A projection exposure apparatus has an exposure processing section for projecting and exposing an image of a pattern of a reticle on a photosensitive substrate, an environmental chamber for covering the exposure processing section and a fan unit for supplying a temperature-controlled gas to the environmental chamber. Exposure to the photosensitive substrate is carried out in a temperature-controlled atmosphere. The pressure of the gas in the environmental chamber is monitored by a pressure sensor. When the pressure is changed, the mixture ratio of the gas supplied to the environmental chamber is changed to keep the refractive index of the gas in the chamber constant thereby to prevent imaging characteristics of the projected image from deteriorating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus, e.g., provided in an environmental chamber connected to an air-conditioning mechanism for manufacturing semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, etc. to a method of controlling optical performance in a projection exposure apparatus, and to a method for making a lithographic system.
2. Related Background Art
In manufacturing semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, etc. in photolithography processes, projection exposure apparatuses are used in which the image of a pattern of a photomask or a reticle (hereinafter referred to as the reticle) is exposed on a wafer (or a glass plate) with photoresist applied thereto.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional projection exposure apparatus. Exposure light IL from an illumination optical system 1 illuminates a pattern on a reticle 2 supported by a reticle stage 3 with a uniform illuminance distribution. A projection optical system 4 is disposed under the reticle stage 3. A correction optical member 7 for correcting the telecentric characteristic of the projection optical system 4 is mounted on the reticle side of the projection optical system 4 via supporting frames 5A, 5B and driving sections 6A, 6B. The telecentric characteristic of the projection optical system PL can be corrected by correcting the position of the correction optical member 7 in the optical axis direction or the inclination thereof via the driving sections 6A, 6B.
Under the exposure light IL, the pattern of the reticle 2 is projected and exposed via the projection optical system 4 on each shot area on a wafer 8 supported by a wafer stage 9. At this time, the projected image on the wafer 8 includes various aberrations in accordance with the change in atmospheric pressure in the projection optical system PL. That is, the projection optical system 4 is designed under a condition that the atmospheric pressure is a predetermined value. Therefore, when the atmospheric pressure in the projection optical system 4 is changed from the predetermined value, the refractive index of the gas in each space between lenses constituting the projection optical system 4 is changed, resulting in deviations from various design conditions, i.e., changes of imaging characteristics (focal point position, magnification, field curvature, distortion, etc.).
For avoiding this problem, conventionally, the atmospheric pressure in the projection optical system 4 is measured by an atmospheric pressure sensor 10 and the measured value is constantly monitored by a control device 11. Then, the control device 11 adjusts the atmospheric pressure in a space 16 between the n-th lens 14 (n: a predetermined integer) in the projection optical system 4 and the (n+1)-th lens 15 therein via a pressure control unit 12, or changes the position or inclination of the correction optical member 7 by driving the driving sections 6A, 6B of the projection optical system 4 via a drive control device 17 thereby to correct the changes of various aberrations of the projected image due to the change in atmospheric pressure. A method of changing imaging characteristics by controlling the pressure in a specific space between lenses in a projection optical system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,273. Also, a method of changing imaging characteristics by driving a few lens elements in a projection optical system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,255.
In the above prior art, the problem of the change in refracting index of the air due to the change in atmospheric pressure is solved by changing the pressure in the specific space between specified lens elements in the projection optical system 4 to change the refractive index of a portion of the air in the projection optical system 4, or changing the distance between the reticle 2 and the wafer 8 or the distance between the lens elements in the projection optical system 4. There are many factors which cause distortion of the projected image due to the projection optical system 4, and allowable ranges of aberrations are limited vary narrowly. For example, as a factor of the distortion of the projected image due to the change in atmospheric pressure, there are aberrations caused by the defocus condition in which the focus position is changed between the reticle and the wafer. As the other aberrations, there are field curvature, comatic aberration, astigmatism, magnification, distortion, etc. Therefore, it becomes difficult to correct all the aberrations of the projected image up to presently required levels only by changing the distance between the reticle 2 and the wafer 8 or changing a portion of lens conditions in the projection optical system 4 (the pressure between lenses, the distance between lenses).
Also, when a laser light source such as an excimer laser is utilized as the light source in the illumination optical system 1, if the wavelength of laser light having a narrow bandwidth is shifted, the same effect as when the atmospheric pressure is changed can be obtained. However, it is difficult to correct the aberrations of the projected image due to the change in atmospheric pressure by adopting this method using present technology. Also, as the wavelength of the laser light is changed, the absorbability of the photoresist on the wafer is also changed.

Projection exposure apparatus and method


A method and apparatus for in-situ laser welding of a hemmed joint are applicable for, among other things, production of vehicle doors having inner and outer panels to be joined. In a preferred method, the laser welding of a hemmed joint is carried out while a stable condition is maintained between the inner and outer panels. Locating members of a hemming machine are engaged with the metal sheets to be joined and a compressive force is applied to the panels. A plurality of welding units may be sequentially or simultaneously controlled by a computer. The apparatus includes a first portion for vertically locating the hemmed joint and a second portion for horizontally locating the hemmed joint.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for laser welding a pair of metal sheets. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for in-situ laser welding of sheets of material which are to be joined with a hemmed joint. The method and apparatus has particular applicability for assembling parts such as a door of a motor vehicle, wherein inner and outer panels of the door are joined about their perimeters by a welded hemmed joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a common practice in the manufacture of motor vehicle body parts to join sheets of material by hemmed joints, also called hems. Often, hemmed joints are not secured other than by the pressure of the hemming process itself and by adhesive. The adhesive helps to secure the inner and outer panels together and also serves as a corrosion preventative sealer.
It is also known to spot weld locations along the hemmed joints after the stamping process to further secure the connection. However, this is disadvantageous in that it typically requires subsequent metal finishing at the spot weld locations. Additionally, the metal panels may not retain proper orientation to one another when they are transported from the hemming machine to the welding machine.
It also is known to laser weld the hemmed joint after removal from the hemming press. Laser welding has many advantages over conventional resistance welding. For example, laserwelding provides low distortion, small heat affected zones (HAZ), improved mechanical/structural performance, increased speed of processing, improved process controllability/consistency and single sided access. Typically, laser welding systems utilize welding clamps which clamp and fix the parts to be welded together. Robots are used to perform the laser welding operation.
In laser welding, a laser beam generator or source generates or produces a laser beam. The laser beam is transmitted to a focusing head via a fiber optic cable. The focusing head is typically installed or mounted on the end of the robot arm. The robot is then programmed to accurately position the focusing head, and thus the laser beam focal point, relative to the parts to be welded. The welding is done sequentially as the robot moves from weld joint to weld joint. One significant disadvantage of laser welding is the requirement of tight air gaps between the parts to be welded, which in turn requires precise positioning of the laser beam relative to the parts to be welded.
Welding systems for vehicle bodies and the like are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,505 issued Mar. 31, 1987 to Sciaky et al. and 5,616,261 issued Apr. 1, 1997 to Forrest. The '505 patent employs a laser beam delivery system using multiple motor driven optical mirrors controlled by a computer program to focus a laser beam upon a single point on the parts to be welded. The '261 patent discloses a laser welding system for welding sheets of material, such as automobile body parts. The system includes a fiber optic cable for each of a plurality of clamps having a first end coupled to a laser beam source and a second end coupled to a clamp for transmitting a laser beam from the laser beam source to the clamp. The system further includes a focusing head secured to each clamp and the second end of the cable for focusing the laser beam onto the material to be welded. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,505 and 5,616,261 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Heretofore, laser welding of hemmed joints has been limited to post-hemming operation in a separate fixture. This approach has various difficulties and limitations, including but not limited to the following: (1) difficulty in beam focus point positioning relative to the critical features of the hemmed flange (i.e., surface, edge, or gap); (2) increased demand on quality control of stamping for flange position repeatability (in the case of preprogrammed robot positioning); (3) increased demand on quality control of stamping for a welded control gap (particularly in the case of lap welding) in order to guarantee weld penetration and strength; (4) onerous requirements for high performance seam tracking ability, which is especially critical for thin sheet metal used in vehicle door outer panels (to deal with the case of uncertain flange position); (5) possible relative movement between the parts to be joined during motion of the hemming machine and prior to welding; (6) possible panel distortion during welding due to sequential welding and lower thermal mass of contact surface elements; and (7) excessively long cycle times, due to limited welding speeds, seam tracking dynamic response time, and time spent by robots to travel between weld sites.
Thus, known welding techniques, including but not limited to those discussed above, present various difficulties in the welding of hemmed joints as known prior systems are intended to laser weld sheets of materials at a location and time spaced apart from other joining and/or assembly procedures.

Method and apparatus for in-situ laser welding of hemmed joints


The present disclosure relates a reclosure or zipper for a reclosable package or container, such as a plastic bag, wherein opening or closing the zipper causes an audible sound and a tactile feel. The reclosure or zipper is manufactured by an apparatus which includes a cutting wheel which is opposed to a pressure wheel. The cutting wheel includes cutting teeth spaced about its periphery. Interlocked zipper material is engaged between the cutting wheel and the pressure wheel to form indentations in the interlocked zipper, thereby resulting in audible and tactile feedback when the zipper is operated.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a reclosure or zipper for a reclosable package or container, such as a plastic bag, wherein opening or closing the reclosure or zipper causes an audible sound and a tactile feel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it is known to deform male zipper profiles to produce a zipper which will produce audible and tactile feedback during opening and closing operations by the user. Examples of such prior art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,872 entitled "Interlocking Closure Device", issued to Cisek on Jul. 22, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,040 entitled "Apparatus for Making a Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag", issued to Dais et al. on Oct. 5, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,468 entitled "Closure Arrangement for Reclosable Bag and Method Thereof", issued to Tomic et al. on Mar. 9, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,100 entitled "Closure Member for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag", issued to Porchia et al. on Jul. 15, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,228 entitled "Apparatus for Making a Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag" issued to Dais et al. on Dec. 26, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,750 entitled "Zipper for Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag", issued to Gundlach et al. on Aug. 18, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,584 entitled "Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag and a Process and Apparatus for Making", issued to Dais et al. on Dec. 10, 1991.
An audible or clicking plastic zipper is known in the prior art. However, the use of deformations to make the sound and feel to mimic a metal zipper has involved manufacturing steps on the zipper with the zipper halves separated from each other. In the blown film process, this requires the extra manufacturing steps of opening or separating the zipper so that it can be deformed, and then closing or interlocking it again.

Reclosable package or bag with audible reclosure


Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems parse a form from a webpage to identify a plurality of input areas and corresponding input types. A multi-sequence form including a plurality of stages is generated. Each stage of the multi-sequence form is to be displayed and submitted independently of other stages of the multi-sequence form. Each stage of the multi-sequence form corresponds to a subset of the parsed form including one or more of the identified input areas. One of the plurality of identified input areas is identified to be of an input type categorized as having a higher likelihood of being completed and submitted by a user. The multi-sequence form is ordered such that the identified input area is ordered first. An updated version of the webpage is generated including the generated multi-sequence form in the determined order in place of the parsed form.

There are millions of websites on the Internet which provide unprecedented access to information such as information about products and companies. A company creating a website faces many challenges when creating the website such as making the website easy to use, including relevant content for visitors, and visibility of their website. Owners or operators of websites are constantly trying to improve their websites to increase the visibility of their websites, increase engagement of their users, and increase the total amount of visitors to their website. By way of a specific example, the purpose of many websites is to generate sales leads. In order to generate sales leads, such websites have content that prospective customers would be interested in along with forms that the prospective customers need to fill out with their contact information in order to gain access to either some specific content or gain access to the use of some software or services or other resources. When prospective customers fill out such forms, they also give the website either explicit or implicit permission to contact them over email or phone or social media or other means either to sell a product or service to them or to send them relevant and interesting information about a product or a service. The submission of user data, such as contact information, may provide the business operating the website with a sales lead. Some prospective customers fill out such forms but many do not. The percentage of those website visitors who actually fill out such a form is referred herein as the "form fill rate" or "conversion rate." Owners or operators of websites with such forms are constantly trying to increase the "form fill rates" or "conversion rates" using different technologies and techniques.


A rail maintenance vehicle includes a frame, a workhead, and a vibration unit. The frame includes wheels that travel along rails. The vibration unit includes a rod member having a coil assembly coupled thereto. The vibration unit further includes a core assembly operable to receive the rod member therein. The core assembly includes a plurality of magnet members disposed along the periphery of the core assembly. The coil assembly and magnet members are operable to impart linear motion to the rod member relative to the core assembly.

Generally, railroad tracks include a pair of parallel rails coupled to a series of laterally extending ties (or sleepers). Ties may be made from concrete or wood. Each tie is coupled to the rails by metal tie plates and/or spring clips. The ties are disposed on a ballast bed. The ballast may be a hard particulate material, such as gravel. The ballast filled space between the ties is called a crib.
Although appearing rigid, rails are flexible members that can bend and distort, for example under the load of trains passing over. The ballast acts like a cushion absorbing some of the shock. Ballast can also help keep the rail level and allow moisture and rain water to drain away.
During installation and maintenance, ballast may be "tamped" to maintain proper position of the ties. Tamping involves agitating the ballast to allow the particles to re-position, and compact it under the tie. Tampers may also include track stabilizer workheads for applying pressure to a track structure. Additional maintenance procedures may also require actuation of workheads extending from the rail vehicle.
Rail maintenance devices, such as a tamping device, include one or more workheads mounted on a motorized vehicle that travels on the rails. A workhead may include a pair of elongated, vertically extending tools structured to move together vertically and horizontally. In the tamping context, such workheads cooperate to move together in a pincer-like motion. The workhead may have two sets of tools spaced so that each tool may be disposed on opposite lateral sides of a rail. The workhead may further include a vibration device configured to rapidly vibrate the tools.
The vibration device is generally a hydraulic actuator, which may require many components to drive such as hoses, hydraulic circuit pumps, tanks and filters. Moving parts in the hydraulic systems may wear and fail. The hydraulic systems may also leak requiring work stoppage for maintenance. A linear actuator vibrator that achieves a linear actuator-vibrator function, thus achieving both linear motion and vibration motion with high acceleration, velocity and force would be advantageous.


Retroreflective material is used to create security features in secure documents. Retroreflective material in the document or sheets used for document creation is laser engraved to create optically variable images, identification quality grayscale images, different directional images viewable at corresponding angles of incidence, multidimensional images, and floating images. High refractive index glass beads are selectively applied to areas of a document surface using a variety of techniques. The beads may be applied in the form of a pre-determined or personalized pattern.

Identification Documents
Identification documents (hereafter "ID documents") play a critical role in today's society. One example of an ID document is an identification card ("ID card"). ID documents are used on a daily basis—to prove identity, to verify age, to access a secure area, to evidence driving privileges, to cash a check, and so on. Airplane passengers are required to show an ID document during check in, security screening and prior to boarding their flight. In addition, because we live in an ever-evolving cashless society, ID documents are used to make payments, access an automated teller machine (ATM), debit an account, or make a payment, etc.
(For the purposes of this disclosure, ID documents are broadly defined herein, and include, e.g., credit cards, bank cards, phone cards, passports, driver's licenses, network access cards, employee badges, debit cards, security cards, visas, immigration documentation, national ID cards, citizenship cards, social security cards, security badges, certificates, identification cards or documents, voter registration cards, police ID cards, border crossing cards, legal instruments, security clearance badges and cards, gun permits, gift certificates or cards, membership cards or badges, etc., etc. Also, the terms "document," "card," "badge" and "documentation" are used interchangeably throughout this patent application.).
Many types of identification cards and documents, such as driving licenses, national or government identification cards, bank cards, credit cards, controlled access cards and smart cards, carry thereon certain items of information which relate to the identity of the bearer. Examples of such information include name, address, birth date, signature and photographic image; the cards or documents may in addition carry other variant data (i.e., data specific to a particular card or document, for example an employee number) and invariant data (i.e., data common to a large number of cards, for example the name of an employer). All of the cards described above will hereinafter be generically referred to as "ID documents".
As those skilled in the art know, ID documents such as drivers licenses can contain information such as a photographic image, a bar code (which may contain information specific to the person whose image appears in the photographic image, and/or information that is the same from ID document to ID document), variable personal information, such as an address, signature, and/or birthdate, biometric information associated with the person whose image appears in the photographic image (e.g., a fingerprint), a magnetic stripe (which, for example, can be on the a side of the ID document that is opposite the side with the photographic image), and various security features, such as a security pattern (for example, a printed pattern comprising a tightly printed pattern of finely divided printed and unprinted areas in close proximity to each other, such as a fine-line printed security pattern as is used in the printing of banknote paper, stock certificates, and the like).
An exemplary ID document can comprise a substrate or core layer (which can be pre-printed), such as a light-colored, opaque material (e.g., polycarbonate, TESLIN (available from PPG Industries) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, etc). In certain instances and with certain printing or information forming technologies, variable or personalized data can be formed directly on the substrate or core layer. In other instances, the core layer may be coated and/or laminated with another material to enable printing or other methods of forming information. For example, the substrate or core layer can be laminated with a transparent material, such as clear polycarbonate or PVC to form a so-called "card blank".
Information, such as variable personal information (e.g., photographic information), can then formed on the card blank using one or more methods, such as laser xerography, Indigo, intaglio, laser engraving or marking, inkjet printing, thermal or mass transfer printing, dye diffusion thermal transfer ("D2T2") printing, (described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,594, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.), etc. The information can, for example, comprise an indicium or indicia, such as the invariant or nonvarying information common to a large number of identification documents, for example the name and logo of the organization issuing the documents. The information may be formed by any known process capable of forming the indicium on the specific core material used.
Certain technologies for forming or printing information may require further protection of the information, so an additional layer of transparent overlaminate can be coupled to the core layer or card blank and the information printed thereon, as is known by those skilled in the art. Illustrative examples of usable materials for overlaminates include polycarbonate, biaxially oriented polyester, or other optically clear durable plastic film.
In the production of images useful in the field of identification documentation, it may be desirable to embody into a document (such as an ID card, drivers license, passport or the like) data or indicia representative of the document issuer (e.g., an official seal, or the name or mark of a company or educational institution) and data or indicia representative of the document bearer (e.g., a photographic likeness, name or address). Typically, a pattern, logo or other distinctive marking representative of the document issuer will serve as a means of verifying the authenticity, genuineness or valid issuance of the document. A photographic likeness or other data or indicia personal to the bearer will validate the right of access to certain facilities or the prior authorization to engage in commercial transactions and activities.
Identification documents, such as ID cards, having printed background security patterns, designs or logos and identification data personal to the card bearer have been known and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,970, issued Sep. 18, 1973 to M. Annenberg; in Great Britain Pat. No. 1,472,581, issued to G. A. O. Gesellschaft Fur Automation Und Organisation mbH, published Mar. 10, 1976; in International Patent Application PCT/GB82/00150, published Nov. 25, 1982 as Publication No. WO 82/04149; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,775, issued Mar. 31, 1987 to T. Raphael, et al.; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,949, issued Apr. 19, 1988 to G. S. Sethi, et al.; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,987, issued Nov. 16, 1993 to J. W. Luening, et al. All of the aforementioned documents are hereby incorporated by reference.
Identification documents of the types mentioned above can take a number of forms, depending on cost and desired features. For example, some ID documents comprise highly plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) or have a composite structure with polyester laminated to 0.5-2.0 mil (13-51 .mu.m) poly(vinyl chloride) film, which provides a suitable receiving layer for heat transferable dyes which form a photographic image, together with any variant or invariant data required for the identification of the bearer. These data are subsequently protected to varying degrees by clear, thin (0.125-0.250 mil, 3-6 .mu.m) overlay patches applied at the printhead, holographic hot stamp foils (0.125-0.250 mil 3-6 .mu.m), or a clear polyester laminate (0.5-10 mil, 13-254 .mu.m) supporting common security features. These last two types of protective foil or laminate sometimes are applied at a laminating station separate from the printhead. The choice of laminate dictates the degree of durability and security imparted to the system in protecting the image and other data.
One response to the problem of counterfeiting ID documents has involved the integration of verification features that are difficult to copy by hand or by machine, or which are manufactured using secure and/or difficult to obtain materials. One such verification feature is the use in the card of a signature of the card's issuer or bearer. Other verification features have involved, for example, the use of watermarks, biometric information, microprinting, covert materials or media (e.g., ultraviolet (UV) inks, infrared (IR) inks, fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials), optically varying images, fine line details, validation patterns or marking, and polarizing stripes. These verification features are integrated into an identification card in various ways, as appreciated by those skilled in the art, and they may be visible or invisible (covert) in the finished card. If invisible, they can be detected by viewing the feature under conditions which render it visible. At least some of the verification features discussed above have been employed to help prevent and/or discourage counterfeiting.
Covert security features are those features whose presence is not visible to the user without the use of special tools (e.g., UV or IR lights, digital watermark readers) or knowledge. In many instances, a covert security feature is normally invisible to a user. Some technologies that involve invisible features require the use of specialized equipment, such as a detector or a device capable of reading digital watermarks. One type of covert security feature is the printing of information (images, designs, logos, patterns, text, etc.) in a material that is not visible under normal lighting conditions, but can be viewed using a special non-visible light source, such as an ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) light source. Use of UV and/or IR security features can be advantageous because although the devices (for example, UV and/or IR light sources) required to see and use such features are commonly available at a reasonable cost, the ability to manufacture and/or copy at least some implementations of such features is far less common and can be very costly. UV and IR based covert security features thus can help deter counterfeiters because the features cannot be copied by copiers or scanners and are extremely difficult to manufacture without the requisite know-how, equipment, and materials.
In the foregoing discussion, the use of the word "ID document" is broadly defined and intended to include all types of ID documents, including (but not limited to), documents, magnetic disks, credit cards, bank cards, phone cards, stored value cards, prepaid cards, smart cards (e.g., cards that include one more semiconductor chips, such as memory devices, microprocessors, and microcontrollers), contact cards, contactless cards, proximity cards (e.g., radio frequency (RFID) cards), passports, driver's licenses, network access cards, employee badges, debit cards, security cards, visas, immigration documentation, national ID cards, citizenship cards, social security cards, security badges, certificates, identification cards or documents, voter registration and/or identification cards, police ID cards, border crossing cards, security clearance badges and cards, legal instruments, gun permits, badges, gift certificates or cards, membership cards or badges, and tags. Also, the terms "document," "card," "badge" and "documentation" are used interchangeably throughout this patent application.). In at least some aspects of the invention, ID document can include any item of value (e.g., currency, bank notes, and checks) where authenticity of the item is important and/or where counterfeiting or fraud is an issue.
In addition, in the foregoing discussion, "identification" at least refers to the use of an ID document to provide identification and/or authentication of a user and/or the ID document itself. For example, in a conventional driver's license, one or more portrait images on the card are intended to show a likeness of the authorized holder of the card. For purposes of identification, at least one portrait on the card (regardless of whether or not the portrait is visible to a human eye without appropriate stimulation) preferably shows an "identification quality" likeness of the holder such that someone viewing the card can determine with reasonable confidence whether the holder of the card actually is the person whose image is on the card. "Identification quality" images, in at least one embodiment of the invention, include covert images that, when viewed using the proper facilitator (e.g., an appropriate light or temperature source), provide a discemable image that is usable for identification or authentication purposes.
There are a number of reasons why an image or information on an ID document might not qualify as an "identification quality" image. Images that are not "identification quality" may be too faint, blurry, coarse, small, etc., to be able to be discemable enough to serve an identification purpose. An image that might not be sufficient as an "identification quality" image, at least in some environments, could, for example, be an image that consists of a mere silhouette of a person, or an outline that does not reveal what might be considered essential identification essential (e.g. hair or eye color) of an individual.
Of course, it is appreciated that certain images may be considered to be "identification quality" if the images are machine readable or recognizable, even if such images do not appear to be "identification quality" to a human eye, whether or not the human eye is assisted by a particular piece of equipment, such as a special light source. For example, in at least one embodiment of the invention, an image or data on an ID document can be considered to be "identification quality" if it has embedded in it machine-readable information (such as digital watermarks or steganographic information) that also facilitate identification and/or authentication.
Further, in at least some embodiments, "identification" and "authentication" are intended to include (in addition to the conventional meanings of these words), functions such as recognition, information, decoration, and any other purpose for which an indicia can be placed upon an article in the article's raw, partially prepared, or final state. Also, instead of ID documents, the inventive techniques can be employed with product tags, product packaging, business cards, bags, charts, maps, labels, etc., etc., particularly those items including marking of an laminate or over-laminate structure. The term ID document thus is broadly defined herein to include these tags, labels, packaging, cards, etc.
"Personalization", "Personalized data" and "variable" data are used interchangeably herein, and refer at least to data, images, and information that are "personal to" or "specific to" a specific cardholder or group of cardholders. Personalized data can include data that is unique to a specific cardholder (such as biometric information, image information, serial numbers, Social Security Numbers, privileges a cardholder may have, etc.), but is not limited to unique data. Personalized data can include some data, such as birthdate, height, weight, eye color, address, etc., that are personal to a specific cardholder but not necessarily unique to that cardholder (for example, other cardholders might share the same personal data, such as birthdate). In at least some embodiments of the invention, personal/variable data can include some fixed data, as well. For example, in at least some embodiments, personalized data refers to any data that is not pre-printed onto an ID document in advance, so such personalized data can include both data that is cardholder-specific and data that is common to many cardholders. Variable data can, for example, be printed on an information-bearing layer of the ID card using thermal printing ribbons and thermal printheads.
The terms "indicium" and indicia as used herein cover not only markings suitable for human reading, but also markings intended for machine reading. Especially when intended for machine reading, such an indicium need not be visible to the human eye, but may be in the form of a marking visible only under infra-red, ultra-violet or other non-visible radiation. Thus, in at least some embodiments of the invention, an indicium formed on any layer in an identification document (e.g., the core layer) may be partially or wholly in the form of a marking visible only under non-visible radiation. Markings comprising, for example, a visible "dummy" image superposed over a non-visible "real" image intended to be machine read may also be used.

Retroreflective security features in secure documents


Disclosed are integrated circuit assemblies with increased stand-off height and methods and systems for their manufacture. Methods of the invention provide for assembling a semiconductor device by aligning a die with a substrate and interposing solder between corresponding substrate and die bond pads. A lifting force is applied to the die during heating of the solder to a liquescent state, thereby increasing the stand-off height of the die above the substrate. The lifting force is maintained during cooling of the solder to a solid state, thereby forming increased stand-off height solder connections.

Semiconductor devices are subject to many competing design goals. Since it is very often desirable to minimize the size of electronic apparatus, surface mount semiconductor devices are often used due to their small footprint. Solder nodules or "bumps" having spherical, near-spherical, or other shapes are frequently used to join an IC to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The IC and substrate have corresponding metallized locations generally known as contact points, or bond pads. The components are aligned, typically using sophisticated optical aligning tools. Solder bumps positioned at the prepared metallized locations are heated, and solder bonds are formed between the contact points upon cooling. When completed, the IC-to-substrate assembly solder joints are typically "blind," that is, they are not readily accessible for visual inspection. The soldered IC and substrate are then encapsulated in a protective plastic package in order to complete the IC assembly. Often, underfill material is interposed between the IC and substrate as well, in order to provide increased strength and protection.
Among the problems encountered with packaged IC assemblies, some of the most common and debilitating are the separation of layers, and open or short circuits caused by poor solder connections, or subsequent separation of materials, or the ingress of moisture between separated materials. For these reasons, secure solder bonds and void-free underfill and encapsulant materials are highly desirable. The size of the solder bumps used in the formation of solder bonds is generally determined by area considerations, which often include the need for numerous solder joints in close proximity. Small solder bumps are the result. As a side effect of reduced solder bump size, stand-off height, the vertical distance between IC and substrate, can also be reduced. Stand-off height is commonly limited to solder bump height, or less, due to the partial collapse of the solder during reflow. Reductions in the stand-off height can create problems related to soldering, packaging, and reliability in general. Reduced stand-off height between the die and substrate can result in increased stress among dielectric layers of the IC assembly. A reduction in stand-off height also increases the difficulty of making void-free underfills. These and other problems can lead to reduced reliability in the packaged IC assembly.
Due to these and other problems, improved integrated circuit assemblies with increased stand-off height, and methods for their manufacture, would be useful and advantageous in the arts.

Increased stand-off height integrated circuit assemblies, systems, and methods


A hybrid laser processing apparatus 1 includes a laser oscillator 4 which oscillates a laser beam L, a high-pressure pump 5 which supplies liquid, wherein liquid supplied from the high-pressure pump 5 is injected from an injection nozzle 13 provided at a tip of a processing head 6 and becomes a liquid column W to reach an object to be processed 2.

Conventionally, there is known a hybrid laser processing apparatus comprising: an injection nozzle including an injection hole; liquid supply means for supplying the relevent injection nozzle with high-pressure liquid; a laser oscillator oscillating a laser beam; and a condensing lens condensing the laser beam oscillated from the laser oscillator to inject the liquid supplied from the liquid supplying means in a shape of a liquid column from the injection holes to outside and to guide a laser beam to the liquid column with a condensing lens to carry out processing on the object to be processed.
As such a hybrid laser processing apparatus, there is known the one that is provided with a nozzle block including a nozzle passage formed at a tip of a processing head to inject a liquid column and a focus lens focusing a laser beam onto an entrance orifice of the above described nozzle passage to, thereby, guide the laser beam to the liquid column injected from the nozzle passage (Patent Document 1).
In addition, as another hybrid laser processing apparatus, there is known the one including a cylindrical plane and a conical plane being formed to reduce diameters toward an object to be processed inside the processing head so that water is injected from the tip of the cylindrical plane in a shape of a column and those conical plane and cylindrical plane reflect a laser beam to, thereby, guide a laser beam to the injected water (Patent Document 2).    Patent Document 1: National Publication of International Patent Application No. H10-500903    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-321977

Abstract: A first inclined plane 13b which reduces the diameter toward the object to be processed 2 is formed in the injection nozzle 13, the condensing lens 12 which condenses the laser beam L is designed so that the focus of the laser beam L is positioned beyond the injection nozzle 13 and closer to the side of the object to be processed 2 and the laser beam L on the side outer than the minimum diameter part 13d is reflected on the first inclined plane 13b and thereafter guided to the liquid column W.

Abstract: Positional matching of the condensing lens and the injection nozzle is simple and the guided laser beam does not pop out of the liquid column. Moreover, manufacturing costs and running costs can be reduced.


A method and device helps to prevent theft of sonar devices and GPS units from the brackets they are normally installed on or mounted to. The present invention provides for a unique locking device having a threaded end. The locking device is capable of alternatively permitting and prohibiting rotation of the threaded end. When a key is turned to lock the device, the handle of the device is permitted to rotate freely and the device does not permit rotation and removal of the threaded end. The device also provides for a hardened spacer that directly abuts the handle such that it prevents a thief from getting access to, and thus cutting the threaded end of the locking device.

There are many types of electronic instruments, all of them being relatively expensive, such as marine sonar devices, global positioning devices (GPS), among others, that are designed with threaded holes in opposed sides of the body of the instrument. Normally, these instruments are installed between a U-shaped bracket having circular openings or slots aligned with threaded holes of the instrument. A pair of screws or threaded rods or even handles having threaded ends are used to secure the sonar unit, or GPS, to the bracket. This mounting system allows the instrument to be pivoted to any desired angle for viewing. The addition of slots to the bracket also permits some vertical adjustability in addition to this angular adjustability. Obviously, by tightening the screws, or threaded rods, one can secure both the vertical position of the device and its angle of tilt. In this inventor's experience, boaters prefer electronic instruments such as sonar to be raised off the console so they are more readily visible from a standing position, such as when the driver of the boat is standing at the wheel for better visibility.
Frequently, a ball mount stand is used so that the instrument can be raised and lowered and adjusted infinitely between a fully raised or lowered position. The ball mount stand uses clamping pressure applied by a threaded rod having a handle on it. The stand itself is nothing more than a clamshell design. One end of the clamshell is placed over a ball that is permanently affixed to a surface, such as a console. The other end of the clamshell is placed over a ball that is mounted to the underside of the instrument. The threaded rod is then inserted through threaded apertures in the clamshell design and tightened to the point that the stand maintains its position over the console.
Unfortunately, as easily and conveniently as the aforementioned mounting devices are to install, it is equally as easily to remove them. The valuable nature of GPS units and marine sonar units also makes them an easy potential target for thieves.

Method and device for securing an electronic instrument to a bracket


A motor control system for use in an electrical-motorized bicycle is disclosed. The motor control system includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a ring which is rotatable about the crank axle of the bicycle by the rotation of the chainwheel. A cover member is rotatably fit over the ring of the magnets and is fixed to the bicycle frame. At least two sensors are arranged on the cover member to detect the rotational speed and direction of the magnets and thus generating a signal to indicate the change of the rotational speed and direction of the chainwheel for controlling the operation of an electrical motor that is mechanically coupled to and drives the bicycle wheel so that only when the chainwheel is rotated in the direction to drive the bicycle forward, the motor is actuated to drive the bicycle wheel. Once the chainwheel stops, the motor is turned off and no torque is applied to the bicycle wheel.

Bicycles have been a widely used transportation means. Recently, due to the trend of environmental protection, bicycles have become more and more popular, especially in some urban areas. However, the bicycles are driven with human power which is not suitable for long distance transportation so that the travel distance of the-bicycles is very limited.
To overcome such a problem, electrical-motorized bicycles that are selectively driven by electrical motors are developed, which usually comprise an electrical motor mechanically coupled to one of the bicycle wheels to drive the wheel. A manual control is mounted on the handle or a position that can be reached by the rider to control the operation of the motor. A disadvantage associated with such a conventional configuration of the motorized bicycle is that upon turning on or off the motor, there is a sudden and significant change of the torque applied to the wheel by the motor. The rider may not be able to react so quickly as to follow the sudden change of torque, especially for children or the elder. Accidents may thus be caused.
Another disadvantage of the conventional design of electrical-motorized bicycle is that the operation efficiency of the electrical motor is low, because of the poor controllability of the motor. For example, once the bicycle has to be immediately stopped in an emergency, the rider may not be able to brake the bicycle while at the same time turn off the motor. Thus, the motor keeps on applying torque to the wheel while the rider is trying to stop the bicycle. This often causes accidents.
It is therefore desirable to provide a motorized bicycle driving motor control system which allows a rider to control the operation of the motor by means of the riding action so that such drawbacks that are encountered in the prior art may be overcome and eliminated.

Motor control system of electrical-motorized bicycle

F1. 5, No. 21, Ln 16, Sec. 2 Chung San N. Rd.


A soil refining machine having a crushing and mixing unit (A), an earth and sand material delivery unit (B) for supplying earth and sand material into the crushing and mixing unit and a soil refining material delivery unit (C) for supplying soil refining material into the crushing and mixing unit is provided with a control apparatus. The control apparatus includes: a sensing unit (31) for detecting a supply rate of the earth and sand material being supplied by the earth and sand material delivery unit; a first setting unit (47) for optionally establishing a supply rate of the soil refining material to be supplied by the soil material delivery unit; and a control unit (43) responsive to both the rate established by the first setting unit and the rate detected by the sensing unit for controlling an actual supply rate of the soil refining material being supplied by the soil refining material delivery unit.

Where construction work of the type described is carried out, it is customary to excavate the ground to form a groove therein, to lay a pipe in the groove and thereafter to fill the groove back to the ground level with a re-filling material. In a case where the excavated ground material i. e., a soil and sand material, contains plenty of water or moisture, or pebbles, rocks, concrete pieces and so forth with a resultant deteriorated soil quality, the material cannot properly be utilized as a groove refilling material.
Where the excavated ground material is thus of very bad quality as described, it has hitherto been a customary requirement for a proper re-filling material of acceptable soil quality to be specifically called for and carried on a truck or the like transportation vehicle to re-fill the excavated groove therewith back to the ground level or, on the other hand, for the excavated ground material to be designated for disposal as waste earth and sand material. Not only has this rendered pipe laying construction work very costly but also has resulted in an undesirably extended period of time required for each such individual installation job.
There has also hitherto been known a machine for refining an earth and sand material of very deteriorated quality as described above into an improved soil quality. A typical example of such a machine has been disclosed, e. g., in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 62-39827.
The typical soil refining machine is constructed of a hopper for an earth and sand material whose soil quality is to be improved, an earth and sand material transporting belt conveyer, a hopper for a soil refining material, a soil refining material transporting mechanism, a crushing and mixing device and so forth which are together mounted upon a frame. The machine is designed to operate in such a manner that earth and sand material of very bad quality stored in the earth and sand material hopper may be carried by the earth and sand material transporting belt conveyer into the crushing and mixing device whereas a soil refining material stored in the soil refining material hopper may be carried into the crushing and mixing device by the soil refining material transporting mechanism whereupon the earth and sand material and the soil refining material may be crushed, stirred and uniformly mixed together in the crushing and mixing device to give rise to earth and sand material of acceptable soil quality.
Where the soil quality is being thus upgraded from a very bad level to a highly satisfactory level with a soil refining machine as described above, it has been found to be critical to bring the CBR (i. e., an index that is used to evaluate the ability to support a load) of the soil quality refined earth and sand material to an appropriate level.
As with a soil refining machine as described above in which both the earth and sand material and the soil refining material are designed to be each fed invariably by a given amount, however, it has also been found that if the nature (including the kind, percentage of water content, etc.) of the earth and sand material varies, the proportion of the soil refining material to the earth and sand material for supply would remain constant, thus causing the CBR value of the soil quality refined earth and sand material to largely vary.
It has further been observed that the earth and sand material delivered into the crushing and mixing device may vary in amount, depending on the amount of the earth and sand material stored in the earth and sand material hopper. Then, too, the CBR value of the soil quality refined earth and sand material would vary, given a constant amount of supply of the soil refining material.
Accordingly, with the above mentioned problems in the prior art taken into account, it is an object of the present invention to provide control apparatus for a soil refining machine whereby a soil quality refined earth and sand material is always given an appropriate value of CBR.

Control apparatus for soil improvement machine


In one embodiment, a fixation system includes an anchor adapted to be implanted within a first bone, a washer adapted to be associated with a second bone that is to be secured to the first bone, and a suture that is fixedly attached at one end to the anchor and that extends between the anchor and the washer in multiple passes, the suture being adapted to extend through a passage formed in the first and second bones.

When a serious fracture of the ankle occurs, it is common for the syndesmosis ligaments that extend between the fibula and the tibia to be disrupted. In such cases, it is common practice to fix the fibula to the tibia to enable the syndesmosis ligaments to heal. Because the fibula and the tibia move relative to each other during walking and running, the fibula and tibia are typically fixed using a high-strength suture. The suture stabilizes the ankle without preventing the natural relative movement of the bones.
Although the above-described fixation scheme is effective, there are several drawbacks with the current procedures used to achieve that fixation. With current technology, incisions must be made on both sides of the ankle and holes must be drilled entirely through both the fibula and the tibia. In addition, the suture must be manually held under tension while it is manually tied off to complete the fixation. This process often results in unwanted slack being formed in the suture, which reduces the degree of fixation that can be achieved. Furthermore, multiple knots may be required to tie off the suture, and those knots often can be felt and/or seen through the patient's skin.
In view of the above drawbacks, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have an alternative system and method for ankle syndesmosis fixation.

Systems and methods for ankle syndesmosis fixation

The United States Government as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs


Structured packing for mass-exchange or energy-exchange processes uses a stack of parallel, flat sheets forming flat channels therebetween. A number of tabs extends between adjacent pairs of sheets to form both bridges for fluid flow and spacers for structural rigidity of the packing. Some of the tabs serve predominantly to divert fluid over the entire surface of a given sheet to prevent so-called channeling, while other tabs are disposed to predominantly enhance fluid transfer between the adjacent sheets. Fluid communication between both sides of each sheet is facilitated due to perforations caused by the manufacturing of the tabs. The design allows for the use of very thin sheets resulting in a light-weight packing assembly.

The invention relates to a structured packing for producing intimate contact of fluids, for example liquid-liquid, liquid-gas, or gas-gas, particularly in a mass and/or heat exchange apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a structured packing assembly for enhancing contact between a first fluid having a predominantly downward direction of flow, and a second fluid, the packing having a plurality of juxtaposed sheets.
Structured packings in general have a well-defined geometry of discrete flow channels facilitating theoretical estimation of the performance of the transfer device. Structured packings of various designs have been known in the chemical industry for decades. They are generally known to offer a lower resistance to flow than bulk (random) packing, and lend themselves to easy installation within a mass exchange chamber. Structured packing elements may be constructed of corrugated of fluted plates, such as known e.g., from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,929,399 to Lockett et al.; 5,407,607 to Mix; 5,188,773 to Chen et al; 5,624,733 to McKeigue et al. and 5,132,056 to Lockett et al.
In most of the prior art solutions, the corrugations, folds or flutings are arranged at an angle to the vertical, or the axis of the column or tower. This has the effect of non-uniform distribution of the liquid flow over the surface of the packing plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,127 to Sayles describes a structured packing assembly composed of a number of generally vertically disposed, parallel, generally flat sheets arranged in superimposed tiers. The assembly features collectors disposed at the top of a tier for distribution of down-flowing liquid over both sides of the subjacent plates. It is noted that Sayles advocates the sheets being disposed as close as possible to prevent cascading, or free-fall of liquid through the packing.
While the parallel-sheet concept of Sayles is useful, there is still a need in the mass/energy transfer industry for a simple, low weight (low material cost) structured packing and a large surface area (high efficiency interphase transfer) with a relatively low pressure drop. It is also very important that vapour and liquid be able to transfer between sheets so that uniform liquid and vapour distribution over the column or tower cross-section be maintained. The uniform distribution of fluids is essential for achieving high efficiency of mass transfer. The ease of assembly and placement in the exchange apparatus (e.g., a tower) as well as the structural quality of the packing are also of importance.


A tip guard is provided to protect a user of an air-assisted airless paint spray gun from injury. The shape of the tip guard is designed such that use of the tip guard is not detrimental to the fluid spray pattern emitted from the tip of the air-assisted airless paint spray gun. Use of the tip guard does not affect the size or shape of the fluid spray pattern, nor cause accumulation of paint upon the tip guard. The tip guard has a base having a shoulder and an aperture adapted for engagement to the air cap and tip of an air-assisted airless paint spray gun. The base further has a pair of transition portions extending axially forward from said aperture, where notches formed in the transition portions are adapted to engage the forwardly-extending horns of the air cap of an air-assisted airless paint spray gun. Each transition portion further has a pair of vanes extending forwardly and radially outwardly from the transition portion, where each of said pair of vanes is then joined by a crossbar.

The present invention relates to a device for use with an air-assisted airless paint spray gun to protect a user from injury while simultaneously preventing accumulation of paint upon, and dripping from, the tip guard.
Air-assisted airless paint spray guns and tip guards have been known and used for many years. An example is disclosed in the Scherer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,612. Spray paint guns have always been somewhat hazardous due to the high pressures involved during ejection of paint. Accidental injection of fluid to an operator is possible if a painter should place the spray tip too close to a body part.
The face of the gun, i.e., the air cap/tip combination of an air-assisted airless paint spray gun creates a unique problem deterring use of a conventional tip guard for the protection of painters. Typically, the air cap surrounding the tip of an air-assisted airless paint spray gun has at least two forwardly-extending horns and a plurality of air apertures surrounding a centrally-positioned paint aperture. The face of the gun, i.e., the tip and cap are required to remain free of obstructions during use. The tip guards as known are unable to be used in conjunction with the air cap due to the existence of the forwardly-extending horns and obstruction of the plurality of air apertures.
Another problem involves the prevention of accumulation of paint upon a guard during spraying while simultaneously minimizing the obstruction of the air and paint apertures. Prevention of accumulation of paint upon a tip guard substantially reduces and/or eliminates the dripping of paint off the guard and avoids splattering of paint and/or other resulting imperfections forming upon a painted surface.
Known prior art tip guards have a construction such that the tip guards will accumulate paint to the point of dripping in under five minutes. The striking improvement provided by the tip guard of the instant invention allows spraying for hours at a time without objectionable paint buildup.

Spray tip guard for air-assisted airless spray gun


In mode switch control apparatus and method for a hybrid transmission, both of a torque transmission capacity of one of a predetermined clutch and a predetermined brake which is engaged when a mode switch is carried out and a torque change of one of motor/generators along with a polarity reversal in the one of the motor/generators when the polarity reversal is involved in the motor/generator before and after the mode switch is carried out are mutually interlocked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mode switch control apparatus and method for a hybrid transmission and, more specifically, relates to the mode switch control apparatus and method for the hybrid transmission which are capable of smoothly performing a mode switch (or mode transfer) from a low mode which is suitable for a continuously variable transmission (or called, an infinitely variable transmission) in a low shift (gear) ratio area to a high mode which is suitable for the continuously variable transmission in a high shift (gear) ratio area without an output torque variation and discontinuity of a change in the (gear) shift ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. 2000-62483 published on Feb. 29, 2000 (which corresponds to a U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,757 issued on Aug. 3, 1999) exemplifies a previously proposed hybrid transmission. In the previously proposed hybrid transmission, a differential unit mutually links an engine, an output axle, and motor/generators and a clutch to mutually couple first predetermined revolutional elements constituting the differential unit and a brake fixing second predetermined revolutional elements are installed, these clutch and/or brake selective engagement operation selectively constitutes the low mode which is suitable for the continuously variable transmission in the low side shift ratio area and the high mode which is suitable for the continuously variable transmission in the high side shift ratio area. However, a mode switch technique between the low mode and the high mode has not specifically been proposed. Hence, when the mode switch in the previously proposed hybrid transmission is carried out, it is a common sense that, when it becomes a driving state to perform the mode switch, the corresponding clutch and/or brake is in an engagement state from a release state or, on the contrary, in the release state from the engagement state.

Mode switch control apparatus and method for hybrid transmission


An RF coaxial connector is disclosed which has an internally floating member which allows both ends of the coaxial connection to remain fixed, with the floating section compensating for any necessary axial or radial float. The floating section includes a pin and socket connection where the pin and socket section has various regions of intentional impedance mismatch. The geometries of the pin and socket are specifically designed such that the reflections are substantially self cancelling at all frequencies and at all various longitudinal positions between the pin and socket section.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an electrical RF connector where the plug and jack and their associated conductors can be fixed, while at the same time the internal structure of the connector assembly can float. The plug connection has intentional mismatches in impedance to provide self-cancelling reflections irrespective of the axial float, minimizing power loss due to reflection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical RF coaxial connection systems are cable-to-cable assemblies and comprise a plug and jack where one of the connectors, most likely the jack is a fixed connector. The cable entering the jack is fixed relative to the jack and the jack would be fixedly mounted to a panel. The mating connector or plug would have an outer shielding shell which would be fixedly mounted to a panel, whereas the center conductor would be spring loaded and permitted to float in relationship to the outer shell.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,859 to fixedly mount the jack within a rack, whereas the plug is spring loadably mounted to a panel. The entire plug member including the conductive shroud, the center conductor and the coaxial cable can float to accommodate the axial and radial misalignment.
There is a need within the industry, however, to have both halves of the connector fixed, that is, where the jack half has its conductive shroud and center conductor fixed relative to a first panel, and where the plug half has its conductive shroud and center conductor fixed relative to a second panel. In commercially available product which is of the type in which the conductive shroud and center conductor of both the jack and the plug are fixed to respective panels, the plug and jack are designed to have matched or balanced impedances when they are fully mated, and the accommodation to tolerance mismatch is taken up by simply allowing the pin to not fully mate.
However, in the section where it is not fully mated, there is a high degree of impedance mismatch, resulting in substantial power loss due to the reflected signal. As the length of impedance mismatch changes due to the extent of mating, the electrical performance is either improved or degraded; if the degree of unmating increases, the performance worsens; whereas, if the connectors are further mated, the performance increases. It should be appreciated then that in a rack and panel system having a plurality of such connectors, the degree of unmatedness would vary with each connector pair due to the varying axial tolerances between the associated pairs.
It is an object of the invention then to provide an electrical connector assembly where both halves of the coaxial pair are fixed, yet where the connector pin can float to accommodate for axial and radial tolerance mismatch.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical connector assembly where the floating of the connector pair self compensates for impedance mismatch throughout the various flotation positions, such that the electrical performance of the connector pair is high.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Fixed RF connector having internal floating members with impedance compensation


A toothbrush comprising, generally in a sole piece, an elongated handle (10); one head (20) carrying, on the front side, a set of bristles (40); and a flexible neck (30) joining the handle (10) and the head (20) and comprising a pair of front (31) and rear (32) spaced longitudinal beams (33) and having their opposite extreme ends respectively united to the head (20) and the handle (10) through localized bending regions (34) which allow the beams to operate as parallelogram articulation arms when the head (20) is displaced in transversal direction in relation to the handle (10) and in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the handle (10) and being parallel to the longitudinal axes of the bristles (40), from an inoperative rest position to operative positions. The brush is provided with a shock absorbing means (50), acting against the neck (30) and preferably by means of an elastic element fitted to the aperture (33) between the beams, in such a manner as to be elastically deformed when the head (20) is displaced from its inoperative position to any of its operative positions.

Within the aspects connected to good brushing, as studied by dentists and toothbrush manufacturers, one of the most important ones has been the optimization of the bristle pressure applied to the teeth and gums, so as to provide maximum bucal hygiene, without loss or lesion to the gums or to the dentine or enamel of the teeth.
Just as there are more easily accessible regions in the dental arcades, where brushing is more comfortable and the force applied to the brush can be more easily controlled, there are other regions of more difficult access, frequently requiring the user to change the position of his or her hand, and where it is found that the user loses control over the force applied to the brush.
The result is that bucal hygienic using conventional toothbrushes leads to uneven brushing, causing gum and bucal deterioration in some regions due both to deficient cleaning and excessive abrasion by brushing.
In order to overcome the foregoing problem, it has become clear that a toothbrush should be provided with some means to absorb part of the force applied by the user to the toothbrush.
In addition to variations in the flexibility of the bristles, the adopted solutions generally consist of applying a resiliently flexible means to a region of the brush head or, more frequently, to an intermediate portion between the brush handle and head.
Among the solutions directed to the head construction is one described in PCT/EP/92/00645 (WO92/17092) which describes a toothbrush provided with a flexible head, resiliently connected to a prolonged portion of the handle, the latter surrounding the brush head or the head partially surrounding the prolonged portion, the head being cable of making an oscillatory movement in relation to the prolonged portion of the handle. In a second solution, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,542, a soft elastomer is applied under the bristles. In a third solution, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,631,320, the brush head is cut between each transverse row of bristles, the different portions thus formed being spacedly interconnected by a longitudinal laminate spring element, fixed at one end to the brush handle, in such a way as to become vertically bendable.
Such solutions, among others applied to the toothbrush head, have two limitations in common which, by themselves, tend to render such brushes commercially unfeasible: high cost, due to their complex construction, and the impossibility of adequate cleaning of the brush after use, whereby the head cumulatively retains food residues and thus propitiates the proliferation of fungus, bacteria and other microorganisms.
Consequently, since they avoid the above serious limitations, many resiliently flexible brushes incorporate their resilient deflecting means in an intermediate portion between the brush handle and head.
One manner which has proved to be efficient to obtain a resiliently flexible means for controlled articulation of the head of a toothbrush with its handle, at an accessible cost for the consumer, was by weakening the intermediate portion between the handle and the head, that is, the toothbrush neck, by removing the material comprising the handle, such as described in patent DE 36,40898.
Within such principle of construction, many other more complex solutions have been presented: in a first solution, described in PCT/EP93/00299 (WO93/15627), the neck is provided with many annular grooves, in such a manner as to form a single central beam with a reduced diameter and incorporating a plurality of flanges with a profile substantially the same as that of the handle. In this construction, the degree of neck flexibility is determined by the diameter and the extension of the central beam that defines the neck and the angular limit of head displacement in relation to the handle is determined by the abutment of flanges against each other.
In a second construction, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,526, the brush is provided with a resiliently flexible neck obtained by removal of the material from the front and back faces of the handle, to form corresponding cavities so as to produce an area of reduced cross section. In a third solution, also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,526 as well as PCT/US92/00681 (WO92/15225), material is removed from the intermediate portion of the brush neck, so as to define a longitudinally extended transverse through aperture that is limited by front and rear longitudinal beams, the greater or lesser thickness of such beams determining a greater or lesser resistance to bending of the brush head in relation to the handle, in an axial plane which is parallel to the axis of the bristles.
Other variations of the construction described in the last example have also been developed, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,645, in which a reduction of the thickness is provided in a median region of the front beam, defining a point of lower mechanical or of localized bending so as to allow such median region of the beam to bend, as a result of a force applied by the user to the brush, until it abuts the front face of the rear beam, indicating to the user that he/she has exceeded the acceptable limit of brushing force.
In spite of solving, to a greater or lesser degree, the basic problems related to complexity and hygienics as previously mentioned, the foregoing constructions suffer from two new drawbacks, namely: upon bending the brush, and considering that the user always tends to keep the brush handle in the same position when brushing a given tooth, the angle of contact of the bristles in relation to the tooth is altered by a value substantially equal to the angle formed between the bent brush head and the handle, resulting in deficient brushing and uneven wear of the bristles. In addition, as these toothbrushes are generally molded as a single piece made of thermoplastic material, constant localized bending of one of the neck beams causes fatigue and weakening of the material at the point of the bending, reducing its elastic memory, which causes a cumulative deformation of the toothbrush, which generally becomes useless due to the excessive deformation of its neck when its bristles are still in good condition.
Yet, within the construction which provides for a flexible neck, another solution is suggested, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,732, according to which the neck is defined by a pair of front and rear flexible laminate beams, such beams having their bending extension controlled by a piston which slides between the beams and incorporated to an end of a rigid rod, the other end of which is manually, but relatively tightly slidable, in an axial groove in the brush body. The piston positioning adjusts the length of the beams that is a available for bending and, consequently, the degree to which the neck is flexible. It happens that, apart from involving a complex construction, this solution requires from the user a certain practice and some care in order to obtain an adjustment that meets his/her brush use characteristics. This construction has the positive aspect of adjusting the degree of neck flexibility which however, is annulled by the impossibility of keeping the same dihedral angle between the handle and the head upon moving the latter and by the fact that this kind of construction tends to result in the accumulation of residues.
It is, therefore, the overall object of this invention to provide a toothbrush which is resiliently flexible between its head and handle, of low cost, high brushing performance, of long life, and easy to clean.
It is a specific object of this invention to provide a toothbrush, as above described, which may keep the working plane of the bristles at a substantially constant angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle, even under maximum contact pressure of the bristles.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a toothbrush, as above described, the neck of which has a substantially constant elastic memory throughout the useful life of its bristles.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a toothbrush, as described above, which allows the manufacturer or the user to vary the degree of flexibility of the brush neck, without changing the construction of its body, head or neck.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention are obtained by providing a toothbrush comprising: an elongated handle; a head with a front face, in which a set of bristles is affixed; and a flexible neck, interlinking the handle and the head. In accordance with the invention, the neck is defined by a front longitudinal beam and a rear longitudinal beam that are spaced from each other and have their opposite ends respectively connected to the head and handle though localized bending regions, whereby the head may be slid, both transversally and relative to the handle, in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the handle and which is parallel to the bristles axes, from an inoperative rest position to operative positions, by maintaining the same dihedral angle between the longitudinal axes of the handle and head, such brush being also provided with an elastic shock absorbing means acting in the neck, in such a manner as to be elastically deformed when the head is displaced from its inoperative position to any of its operative positions, such elastic shock absorbing means constantly biasing the head towards its inoperative position. In practical terms, the toothbrush according to the invention combines the known advantages of the conventional brush and of a resiliently flexible brush, that is, low cost, constant positioning of the working plane of the bristles against gums and teeth and suitable adjustment of brushing pressure.
In addition, besides not presenting any of the usual limitations of the known toothbrushes, the proposed brush also presents two other entirely new aspects, by way of a manner for maintaining the elastic memory which, when applied to the brush neck, means that its elastic memory is extended to the whole useful life of the bristles, and the adjustment of the degree of neck flexibility, without changing the basic features of the brush, by using different shock absorbing means, selected in accordance with the user's particular needs.


In an SOA array optical module, the central axis of a beam output from each intra-SOA waveguide is oblique by 22.3 degrees to a normal to an end face of an SOA array on the output side (the same applies to the input side) of the SOA array having intra-SOA waveguides of 8 channels. First and second lens arrays are arranged for the SOA array so that the central axis of the beam that is output obliquely by 22.3 degrees from the SOA array, the optical axis of a lens convex part of each channel of the first lens array, and the optical axis of a lens convex part of each channel of the second lens array agree with one another. Level differences are provided respectively on faces opposite to the lens convex parts of the first and the second lens arrays.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier) array optical module, and more particularly, to an SOA array optical module using a lens array for controlling a plurality of optical signals by arranging a plurality of optical gates in each of which a lens array is provided between an SOA array and an optical fiber array.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the distance and the capacity of an optical communications network have been increasing with a growing demand for a communication made by a broadband service.
For example, high-speed and large-capacity WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing for simultaneously transmitting a plurality of signals with a single optical fiber by multiplexing light beams of different wavelengths) is currently under development.
In the meantime, a higher-speed, larger-capacity and flexible optical communications network has been demanded with the rapid popularization of the Internet, and an increase in the volume of data traffic.
An optical packet switching technique draws attention as a technique for building such an optical communications network.
The optical packet switching is a technique for making packet switching by using communication information totally unchanged as light. This technique eliminates restrictions on an electronic processing speed in comparison with conventional switching for once converting an optical signal into an electric signal. Therefore, the processing speed depends on only the propagation delay time of light, and accordingly, a high-speed and large-capacity transmission can be made.
If an optical signal is switched in units of packets, gate switches are used to turn on/off the optical signal. The gate switches for turning on/off an optical signal with an electric control include an electro-absorption gate switch and a semiconductor optical amplifier gate switch.
The electro-absorption gate switch is intended to change optical absorption by using electro-absorption effect. However, this gate has a disadvantage of a large loss even in a transmission state.
In contrast, the semiconductor optical amplifier gate switch is intended to change a gain with a driving current applied to a semiconductor amplifier, and has not only a function as an optical gate for turning on/off light but also an amplification function (to amplify and output light when a gate is turned on). Accordingly, this gate switch currently attracts attention as an optical element that reduces a loss of an optical signal and makes high-speed switching.
For an SOA, its extinction ratio of ON (open) to OFF (closed) of a gate is high, and its amplification mechanism can reduce an optical loss. Since the SOA is an optical element formed with a semiconductor, it has an advantage of downsizing enabled at low cost with a semiconductor integration technique.
The extinction ratio is a ratio of the average light intensity of signals "1" and "0" when a gate is ON to that of signals "1" and "0" when the gate is OFF. As the extinction ratio becomes higher, ON/OFF of a gate can be more explicitly identified. As a result, signal crosstalk that affects another port can be reduced, and a bit error rate becomes low.
FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically show two examples of optically coupled configurations of a conventional single-channel SOA module. Dotted-dashed lines shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B depict the propagation paths of an optical signal.
In the single-channel SOA module using a single lens shown in FIG. 1A, an SOA 2 is arranged between a single-channel optical fiber 1a arranged on an input side indicated by an arrow a, and a single-channel optical fiber 1b arranged on an output side indicated by an arrow b.
Additionally, a second lens 4a and a first lens 3a are arranged between the single-channel optical fiber 1a and the SOA 2 on the input side, whereas a first lens 3b and a second lens 4b are arranged between the SOA 2 and the single-channel optical fiber 1b on the output side.
Furthermore, hermetic windows 5a, 5b for hermetically sealing a semiconductor element (SOA) are arranged respectively between the second lens 4a and the first lens 3a, and between the first lens 3b and the second lens 4b.
As shown in FIG. 1A, output light 6 of the SOA 2 is inclined by 22.3 degrees with respect to an axis 7 of the SOA 2. Therefore, optical coupling is made by arranging the first lens 3b and the second lens 4b so that their surfaces become vertical to the inclined output light of the SOA 2. This applies also to the input side.
The optical coupling system shown in FIG. 1A is a technique normally used to optically couple an optical module such as an LD (Laser Diode: semiconductor laser) that outputs a light beam vertically to an end face of an element.
For a gate switch using an SOA, an unnecessary oscillation made by return light must be prevented by reducing reflection on the light output end face of the SOA to 50 dB or less in order to prevent an oscillation caused by the internal reflection of the SOA.
To implement this, the end faces of the chip of the SOA 2 are initially inclined as described above so that a line vertical to the end face on the light output side of the SOA 2 and an optical waveguide within the SOA form, for example, an angle of 7 degrees.
Then, a return loss (reflected return light) is suppressed by outputting an optical signal to the first lens 3b as indicated by the dotted-dashed line, for example, at an angle of 22.3 degrees with respect to the vertical line (broken line) of the end face of the chip based on a relationship between the refractive index of the optical waveguide within the chip and that of space.
FIG. 2A shows the inclination of output light with respect to the axis when the end faces of the chip of the SOA are inclined, whereas FIG. 2B shows a relationship between the inclination (output angle) and the return loss ratio of the output light. In FIG. 2B, its horizontal axis represents the output angle θ (degrees), and its vertical axis represents the return loss ratio (dB).
According to the relationship between the inclination angle θ and the return loss ratio dB of the output light, which is shown in FIG. 2B, efficiency is normally regarded as being high on the whole by reducing the return loss ratio by −20 to −30 dB.
However, it is insufficient that reductions in the reflection on the light output end face by using the inclination angle θ is on the order of −20 to −30 dB. Therefore, the end faces of the chip are AR (Anti Reflection)-coated.
FIG. 3 shows a state where AR coated multilayer films are formed on the end faces of the chip of the SOA. As shown in FIG. 3, AR-coated multilayer films 8a and 8b are formed on both end faces of the chip of the SOA 2. In this way, the magnitude of a return loss is reduced at present by setting the light output angle of the SOA 2 and by forming AR coated layers.
Additionally, in a single-channel SOA module using spherical lensed fibers shown in FIG. 1B, the SOA 2 is arranged between the single-channel spherical lensed fibers 9a and 9b, which are arranged on input and output sides respectively indicated by arrows a and b.
The tips of the spherical lensed fibers 9a and 9b are formed as a sphere and have the action of a lens. Therefore, the first lenses 3a, 3b and the second lenses 4a, 4b, which are shown in FIG. 1A, can be omitted.
Since this configuration easily enables optical coupling for obliquely output light, it is used for an experiment of a research, etc. in many cases. However, this configuration has difficulty in hermetically sealing the SOA. Therefore, it is rarely used as a practical module.
If the SOA is hermetically sealed with the configuration shown in FIG. 1B, a hermetically sealing part cannot be provided between the SOA 2 and the spherical lensed fibers 9a, 9b. Therefore, the SOA 2 and the tips of the spherical lensed fibers 8a and 8b are to be hermetically sealed altogether.
As a result, reliability cannot be ensured due to a displacement, etc., which occurs between the SOA 2 and the spherical lensed fibers 9a, 9b with the thermal expansion and contraction of a hermetically sealed body based on a change in an ambient temperature. This is the reason why this single-channel SOA module using spherical lensed fibers is used only in laboratories and not put into practice use.
In the meantime, reductions in the size, the consumed power and the cost of a module or a device by collectively forming a plurality of channels, namely, by arraying a plurality of channels have been demanded for an optical gate switch.
In this case, the pitch of a semiconductor element array such as an LD array, an SOA array, etc., and that of an optical fiber array are an issue when optically coupling these arrays.
Known as an optically coupled and arrayed structure using spherical lensed fibers is a configuration where a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and an external resonator using a fiber grating are combined, the tip of the fiber grating is made spherical, and the tip and the light output side of the semiconductor optical amplifier, on which a low reflection film is formed, are optically coupled and arrayed (for example, see Patent Document 1). However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose hermetical sealing.
Also known is a configuration where silica-based lightwave circuit substrate on which an SOA array as gate switches is implemented as a hybrid integrated circuit, and a silica-based lightwave circuit substrate on which an arrayed waveguide grating is formed are coupled to make optical signal switching such as optical cross-connect, etc. (for example, see Patent Document 2).
The above described Patent Documents 1 and 2, however, do not adopt a lens array. Normally, the diameter of an optical fiber in an optical fiber array is 125 μm, and many optical fiber arrays of 250-μm pitch are commercially available.
Also a semiconductor element array of 250-μm pitch is normally chosen, because the number of elements obtained per unit area of a substrate is desired to increase.
The pitch of an optical fiber array and that of a semiconductor element array are the same as described above. Therefore, if only a lens array of the same pitch as those of the arrays exists, it seemed to be possible to easily implement a configuration where optical gate switches of a plurality of channels are collectively formed by optically coupling a semiconductor element array and an optical fiber array via a lens array.
However, the diameters of the lenses (the first lenses 3a, 3b and the second lenses 4a, 4b) used for the optical coupling shown in FIG. 1A are approximately 1 to 2 mm in normal cases. Therefore, a lens array of 250-μm pitch cannot be formed by arranging lenses of this size.
Accordingly, an array implemented by forming many convex parts on a transparent substrate is normally adopted as a lens array used to optically couple a semiconductor element array and an optical fiber array.
FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of a well-known optically coupled configuration implemented by arranging a lens array between a semiconductor element array composed of an LD and an optical fiber array. Here, the LD is a light source.
The optically coupled configuration shown in FIG. 4 represents an example using the lens array 13 of 250-μm pitch for the optical coupling of the LD array 11 of 250-μm pitch and the optical fiber array 12 of 250-μm pitch.
In this example, the lens array 13 represents a micro-lens array implemented by forming convex lenses 15 of 250-μm pitch on the surface of a substrate 14 having a thickness of 500 μm.
The lens array 13 is arranged in parallel to the end face of the output side of the LD array 11 by orientating the surface, on which the convex lenses 15 are formed, to the LD array 11.
The optical fiber array 12 is arranged so that its input face, which is formed vertically to the axis of an optical fiber 18, becomes parallel to the rear face of the lens array 13.
An optical signal 17, which is output from a light waveguide 16 of each element of the LD array 11 along an optical axis 19 vertical to the end face on the output side of the LD array 11, is incident to the convex lens 15 of the lens array 13 along the optical axis of the convex lens 15, converged while passing through the lens array 13, and incident to each optical fiber 18 of the optical fiber array 12 along the optical axis of the optical fiber 18 after passing through the rear face of the lens array 13.
Namely, the optical axis of each of the elements through which an optical signal passes is formed by the linear optical axis 19 in the optically coupled configuration using the LD array 11.
The above described configuration where an optical signal from a light source is input to an optical fiber array via a lens array by using an LD array as the light source conventionally exists. However, a lens array has never been adopted in an optically coupled configuration of a gate switch for relaying and turning on/off an optical signal.
The arrayed gate switches are disclosed by the above described Patent Documents 1 and 2. However, neither of these techniques adopts a lens array.
Gate switches for turning on/off an optical signal mainly include an electro-absorption gate switch and a semiconductor optical amplifier gate switch. However, the electro-absorption gate switch has a disadvantage that a loss is large even in a transmission state as described above.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-236138
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-149614


A scanner for reading barcode symbologies having a focusing illuminating source. The scanner uses a coherent light source for illuminating the coded symbol during a scan and a detector for collecting the reflected light energy from the coded symbol. Both the illuminating and collecting devices include lenses which are in variable spacial relationship with each other. The scanner varies the relationship between the light source and associated focusing lens to provide the narrowest focused beam at the barcode location.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to optical lens positioning systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system of focusing lenses with a linear actuator and position sensing means in a lightweight compact assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
The most common point of sale device (POSD) used today is a laser barcode scanner. The system relies upon a machine readable label printed on most products by a plurality of manufacturers. The label is a series of parallel bars of varying widths, encoding numerical information known as the Universal Product Code (UPC). In operation, the device scans a focused laser beam back and forth across the label many times each second in a linear or intricate pattern. A detector, sensitive only to the laser wavelength, detects the variations in light reflected from the dark and light bands of the label and converts them into electrical signals. When the label is scanned, the reflected light energy is processed and the price of the identified item is posted.
The ability of a laser beam to deliver high power densities to a small area makes the laser attractive for this application. The high degree of transverse coherence permits the light from a laser to be focused onto a much smaller area than the light from a more conventional source.
Related to the spot size of the beam is the distance, and the region of the focus spot, over which the beam diameter remains small. This distance, known as the depth of field, is important in a scanning system, for determining where the object can be positioned without having to refocus. The depth of field is somewhat arbitrary in that it depends on the beam focus tolerance that one chooses to apply. However, a large depth of field is not compatible with a small focused spot size. Due to this limitation, to use a laser in an application requiring a large depth of field while requiring a small laser spot size necessitates refocusing the laser beam.
FIG. 1 shows a simple relationship of a light source 17 and a double convex or condenser lens 19. The converging rays exiting the lens 21a, 21b, 21c form a waste 23 and then diverge again 21c, 21b, 21a.
The laser beam used in a scanning device is optically modified usually by a lens containing more than one element to form a waste shaped beam in which the width of the beam diminishes with distance until reaching a minimum, or waste and then increases. The beam is focused by the last element of the combination lens so that its desired spot size or waste is achieved at the object or barcode distance.
As shown in FIG. 2, the most common method to increase the depth of field 25 of a lens 19 is to reduce its lens aperture 27 with a stop 29. Some of the rays 21a, 21c entering the lens are blocked by the stop 29. The converging rays exiting the lens 21d, 21b, 21e have been reduced but create a greater depth of field 25 located at the waste 23. The source 17 will remain focused in dependence upon the stop 29 and the focal length of the lens. However, by increasing or decreasing the stop 29 provides only a limited depth of field.
To better the range of focus beyond a preset depth of field requires refocusing the lens. One method to focus a projected beam is by using a stepper motor to drive a mechanism holding at least one element of the lens optics. However, the use of prior art stepper motors for lens positioning leaves much to be desired since stepper motors have a finite step angle which ultimately results in a series of finite positions.
Another method to provide the motive force to position a lens element is to use a magnetic coil or linear actuator, well known in the art. Similarly, the prior art attempts to use linear actuators resulted in increased mechanical complexity with awkward arrangements of linkages to position the optics and provide corrective feedback.
In the alternative, to displace the light source from the optics thereby achieving the same result would require an even more complicated mechanical approach. In order to decrease the likelihood of errors and thereby increasing the efficiency of laser barcode scanners, it is desirable to have a simple, accurate and inexpensive focusing means for laser scanners.

Scanner with linear actuator based lens positioning system