulators and pressure gauges. This feature is a marked advantage over a picnic pump system as it allows the pressure to be finely tuned to the individual type of beer or the specific temperature of the keg to prevent excessive foaming of the dispensed beer as is often encountered in the picnic pump systems.
Examples of commercial beer dispensing systems may be found in most bars and restaurants. This equipment is cumbersome and industrial. Their 'rat's nest' of tubing is a common feature behind bars. These commercial CO2 dispensing systems weigh hundreds of pounds and can operate dozens of beer keg taps and draft beer dispensers. This equipment is completely unsuitable for use at picnics, parties or for the large and growing number of drinkers who wish to keep a keg of beer at home in their refrigerator so they can have draft beer at home on demand.
Picnic pumps such as the one taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,377, issued to Brown on Dec. 8, 1987 use a hand-operated air pump. Such pumps are common and exist in hundreds of variations. These pumps are small and lightweight, but they pressurize the beer keg with air, which makes them unsuitable for use with a home keg because contact with the oxygen in air quickly ruins the beer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,211 teaches a portable electrically powered keg-tapping device for use with regular beer kegs. The electrical compressor is a good replacement for a hand pump, but it does not solve the problem of introducing air into a keg that must be stored and used over a period of time.
An advantageous beer pumping system would combine the beer preservation and adjustable pressurization available with commercial type systems with the low profile and portability of a picnic pump system. Portable beer dispensing systems, such as the one taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,609, issued to Ash on Apr. 6, 1993, teach the use of a CO2 bottle packaged in a backpack and connected by pressure tubes to a container of beer. This type of dispenser, and there are many examples in the prior art, is useful for dispensing beer at sporting events, but uses a special small beer tank and thus cannot be of any use to home beer keg owners.
Another portable beer dispensing system, U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,433, issued to Fine et al. on Oct. 16, 1951, teaches the use of a small pressurized cylinder and a regulator permanently attached to a specialized beer container. However, the specialized beer container is not commercially available. Furthermore the pressurization system is permanently attached to the non commercially available specialized beer container. Additionally, the presence of a cover over the pressurization system does not facilitate precision pressure adjustments for individual types of beer or specific keg temperatures to prevent unwanted foaming. A more useful device will combine all the advantages of a commercial beer pumping system, such as CO2 pressurization to maintain beer freshness and easy adjustability of the CO2 pressure to prevent foaming, with the low profile and portability of a picnic pump system. Interestingly, no devices that incorporate all the advantages of a commercial beer pumping system with the low profile and portability of a picnic beer pumping system currently exist.
This combination would allow for a simple home draft beer system by placing a small, easily adjustable CO2 pressurized beer pump on any commercially available beer keg. The keg with the beer pump could then be placed in any conventional refrigerator for to keep the beer at a constant drinkable temperature. Currently, home kegs may be kept in refrigerated one keg systems, such as the Beer Baron® sold by Ajex USA, Inc. of Commerce City, Colo., but such "home" draft beer systems are huge, weigh several hundred pounds and are very expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,189, issued to Zurit et al. Dec. 25, 1979 teaches the use of a standard keg tap using a conventional bayonet type of connection to attach the tap to the keg. In addition U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,189 also teaches the use of a pressure inlet to pressurize the beer keg in combination with a Thomas valve designed to prevent back pressure or beer from flowing out of the pressure inlet into the pressure producing source. However, the incorporation of a Thomas valve to help prevent back pressure or beer into the pressure producing has not been rigidly attached to a regulator and a rigidly attached gas canister designed for kegs to be stored in a home refrigerator. The Thomas valve in U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,198 would be designed to prevent back pressure or beer from flowing into a flexible tube used to deliver pressure to the tap, thereby preventing damage to the flexible tube. A desirable invention, in combining all the advantages of a commercial beer pumping system with the low profile and portability of a picnic beer pumping system would have a Thomas valve directly attached to a check valve and furthermore to an easily adjustable pressure regulator and finally attached to a pressurized CO2 canister.
It is applicant's belief that none of the above prior art systems have received commercial recognition because they either are too expensive to construct, or are not reliable. None of the above prior art systems solve the problems facing the home keg owner who wishes to tap the keg and still keep the beer fresh over an extended period.


The invention concerns a radiation source, comprising an anode (2), a cathode (3), an electric discharge gap (4) between the anode (2) and the cathode (3) and a gas input conduit (30) in the discharge gap (4). The gas input conduit (30) is electrically connected to the anode and the cathode. The invention is characterized in that the gas input conduit (30) is supplied with gas by a gas supply conduit (32), designed to form between its portion (42) connected to the gas input conduit (30) and another of its portions connected to a fixed potential, an electric impedance such that it counters the generation of electric discharges inside the gas input conduit (30).

The invention relates to a radiation source, and in particular a source of radiation in the ultraviolet or extreme ultraviolet spectral range.
One field of application of the invention relates to the production of ultraviolet radiation which is used in the production of integrated circuits by means of lithography.
The increase in the density of integration of integrated circuits necessarily leads to a reduction in the dimensions of the constituent parts thereof.
It is thus desirable to produce circuits which have constituent parts having dimensions of less than 70 nanometres by using ultraviolet radiation sources and this has resulted in the need to reduce the wavelength of the ultraviolet radiation produced by the sources to lower values of, for example, 13.5 nanometres.
There are a number of types of source which can emit in the extreme ultraviolet range: synchrotron sources, sources of radiation produced by laser and sources produced by electrical discharges.
The document "Spectroscopic and energetic investigation of capillary discharges devoted to EUV production for new lithography generation" by Eric Robert, Branimir Blagojevic, Rémi Dussart, Smruti R. Mohanty, Moulay M. Idrissy, Dunpin Hong, Raymond Viladrosa, Jean-Michel Pouvesle, Claude Fleurier and Christophe Cachoncinlle, "Emerging Lithographic Technologies V, Proceedings of SPIE" Vol. 4343 (2001) describes a source of radiation in the extreme ultraviolet range, by means of electrical discharges.
The discharge is produced between an anode and a cathode in a space which is filled with gas. The discharge energises the gas molecules which emit radiation in order to become de-energised.
One of the disadvantages of the discharge radiation sources is the low quantity of energy which they radiate.

Discharge radiation source, in particular UV radiation

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.)


This invention makes debugging more efficient when an object program is intended for processing a loop made up of n groups of iteration-forming instructions. Instructions in the secondary assembler program each has a combination of a line number “;lx” and an iteration identifier “;ix” attached thereto. The line number “;lx” specifies a source code from which the instruction is generated, and the iteration identifier “;ix” specifies an iteration to which the instruction belongs. When the user sets a breakpoint at an instruction, displayed in the windows are (a) a source code for generating the instruction at the breakpoint and (b) another source code for generating another instruction that belongs to a different group of iteration-forming instructions than the breakpoint instruction.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present-invention relates to a debugging aid device and a compiling device that provide aid in debugging object programs into which source programs have been translated.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It has been long since there were demands for improvement of computer program quality, along with the development of advanced information technology. In the fields of program development, people have been constantly seeking for ways to make programmers' debugging process more efficient through trial and error.
An object program, which is the final product, is generated with use of a compiler that translates a source program written in a high-level programming language. Debugging is to run an object program on an exploratory basis, so as to correct the source program if there is any problem, and make a new object program from the corrected source program. A debugging aid device makes debugging more efficient with such functions as "breakpoint setting" to set a breakpoint at an arbitrary point of an object program so that the program halts at that point; "one-step execution" to execute one instruction at a time after the halt; and "resource reference" to indicate, in the halting state, the value held by the hardware resource. In addition, there is a function to indicate a source code that corresponds to the instruction at which a breakpoint is set, and this function helps correction process of the source program in case bugs are found.
Recent program development often experiences a situation where debugging is necessary for an object program optimized for parallel processing. Examples of methods of optimizing an object program for parallel processing are Loop Unrolling and Software Pipelining. Especially, an object program with the latter, Software Pipelining, includes repeating units (called iterations) of a loop each made up of instructions, so that instructions that belong to different iterations can be executed in pipelining parallelism. In order to debug an object program with software pipelining, programmers focus on finding out which instructions are to be executed in parallel, and which lines of a source code those instructions correspond to; however, execution of an object program with software pipelining involves special processing i.e. an iteration is executed with a little delay from its previous iteration, instead of instructions in different iterations being executed completely in parallel; therefore, it is difficult to express this special processing with source codes.
On the other hand, if no source codes were indicated to show corresponding instructions to be executed in parallel, it would make burdens for programmers. A programmer is required to thoroughly understand the correspondence between the source codes he or she writes and instructions in an object program, as well as to debug the program imagining how the program will be processed when being executed in pipeline. This presents a problem that debugging procedure makes slower progress than expected.

Debugging aid parallel execution of a plurality of iterations with source lists display corresponding to each iteration

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The heterogeneous polymerization of water-soluble polymer in CO.sub.2 is disclosed. The method comprises providing a heterogeneous reaction mixture comprising CO.sub.2, a monomer, and a surfactant, then polymerizing the monomer to form a water-soluble polymer.

Emulsion polymerization is a heterogeneous process often used by industry to polymerize a wide variety of monomers using free radical mechanisms. It involves the polymerization of monomers in the form of emulsions or latexes. Polymers commonly formed by emulsion include acrylics, styrenics, polyvinylchloride (PVC), styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylenediene terpolymer-based (EPDM), polystyrene, acrylonitrile- butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), neoprene rubber, ethyl-vinyl acetate, styrene-maleic anhydride, tetrafluroethylene, and vinyl fluoride.
Generally, low molar mass ionic surfactants have enjoyed the most use in water-based emulsion polymerizations because they work so efficiently to stabilize the ionic double layer of the emulsion or colloid particles which prevents particle coagulation. In addition, polymeric surfactants have also been utilized to stabilize emulsion polymerizations. See Piirma, Polymeric Surfactants in 42 Surfactant Science Series (Marcel Dekker, New York 1992). This class of surfactants stabilizes colloidal particles by steric, rather than ionic, means. Steric stabilization of emulsions can be advantageous in that (a) steric systems are much less sensitive to fluctuations and increases in electrolyte concentrations, (b) they work well at high and low solids contents, and (c) they stabilize aqueous and nonaqueous dispersions equally well. See Napper, Polymeric Stablization of Colloidal Dispersions (Academic Press, New York 1983). Many nonionic polymeric surfactants are available; the most common of these are basically block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO).
After polymerization, the polymer must be coagulated and isolated from the aqueous phase for further processing (except for that which is destined for use in water-borne coatings). The large volume of water remaining comprising the continuous phase must be properly handled, as it becomes contaminated with organic compounds residual monomers, stabilizers, and other materials that are difficult to remove. As a result, it would be desirable to provide a different medium for the continuous phase that can be easily decontaminated.
In view of the foregoing, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a heterogeneous polymerization method in which a fluid other than water comprises the continuous phase medium.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide surfactants useful for the foregoing methods.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide initiators suitable for use with the foregoing methods.

Heterogeneous polymerization in carbon dioxide

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


Implementations of the disclosure provide for methods, systems, and media for image reconstruction using metal artifacts reductions techniques. In some embodiments, a method for image reconstruction is provided, the method comprising: receiving a first computed tomography (CT) image and a second CT image; generating, by a processing device, a prior image based on the second CT image; generating a noise image based on the first CT image, wherein the noise image corresponds to metal artifacts in the first CT image; and reconstructing, by the processing device, the first CT image based at least in part on the prior image. In some embodiments, generating the prior image comprises: registering the first CT image and the second CT image to generate a registered image; and reducing noise artifacts in the registered image.

Computed tomography (CT) technology has been widely used in various diagnostic and therapeutic applications over past two decades. It has played an increasingly important role in helping physicians make accurate diagnoses and adaptive therapeutic schedules for different patients.
However, images generated using existing CT technologies may include severe shading and streaking caused by metallic implants in the body of patients (also referred to as "metal artifacts"). Presence of these metal artifacts in the CT images may provide incorrect electron density information and can obscure crucial diagnostic information. For example, the presence of dental fillings may make intraoral and intracranial tumors not clearly recognizable in a CT image. In addition, the presence of the metal artifacts may lead to serious deviations between the radiation dose calculated based on the CT image and the actual radiation dose required in the radiation therapy.
Accordingly, new mechanisms for reducing metal artifacts in CT images are desirable.

Methods, systems, and media for noise reduction in computed tomography images

CHONGQING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS


A memory device includes a memory array and a sense amplifier. The memory array includes a floating body cell configured to store a bit value. The sense amplifier includes a bit output configured to provide an output voltage representative of the bit value and a reference source configured to provide a reference voltage. The sense amplifier further includes a current mirror configured to provide a current to the first floating body cell based on the reference voltage, and a differential amplifier circuit configured to determine the output voltage based on the reference voltage and a voltage across the floating body cell resulting from application of the current to the floating body cell.

Floating body cell (FBC) memory (also known as zero-capacitor random access memory or Z-RAM™) offers a compromise between the speeds achieved by static random access memory (SRAM) and the densities achieved by dynamic random access memory (DRAM). FBCs typically implement one or more transistors implemented on a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. By making use of the floating body effect caused by the transistor operating on the SOI substrate, the transistor can be configured to store a charge similar to a capacitor, whereby the amount of charge stored at the transistor then can be sensed to determine the bit value stored by the transistor.
Due to its physical characteristics, a FBC typically is incapable of sourcing a relatively large current. Sense amplifiers used to sense the stored values of FBC memory cells thus are configured to be sensitive to relatively small differences in the output of the FBC. However, conventional sense amplifiers for FBC memories typically have delayed response times and are intolerant of transistor mismatch within the sensing circuitry. Accordingly, an improved technique for sensing stored bit values in a FBC memory would be advantageous.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

Sensing device for floating body cell memory and method thereof


Low-energy hydrogen production is disclosed. A reforming exchanger is placed in parallel with a partial oxidation reactor in a new hydrogen plant with improved efficiency and reduced steam export, or in an existing hydrogen plant where the hydrogen capacity can be increased by as much as 20–30 percent with reduced export of steam from the hydrogen plant.

This invention relates to the production of a synthesis gas (syngas) using a partial oxidation (POX) reactor and a reforming exchanger.
Reforming of hydrocarbons is a standard process for the production of hydrogen-containing synthesis gas used for ammonia or methanol, for example. Conventional POX reactors are unpacked, free-flow, non-catalytic gas generators to which preheated hydrocarbon gas and oxygen are supplied, optionally with a temperature moderator. The partial oxidation reactor effluent is then quenched or cooled, typically to 200–300° C., optionally cleaned to remove soot, and usually further converted in high and low temperature shift converters wherein CO and steam react to form additional hydrogen and CO2. Syngas with high hydrogen content is especially desirable for ammonia or other synthesis processes where hydrogen is the main reactant from the syngas. The steam to hydrocarbon weight ratio in the POX reactor feed is generally from 0.1 to 5, the atomic ratio of oxygen to carbon in the hydrocarbon is in the range from 0.6 to 1.6, and reaction times vary from 1 to 10 seconds.
POX reactors are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,896,927; 3,920,717; 3,929,429; and 4,081,253, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
POX reactors produce a syngas effluent at a very high temperature prior to quenching, e.g. from 1100° to 1650° C. This means that much of the hydrocarbon feed must, in effect, be used as a rather expensive fuel to preheat feeds and generate high- or medium-pressure steam. However, the steam production is usually far in excess of plant requirements and must therefore be exported, and frequently there is little or no market for the steam.
There is a need in the art for a way to improve efficiency of hydrogen plants that use POX reactors and reduce or eliminate the steam export. It is also frequently desired to maximize or increase hydrogen production from an existing hydrogen plant; however, the POX reactor is frequently a capacity-limiting operation. POX reactors cannot easily be expanded to increase production.
The present invention addresses these needs by supplying the partially cooled POX reactor process effluent to the shell side of a reforming exchanger to provide heat for additional syngas production. Reforming exchangers used with autothermal reformers are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,011,625 and 5,122,299 to LeBlanc and U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,454 to Cizmer et al, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. These reforming exchangers are available commercially under the trade designation KRES or Kellogg Reforming Exchanger System.

Partial oxidation reformer-reforming exchanger arrangement for hydrogen production


A diaphragm valve is provided with a valve housing having an inlet passage extending into a chamber and an outlet passage extending from the chamber. A diaphragm is mounted to the valve housing for covering the valve chamber. The diaphragm is provided with an aperture extending centrally therethrough. A valve stem is mounted adjacent the diaphragm externally of the valve chamber, such that movement of the valve stem deflects the diaphragm. A valving element is disposed in the valve chamber and is threadedly engaged with the valve stem through the aperture in the diaphragm. A toroidal sealing bead on the valving element is sealingly engaged with portions of the diaphragm surrounding the aperture therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to diaphragm valves intended to accommodate a high flow of gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art diaphragm valve includes a valve housing having a valve chamber that typically is open to the outside of the valve housing. The valve housing may include threads surrounding the valve chamber. An inlet passage extends through the valve housing from an external location to the valve chamber. An outlet passage extends through the valve housing from the valve chamber to a second external location. Thus, a fluid may flow into the inlet passage through the valve chamber and out of the outlet passage. Pipes or tubes are connected to the inlet and outlet passages to accommodate this flow of fluid.
The prior art diaphragm valve further include a resiliently deflectable diaphragm that extends across the valve chamber in juxtaposed relationship to the inlet passage. The diaphragm may be formed from an elastomer or from a thin resiliently deflectable metal. The diaphragm is made from a material selected to prevent reaction with the fluid carried through the valve.
A valve stem is mounted to the valve housing and is engageable with an external surface region of the diaphragm. The valve stem is selectively movable toward and away from the inlet passage and causes the diaphragm to selectively move into or out of sealing engagement with regions of the valve housing surrounding the inlet passage. Thus, the valve stem can be moved toward the valve housing so that the diaphragm is deflected into sealing engagement with portions of the valve housing surrounding the inlet passage for preventing fluid flow through the valve. The valve stem then can be moved away from the valve housing to permit the diaphragm to deflect away from the inlet passage. Thus, fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet passage into the valve chamber and subsequently from the valve chamber into the outlet passage.
Some diaphragm valves are designed specifically for controlling the flow of liquids, while others are designed specifically to control the flow of gases. Many manufacturing processes require controlled amounts of very pure gases. Even, small amounts of ambient gas or other contaminants can adversely affect the manufacturing process. The components of such gas flow systems are manufactured and assembled in ultra clean environments. Fittings and valves for such systems typically are made entirely from metal and must positively prevent seepage of ambient air into the very pure supply of gas accommodated by the system.
Diaphragm valves are well suited for fluid systems that are intended to accommodate pure gases. However, the metal diaphragm of a diaphragm valve is capable of generating only a relatively small amount of deflection. As a result, prior art diaphragm valves have not been well suited for high flow fluid systems. The flow of fluid through a diaphragm valve theoretically can be increased by merely increasing the cross-sectional dimensions of the inlet passage, the outlet passage and the valve chamber. However, a prior art diaphragm valve must be sufficiently deflectable to seal entirely around such a large inlet passage. The metal diaphragm of a prior art diaphragm valve would have to be positioned very close to such a large inlet passage to effectively seal the entire inlet passage with the limited amount of deflection that is possible with a diaphragm. Thus, even though a fairly large inlet passage can be provided, the actual flow through a prior art diaphragm valve would be restricted by the close proximity of the diaphragm to the inlet passage.
Some prior art diaphragm valves have secured a rigid valving member to the side of the diaphragm facing the valve chamber. The rigid valving member is selectively moved by the diaphragm into and out of sealing engagement with portions of the valve chamber surrounding the inlet passage. Prior art diaphragm valves of this type often are referred to as tied diaphragm valves and are intended to achieve both a high flow and a good quality seal around a fairly large inlet passage. In particular, it has been assumed that the valving member secured to and moved with the diaphragm can achieve better sealing around a large inlet passage than the metal diaphragm could achieve without the benefit of thee valving element. Tied diaphragm valves are used successfully in some fluid systems. However, fluid systems intended for highly pure gas flows often cannot tolerate the presence of a weld area in the gas stream. The weldment creates the potential for contamination and defines a potential weak point that can lead to a costly failure of the valve.
Other tied diaphragm valves merely include a threaded bolt that passes axially through the rigid valving member, through the diaphragm and into the valve stem. However, valves of this type create the potential for contaminating air to flow into the valve chamber through microscopic spaces that may exist between the bolt and the valve element.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a high flow diaphragm valve that is well suited for high volume fluid flows.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a diaphragm valve that can permit high volume flows while maintaining high purity.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a diaphragm valve with a valving element fixed to portions of the diaphragm in the valve chamber without welding.
A further object of the subject invention is to provide a diaphragm valve with a valving element attached to portions of the diaphragm in the valve chamber without providing a passage through the valve element for tieing the valve element to the diaphragm and the valve stem.


An outboard engine unit includes a single lubricating oil supply tube for supplying lubricating oil to a valve-operating chain. The valve-operating chain is suspended across a drive sprocket provided to a crankshaft and a driven sprocket provided to a camshaft. A supply tube is connected to a main gallery that is linked to a main oil channel positioned in an area adjacent to the crankshaft.

A lubricating structure of a valve-operating chain of a vertical engine mounted in an outboard engine unit is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-346891 (JP 2004-346891 A).
A lubrication structure of a timing chain of an engine having a variable valve timing mechanism is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-303919 (JP 2001-303919 A).
The lubrication structure disclosed in JP 2004-346891 A is structured to allow oil to flow down along ribs from the ceiling surface of a chain cover and to bring oil into contact with a timing chain. A camshaft-side oil jet is disposed in the oil supply channel.
However, considering the length of the main body portion of the oil jet, the oil supply channel must be disposed near upper cylinders, and a configuration is needed that has a higher degree of freedom of design. The jet nozzle sprays oil toward the meshing area of the chain. Therefore, a portion of the dispersed oil is captured and guided by the upper ribs to lubricate the chain again, and the rest of the oil is recovered. Efficiency is improved if the ratio of oil supplied for lubrication is increased.
The lubrication structure disclosed in JP 2001-303919 A is a structure, provided in an ordinary engine having variable valves rather than in a vertical engine, in which an oil channel is disposed in a chain cover provided to the side of the engine and an oil jet is disposed in the oil channel. Therefore, the structure of the chain cover is made more complicated, manufacturing steps are increased, added labor is required, and other disadvantageous factors are incurred.
In view of the above, there is a need to simplify the lubrication structure of the valve-operating chain used in the main gallery, which is the main oil pathway disposed in an engine.