A display device is provided with a display controller, a source driver, and a liquid crystal panel, and two pairs of wirings are provided between the display controller and the source driver. The display controller is provided with a V-I conversion circuit for image data and a mode register, and the source driver is provided with an I-V conversion circuit for image data. The V-I conversion circuit for image data connects either one of a pair of the wirings to an earth electrode and sets the other one to a floating state based on the image data. The I-V conversion circuit for image data allows electric current to flow in the wiring out of a pair of the wirings, which is connected to the earth electrode, and converts the image data into a pair of complementary current signals to receive them. Further, the I-V conversion circuit for image data stops the current signal by a control signal from the mode register when the image data is not transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a matrix type display device that uses electric current as transmitting signal, and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The matrix type display device such as a liquid crystal display device and a plasma display panel (also referred to as PDP) is provided with a display controller that sequentially outputs image data, a source driver that generates a drive signal for driving a display panel based on the image data output from the display controller, and a display panel that displays an image by the drive signal.
In such a display device, the signal between the display controller and the source driver has conventionally been transmitted by a voltage signal that consists of two values of power source potential and earth potential. However, parasitic capacitance of transmission path causes delay if the voltage signal is made to be high-speed, and the level of high-speed voltage signal is limited.
The applicant then developed a technique of transmitting a signal by electric current, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-053598. This technique restricts the affect of the parasitic capacitance of the transmission path, and the high-speed signal can be realized. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-053598 also discloses a technique that a power source is not provided for a transmission section but for a receiving section. Thus, it is not necessary to change the specification of the transmission section even if the number of the receiving sections is changed, and the design of the transmission section becomes easy.
Specifically, a pair of wirings for transmitting signal is provided between the transmission section and the receiving section. Then, in the transmission section, one of the wirings is connected to an earth electrode and the other wiring is set to a floating state (high-impedance state) based on a signal intended to transmit. Accordingly, electric current flows from the power source provided for the receiving section to the earth electrode via the wiring connected to the earth electrode and the electric current does not flow to the other wiring. As a result, it is possible to transmit a complementary signal by a pair of the wirings. The applicant has named the transmission method as CMADS (Current Mode Advanced Differential Signaling).
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional liquid crystal display device for which the CMADS was applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional liquid crystal display device is provided with a display controller 101, a source driver 102, and a liquid crystal panel 103. Further, two pairs of wirings 104a and 104b, 105a and 105b are provided between the display controller 101 and the source driver 102.
The display controller 101 is one to which image data as digital two-value voltage signal is input from outside and that outputs the image data by every line. The display controller 101 is provided with a display data memory 106, a timing control circuit 107, a V-I conversion circuit for image data 108, and a V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109. The display data memory 106 is one to which the image data is input from outside and that holds the image data for one screen. The timing control circuit 107 reads out the image data equivalent to one line from the display data memory 106, outputs a clock signal to the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109, and sequentially outputs the image data equivalent to one line to the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 synchronously with the clock signal. The V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 is connected to one end of a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b, in which either one of the wirings 104a and 104b is connected to the earth electrode and the other wiring is set to the floating state based on the image data. The V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109 is connected to one end of a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b, in which either one of the wirings 105a and 105b is connected to the earth electrode and the other wiring is set to the floating state based on the clock signal.
Furthermore, the source driver 102 is provided with an I-V conversion circuit for image data 121, an I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122, a shift register 123, a data latch circuit 124, a gradation selecting circuit 125, and an output circuit 126. The I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 is connected to the other end of a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b. Then, when the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 connects either one of the wirings 104a and 104b to the earth electrode, The I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 allows electric current to flow in the wiring connected to the earth electrode to generate a complementary current signal in a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b. Consequently, the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 receives the image data as the current signal from the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108. Then, the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 converts the image data again into the two-valued voltage signal based on the current signal, and outputs the signal to the data latch circuit 124. The I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 is connected to the other end of a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b. Then, when the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109 connects either one of the wirings 105a and 105b to the earth electrode, the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 allows electric current to flow in the wiring connected to the earth electrode to generate the complementary current signal in a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b. Consequently, the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 receives the clock signal as the current signal from the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109. Then, the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 converts the clock signal again into the two-valued voltage signal based on the current signal, and outputs the signal to the shift register 123.
The shift register 123 is one to which the clock signal is input and that sequentially outputs pulse signals from a plurality of output terminals to the data latch circuit 124. The data latch circuit 124 downloads a plural image data synchronously with the pulse signals to output a plurality of the image data to the gradation selecting circuit 125 simultaneously. The gradation selecting circuit 125 is a D/A converter, which performs digital-analog conversion (D/A conversion) to the output signal from the data latch circuit 124 and outputs a gradation signal that is an analog voltage signal to an output circuit 126. The voltage of the gradation signal is a voltage applied for each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 103. The output circuit 126 performs current amplification to the gradation signal to generate a drive signal, and outputs the drive signal to each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 103.
Moreover, the liquid crystal panel 103 is provided with two transparent substrates (not shown) arranged facing with each other, a liquid crystal layer (not shown) sandwiched between the transparent substrates, and a backlight (not shown) arranged behind the two transparent substrates. Further, pixels (not shown) are arranged in a matrix state on the liquid crystal panel 103.
Next, description will be made for the operation of the conventional liquid crystal display device. Firstly, the image data as the two-valued voltage signal is input to the display data memory 106, and the data equivalent to one screen is held. Then, the timing control circuit 107 reads out the image data equivalent to one line from the display data memory 106. The timing control circuit 107 then outputs the clock signal that is the two-valued voltage signal to the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109. Further, the timing control circuit 107 sequentially outputs the image data to the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 synchronously with the clock signal.
Next, the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 connects one end of a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b to the earth electrode and sets the other wiring to the floating state based on the image data. For example, the wiring 104a is connected to the earth electrode and the wiring 104b is set to the floating state when the image data is high, and the wiring 104a is set to the floating state and the wiring 104b is connected to the earth electrode when the image data is low. Further, the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109 connects one end of a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b to the earth electrode and sets the other wiring to the floating state based on the clock signal.
Accordingly, the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 allows electric current to flow in either wiring of a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b, which is connected to the earth electrode. The electric current flows from the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 to the earth electrode via the wiring 104a or 104b. On the other hand, the electric current does not flow in the wiring on the floating state. As a result, the image data that is the voltage signal is converted into a pair of complementary current signals, and is transmitted from the V-I conversion circuit for image data 108 to the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 via a pair of the wirings 104a and 104b. Then, the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 converts the current signal into the two-valued voltage signal again to regenerate the image data, and outputs the data to the data latch circuit 124.
Similarly, the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 allows the electric current to flow in either wiring of a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b, which is connected to the earth electrode. On the other hand, the electric current does not flow in the wiring on the floating state. As a result, the clock signal that is the voltage signal is converted into a pair of complementary current signals, and is transmitted from the V-I conversion circuit for clock signal 109 to the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 via a pair of the wirings 105a and 105b. Then the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122 converts the current signal into the two-valued voltage signal again to regenerate the clock signal, and outputs the signal to the shift register 123.
The shift register 123 downloads the clock signal from the I-V conversion circuit for clock signal 122, and sequentially outputs the pulse signal from a plurality of output terminals to the data latch circuit 124. The data latch circuit 124 downloads a plurality of image data from the I-V conversion circuit for image data 121 synchronously with the pulse signal, and simultaneously outputs a plurality of the image data to the gradation selecting circuit 125. Next, the gradation selecting circuit 125 performs D/A conversion to the output signal to generate the gradation signal that is the analog voltage signal, and outputs the signal to the output circuit 126. Then, the output circuit 126 performs current amplification to the gradation signal to generate the drive signal, and applies it to each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 103.
On the other hand, in the liquid crystal panel 103, the backlight irradiates light to each pixel. Then, the liquid crystal layer of each pixel changes transmission factor of light according to the voltage of the drive signal applied, forms an image as the entire liquid crystal panel 103.
However, the above-described prior art has the following problems. Recently, a small display device such as a cellular phone in particular is normally equipped with a function such as a subtractive color mode to economize image data amount. The function subtracts colors of the image data from 260,000 colors to 8 colors, for example, and thus reducing the image data amount from 18 bits to 3 bits. In addition, a technique to encode and compress the image data has generally been used.
In the case of reducing the image data amount, dummy transfer is performed in signal transfer between the display controller and the source driver other than the data necessary for displaying the image. At this point, when the image data is transmitted by the voltage signal as conventionally performed, power consumption can be reduced by reducing the image data amount. However, when the image data is transmitted by the current signal, the electric current continuously flows in the wiring between the display controller and the source driver during the dummy transfer, and there exists a problem that the effects to reduce the power consumption is not obtained.

Display device and driving method of the same


The invention relates to cleaning deposits of various natures from metal, glass and ceramic surfaces of industrial equipment and can be used for the removal of such deposits, as metal oxides (iron, chromium, nickel, etc.), carbonate and salt deposits, asphalt-tar-paraffin deposits and deposits of an oily nature, deposits of organic and biological nature (bacterial deposits). The proposed solution for removing deposits of different natures comprises hydrogen peroxide, complexing agent, calixarene and water in the following quantitative ratio, wt. %: hydrogen peroxide, 2-90; complexing agent, 3-30; calixarene, 0.01-10; water, the balance. EFFECT: increased degree of cleaning off deposits of various natures with simultaneous reduction of solution aggressiveness to structural materials.

There is a known method of liquid chemical purification LCP [application no. 0277781, PHELPS DODGE IND INC. (US), publ, Oct. 8, 1988, C23G1/10], which consists of the following: for the cleaning process, a washing solution containing H2SO4 ϰ H2O2 is used, followed by rinsing and drying. With this method, the washing solution and metal to be cleaned are kept in heated state and the duration of the treatment is controlled.
This method is effectively used to remove the scale formed by the high temperature thermomechanical treatment of copper rods. The disadvantages of this method are the use of hot solutions, heating of the sample to be cleaned and instability of oxidizing time of hot detergent solutions.
The method is not versatile and is applicable only for the cleaning of copper rod surfaces. There is a known method of LCP [description of the invention to the application 94-021419/02 "method of cleaning copper surface"], which consists of a washing solution containing 45-75 g/1 of persulfuric acid obtained by the electrochemical treatment of an aqueous 25-50% solution of sulfuric acid.
The treatment is carried out after heating the solution up to 100-120° C. for 3-7 min. The LCP process washing solution is followed by rinsing the products in water and drying them.
This method has several significant disadvantages: it requires the artificial heating of detergent solutions, which results in intensification of their aggressiveness and toxicity. It also has an unstable oxidation capacity and, as a consequence, a non-stable flow of the action process of the cleaning solutions on the surface to be treated. In addition, this method is associated with considerable expenses for neutralization and utilization of industrial wastes.
There is a known method of using peroxides with complexing compounds in disinfecting Compositions [RU 2 360 415 C1, JSC «NPP «Biohimmash» (RU), publ. Oct. 7, 2009, MPK A01N25/22], characterized in that hydrogen peroxide immobilized on a complexing agent is used for the treatment of surfaces for disinfection. 1.5 kg of mechanically activated complexing agent is mixed with 5 kg of peroxide and diluted by adding 301 of water with the addition of surfactant. The disadvantage of this method is the narrow specificity of application: its use only in disinfecting, the absence of inhibitors of metal oxidation and the complexity of surface treatment. The closest in technical essence to the claimed invention is the method [U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,282, GREAT LAKES CHEMICAL CORP (US), publ. 13 Jan. 1987, IPC C23F1/18], consisting of a cleaning process washing solution containing 8-12 wt. %. H2SO4, 0.004-0.02 M in which stabilizing additive and 0.5 M H2O2 is used. Cleaning in this solution is carried out at 50° C., after which the products are rinsed with water and dried. The advantage of this method is the efficient removal of impurities soluble in acids from the surface, i.e. obtaining a shiny surface.
The disadvantages of this method are its non-universality (applicable only for copper etching), the use of hot solutions and special etching solutions with stabilizing additions.
US2004101461 (A1) discloses an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide in an amount of 20-70 wt. %, a phosphonic acid based complexing agent in an amount of 10-60% (based on the amount of hydrogen peroxide) and water. The solution has a wide application and can be used for bleaching, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilization and oxidation, in particular for use in soil saturation with oxygen (suggested). This cleaning solution is chosen as a prototype.
The disadvantages of the prototype are insufficient efficacy of the solution when used for cleaning metal surfaces, in particular, an inability to remove metal oxides.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Solution for removing various types of deposits


A removable processor enclosure apparatus for use in a gaming machine having a housing defining an interior portion, and a first electrical connector disposed in the interior portion. The enclosure apparatus includes an enclosure containing the CPU electrical components therein, and is adapted for sliding receipt in the interior portion of the gaming machine housing between a mounting condition and a removal condition. In the mounting condition, the enclosure is mounted to the housing and electrically coupling a second electrical connector of the enclosure to the first electrical connector of the housing. In the removal condition, the enclosure can be removed from the housing. A release device is interengaged between the housing and the enclosure, and is selectively movable between a first position, locking the enclosure in the mounting condition, and a second position, releasing the enclosure from the mounting condition to the removal condition and disconnecting the second electrical connector from the first electrical connector.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to gaming machines such as slot machines or video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to enclosures applied to protect the primary electrical components operating the gaming machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technology in the gaming industry progresses, the once traditional mechanically-driven reel slot machines have been replaced with electronic counterparts having CRT video displays or the like. These video/electronic gaming advancements enable the operation of more complex gambling games, which would not otherwise be possible on mechanical-driven gambling machines. For example, in addition to reel slot machines, it is now common to observe stand alone or multiple platform video electronic games including Keno, Blackjack, Poker, Pai Gow, and all the variations thereof, in even the smallest gaming establishments. These electronic game devices may comprise numerous internal electrical components including, for example, a power supply, a lighted display and a Central Processing Unit (CPU).
The CPU, which generally controls the parameters and features of the game being played (E.g., the type of game and its pay-out), is one of the most critical components of the gaming device. Accordingly, it is imperative to prevent unauthorized access to avoid CPU tampering.
In most current configurations, the CPU is attached to a motherboard which in turn is mounted to the gaming machine through a sliding tray. This tray is then manually mounted into the gaming machine where the corresponding electrical connectors are mated for operation thereof. As can be appreciated, by sliding the tray in and out, the CPU may be serviced, replaced or otherwise accessed.
One problem associated with this design, however, is that the forces required to simultaneously connect and disconnect these connectors can be substantial. By way of example, each connector pin and corresponding socket of the mating connectors may require forces of up to ¼ lb each to connect or disconnect the respective pin. Therefore, in some instances, forces in excess of about 50 lbs. may be needed to connect and/or disconnect a 200 pin connector. Insertion and removal of the CPU tray, consequently, may be difficult during routine maintenance. In some instances, the pins/connectors may be damaged (e.g., bent) during forced manipulation, while in other instances injuries may occur during tray insertion and removal.
Another problem associated with this design is that the CPU tray may be inadvertently removed while the motherboard and the CPU are still powered. Known as hot swapping, in some cases, arcing can occur between the powered connectors which can damage the contacts and/or pins. In the worst case scenario, a fire or a significant amount of internal component damage can occur.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a modular enclosure for the CPU and other critical electrical components of the gaming device which protects these components from tampering, while further facilitating interconnection to the gaming machine

Modular CPU enclosure for gaming machines


According to the present invention, there is provided a gravity-feed liquid delivery system for a machine tool. A liquid reservoir has an attachment mechanism to attach the reservoir to a structure separate from the machine tool. Coolant contained in the reservoir is transmitted by a hose having a first end combined to the liquid reservoir and a second end attachable to the machine.

The instant invention relates generally to a liquid delivery system for power machine tools and more specifically to removable and repositionable liquid reservoirs.
Numerous machine tools have been disclosed in the prior art that require coolant or lubricant applied to the cutting area to increase the speed at which the machine tools cut and extend the useful life of the cutting bits. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A user interface designing apparatus for easily designing a user interface which can change display parts in accompanying state transitions for events by adding/deleting states and editing the display part and event handling in each state. The apparatus includes a state set editor for adding/deleting states of a composite display part having a multiplicity of states, an event handling editor for describing an event handling for a state transition in each state of the composite display part, an elementary display part memory for storing elementary display parts designed previously, and a state display editor for adding/deleting elementary display parts to be displayed in each state of the composite display part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user interface designing apparatus which can be applied to designing of a user interface for, e.g., a portable telephone such as a cellular phone, a cellphone, a mobile phone or the like as well as a portable information terminal so that display parts (e.g. graphic or the like parts to be displayed) can be changed or interchanged in accompanying the state transitions for events.
2. Description of Related Art
For better understanding of the concept underlying the present invention, description will first be made in brief of a related technique known heretofore. FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings is a block diagram showing a conventional user interface designing apparatus disclosed in, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 137599/2000. The user interface designing apparatus disclosed in this publication is comprised of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) image designing device 101 which includes a layout design module 111 for designing, interactively, layout data, an attribute setting module 112 for setting property data and a generation opportunity or timing setting module 113 for setting generation opportunities or timings on a GUI part-by-part basis, a design data storing device 102 which includes storing units such as a layout data storing unit 121, a property data storing unit 122 and a generation timing data storing unit 123, a source program generating module 131 for generating a source program on the basis of design data, and an output unit 104 including a GUI image source program output module 141.
In the user interface designing apparatus of the structure described above, a source program for generating GUI parts on a GUI image screen and a source program of an access function is generated when a first generation timing is set or activated, while, when a second generation timing is set or activated, a source program of a dynamic generation access function is generated for generating the GUI part, as occasion requires.
With the conventional user interface designing apparatus of the arrangement described above, designing of the user interface parts accompanying the state transitions, as well as simulation of the user interface containing combinations thereof, cannot be implemented.


A graphical block that defines the functionality of a lookup table and can be used in a block diagram model to capture time-varying characteristics of a system's behavior in the lookup table is presented. The block uses input and output data of the system to dynamically create and update the contents of the underlying lookup table over time. More specifically, the block utilizes an adaptation process that uses the system (or plant) output data to recompute the table values. The adaptation process is implemented as a statistical and signal processing algorithm, such as Recursive Sample Means (RSM), Least Mean Squares (LMS) and Recursive Least-Squares (RLS). The adaptation can be cell-based or point based.

The invention relates generally to graphical block diagram modeling.
Dynamic systems may be modeled, simulated and analyzed on a computer system using graphical block diagram modeling. Graphical block diagram modeling graphically depicts mathematical relationships among a system's inputs, states and outputs, typically for display on a graphical user interface.
In a graphical block diagram model, graphical blocks describing the static or dynamic behavior of corresponding physical components are graphically connected to each other in order to simulate the aggregate behavior of the combined physical system or plant. The behavior of a physical system, which may include mechanical or electronic components, can be described in terms of numeric data stored in table (matrix) or multi-dimensional array format in computer memory. The resulting table or array is referred to as a lookup table and is well known in the art.
In the simpler two-dimensional case, lookup tables correspond to matrices studied in the field of mathematics. Each element of a matrix is a numerical quantity, which can be precisely located in terms of two indexing variables. At higher dimensions, lookup tables are represented as a collection of matrices, whose elements are described in terms of a corresponding number of indexing variables. In the area of computer programming and simulation, lookup tables provide a means to capture the behavior of a physical system. More specifically, the behavior of a system with M inputs and N outputs can be approximately described by using N M-dimensional lookup tables.
Lookup tables can be generated by experimentally collecting or artificially creating the input and output data of a system. In general, as many indexing parameters are required as the number of input variables. Each indexing parameter may range within a pre-determined number of values, which are called breakpoints. The set of all breakpoints corresponding to an indexing variable is called a grid. Hence, a system with M inputs has M grids or sets of breakpoints. For given input data, the breakpoints (in breakpoint sets corresponding to the input variables) are used to locate the array elements where the output data of the system are stored. For a system with N output data values, N array elements are located and the corresponding data are stored at these locations in a computer memory.
In prior lookup table schemes, once a lookup table is created using the system input and output data, the corresponding multi-dimensional array of values can be used in applications without the need for regenerating the system output data. Only the input data is required to locate the appropriate array elements in the lookup table, and the approximate system output data can be read from these locations. Therefore, a lookup table captures an input-output mapping of a static or dynamic system in the form of numeric data stored at pre-determined array locations.
Prior graphical block-based modeling and simulation tools, e.g., Simulink® from The MathWorks Inc, support graphical lookup table blocks that provide for such a static mapping of input-output behavior of a physical system. Because the behavior of actual physical systems can vary with time due to wear, environmental conditions, and manufacturing tolerances, however, the "static" lookup table block may not provide a valid representation of the plant characteristics at a given time.

Adaptive lookup table: a graphical simulation component for recursively updating numeric data stored in table form


A water cooled box to be installed in the side wall of a metal making furnace to hold and protect implements such as a burner, a lance, or a material (i.e., carbon or lime) injection device. The box preferably comprises a copper outer shell and a steel inner shell liner welded together, whereby a chamber is formed through which cooling water passes. The box further comprises an inlet and outlet for the water flow and a plurality of conduit passages between the copper and steel shells for mounting the aforementioned implements. The copper shell has bars or slots for slag retention and the steel shell has means for mounting the box into the furnace wall. The copper shell is formed into a curved U-shape for preventing cracking due to thermal mechanical stress and to raise the natural frequency of the panel to resist vibration which can also cause cracking.

Metal making furnaces operate under severe conditions. For example, high mechanical stresses are exerted, particularly in furnace vessels, when large amounts of metal scrap weighing many tons are dumped from above into the vessel. The mechanical stress is further compounded by tilting of the vessel to pour the molten metal. Even more significantly, metal making furnaces are exposed to extremely stressful thermal conditions. The temperature around electrodes in an electric arc furnace ("EAF") can reach 6000 degrees Celsius ("° C."), or approximately 11,000 degree Fahrenheit ("° F."). Moreover, the furnace must withstand frequent and vast temperature fluctuations as an EAF furnace can be cycled (i.e., filled with scrap, drained of the melt, and filled, and prepare for filling with scrap again) more than once per hour.
Until the early-1970's, manufacturers of industrial furnaces for metal making attempted to protect the outer steel shell of the furnace from the extreme conditions by completely lining the shell wall with refractory brick. Refractory brick by itself was subject to considerable wear which resulted in periodic furnace outages that decreased production and caused considerable expense. During the mid-1970's, water cooled box type panels, and other panels of various designs, were introduced to replace refractory brick in portions of the furnace vessel outside of the melt zone where molten metal is contained in the furnace vessel. The present invention relates to improvements of these water cooled boxes for metal making furnaces.
Numerous types of water cooled boxes are known. They typically comprise a metal enclosure generally including, but not limited to, the shape of a truncated pyramid mostly of rectangular cross section. The interior of the enclosure is typically arranged to have an inlet and an outlet for cooling water that is circulated through the enclosure for the purpose of cooling the box. In view of their general "box" shape and circulating cooling water, these devices are commonly referred to as "cooling boxes."
Metal making furnaces of the prior art have openings in the vessel wall of the furnace to accommodate these cooling boxes. The cooling boxes are mounted in the openings, whereby the boxes generally extend inwardly toward the inner diameter of the vessel wall. The boxes typically further comprise a nose that, when the box is mounted in the wall, is typically provided in an orientation that faces and is proximal to the molten metal in the vessel. Moreover, the nose of the box is generally located in such a way as to house a device, such as a burner, a lance, or a material (i.e., carbon or lime) injection device, closer to the metal bath to increase the efficiency of the melting or injection process, as the case may be. The closer the injection is to the bath, the deeper the heat, oxygen, or material penetrates into the bath. This construction is advantageous because, for example, a closer location of the injection device relative to the molten metal bath reduces the amount of injected material otherwise lost to a draft out of a top exhaust hole of the furnace.
Some of the known cooling boxes are made from steel, such that they are easy to manufacture and may be welded without substantial difficulty. Additionally, cooling boxes comprised of steel are relatively inexpensive. However, the lifespan of steel boxes is short because the low thermal conductivity of the steel, which allows it to overheat and ultimately deteriorate by way of thermal cracking. A consequence of thermal cracking is the possibility that cooling water will be permitted to leak into the melt, which can result in an explosion.
Other prior art cooling boxes are made from copper or copper alloy, which benefit from the high thermal conductivity of the metal. The principal disadvantage of the all-copper box is the very high price due to the cost of the material. Many of these boxes are plug-welded fabrications or cast monolithic blocks with frequent joints between the exposed sides (i.e., facing the melt) and non-exposed sides. The copper faces of the box that are exposed to the high heat of the furnace will expand significantly, as compared to the copper faces that are otherwise not exposed to the furnace heat. This thermal growth causes significant mechanical stress at joint locations in the box. A consequence of the thermal stress is thermal cracking, which can permit leakage of the cooling water in the molten metal batch of the furnace and result in an explosion.
Therefore, there exists a heretofore unmet need in the art for a novel and inventive water cooled box that alleviates the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art cooling boxes.

Water cooled box for a metal making furnace


A self-cleaning burner system incorporates an automatic clean cycle when the burner is started up. Cycles may be programmed for once-a-day cleaning cycle or for other desired interval. On start-up, the cycle routes a small amount of fuel to the burner for ignition inside the burner to clean the burner surfaces. The system incorporates an igniter for fast, routine, and safe ignition of the fuel. Thus, small amounts of debris that accumulate on a surface burner are automatically ignited when the burner is started, keeping the burner clean and operating at a high state of efficiency at all times. The self-cleaning burner system may be incorporated into a fryer or other heating appliance for reliable, efficient operation.

Burners are used in a great variety of applications for heating water, warming homes, cooking food, and in a more general manner, generating and using heat. A great variety of burners are used in everyday life, including, but not limited to, water heaters, stoves, ovens, space heaters, process heaters, deep-fat or other fryers, and so forth. One problem in common with all burners is that residue tends to build up on the surfaces of the burners and associated parts.
There is usually little build-up in the areas of the burners that become very hot, such as the combustion chamber. There are additionally many burners which themselves do not become very hot, such as a venturi which combines fuel and air into a fuel/air mixture for combustion just outside the burner. However, the surrounding parts, such as those that supply fuel and oxygen, are susceptible to build-up of undesirable deposits. The problem is described in a paper published by the American Gas Association (AGA) Labs in 1960, entitled, "Minimizing Lint Stoppage of Atmospheric Gas Burner Ports." Proposed solutions include filtering incoming air and operating the burner at a sufficiently high temperature that the lint-accumulating side of the burner inlet port stays hot enough to incinerate incoming lint when it strikes the port. See pp. 9-10 of the AGA report.
For example, in a typical atmospheric venturi-type burner using natural gas (primarily methane), a given volume of fuel may require as much as ten volumes of air for proper combustion. This means that a great volume of unfiltered air may pass through the venturi, or other burner, and may mean that many contaminants in the air may have an opportunity to accumulate dirt, lint, or other undesirable residue.
Typical atmospheric burners, and even many forced-draft burners, do not use filtered air. Therefore, a very large volume of air will pass through the burner and may include many impurities. For example, in a home kitchen or in a restaurant, the air may include very minor amounts of lint, dust, particulates, food vapors, oil vapors, grease vapors, and the like. While the concentration of such contaminants is small, their cumulative effect over periods of time may be great. These contaminants may deposit on the outer and inner surfaces of a burner, such as the inlet plumbing, the exterior of the burner, the inside of a venturi, and the like.
Alert owners and operators will recognize the need to clean these surfaces in order to keep clear the pathways for fuel and air or oxygen. Clean burners naturally tend to operate at a higher efficiency and will be more efficient in transferring heat from the burner to the load or object(s) which is being heated. If a burner could clean itself, it would relieve owners and operators from the necessity of having to stop heating operations in order to clean the burners. It would also help to insure that the burner operates at a high state of efficiency, and would thus at least potentially save energy and energy costs.

Self-cleaning burner system for heaters and burners


The image sensor comprises a semiconductor body (1) having gate electrodes (3, 4) at a surface (2), each gate electrode being combined with the semiconductor body (1) and an intermediate dielectric (14) so as to form a MOS capacitor (5), which gate electrodes (3, 4) include a portion (6) which is thinner than a surrounding zone (7), a photosensitive region (8) in the semiconductor body (1) being situated below each gate electrode (3, 4), said photosensitive region (8) being capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation and converting said radiation to electric charge. The MOS capacitors (5) are arranged next to each other so as to form an array (9), with the gate electrodes (3, 4) in a row (10) electrically contacting each other, and the gate electrodes (3, 4) in a column (11) being mutually separated only by electrically insulating material (12). The image sensor has an improved photosensitivity, particularly for electromagnetic radiation with a short wavelength.

The invention relates to an image sensor comprising a semiconductor body which is provided, at a surface, with electrodes, each electrode being combined with the semiconductor body and an intermediate dielectric so as to form a MOS capacitor, which electrodes have a portion which is thinner than a surrounding zone, a photosensitive region in the semiconductor body being situated below each electrode, which photosensitive region is capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation and converting said electromagnetic radiation to electric charge.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing an image sensor comprising a semiconductor body which is provided, at a surface, with electrodes, each electrode being combined with the semiconductor body and an intermediate dielectric so as to form a MOS capacitor, second electrodes having a portion which is thinner than a surrounding zone, a photosensitive region in the semiconductor body being situated below each electrode, which photosensitive region is capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation and converting said radiation to electric charge, first electrodes being formed from a first layer of polysilicon, and insulation being provided between the first electrodes and the second electrodes.
A method of manufacturing such an image sensor is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,049. In the known method, an image sensor is manufactured, which image sensor comprises, inter alia, a matrix of pixels and a CCD shift register. A pixel comprises a photocapacitor, a transfer gate and an overflow gate. Below each electrode of the photocapacitor there is a photosensitive region in the semiconductor body, which photosensitive region absorbs electromagnetic radiation and converts it to electric charge. Said electric charge can be displaced via the transfer gate and read via a shift register. If too much charge is converted in a pixel, a part of the charge is removed via the overflow gate. To increase the light sensitivity of the photocapacitor, the light-receiving electrode is locally made thinner. The absorption of short-wave electromagnetic radiation, in particular the blue light of the visible spectrum, is substantially reduced thereby.
In the known method, a conductive region is formed in a semiconductor body. dielectric is provided on the semiconductor body. On the dielectric, a first layer of conductive polycrystalline Si is applied above the conductive region, from which the transfer gate and the overflow gate are formed. After the application of insulating material, a second layer of conductive polycrystalline Si is applied above the conductive region, from which the electrodes of the photocapacitors and the electrodes of the shift register are simultaneously formed. The uppermost electrode of the photocapacitor is locally reduced in thickness to a value at which the absorption and losses caused by interference of incident light are reduced, so that the amount of light reaching the conductive region and the region of the semiconductor below the conductive region increases. The uppermost electrode of the photocapacitor is locally reduced in thickness by means of a pattern in a resist layer and by etching the second conductive polysilicon layer in the apertures of the resist pattern.
A drawback of the known image sensor resides in that the photocapacitors, the transfer gates and the overflow transfer gates take up a comparatively large Si semiconductor surface. The photosensitive part formed by the photocapacitors is only a small part of the overall surface of the image sensor. The sensitivity of the image sensor to, in particular, short-wave electromagnetic radiation is small.
An additional disadvantage resides in that the thickness of the thin portion of the electrodes of the photocapacitors is difficult to control. As a result of the topography of the first transfer gate and the overflow gate, on top of which the second polysilicon layer is deposited, the step coverage depends substantially upon the space between the transfer gate and the overflow gate and the thickness of the first polysilicon layer. The second polysilicon layer is a very thick layer having a thickness of several microns. The thickness of the thick layer can be locally reduced to 50 nm by subjecting it to an etching operation, however, such an etching operation is poorly reproducible and leads to the introduction of a large spread. As the thickness of the thin polysilicon is not uniform, the sensitivity of the pixels varies substantially.
It is an object of the invention to provide an image sensor of the type described in the opening paragraph, which image sensor has a greater sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation, in particular short-wave electromagnetic radiation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an image sensor of the type described in the opening paragraph, which image sensor has a greater sensitivity, can be manufactured more readily and is more reliable.
In the device in accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in that the MOS capacitors are arranged next to each other in a matrix array, the electrodes in a row being interconnected and electrically contacting each other, and the electrodes in a column being separated only by electrically insulating material.
As the MOS capacitors are interconnected in a row and, in the column direction are very closely spaced, substantially the entire photosensitive surface is covered with electrodes. The electrodes comprise a comparatively large thinner portion in order to absorb more electromagnetic radiation in the photosensitive regions, which electromagnetic radiation is converted to electric charge. The photosensitivity to, in particular, short-wave electromagnetic radiation is improved substantially by increasing the photosensitive surface. By means of the electrode of a MOS capacitor, the charge is collected below the electrode. A larger photosensitive surface does not only increase the sensitivity but also the charge-storage capacity of a pixel. By virtue thereof, the signal-to-noise ratio of the image sensor is improved, as a result of which, ultimately, the image can be sharper and brighter.
In order to be able to sufficiently rapidly read the charge below each electrode of the MOS capacitor using a clock signal of, for example, 1 MHz, the delay caused by the RC time may not become excessively long. The interconnected electrodes in a row electrically contact each other and determine the resistance. By providing the electrodes with thicker portions around the thinner portions, the resistance is reduced substantially. It is very favorable that, by means of said thick portions of the electrodes, it becomes possible to just reach the clock rate, and the remaining surface of the electrodes is very thin in order to allow as much electromagnetic radiation as possible to pass to the photosensitive regions.
Advantageously, the locally thinner portion of each electrode is centered in the relevant electrode so as to preclude, to the extent possible, reflections of light at the edges between different media and any differences in thickness at the edges of the polysilicon electrodes. In addition, thicker edge portions of the electrodes are very favorable because, in general, the current densities that can be attained along edges are larger than in the center, leading to a reduction of the resistance of the electrodes. In addition, it is advantageous if as much as possible of the electromagnetic radiation lands on the photosensitive regions, i.e. the so-called channels for the charge transport. The photosensitive regions are bounded in the horizontal directions by zones of a different doping type. Depletion regions develop between the two doping regions. The zones and the depletion regions at the edges of the electrodes are less suitable for converting electromagnetic radiation to electric charge. Therefore, it is favorable for the locally thinner portion of each electrode to be centered.
Favorably, the locally thinner portion of each electrode covers at least 25% of each electrode surface. The amount of charge converted per pixel in the course of a certain integration period is typically several ten thousand times larger than the charge caused by the dark current. To attain a good signal-to-noise ratio, it is thus advantageous for the thin portion of the electrodes to be as large as possible. After each integration period, the charge packets are transported, in the CCD manner, through the channels towards a horizontal readout register. During the transport of the charge packets through the channels towards the horizontal read-out register, also light is absorbed and converted. This leads to the formation of noise on the signal. Consequently, reading must take place rapidly, for example at a clock frequency of several MHz. The zone surrounding the thin portion of the electrodes preferably covers only such a part of the surface of the electrodes as is necessary to achieve a sufficiently low resistance, while the remaining surface of the electrodes is thin. In general, the read-out velocity is sufficient if the surrounding zones of the electrodes cover up to 25% of the surface area.
Advantageously, the charge below an electrode can be displaced during a clock signal on the same electrode. In a Frame Transfer (FT) image sensor, an image is stored in the imaging portion of the CCD sensor during a certain integration time, and, subsequently, said image is rapidly transported by a clock signal on the electrodes to a memory portion of the CCD sensor where it is read out line by line. In the FT sensor, the charge-sensitive region also forms the charge-transfer layer. The gate extends throughout the region, resulting in an optimum charge control. The object of the invention as regards the method is achieved, in accordance with the invention, in that a second layer of polysilicon is reduced in thickness to substantially the same thickness as that of the first polysilicon layer, and thinner portions are formed in all electrodes by etching the polysilicon.
A very short distance between the first and second electrodes can be achieved, for example, by thermal oxidation of the first polysilicon electrodes, resulting in the formation of a thin insulation layer of SiO2. By reducing the thickness of the second layer of conductive polysilicon so as to be the same as the thickness of the polysilicon layer that is applied first, a matrix of very closely spaced substantially equally thick electrodes is obtained. As there are hardly any differences in topography, it is possible, using a resist pattern wherein apertures are defined above the polysilicon electrodes, to etch the polysilicon with very great accuracy and little spread at the location of these apertures. In addition, only a small amount of polysilicon has to be etched, so that the etch time can remain short, the thickness of the remaining polysilicon can be very accurately controlled and the spread in thickness is small. The uniformity between the pixels is improved substantially. It is possible to first etch the polysilicon through the apertures in a resist pattern above the first electrodes, remove the resist and, subsequently, using a different mask, etch the polysilicon through the apertures in a resist pattern above the second electrodes. This enables the uniformity between the pixels to be further improved. As the thickness of the thin portions of the polysilicon electrodes varies very little, the thickness of the thin portions of the electrodes can be further reduced. This is very advantageous because the quantum efficiency with which, in particular, short-wave electromagnetic radiation is converted to electric charge, increases very substantially as the thickness of the polysilicon decreases.
Preferably, the apertures in the center of the polysilicon electrodes are etched. As the second layer of polysilicon follows the topography of the first electrodes there is always a difference in thickness, as a result of the step coverage, between the polysilicon on the edges and the polysilicon in the central portion of the second electrodes to be formed. As a result of the variation in thickness of the polysilicon at the edges of the second electrodes, the best uniformity of the thin portions is achieved in the center of the electrodes.
It is cheap to form the thinner portions of the electrodes simultaneously. In this case, only one exposure step of the resist through a mask is required and an etch step to etch the apertures in the polysilicon electrodes.
By oxidizing the electrodes, the thin polysilicon portion of the electrodes can be reduced in thickness. Reducing the thickness of the polysilicon electrodes by oxidation, for example in O2, can be carried out even more accurately and uniformly than removing polysilicon by etching. In addition, oxidation is a much slower process, so that a better control of the thin portion of the polysilicon electrode is obtained.
Similarly, the thickness of the polysilicon electrodes can be reduced in a very accurate manner by nitridation. During thermal nitridation of polysilicon in, for example, N2O or NO, the polysilicon surface is very slowly consumed, thereby forming Si3N4.
Favorably, the thin portion of the gate is surrounded by substantially perpendicular walls of the thick portion of the gate. As the walls are steeper, the amount of light reflected by the walls decreases, and non-uniformities caused by adsorption differences on the walls of the different pixels are minimal.
Advantageously, the thin portion of the electrode has a maximum thickness of 50 nm. The absorption of short-wave electromagnetic radiation in the polysilicon electrode is substantially reduced below 50 nm, as a result of which the sensitivity to blue light increases substantially. The sensitivity to blue light determines the brightness of the pixels. The brightness of the pixels increases substantially as the amount of blue light absorbed in the electrodes decreases.
Advantageously, the thick portion of the polysilicon has a minimum thickness of 250 nm. A low resistance of the electrodes is advantageous because it enables the matrix to be read at a high clock rate. A low resistance of the electrodes corresponds with a low sheet resistance. The sheet resistance is defined as the specific resistance of a layer divided by the thickness of the layer. A matrix of, for example, 3 k by 2 k pixels and a clock rate of 1 MHz typically has an electrode resistance of several hundred Ohm. This corresponds to a minimum thickness of 250 nm for a properly conducting polysilicon having a specific resistance of typically 10xe2x88x924 Ohmcm.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

Image sensor and method of manufacturing same


A connecting terminal for a busbar in a busbar system in which the busbar has an n-agonal cross-section (n.gtoreq.3) with longitudinal undercut acceptor grooves in its outer sides. A connecting terminal having simple parts and which is easy to fit has two terminal sections which can be fitted on the busbar and connected together, and can be inserted with securing components in recesses in the busbar and secured transversely therein. The terminal sections form a terminal chamber over an outside of the busbar directed transversely thereto and securing screws can be adjusted in webs of the terminal sections away from the outside of the busbar which clamp terminal sections in the terminal chamber to a line inserted therein with a connection to the outside of the busbar.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connecting terminal for a busbar of a busbar system, wherein the busbar has a cross section with at least three sides, wherein longitudinally oriented undercut receiving grooves are cut into exteriors of the busbar.
2. Description of Prior Art
Busbars for high currents require a large cross section which complicates the attachment of branching lines. To make this easier, multi-sided busbars have already been considered, which have longitudinally oriented undercut receiving grooves in their exteriors.

Connecting terminal for a busbar in a busbar system


The present invention relates to a fuse for improving the reliability and facilitating automation the process and, in this fuse, an inner cap 14 is provided between a glass tube 12 and a cap terminal 13; a passage 22 for ventilating the inside of the glass tube 12 is provided between the inner cap 14 and the glass tube 12; an end portion 15a of the fuse element 15 is taken out between the cap terminal 13 and the inner cap 14 through an element insertion hole 14b formed on a bottom plate 14a of the inner cap 14 in order to electrically connect the end portion 15a with at least the cap terminal 13; and the cap terminal 13 is fixed to the inner cap 14.

There is a tubular fuse as a safety device for protecting an electric circuit from an excess current. As shown in FIG. 11, a generally-used tubular fuse 1 is made up of a glass tube 2, a fuse element 3 arranged in the glass tube 2 along an axial line of the glass tube 2, and a pair of cap terminals 4 (only one side is shown) fitted on both ends of the glass tube 2. Both ends of the fuse element 3 protrude and are soldered to the outside of the glass tube 2 through element insertion holes 4a formed to the respective cap terminals 4. This causes the fuse element 3 to be directly supported in the center of the glass tube 2 by each cap terminal 4 with a predetermined gap between the fuse element 3 and the glass tube 2. It is to be noted that both end portions 3a (indicated by a two-dot long and two short dashes line in the drawing) of the fuse element 3 protruding from solder 5 after soldering are shaved off by using a knife or the like.
In this tubular fuse 1, however, the solder 5 is piled up on the surface of the cap terminal 4 to fix the cap terminal 4 and the fuse element 3 protruding from the element insertion hole 4a, which makes it difficult to automate the process and leads to the deteriorated productivity. That is, in case of external soldering, an advanced technique is required for soldering for maintaining the quality of the fuse. For example, if the solder is overflowed from the bottom to the outer peripheral surface of the cap, this can cause an imperfect contact with the fuse holder. Further, in order to obtain the sufficient strength, the soldering must be applied on the entire bottom surface of the cap around the element insertion hole 4a of the cap terminal 4 without making any unsoldered part. Furthermore, when the soldering is not finished in one time and a soldering iron is again put to cover the unsoldered or insufficient part, the hardened solder may be melted to loosen the fuse element 3. Only a skilled operator can, therefore, carry out the soldering and the automation is not realized so far. However, the soldering causes the poor working environment that may cause a flux or the like to be generated, leading to the shortage of operators.
In addition, since the soldering is so applied as to cover the element insertion hole 4a of the cap terminal 4, the melted solder may bring the air therein and a cavity may be generated inside the solder 5 and above the element insertion hole 4a in particular, thereby preventing a desired strength from being obtained. Detection of this cavity is hard by the visual test, and hence it does not give a serious question to fusion of the fuse caused by the usual excess current if such a cavity exists. However, if a short-circuit or the like occurs near the fuse and a large current flows to cause interruption, the element may explode to blow the solder into pieces and to cause jet of an arc flame or gas or emission of metal powder.
Moreover, since the soldering is performed with the glass tube 2 being erected in such a manner that the solder 5 is piled up from the top, the melted solder may run down from the element insertion hole 4a before being hardened to wrap the fuse element 3 therein, and the length of the exposed part of the fuse element 3, i.e., the fuse length may become unequal to give the irregularity to the pre-arcing time/current characteristic.
Additionally, as a tubular fuse enabling the automation of manufacture, there is one shown in FIG. 12. In this tubular fuse 6, both end portions of the fuse element 3 are externally bent along the edges of the glass tube 2 and sandwiched between the glass tube 2 and a cap terminal 7 to be fixed. According to this fuse structure, the fuse element 3 can be temporarily fixed by only fitting the cap terminal 7 and, if the solder 5 is piled up inside the cap terminal 7 in advance, the soldering can be effected by only heating in this state to fix the fuse element 3. Here, since the cap terminal 7 must be fitted with both the ends of the fuse element 3 being caught on the edges of the glass tube 2 and being stretched, the both ends are bent in the direction opposed to each other in the diameter direction. The fuse element 3 is, therefore, obliquely housed in the glass tube 2.
In this tubular fuse 6, however, the fuse element 3 directly contacts with and is obliquely supported by the glass tube 2, and hence the fuse element 3 may be brought into contact with the glass tube 2 in the vicinity of the edges of the glass tube. When the fuse element 3 is brought into contact with the glass tube 2, the heat of the fuse element 3 may be transferred to the glass tube 2 and fusion of the fuse element 3 may be delayed.
Further, since the solder 5 is filled and directly fixed between the inner surface of the cap terminal 7 and the end surface of the glass tube 2, the inside of the glass tube 2 is sealed to disable ventilation when the cap terminal 7 is heated in order to melt the solder 5 provided on the inner surface of the cap terminal 7 and to fix the solder 5 to the fuse element 3, the cap terminal 7 and the glass tube 2. An increase in the pressure inside the glass tube 2 causes application of the melted solder to be uneven so that the ununiformity be generated at a position where the solder 5 is attached to the fuse element 3, and the length of the exposed part of the fuse element 3 thereby becomes unequal to give the irregularity to the pre-arcing time/current characteristic. Also, in some cases, the solder 5 can not be attached and fixed to the fuse element 3 on the edges of the glass tube 2, and the fuse element 3 is in direct contact with the glass tube 2, i.e., the fuse element 3 can not be supported by the solder, which may damage the bent portions of the fuse element 3 or cause disconnection due to fatigue of a metal. Since the inside of the glass tube 2 is sealed, an increase in the inner pressure owing to explosion of the element can not be released at the time of interruption caused due to a short-circuit accident or the like, and the glass tube 2 may explode or the cap terminal 7 may be blown out. The strength of the glass tube 2 or the joining force of the cap 7 must be considerably increased.
Furthermore, since the cap terminal 7 is fitted with the both ends of the fuse element 3 being stretched in the opposed directions along the diameter direction on the edges of the glass tube 2 in order to sandwich the both ends between the glass tube 2 and the cap terminal 7, the relatively-large cap terminal 7 is inclined to the glass tube 2 and can not be concentrically provided with respect to the glass tube 2. In particular, this tendency becomes prominent as the wire diameter of the fuse element 3 increases. The positions of the cap terminals 7 provided on both sides are, therefore shifted with respect to the glass tube 2 in the opposed directions along the diameter direction by the thickness of the fuse element 3. As shown in FIG. 13, when the tubular fuse 6 is fitted to fuse clips, the point contact causes each cap terminal 7 to be heated and softens the hard solder 5 to loosen the stretched fuse element 3, and the fuse element 3 is brought into contact with the glass tube 2, which leads to an imperfect fusion or the melted fuse clips.
Moreover, when mounting the tubular fuse 1 shown in FIG. 11 or the tubular fuse 6 shown in FIG. 12 on, e.g., a printed wiring board as a fuse with a lead wire, such a fuse may be supplied to a solder tank of a reflow furnace or the like and thereafter soldered on the printed wiring board. In this case, if the temperature management of the reflow furnace or the like is poor, the solder layer 5 fixing the fuse element 3 becomes soft when the tubular fuse is heated, the stretched fuse element 3 may be loosened to be brought into contact with the glass tube 2.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to facilitate automation of the process and provide a reliable fuse.


A method, system, and computer-readable medium for selecting a route in a network are provided. A respective link cost is assigned to links of a plurality of routes, and a respective node cost is assigned to nodes of the plurality of routes. A respective link cost is calculated for each of the links, and a respective node cost is calculated for each of the nodes. A respective route cost for each of the plurality of routes is calculated based on the calculated link cost for each of the links and the calculated node cost for each of the nodes.

Converged networks may include constituent networks of various types. For example, a converged network may include a wireline network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), wireless networks, such as a network compliant with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network standards, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network standards, or other wireless networks, packet networks, such as the Internet, and/or other network infrastructure. Conventional call routing mechanisms may, and often do, route a call through a plurality of network types.
Link cost-based routing algorithms are suitable for evaluating routes across homogenous network types where data travels in the same format from a call originator to a call terminator with no variation in the format. However, when media conversions for transmission of a call across heterogeneous nodes are involved, a link cost-based evaluation provides for no consideration of cost incurred for requisite media conversion. Simple link cost-based routing mechanisms may select routes that introduce large processing overhead, such as media translations, when other more desirable routes may be available. Disadvantageously, latency, quality loss, and other undesirable effects may be incurred by selecting a call route in a converged network on a link cost-basis.

Method, system, and computer-readable medium for resource-based route selection


A sling for a fire extinguisher or other tubular equipment comprises a generally tubular body made of bodily flexible webbing crossing at connected intersections. The bottom of the tubular body is made of the webbing intersecting at, and radiating from, a common point. The tubular body provides a plurality of looped ends for attachment to a hoist line. A resilient rubber plate rests on the bottom of the tubular body and provides a cushion for the fire extinguisher and prevents the webbing from spreading to an extent where the fire extinguisher might fall through.

During major maintenance operations at refineries and chemical plants, it is often necessary for workers to enter and work inside tall generally cylindrical structures, known as vessels. These vessels typically are reactor vessels such as catalytic crackers, separation vessels such as crude units and the like. Because there is a substantial fire hazard inside the vessels, it has become common practice to provide a worker, called a fire watch, whose responsibility is keeping a lookout for fires and providing a first response in the event of a fire. The fire watch is equipped with an industrial sized fire extinguisher which must be delivered to the location where work is being conducted.
Because these type vessels are often quite tall, equipment such as industrial sized fire extinguishers are typically delivered by the hoist line of a crane or winch unit. In the past, a fire extinguisher was simply tied to a flexible line and hoisted to its desired location. Because a fire extinguisher has no obvious connections for a hoist line and because the workers on the ground tying the hoist line to the fire extinguisher have little or no experience in this exact problem, it is little wonder that fire extinguishers are periodically dropped during the hoisting operation. One can imagine the dangers in dropping a 50–100 pound load from great heights.
Disclosures of some interest relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,440,712; 3,116,948; 3,351,371; 3,870,358; 5,645,129 and 5,816,331.


Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for dynamically relocating a set of workloads among geographic regions of a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment) based on infrastructure/computing resource needs. In a typical embodiment, it is determined whether a first geographic region of the networked computing environment has a first set of computing resources with an available capacity that meets a needed capacity for handling a set of workloads that is initially associated with the first geographic region. If not, a second geographic region of the networked computing environment having a second set of computing resources with the needed capacity is identified. In general, this determination can be made based upon multiple factors such as: a set of performance requirements, stored in at least one computer data structure, needed to handle the set of workloads; a set of environmental parameters, stored in the at least one computer data structure, having a potential to affect the handling of the set of workloads; and/or a set of cost parameters, stored in the at least one computer data structure, associated with handling the set of workloads. Once the second geographic region has been identified, the set of workloads can be associated with and handled thereby.

The networked computing environment (e.g., cloud computing environment) is an enhancement to the predecessor grid environment, whereby multiple grids and other computation resources may be further enhanced by one or more additional abstraction layers (e.g., a cloud layer), thus making disparate devices appear to an end-consumer as a single pool of seamless resources. These resources may include such things as physical or logical computing engines, servers and devices, device memory, storage devices, among others.
Presently, many networked computing services (e.g., cloud computing services) are provided through infrastructure provisioning (e.g., within a relatively static hardware pool) whereby operating systems and computer software applications can be deployed and reconfigured. In a typical cloud computing environment, application images can be installed and overwritten, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses can be modified, and real and virtual processors are allocated to meet changing resource requirements. However, challenges can exist in that cloud computing environments are typically static entities whose infrastructures are fully managed. As such, optimization of the cloud computing environments typically occurs through standard acquisition and installation of new hardware and/or other resources. Such an approach may be inefficient and/or not economically viable.

Dynamically relocating workloads in a networked computing environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A navigation system includes a display monitor, a CPU, and a camera, wherein the camera is mounted to a back side of the display monitor to form a monitor unit. One or more reference units are placed on a body while acquiring an image data set, and are tracked during a surgical operation by the monitor unit to register and correlate a position of a visual image of an exterior surface of the body with the image data set including information concerning internal structures of the body. The image data set is displayed on the display monitor superimposed in registration over the visible image of the exterior of the body with an angle of view and aperture in accordance with the actual position of the camera, whereby the display monitor displays the internal structures corresponding to the line-of-sight of the camera and the observer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and/or system of navigation inside an enclosed space or in a space not readily viewable to an operator.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
State-of-the art imaging devices have been developed to capture pre-operative and intra-operative images that are used in planning and execution of diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures. However, some such imaging devices expose patients and operating room staff to intensive radiation or magnetic fields and do not typically allow correlation of images with a patient. Surgical navigation systems have also been developed that allow correlation of images with a patient but add cost and complexity to the procedure. Moreover, known surgical navigation systems do not satisfactorily solve the problem of hand-eye coordination, as the view of the images on a display monitor is not correlated with the spatial position of the patient. To overcome the hand-eye coordination problem, head-mounted displays are available, but require a user, such as a surgeon, to wear a head-mounted fixture.
In one example, tracked display monitors in conjunction with surgical navigation systems are available to correlate images with the spatial position of a patient. However, to locate the display monitor and correlate displayed images with a patient, a tracking system to sense the position of the display monitor and the patient is needed, e.g., an infrared tracking or electromagnetic tracking system. Such systems need a separate tracking device for the display monitor and may suffer from line-of-sight issues or field distortion issues. Moreover, such systems add complexity and cost to the overall procedure.
In another example, a system that utilizes a tracked display monitor generally requires a display monitor, a monitor tracker, a video camera, a video camera tracker, and a navigation camera in order to correlate images with the spatial position of a patient. In addition, special efforts are required to keep the video camera tracker, the monitor tracker, the patient tracker, and eventually a tool tracker, simultaneously within the view of the navigation camera. In addition, such a surgical navigation system is not adapted to align the viewing direction of the video camera with the viewing direction of a surgeon.

System for and method of visualizing an interior of body


A cooling device is disclosed. The cooling device includes a thermal diffusing unit operable to radiate heat taken from a heating element, and a heat transporting part, laminated in a thickness direction of the heat diffusing unit and diffused thereby. The thermal diffusing unit has an upper plate, a lower plate opposite thereto, a vapor diffusion path to diffuse an evaporated refrigerant, and a capillary channel to circulate a condensed refrigerant. The heat transporting part has an upper plate, a lower plate opposite thereto, a vapor diffusion path to diffuse an evaporated refrigerant, and a capillary channel to circulate a condensed refrigerant. Either the upper plate or the lower plate is formed with the same member of the lower plate or the upper plate of the heat transporting part.

The Present Application relates, generally, to both a cooling device and an electronic device for unifying the function of efficiently refrigerating heat received from a heating element of an electronic device.
Electronic parts, used in electronic devices, for example, are heating elements that generate heat according to the current flows within. When the heating element is operable, and the temperature thereof hits a constant temperature, the efficient operation of the device diminishes, causing the performance of the electronic device to deteriorate.
In order to cool a heating element, the cooling device utilizing a heat pipe possessing the cooling effect according to the vaporization and condensation of a entered refrigerant is proposed. When the refrigerant evaporates, the heat pipe takes heat from the heating element. The evaporated refrigerant is refrigerated and condensed by radiating heat. The condensed refrigerant circulates again. By repetition of the vaporization and condensation, the heat pipe refrigerates the heating element.
The heating element mounted on an electronic device or industrial equipment is provided in the electronic device or the industrial equipment. The heat from the heating element is necessary to be radiated to the part which is isolated from the heating element.
The cooling device possesses: a thermal diffusion function of taking and then diffusing the heat of the heating element; a heat transporting function of transporting the diffused heat to the part operable to radiate the heat; and a heat radiating function of radiating the transported heat. The cooling device comprises the structure for realizing the three functions, and refrigerates the heating element included in the electronic device or the industrial equipment.
Some technologies related to such a cooling device are proposed. For example, Japanese Patent No. 3233808 discloses a cooling system operable to move heat from a heating element to a heat radiating member, and to refrigerate the heat. In the '808 Patent, it is assumed that the heating element possessing a large calorific value itself, such as a semiconductor integrated circuit, is a cooling target. The heat from the heating element is conducted to a heat receiving unit, a thermal conductivity element, and a heat radiating unit. Then, the heating element is refrigerated. In other words, when the heat is taken from the heating element, the taken heat is transported by the thermal conductivity element, and the transported heat is conducted by the heat radiating unit. Each of the heat receiving function, the heat transporting function, and the heat radiating function is formed by a different member. Each member is connected each other.
Further, Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-037001 discloses a technology operable to move a refrigerant evaporated by heat from a heating element to another member through a pipe, and to refrigerate the refrigerant by a secondary cooling member such as a heat sink, in the member of another object. Dissimilar to the heat pipe according to the '808 Patent, the function of diffusing the received heat although possessing a plate-like shape, and the function of transporting the diffused heat are unified in a main body possessing the plate-like shape.
Additionally, Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-075083 discloses a technology that a vertically arranged heat pipe transports and radiates heat from a heat source. Finally, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-216555 discloses a technology, in which a cooling device is arranged on the end face of a heat pipe formed in two layers, and thermal diffusion and heat radiating are included.
Since the thermal diffusion function, the heat transporting function, and the heat radiating function shown in the '808 Patent are formed by different members, there is a problem that the heat pipe is enlarged and complicated. The electronic component, which is a target for cooling recently, is a semiconductor integrated circuit considered as large, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a dedicated IC, or is often a very compact electronic component, such as a high luminance LED (Light-Emitting Device). In such a case, the heat pipe possessing a large-sized and complicated shape is disadvantageous in respect of mounting.
Furthermore, in the hear pipe possessing the thermal diffusion function, the heat transporting function, and the heat radiating function, which are formed by different members and connected mutually, in each of heat movement from the thermal diffusion function to the heat transporting function, and heat transport from the thermal transporting function to the heat radiating function, since the thermal resistance becomes high, the efficiency of the heat movement becomes worse.
As for the heat pipe shown in the '001 Application, the thermal diffusion and the heat transport are unified. However, even if unified, the heat needs to move between different members. Thus, the efficiency from the heat diffusion function to the heat transporting function is still bad. Moreover, since in the heat pipe according to the '001 Application, the fin as a heat radiating member is provided with the predetermined position of the heat pipe, it is necessary to intensively transport the heat to the predetermined position. However, since the thermal diffusion function and the heat transporting function are unified, depending on a shape, a size, an arrangement position, and a calorific value of the heating element, it is hard for the heat of the heating element to efficiently move to the position of the fin. For this reason, as for the heat pipe according to the '001 Application, the thermal diffusion, the heat transport, and the heat radiating are not suitably combined.
The heat pipes shown in the '083 and '555 Applications are plate-like shaped heat pipes, which the heat receiving function and the thermal diffusion function are unified. Since such a plate-like shaped heat pipe is compact and thin, it can be easily mounted on various kinds of apparatus. There are, however, the following problems in the plate-like shaped heat pipes shown in these Applications since the thermal diffusion function, the heat transporting function, and the heat radiating function are realized with a single member: (1) The ability of heat radiating tends to be low (when the capability of heat radiating is low, the condensation of the evaporated refrigerant becomes slower, thus, the cooling ability of the heat pipe becomes low); (2) Since the thermal diffusion and the heat transport are unified, the diffusion direction and the transporting direction of the heat must be the same, and can not be different; and (3) Since the diffusion direction and the transporting direction can not be distinguished with each other, it is difficult to lead the heat to the heat radiating member.
As mentioned above, when the functions possessed by the heat pipe are decomposed, the heat pipe needs to comprise the diffusing function of the heat received from the heating element, the heat transporting function, and the heat radiating function. When all of these functions are formed and combined by the different forms, there are problems that the heat pipe becomes large, and the heat transfer efficiency is deteriorated. On the other hand, if these functions are formed with the single member, the deterioration of cooling ability based on the problems (1) to (3) mentioned above, is caused.
In addition, according to the conventional cooling device, a position of a heating element and a position of heat radiation can not be arranged differently from each other in an electronic device or an industrial apparatus.
Accordingly, a cooling device are requested to possess the following points: (A) The heat can be moved to the heat radiating position located at the position which is different from the position of the heating element with high efficiency; (B) While the thermal diffusion and the heat transport can be distinguished functionally, the decrease of the efficiency for the heat movement can be suppressed to a minimum; (C) Movement of the heat from the heating element to the heat radiating position can be realized also in a complicated shape; (D) Since the cooling device is compact and thin in order not to spoil the miniaturization of an electronic device or an industrial apparatus, it is possible to be mounted to the electronic device or the industrial apparatus; and (E) The cooling ability can be kept high.


Methods and apparatus provide formation and management of intelligent application clusters in a storage area network. Disk arbitration mechanisms ensure that a cluster is owned by a single member. In the event of a network partition, each cluster member involved arbitrates to gain ownership of a cluster. High availability mechanisms allow monitoring of system resources and effective failover capabilities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to storage area networks. More specifically, the present invention provides high availability and system management capabilities for applications in storage area networks.
2. Description of Related Art
In many storage area networks, high availability is provided either by hosts or end devices. For example, a storage device may have multiple disks that include redundancy, striping and mirroring features. A host writes data to a disk array and the disk array is responsible for managing redundancy features in a manner transparent to the host. In another example, hosts may be responsible for implementing various features. Instead of having an end device perform the redundancy operations, a host can elect to mirror and stripe data across a variety of storage devices in a storage area network.
With the emergence of intelligent storage area networks, applications such as volume management, virtualization, and remote replication are being moved to the network. In some examples, fibre channel switches in a storage area network perform functions associated with these applications in a manner transparent to the hosts and end devices. However, mechanisms for making services provided by the applications highly available and easily manageable are limited.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide techniques to improve the management and high availability features of storage area network switch based applications.

High availability for intelligent applications in storage networks


A light emitting device including: a blue light source; a phosphor; and a semiconductor nanocrystal, and emits white light having a R1-R8 average color rendering index (“CRI”) of greater than or equal to about 90, and a R9 red color rendering index (R9) of greater than or equal to about 90.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to a light-emitting device, and particularly, to a white light-emitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a white light from a lamp should be designed to have a high color rendering index ("CRI") as well as high luminous efficiency. However, it is known that there is a trade-off between high luminous efficiency and high color rendering index. For example, the luminous efficiency may be increased by emitting single color light of about 555 nanometers (nm), but the color rendering index may be increased by emitting light having a wide spectrum evenly covering a visible light region.
On the other hand, red is important in terms of red/green contrast or color reproducibility, but R9, a saturated red color rendering index, is not included in calculating a general color rendering index or a R1-R8 average color rendering index (in general referred to as Ra) but is regarded as a special color rendering index. In addition, not much attention has been paid to a red light emitter due to low luminous efficiency. Since a white light emitting diode ("LED") fabricated by applying a yttrium aluminum garnet ("YAG") phosphor having a wavelength of 550 nm has a low R9 for red, an attempt has been made to apply a red phosphor thereto to improve the color rendering index. However, such a phosphor has a wide light emitting spectrum including a wavelength region that is invisible to human eyes, and thus may have decreased efficiency.


A method for assembling a turbine engine to facilitate preventing ice accumulation on the turbine engine during engine operation, the gas turbine engine including a fan assembly. The method includes coupling a plurality of fan blades to a fan rotor, and applying a polyurethane material to at least a portion of at least one of the fan blades to facilitate preventing ice accumulation on the at least one fan blade.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for operating gas turbine engines.
Gas turbine engines typically include an inlet, a fan, low and high pressure compressors, a combustor, and at least one turbine. The compressors compress air which is channeled to the combustor where it is mixed with fuel. The mixture is then ignited for generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases are channeled to the turbine(s) which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor(s), as well as producing useful work to propel an aircraft in flight or to power a load, such as an electrical generator.
When engines operate in icing conditions, i.e., exposed to clouds of super-cooled water droplets, ice may accumulate on exposed engine structures. More specifically, if engines are operated within icing conditions at low power for extended periods of time, ice accumulation within the engine and over exposed engine structures may be significant. Over this time, large quantities of ice can accrete and may cause high engine vibrations until the ice is shed. This ice may enter the high pressure compressor. Such a condition, known as a shed cycle, may cause the compressor discharge temperature to be suddenly reduced. In response to the sudden decrease in compressor discharge temperature, the corrected core speed increases in the aft stages of the high pressure compressor. This sudden increase in aft stage corrected core speed may adversely impact compressor stall margin. In some cases, it may also lead to compressor stall.
To facilitate preventing ice accretion within the engine and over exposed surfaces adjacent the engine, at least some known engines include a control system that enables the engine to operate with an increased operating temperature and may include sub-systems that direct high temperature bleed air from the engine compressor to provide heat to the exposed surfaces. However, the increased operating temperature and the bleed systems may decrease engine performance. Such systems may also require valves to turn off the flow of the high temperature air during take-off and other high power operations to protect the engine. In addition to the increased cost, such valving may pose a reliability problem. As such, to further facilitate preventing ice accumulation, at least some known engines are sprayed with a deicing solution prior to operation. However, during flight, de-icing solutions are not applied. More specifically, during flight, evaporative cooling may still cause freezing and ice accumulation over external engine surfaces, such as a front frame of the engine. Conventional electrical heating is an option, but it requires electricity for performing the de-icing operation and may require relatively large generators at low speed conditions, electrical circuits, and complex interactive logic with the airplane's computers with the attendant increased cost, weight and performance penalties.

Methods and apparatus for gas turbine engines