A castellated-gate MOSFET I/O device capable of fully depleted operation is disclosed. The device includes a semiconductor substrate region having an upper portion with a top surface and a lower portion with a bottom surface. A source region and a drain region are formed in the semiconductor substrate region, and a channel-forming region is also disposed therein between the source and drain regions. Trench isolation insulator islands, having upper and lower surfaces, surround the source and drain regions as well as the channel-forming region. The channel-forming region includes a plurality of thin, spaced, vertically-orientated conductive channel elements that span longitudinally along the device between the source and drain regions. A gate structure is provided in the form of a plurality of spaced, castellated gate elements interposed between the channel elements, and a top gate member interconnects the gate elements at their upper vertical ends to cover the channel elements. The conductive channel elements are super-self-aligned from the gate structure to the source and drain regions. Finally, a dielectric layer separates the conductive channel elements from the gate structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to field effect transistors (FET's) formed as complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) structures and, more particularly, to new and improved MOSFET devices having vertically oriented channel structures capable of fully depleted operation at short channel lengths, thereby providing a device for robust I/O applications. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved MOSFET device that provides high performance analog and mixed-signal solutions useful in a wide variety of applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The progression of CMOS device scaling, that is planer MOSFET, has seen a continuous shrinking of transistor dimensions in both the vertical and the horizontal dimensions resulting in an approximate doubling of the number of transistors per unit area every 18 months or so. From the economics perspective, this scaling progression has resulted in CMOS becoming the preeminent technology for packing system functions on a transistor chip. The desire to shrink gate channel lengths and hence area, as width-to-length ratios remain roughly constant, requires the simultaneous vertical scaling of both the gate oxide and the source/drain junctions. This creates the requirement that the power supply (Vdd) also scale, as indicated above. The power supply voltage must scale so as to maintain gate oxide integrity (breakdown/wear-out due to voltage stress), to provide adequate junction breakdown margin, and to minimize device lifetime reduction due to hot carrier injection.
While CMOS scaling has enabled the circuit and system designer to pack a tremendous amount of functionality onto a silicon die, it has simultaneously created a number of significant problems as far as the chip's ability to interface with the outside world. This is particularly true in the area of analog/digital mixed-signal chips, and in particular for communication and power management applications which may be used or exist in a less-controlled signaling environment than found in all-digital systems. Some examples of the efforts to overcome this are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,391, No. 4,583,107, No. 5,675,164, No. 5,801,417, No. 5,932,911, No. 6,111,296, No. 6,118,161, No. 6,207,511, No. 6,396,108 and No. 6,413,802.
As a result of the above, the continuing drive to utilize semiconductor chip area while maintaining I/O compatibility has resulted in the evolution of baseline CMOS ASIC/SOC process technologies that now have two gate oxides to account for the need to operate efficiently at two, and sometimes three, power supply levels. Having begun at roughly the 0.25 um node, this is currently the approach taken by certain mainstream ASIC/ASSP semiconductor producers or foundries. These technology offerings generally consist of a baseline process flow that has a fully scaled and optimized thin oxide core device to the extent that the current process manufacturing technology allows, and a thick oxide device which is essentially the core device from the previous technology generation. Unfortunately, in such technology evolution, the thick oxide I/O device has become somewhat of a "forgotten stepchild", as only the thin-oxide core devices can truly take advantage of the shrinking feature sizes that are enabled by state-of-the-art photolithography. More importantly, as the thick oxide device is a "leftover" from the previous technology node, it typically under-performs the thin-oxide core device in terms of speed/bandwidth (ft).
The impact of this trend is particularly acute in the area of all-CMOS analog and mixed analog/digital signal chips. These chips derive their advantage from the ability to integrate complex digital core functions, such as DSP, with analog signal processing functions, such as analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog converters. While this reliability-driven voltage trend results in lower power consumption for digital functions, the effect is not necessarily the same in the analog case. In fact, it has been shown that in an analog-to-digital converter application with a fixed dynamic range requirement, power consumption can actually increase with decreasing power supply.
More problematic from the standpoint of device reliability and survivability is the significantly harsher EMI (electromagnetic induction)/ESD (electrostatic discharge) environment seen by I/O devices used in mixed-signal communications applications. To further illustrate this problem, some typical mixed-signal I/O and communications interfaces include system backplane, chip-to-chip and cell phone (RF). In many such electronic systems, the power supply voltage is specified within a 3-sigma tolerance of ±10%. However, in a data transmission or communication situation, there is the additional problem of signal reflections due to improperly terminated transmission lines.
In the first two mixed-signal examples, that is system backplane and chip-to-chip, a termination problem could chronically arise due to manufacturing tolerances, or as the result of devices connecting and disconnecting from the bus, or perhaps as a "hot swap" situation. Another common example of a harsh ESD/EOS environment is that of the cellular phone. The power amp of the transmitter must be able to tolerate the high VSWR conditions that can occur under large output load mismatch conditions. This can happen if the cell-phone antenna is touched or pulled-off during the transmission of a call.
Another important factor for consideration when discussing I/O robustness in bulk CMOS technologies is that of latch-up, where a low impedance path is created between the power supply rail and the ground rail as a result of the interaction of parasitic p-n-p and n-p-n bipolar transistors. One of the known causes of latch-up is an ESD event that results in the injection of minority carriers from the clamping device in the protection circuit into either the substrate bulk or the well. In a harsh I/O environment, transmission line reflections may also trigger the ESD protect device, thus increasing the probability that a latch-up condition can occur.
At present, BiCMOS (bipolar-CMOS combination) technologies, and particularly SiGe bipolar, offer a solution to some of the problems discussed above. However, a number of difficulties persist including, in particular, power consumption, cost and scalability. Bipolar devices consume significantly more power than CMOS devices, which increases package cost and at some point renders them unsuitable as a system solution, in particular for portable devices. From the standpoint of scaling, bipolar technologies have hit an apparent limit in terms of increasing performance for a given density and power consumption. The integration of CMOS and bipolar devices (BiCMOS) reduces the power consumption problem but leads to a second difficulty, i.e. cost. High performance technologies, such as SiGe BiCMOS cost upwards of 25% or more than CMOS devices at the same feature sizes. Finally, bipolar devices by nature, like the thick oxide CMOS I/O devices discussed earlier, cannot take full advantage of decreasing feature sizes which result from advances in wafer patterning technology (photolithography).
Clearly, the trends and problems discussed above may soon create a situation where it is no longer desirable to integrate a significant amount of analog functionality into a single-chip mixed-signal system solution, thus eliminating one of the traditional paths to reduce cost and power consumption in electronic systems. Accordingly, there is a need for a new type of silicon technology platform that takes advantage of the low power and economic advantages of CMOS in addition to enhancing the I/O function through decreasing feature sizes. There have been numerous attempts to develop such devices which overcome the aforementioned problems. Some specific examples of these efforts are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,296, No. 6,127,702, No. 6,198,141, No. 6,355,532 and E.P Patent No. 1,091,413. However, these problems still persist. Therefore, there remains a need in the art for such a device, and the present invention addresses and solves these particular problems in the art.

Castellated gate MOSFET device capable of fully-depleted operation


A,method and an apparatus for cleaning semiconductor devices, in which water droplets are completely eliminated after the wafer is cleaned in the course of the semiconductor manufacturing process. In the method and apparatus, after the thin film is cleaned, a cut off valve cuts off the supply of cleaning solution to a cleaning container. At the same time, a first drain valve, second drain valve, and third drain valve respectively open a first drain path, a second drain path, and third drain path in serial order, with a predetermined time interval between each stage, thereby slowly draining the cleaning solution from the container. The cleaning solution is easily and nearly completely separated from the wafer due to the surface tension of the cleaning solution, and no large drops of the cleaning solution are left on the wafer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for cleaning semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for cleaning semiconductor devices where water droplets are completely eliminated after the wafer is cleaned in the course of the semiconductor manufacturing process.
2. Background of the Invention
In the course of the semiconductor manufacturing process, after a polysilicon film is formed and before a silicide film is formed on the polysilicon film, the wafer having the polysilicon film formed thereon is cleaned by means of a solution (DHF) containing deionized water (DI) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) mixed at a ratio of about one hundred to one, in order to strengthen the adhesion between the polysilicon film and the silicide film.
However, in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing process, water droplets are usually left on the polysilicon film after the wafer is cleaned by means of the DHF solution.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gate oxide film 110 and a polysilicon film 120 are formed on a silicon substrate 100 in serial order, and then the surface of the polysilicon film 120 is cleaned by the DHF solution. Thereafter, a silicide film 130 is formed on the polysilicon film 120. After the cleaning process, however, water droplets 121 may have remained on the surface of the polysilicon film 120 at the interface between the polysilicon film 120 and the silicide film 130 as shown in FIG. 1B.
Thereafter, a photoresist pattern 140 is formed on the silicide film 130 as shown in FIG. 1C, and then the silicon film 130 and the polysilicon film 120 are selectively etched by an isotropic plasma etch. In this case, the water droplet 121 functions in the same manner as an oxide film would during the etching process, thereby preventing the polysilicon film 120 under the water droplet 121 from being etched as shown in FIG. 1D.
Water droplets form because the wafer is not completely dried after the polysilicon film 120 is cleaned. Especially in case where the selectivity between the polysilicon film and the oxide film is high in order to prevent the gate oxide film 110 from being etched, the formation of water droplets 121 happens often, to the point where a bridge phenomenon occurs.
A bridging phenomenon means that since the polysilicon film 120 is prevented from being etched, or is partially etched, due to the existence of the water droplet 121, a polysilicon line and an adjacent line are joined to each other rather than being separated from each other.
In cleaning and drying the wafer, a robot picks up the wafer out of a cleaning container after the wafer is cleaned by means of the DHF solution, and then the wafer is dried. However, part of the deionized water is left on the polysilicon film 120 even after the drying process, thereby forming the water droplet which, as discussed above, has a critical effect on the proper formation of the semiconductor devices.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the construction of a conventional apparatus for cleaning semiconductor devices.
Referring to FIG. 2, a supply path 1 and a drain path 3 are connected to a cleaning container 10. A supply valve 20 is disposed in the supply path 1 and controls the supply of the cleaning solution into the cleaning container 10. A manually operated drain valve 40 is disposed in the drain path 3 and controls the drain of the cleaning solution from the cleaning container 10.
A supplemental valve 30 is disposed in a supplemental path 2 in parallel with the supply valve 20. The supplemental path 2 is connected to the supply path 1 at either side of the supply valve 20, so as to arrange a bypass for the cleaning solution supplied into the cleaning container 10. The supplemental valve 30 controls the supplying of the cleaning solution bypassing the supply valve 20 through the supplemental path 2.
However, in the conventional cleaning apparatus as described above, after the polysilicon film 120 has been cleaned in the cleaning container 10, and a robot picks out the wafer from the cleaning container 10, the cleaning solution is then drained out while the supply of the cleaning solution through the supply path 1 is cut off. Therefore, a fair amount of cleaning solution remains on the cleaning container 10 and is not completely eliminated during the succeeding drying process. A part of such remaining solution that is not dried forms the water droplets after the drying process.

Apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor devices without leaving water droplets


A system and apparatus for automatically dispensing a paper product mounted on a gravity-assisted holder through a dispenser. The apparatus can be pedestal or wall-mounted and includes an electric motor, a main product roller for automatically rolling a predetermined amount of the paper product from the holder, exit guide rollers for guiding the paper product through a front cover of the dispenser, and a series of interconnected gears that are driven by the electric motor to activate the main product roller and exit guide roller and operate both the main roller and exit roller at the same speed. The dispenser is activated when a proximity sensor detects the presence of an individual's hand. Operating the rollers at the same speed prevents paper or tissue jamming inside the dispenser. An even weight distribution of the paper roll against a primary roller is accomplished by offsetting the weight of the paper roll through guide tracks. When the paper roll is at full size, the center of gravity is on the guide tracks; when the paper roll gets smaller, the center of gravity shifts closer to the roller ensuring that the paper roll is fed constantly thereby increasing motor efficiency.

The present invention relates generally to systems for dispensing and, more particularly, to intelligent systems for automatically dispensing measured amounts of paper products and monitoring usage.
Whether for private home use or public use, the dispensing of paper products such as towels and tissues has resulted in many different types of dispensing devices for controlling quantities dispensed as well as for determining how efficiently the paper products are dispensed. Primarily, these dispensers use mechanical paper feeding mechanisms, actuated by the user physically touching the dispenser equipment to deliver a fixed length of paper. This bodily contact can raise concerns over hygiene when such dispensers are located in public restroom facilities, such as can be found in lodging and restaurant facilities. Additionally, out of paper or paper jam conditions have to be determined by visual inspection in public facilities, requiring periodic inspections by custodial staff.


A system for measuring the position of one or more object in an area of interest. The system has an ultra wideband position measurement system with a plurality of beacons which are each located in separate fixed positions with respect to the area of interest; and one or more portable tag which is attachable to the object and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The portable tag has an ultrawideband receiver which receives UWB data for determining the UWB position of the portable tag with reference to the primary and secondary beacons, a GNSS receiver which receives GNSS data for determining the GNSS position of the portable tag with reference to GNSS system satellites, a kinematics module which creates kinematic data to determine movement of the tag based upon kinematic changes in the tag, a processor which comprises, a data augmentation module which calculates position data which represents the most accurate position for the portable tag based upon the UWB position, the GNSS position and the movement of the tag as calculated by the kinematics module.

A common method of determining the positioning of one device in outdoor environment is using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Many such systems are used around the world including: GPS, a US GNSS system; BEIDOU, a Chinese GNSS system, GALILEO, an EU GNSS system and GLONASS a Russian GNSS system).
GNSS is a space-based navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GNSS satellites. This technology enables the device to determine its own latitude, longitude, altitude, velocity and heading, together with some other positional characteristics, and accurate time information. The GNSS systems are using a version of triangulation to locate the device, involving the information received from a number of satellites. The information received from the satellites contains precisely time coded data, transmitted at precise moments. Using this information, and pre-stored information about the exact position of the satellites, any receiver in the coverage area can calculate its own position.
Accurate position detection indoors requires an alternative approach because the satellites have no direct line of sight. An alternative to GNSS, which may be used indoors uses local beacons that have been precisely placed and need to have very high precision clocks to provide the required level of positional accuracy. In some cases, expensive time-of-flight based devices, using extremely precise timing circuits are used. However, these are hard to maintain and difficult to operate.
The alternatives to GNSS for indoor environments based on mapping and surveying techniques for wireless signals (Skyhook4, Wifarer 5, Google6), Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) networks based on time-of-flight (ToF) and time-difference-of-arrival (TDoA) techniques (Decawave, StatSports). The Decawave7 system uses wireless sensors networks in ultra-wide-band radio frequency range and needs to maintain the network mesh at all times.
Dead-reckoning involves using a previously determined position or fix and calculating the current position using information on speed and direction of travel such as would be provided using accelerometers and gyroscopes, optical techniques such as the use of Light Emitting Diodes (Bytelight).
The Bytelight, system is a retail solution which works by locating shoppers and offering up timely info on the back of an awareness of their proximity to the beacon; such systems require a perfect line of sight for their successful operation.
Other environments are characterised by sporadic or intermittent availability of a GNSS signal. These are known as mixed environments, for example urban areas with "urban canyons" between high buildings, or semi-closed areas like stadiums. Mixed environments can make GNSS unreliable, as the line of sight to some of the satellites is obstructed.
There are many situations where the real time precise measurement of the position of objects or persons is needed, such as in team and individual sports, inventory location, construction sites, security, surveying, and many others. In team sports, for example, the position and movement of individual players in the context of the team and the opposing team can provide valuable information on player and team performance. Other data such as player speed, distance covered, acceleration and player position is also very valuable. Obtaining this data requires the creation of highly accurate and reliable systems for measuring player position and movement.

Enhanced UWB and GNSS position measurement system


A snowmobile having a lightweight fabricated frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a number of reinforcing elements, some of which comprise heat exchangers for the liquid cooling system of the engine, so as to provide high rigidity and light weight. The engine of the snowmobile is provided with an exhaust system that permits a relatively short effective length, but minimizes pulse-back effects by forming internal expansion chambers around the exhaust branch pipes. The drive for the snowmobile includes a reversing transmission and a brake assembly associated therewith in addition to a main brake assembly for the snowmobile. Furthermore, there is provided a parking brake assembly that is easy to operate and which will provide the operator with a visual and physical warning of its condition so that the operator will not attempt to operate the snowmobile with the parking brake engaged.

This invention relates to an internal combustion engine exhaust system and more particularly to an improved high performance exhaust system for an engine.
With internal combustion engines, the exhaust system is quite influential in affecting the performance of the engine. By appropriately sizing the length and cross-sectional flow area of the exhaust system, the engine power curve can be significantly altered. With multi-cylinder engines, the utilization of a common exhaust pipe for several cylinders can give rise to effects on the exhaust pulses from one cylinder to another. This is particularly true but not limited to two-cycle internal combustion engines because of there more frequent firing.
The exhaust pulses that exit the tailpipe end of the exhaust pipe are reflected back through the exhaust system to the exhaust ports of the engine. Thus, if the exhaust system is not properly designed, adverse performance can result. This problem is particularly relevant to certain types of vehicles which are compact in nature and which dictate from their configuration the configuration and length of the exhaust system.
In order to provide high performance, the exhaust system should be relatively short. However the use of short exhaust systems particularly when one exhaust pipe serves several cylinders, can result in sacrifices in power and performance at other engine speeds and loads. For example, a high speed exhaust system for a three-cylinder engine and particularly a two-cycle type engine can cause exhaust pulses that are transmitted back to other cylinders than that that is in the exhaust cycle. This can cause adverse effects on the scavenging. This is particularly a problem with two-cycle engines because of the relatively high degree of overlap between the scavenging port and the exhaust port, and the fact that these engines fire every crankshaft revolution. The same circumstances, however, also can apply to four-cycle engines.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved exhaust system for a multi-cylinder engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved exhaust system for a multi-cylinder engine that will improve the performance throughout the entire engine speed and load ranges.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved and compact exhaust system for a multi-cylinder engine wherein pulse-back effects from one cylinder will not adversely affect other cylinders.

Engine exhaust system including internal expansion chambers around the exhaust branch pipes


This optical system (100) comprises a prism (12) and a diffractive optical element (13). The prism (12) has a non-rotationally-symmetric aspheric surface for correcting eccentric aberration, and the diffractive optical element (13) includes a diffractive optical surface (DM) having a lattice structure that is as about an optical axis (Ax) of the optical system (100). The following condition is satisfied where ΔNe represents the refractive index difference of the diffractive optical surface (DM) in relation to the e-line (546.074 nm).0.53>ΔNe>0.005  (1)

In recent years, aspheric surfaces that are not symmetric about an optical axis, i.e., "free-shaped surfaces", are beginning to be used. A free-shaped surface has freedom in terms of layout and freedom in terms of aberration correction unlike rotationally symmetric optical systems, and is therefore beneficial in making it possible to obtain a small and high-performance optical system. In particular, techniques relating to prisms having a free-shaped surface make it possible, with the progress in material and molding techniques for injection-molded glass and/or resin, to obtain a highly accurate shape, and therefore have a high potential for achieving a small, high-spec and high-performance optical system. However, the light-separating performance of the prism may result in chromatic aberration in the optical system.
Patent Document 1 discloses an optical system in which a diffractive optical element (DOE) is arranged between an eccentric prism having a free-shaped surface and the entrance pupil in order to correct chromatic aberration caused by the eccentric prism, whereby it is possible to correct residual chromatic aberration remaining in the unitary eccentric prism.

Optical system, image display device, and imaging device


The present invention relates to a method for forming a package structure for a light emitting diode (LED) and the LED package structure thereof. By employing the same sawing process to cut through the trenches of the leadframe, the package units are singulated and different lead portions are simultaneously separated from each other in each package unit. Therefore, the overflow issues of the encapsulant can be avoided without using extra taping process.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fabrication method of a light emitting diode package structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a light emitting diode package structure and the package structure thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Following the energy preservation and environmental protection concepts promoted by the developed countries in America, Europe and Asia, light emitting diodes (LEDs) become one of the most potential products, because they may replace traditional white light bulbs and become the green luminance source in the twenty-first century. At present, LEDs have been widely applied as light emitting elements in various electronic products, display panels and communication products, as they can provide miniature sizes, durability, low-driven voltages, low electricity consumption, fast response speed and good monochromatism.
Due to the cost considerations of LED packaging, it is highly desirable to provide trouble-free and undemanding processes without compromising the quality of the final LED package products.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


An electrical connector assembly which includes a plug subassembly and a receptacle subassembly. The receptacle subassembly is substantially cylindrical with a diameter such that it passes through the hollow hinge pin of a refrigerator door. The receptacle body is formed with an outwardly extending abutment which is confined to the diametrical extremity of the cylinder and which cooperates with a latch member of the mating subassembly. The plug subassembly has a hollow forward mating portion for accepting the receptacle body therein. The forward mating portion is formed by an incomplete cylindrical wall having a longitudinal gap. The receptacle abutment is aligned with the gap and the plug latch member extends into the gap. Polarizing features are provided on both the plug and receptacle bodies to insure appropriate alignment of the plug and receptacle subassemblies.

This invention relates to the field of electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connector assembly particularly suitable for a refrigerator door.
The doors of present day refrigerators are more than mere closures for the interior of the refrigerator. Such doors are increasingly being equipped with electrical and electronic components such as, for example, control panels, ice dispensers, cold water taps, and the like. Accordingly, electrical cabling (i.e., a wire harness) must be provided to the door from the main body of the refrigerator in order to allow the transmission of electrical power and control signals between the door and the main body. For aesthetic and safety purposes, such cabling should not be allowed to loosely drape along its path of travel, but instead should be closely held. It is common to route such cabling, as part of its path of travel, through a hollow hinge pin of the refrigerator door. In the past, the cabling has been routed through the hinge pin and then a connector has been installed at the distal end of the cabling for subsequent engagement with a mating connector on cabling from the main refrigerator body. However, installing the connector at the end of the cabling during the final assembly of the refrigerator is not an easy task. It would therefore be desirable to provide a connector assembly which can be installed on cabling before the cabling is connected to various components within the refrigerator door and thereafter have the cabling, with the connector attached, installed through the hollow hinge pin for subsequent connection with a mating connector on cabling from the refrigerator body.

Electrical connector assembly for a refrigerator door


Label constructions comprise a first section and a second section that are laminate constructions of a card stock top surface that may include printed indicia, an adhesive layer disposed underneath the card stock, and a removable liner adhered to the adhesive layer and common to the first and second sections. The first section includes an RFID device. The first section may be configured once removed from the liner to fold on itself to form an RFID tag, or to form an RFID adhesive label. The second section once separately removed from the liner forms an adhesive label. The construction first and second sections are positioned adjacent one another and are formed during the same manufacturing process for purposes of manufacturing efficiency. The first and second sections may be treated to facilitate separate removal from the liner to provide labeling flexibility.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) labels and tags are a common tool for labeling, identifying, and tracking various goods and people. The goods so labeled involve a wide range of industries and include packages being shipped, cars, keys, livestock, identification badges, and merchandise in stores. RFID tags, either active or passive, are typically used with an RFID reader to read information from the RFID tag embedded in the label. For passive tags, a typical RFID reader/writer energizes transponder circuitry in the tag by transmitting a power signal. The power signal may convey data, which can be stored in a transponder memory, or the transponder circuitry may transmit a response signal containing data previously stored in its memory. If the transponder circuitry transmits a response signal, the RFID reader/writer receives the response signal and interprets the stored data. The data is then transmitted to a host computer for processing.
Even with a growing trend toward RFID labels, there are advantages to placing optical information on a label so that the good has both optical and RFID information, such as having the ability to read the label using more than one technology. This may be beneficial because RFID label technology is not as widespread as barcode technology, and many businesses or users may not have suitable RFID readers to read the RFID tag. Thus, it is desirable to have both RFID and optically readable information on a single label. It is common for these labels to come in the form of adhesive stickers placed, for example, on packages for shipping.
While it may be useful in some applications to provide an RFID/optical label in the form of an adhesive sticker, in other applications an adhesive sticker may not be desired, e.g., where the adhesive may destructive to a good's surface during peel off or the like. Accordingly, it may be desired to provide the RFID/optical label in the form of a hang tag or the like that is attached to an article in a non-adhesive manner. Further, there are labeling applications where it may be desired to provide merchandise information in the form of both an adhesive sticker and a hang tag or other non-adhesive label form, where one of the labels contains an RFID device and the other does not. Still further, it may be desired to manufacture a label construction embodying such labeling options in a manner that is fast/efficient and that enhances end-use labeling flexibility.

Composite merchandise label constructions

Avery Dennison Retail Information Services, LLC


A valve spring is used in a valve operating mechanism for moving a poppet valve up and down in an internal combustion engine of an automobile. The terminal end of the uppermost portion of the valve spring extends in a tangential direction to go away from an axis of the valve spring, thereby avoiding contact with a retainer to prevent wear.

The present invention relates to a valve spring used in a valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine for a vehicle such as an automobile.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, to decrease inertia mass of the valve operating mechanism, a coil valve spring 1 used in a valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine is formed like a frustum.
The upper and lower surfaces of the valve spring 1 are flat to contact the lower surface of a retainer 2 and the upper surface of a cylinder head 3 respectively, as shown in FIG. 3. In the frusto-conical valve spring 1, a diameter of an uppermost winding is smaller, so that a horizontal distance with a tubular portion of the retainer 2 becomes smaller. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the valve spring 1 vibrates in a lateral direction owing to surging, so that an inner circumferential edge 1a vigorously comes in contact with an inner corner 5 between the tubular portion 2a and a receiving surface 2b is subjected to large bending stress, wear thereon is unsuitable. The numerals 6, 7 and 8 denote a poppet valve, a valve guide and a pair of cotters respectively.

Valve spring in an internal combustion engine


A centrifugal compressor according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an impeller provided in a main flow path and configured to pressurize a main flow of fluid. The compressor also includes a secondary flow path configured to provide a secondary flow by recirculating a portion of the main flow. The amount of the main flow that becomes the secondary flow is less than or equal to 15%. A method is also disclosed.

This disclosure relates to centrifugal compressors for fluids such as air or refrigerant, as examples.
Compressors are used to pressurize a fluid for use in a larger system, such as a refrigerant loop, air cycle machine, or a turbocharger, to name a few examples. Centrifugal compressors are known to include an inlet, an impeller, a diffuser, and an outlet. In general, as the impeller rotates, fluid is drawn from the inlet to the impeller where it is pressurized and directed radially outward through a diffuser, and downstream to another compression stage or an outlet.
Some known centrifugal compressors have used variable inlet guide vanes, disposed in the inlet, to regulate capacity during part-load operating conditions. Other known compressors have employed a variable-geometry diffuser downstream from an impeller to improve capacity control during such part-load operating conditions. Further still, some prior compressors, such those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,756 to Brasz and U.S. Pat. No. 9,157,446 to Brasz, have suggested recirculating fluid to improve capacity control.

Active surge control in centrifugal compressors using microjet injection


A bidirectional amplifier apparatus comprising a plurality of diodes located in a ring structure around an amplifier device to be switched. Each pair of diodes are spaced approximately one quarter wavelength, at the frequency to be passed, in order to maximize isolation across the "off" diode pairs. Use of transmission line devices of approximately one quarter wavelength, at a desired frequency, provide a high impedance at the desired frequency while attenuating higher frequencies where the transmission line devices length approach one half wavelength. The use of the transmission line devices also provide a ground bias for the paired diodes.

This invention relates to the field of amplifiers and more particularly those which are bidirectional or bilinear.
Typical prior art approaches to addressing bidirectional amplifier requirements often comprised the use of two discrete amplifiers each having dedicated circuitry and a switch for controlling signal flow. Depending upon specific manufacturing techniques and components, circuitry tuning and stabilization were compromised or required additional manufacturing time.
Alternate prior art approaches relied upon complex duplicative circuitry controlled, as appropriate, by a transmit/receive switch. The use of such dedicated circuitry dependent upon signal flow increased requirements for space and power, as well as, increased manufacturing costs.
There exists a need for a bidirectional amplifier apparatus comprised of a single amplifier device and using reduced circuitry.

Bidirectional microwave amplifier apparatus


A method for establishing standard cell power connections is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calculating a power consumption of a plurality of logic cells receiving power directly from a power rail, (B) removing at least one excess via from a plurality of vias directly connecting the power rail to a power mesh in response to the power consumption and (C) routing a signal through an area where the at least one excess via was removed.

Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram of a conventional layout 10 for an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is shown. Generation of the conventional layout 10 involves placing and routing numerous standard cells 12a-12n. Power is provided to the standard cells 12a-12n by way of a horizontal series of power rails 14a-14k. Every other power rail 14a-14k alternatively carries a power and a ground. Electrical power is distributed to the rails 14a-14k by a power mesh 16. The power mesh 16 conventionally forms a series of vertical power mesh routes 16a-16d. Every other power mesh route 16a-16d alternatively carries the power and the ground. Via arrays 18a-18x connect the power rails 14a-14k to the appropriate power mesh routes 16a-16d.
An individual via size and a number of vias in the arrays 18a-18x connecting the power rails 14a-14k up to the power mesh routes 16a-16d is conventionally calculated by a tool based on an overall current flow (i.e., electromigration requirements or current density limits). As a result, the via size and the number of vias in the via arrays 18a-18x is the same over the entire circuit layout. The tool does not consider a number or kind of cells 12a-12n in each specific row segment or how much power is really used in the row segment. As shown in FIG. 1, different numbers of standard cells 12a-12n are placed in different row segments between pairs of power mesh routes 16a-16d. However, the via arrays 18a-18x connecting the power mesh routes 16a-16d to the power rails 14a-14k are all the same.
The volume occupied by the vias between the power rails 14a-14k up to the power mesh routes 16a-16d block routing channels in all metal layers that the vias intersect. Routing resources are wasted because regions of low standard cell density use less power than regions of high standard cell density. After automatic routing has been completed, unnecessary vias in the via arrays 18a-18x that were initially inserted to handle a maximum current flow are conventionally removed manually by design engineers. The design engineers can also manually reduce the vias in congested areas, but removing the vias can cause IR-drops and electromigration problems. Checking for IR-drop problems and electromigration problems is usually done later in a conventional design flow.


Aspects of the present disclosure involve a method for determining a road vehicle velocity and slip angle. The current disclosure presents a technique for identifying a vehicle's velocity and slip angle, in the vehicle's coordinate frame. In one embodiment, two or more sensors are orthogonally located on the underside of the vehicle in order to obtain longitudinal and lateral velocity information for slip angle determination. In another embodiment, the two or more sensors can include an array of elements for beam steering and receiver beamforming. Spatial diversity is leveraged in identifying at least a slip angle and/or velocity of the vehicle. Doppler mapping is used as a means for slip angle determination and the clutter ridge of the Doppler map is embraced for identifying the slip angle.

Road vehicles use tires that are compliant air-filled structures that exert force on the road by continually deforming and slipping relative to the road. For road vehicle stability and traction, modern vehicle control systems often use an estimate of how the vehicle moves with respect to the road. Accurately estimating road-relative velocity vectors is of particular importance as velocity can be used for feedback control, position estimation, detection, and intelligent response to tire nonlinearities and sliding. However, because of the compliance of the tires, directional stiffness, the radius of the tire, among other things, can vary as well as various factors such as temperature, pressure, wear, and load from the car and road, can make conventional approaches to velocity estimation challenging.
In response, safety systems have been developed that can determine the road-relative velocity using wheel encoders, inertial sensors, and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), among others. However, the current safety systems are often insufficient and can provide inaccurate road-relative velocity. For example, inertial sensors require the integration of noisy accelerometers which can experience drift, making velocity and slip determinations challenging. GNSS systems such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are often unreliable and subject to jammers, which similarly makes the use of GPS challenging for road relative velocity and other computations.

Apparatus and method to measure slip and velocity


A method for controlling tune-away of a UE from its serving base station during handover, where the UE is configured to tune away from its serving base station at scheduled tune-away times, is disclosed herein. The method includes, between a first scheduled tune-away time and a next, second scheduled tune-away time, (a) determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, and (b) responsive to determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, determining a remaining battery energy level of the UE. The method further includes, based at least in part on the determined remaining battery energy level of the UE, causing the UE to tune away from the serving base station before the second scheduled tune-away time to scan for target coverage.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the information described in this section is not itself prior art to the claims and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A typical wireless communication system may include one or more base stations, each radiating to define one or more coverage areas, such as cells and cell sectors, in which user equipment devices (UEs) such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. Further, each base station of the system may then be coupled or communicatively linked with network infrastructure such as a switch or gateway that provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. With this arrangement, a UE within coverage of the system may thus engage in air interface communication with a base station and thereby communicate via the base station with various remote network entities or with other UEs served by the system.
In general, a wireless communication system may operate in accordance with a particular air interface protocol or radio access technology, with communications from a base station to UEs defining a downlink or forward link and communications from the UEs to the base station defining an uplink or reverse link. Examples of existing air interface protocols include, without limitation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) or Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) (e.g., 1×RTT and 1×EV-DO), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), WI-FI, and BLUETOOTH. Each protocol may define its own procedures for registration of UEs, initiation of communications, handoff between coverage areas, and functions related to air interface communication.
In accordance with the air interface protocol, each of the one or more coverage areas of such a system may operate on one or more carrier frequencies and may define a number of air interface channels for carrying information between the base station and UEs. By way of example, each coverage area may define a pilot channel, reference channel, or other resource on which the base station may broadcast a pilot signal, reference signal, or the like that UEs may detect as an indication of coverage and may measure to evaluate coverage strength. Further, each coverage area may define a downlink control channel for carrying system information, page messages, and other control signaling from the base station to UEs, and an uplink control channel for carrying service requests and other control signaling from UEs to the base station, and each coverage area may define downlink and uplink traffic channels or the like for carrying bearer traffic between the base station and UEs.
When a UE initially enters into coverage of a wireless communication system (e.g., powers on in coverage of the system), the UE may detect a reference signal and read system information broadcast from a base station and may engage in a process to register itself to be served by the base station and generally by the system. For instance, the UE may transmit an attach message on an uplink control channel to the base station, and the base station and/or supporting infrastructure may then responsively authenticate and authorize the UE for service, establish a record indicating where in the system the UE is operating, establish local profile or context records for the UE, and provide an attach accept message to the UE. Thereafter, the UE may then be served by the system in an idle mode or a connected/active mode. In the idle mode, the UE may monitor a downlink control channel to detect page messages and other information regarding incoming communications and may similarly transmit uplink control signaling to initiate communications or for other reasons. In the connected/active mode, the UE may continue to monitor the downlink control channel and may have particular traffic channel resources assigned by the system, which the UE may use to engage in communication of bearer traffic and the like.
When a UE is served in a particular base station coverage area, the UE may also regularly monitor the reference signal strength in its serving coverage area and in neighboring coverage areas of the system, in an effort to ensure that the UE operates in the best (e.g., strongest) coverage area. In order to monitor the reference signal strength in neighboring coverage areas, the UE may need to pause its operation with and tune away from its serving base station. This tuning away may be necessary, for instance, if the serving base station operates on a different carrier frequency than a neighboring base station, as the UE may need to tune away from its serving carrier frequency to communicate on another carrier frequency with the neighboring base station. Further, the tuning away may be necessary if the serving base station operates on a different air interface protocol than the neighboring base station, as the UE may need to switch between radio interfaces in order to communicate on another air interface protocol with the neighboring base station.
To facilitate the UE tuning away from its serving base station to monitor the reference signal strength in neighboring coverage areas, the serving base station may schedule tune-away times. During the scheduled tune-away times, the serving base station may stop transmitting data to the UE, so the UE can tune away from the serving base station to scan for other coverage and/or monitor the reference signal strength in other coverage areas without missing any data from the serving base station. This may be referred to as a normal discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. The tune-away times may be scheduled in response to detecting a period of inactivity in communication between the UE and the serving base station, they may be scheduled when the serving base station has no remaining data to transmit to the UE, or they may be scheduled at regularly recurring times, among other possibilities.
If the UE detects threshold weak coverage from its serving coverage area and sufficiently strong coverage from another coverage area, the UE may then engage in a handover process by which the UE transitions to be served by the other coverage area. In the idle mode, the UE may do this autonomously and might re-register in the new coverage area. Whereas, in the connected/active mode, the UE may report signal strengths to its serving base station when certain thresholds are met, and the base station and/or supporting infrastructure may work to hand the UE over to another coverage area such as a neighboring base station.
In order to hand the UE over to the neighboring base station, the serving base station may require certain identifying information associated with the neighboring base station, such as an enhanced cell global identity (ECGI). If the serving base station does not already have access to the identifying information, then the UE may need to obtain the information from the neighboring base station and report it to the serving base station. In situations where the handover is being carried out while the UE is operating in the connected/active mode, the UE may need to tune away from the serving base station to obtain the identifying information from the neighboring base station.

Controlling tune-away of user equipment devices


A biodegradable aqueous filter cleaning formulation containing effective amounts of a biodegradable carboxylic acid and/or salt thereof, a nonionic biodegradable surfactant based on oxyalkylated linear alcohols, and a water soluble organic solvent.

Recent environmental problems have placed particular emphasis on filter cleaner formulations and their constituents that are biodegradable, safer to handle, and are storage stable. Biodegradability is defined as that property possessed by a material which is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or living organisms, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,285 to Egan et al.
The build-up of residue material on filters used in swimming pools and spas occurs when the pores or spaces in the filter become fouled or clogged, and this can cause undesirable high pressures in the filtration system and ultimately compromises the disinfection of the water. Residue materials which can so clog or foul a filtration system include organic residues, such as plant matter, oils and greases from swimmers, sun tan lotion and other cosmetics, and inorganic material such as calcium and magnesium salts which are found in hard water.
Many filter cleaners available today are based on strong acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid or on phosphates such as trisodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate and tetrapotassium pyrophosphate. In addition many of the prior art cleaning formulations contain ingredients such as non-biodegradable surfactants or detergents which persist in the environment after being used or, like phosphates, may promote undesirable growth of algae.
Illustrative of the prior art cleaner formulations are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,009 to Bauer et al. This describes non-biodegradable acidic cleaner formulations containing a thickener used to treat hard surfaces so that the viscosity of the cleaning formulation will prevent it from running too rapidly off the surface to be cleaned. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,025 to Zwack et al., which discloses a method of cleaning a membrane that has been used in the treatment of cataphoretic paint containing lead with an acid that forms a water-soluble lead salt and a water-soluble organic solvent.

Biodegradable aqueous filter cleaner formulation


Provided is a polycarbonate resin composition having high rigidity, high flowability, high heat resistance, and excellent flame retardancy and molded articles with good appearance using the polycarbonate resin composition. The polycarbonate resin composition comprises 4 to 50 parts by mass of a nonmetallic inorganic filler (B) and 0.01 to 1 part by mass of a phosphate compound (C) relative to 100 parts by mass of a resin mixture (A) which is composed of 60 to 97% by mass of an aromatic polycarbonate resin (a-1) and 40 to 3% by mass of a fatty acid polyester (a-2).

Polycarbonate-polyester alloys are excellent in heat resistance and chemical resistance and particularly often used in automotive parts. In recent years, further thinning of the parts is demanded from a viewpoint of weight reduction, and improvement in the flowability of materials is requested. Further, higher rigidity, higher heat resistance and better flame retardancy of the materials are requested in response to the thinning of the products.
Polycarbonate-polylactic acid alloys, which belong to polycarbonate-polyester alloys not only have the above properties, but also enable to increase the flowability of polycarbonate (optionally abbreviated as PC hereinafter) due to the characteristics of high flowability that belongs to polylactic acid.
Also, when poly lactic acid is alloyed with polycarbonate and then burned, it is considered to release reduced amount of toxic gases because of its chemical structure so that environmentally friendly polycarbonate alloys can be expected.
Conventional PC-polyester alloys are superior in heat resistance and chemical resistance, but poor in flow ability, so that alloying with styrene type resins or addition of plasticizers is generally used in order to increase the flowability of PC resins (for example, refer to Patent document 1), PC-polylactic acid alloys having pearlescence, good flowability and good thermal and mechanical properties have been known, yet further improvement in flowability is required for molded articles with a complex shape like office automation equipment, and the like (for example, refer to Patent document 2). However, such alloys are poor in rigidity and low in flame retardancy, limiting applications of molded articles thereof.
Technologies to blend PC-thermoplastic polyester alloys with glass fibers have been also disclosed (for example, refer to Patent documents 3 and 4), however, they are only for aromatic polyesters, and none of those for fatty acid polyesters is described. Such technologies are good in improving rigidity, but insufficient in flowability and may reduce heat resistance.
While technologies to add inorganic fillers with an aspect ratio of 5 or more to fatty acid polyesters have been disclosed (for example, refer to Patent document 5), rigidity, heat resistance, flame retardancy and impact resistance are low, limiting applications of molded articles.
Further, a polycarbonate resin has self-extinguishing properties, however, in the field of electric and electronic equipment such as office automation equipment, information and communication equipment, home appliances and the like, there is a field in which a higher level of flame retardancy is demanded and the addition of various flame retardants is tried for its improvement.
Halogen type flame retardants such as halogenated bisphenol. A, halogenated polycarbonate oligomers and the like are used as a method to improve the flame retardancy of a polycarbonate resin in a combination with auxiliary flame retardants such as antimony oxide and the like in terms of flame retardant efficiency.
However, in recent years, the market demands a flame resisting method with halogen-free flame retardants from a viewpoint of safety and an effect on the environment in disposal and incineration.
Various methods are proposed, in which organophosphorus type flame retardants, particularly organophosphate ester compounds as halogen-free flame retardants show excellent flame retardancy and also serve as a plasticizer when blended to form a polycarbonate resin composition.
On the other hand, a technology to add both glass fibers and phosphorous type flame retardants to a resin comprising polylactic acid as a major component is also disclosed (for example, refer to Patent document 6), but it is required to add a large volume of such phosphate type flame retardants in order to impart flame retardancy, resulting in insufficient heat resistance, impact strength and water resistance. There is no disclosure on blending of PC with polylactic acid and on the effectiveness of phosphate type tire retardants to increase heat resistance and stability of the PC-polylactic acid alloys.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H7 (1995)-68445    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7 (1995)-109413    Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S54 (1979)-94556    Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6 (1994)-49344    Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-105298    Patent document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-175831

Polycarbonate resin composition and molded body


An electronic photographic device that automatically communicates an authorization signal that enables receivers of the authorization signal to authorize use of a likeness captured in a photographic image. The electronic authorization device includes an image capture mechanism for capturing the photographic image, a controller for initiating photographic authorization by generating an authorization signal at the capture of the photographic image by the image capture mechanism and a transmitter for transmitting the authorization signal generated by the controller towards a physical location at which the photographic image is captured. The authorization signal identifies a website URL at which information relating to the captured photographic image can be accessed to allow a person who has received the authorization signal to access the website and provide or deny an authorization for its use.

The present invention relates to photography broadly and more specifically relates to a system for signalling persons whose likenesses are captured in a photograph with a URL for a website at which the photograph and related information may be accessed.
Portable electronic devices are in use just about everywhere around the world; PDAs and mobile phones (also known as cell phones) are just a few. One specific feature that is now common on most mobile phones is a digital camera, and/or camcorder to record still photographs or streaming video. The Internet provides an infrastructure that supports applications such as e-mail, file transfer (e.g., digital photographic files) and other resources comprising the World Wide Web (Web) (among other things), which encourages users to create or capture digital photographs and streaming video such that it can be transmitted and accessed via the Internet.
As a result, portable or hand-held electronic devices have developed that are employable to capture digital content such as photographic images and store the files locally and/or remotely. Individuals may upload their photographs, movies, music or the like to one or more websites or servers to enable others to download or otherwise access such content. Alternatively, individuals may send digital files via e-mail, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or multimedia messaging service (MMS), among other mechanisms, virtually anywhere.
Search engines are utilized to identify relevant content, i.e., files, by utilizing information or data associated with the content. This information is often referred to as metadata, which is defined as data that describes other data. For example, a digital camera can tag a photograph (i.e., a photographic image file) with metadata that includes the date and time the photograph was taken. Users can manually associate metadata with a file. For example, a digital photograph can be decorated with metadata describing people captured by the image, a location at which the image was captured, a description of a photographed event, etc. Captured data such as photographic images, audio, streaming video, amongst other types, can be tagged utilizing information afforded by individuals nearby at the time of capture.
In addition, known technology allows for sending requests for information regarding individuals and/or associated devices within a distance of a digital camera, e.g., the name of camera owner, etc. The ability to identify and tag image data with an identity of a user whose image is captured in a digital photograph, however, does not support enabling the person captured in a photographic image to gain access to the photograph and/or related information. That is, technologies are heretobefore not available that can notify a person whose likeness is captured in a photographic image to enable the person to readily provide or deny permission (authorization) to use the photograph, or the image-captured likeness.

International Business Machines Corporation


An oxygen scavenging composition composed of a carrier and an ascorbate based agent impregnated inert, porous particulate material distributed throughout the carrier. The composition is contained within the interior cavity of a container to scavenge oxygen therein. The composition may form at least a part of the interior surface of the container or be present therein in the form of a film, mat, sachet or ceramic.

The present invention relates to compositions that can be used to retain product quality and improve shelf life of oxygen sensitive materials, and to intermediate shaped structures, e.g., films, coatings, 3-dimensional solids, fibers, webs and the like which contain said composition, as well as to shaped products into or onto which said composition or structure are incorporated or applied to, be part of or attached to the container structure.
The composition is composed of a carrier material which contains porous particulate having impregnated therein at at least one compound capable of combining with oxygen when in the presence of moisture. Specifically, the composition utilizes high surface area microporous particulates which have been impregnated with an oxygen scavenger composition, as fully described herein below. The particulate containing oxygen scavenging composition of the present invention has unexpectedly been found to provide effective absorption of oxygen from the interior of a container without adversely affecting the color, taste or smell of the packaged material contained therein which is normally associated with oxidation by-products of oxygen scavenging systems.
The subject oxygen scavenging composition has the ability to effectively chemically combine with oxygen in contact therewith, such as from the interior of a container, without undue migration of the oxygen scavenging composition or its oxidation by-product(s) out of the matrix. The inhibition of migration is of particular advantage in that it significantly reduces or eliminates adverse effects on the color, taste, or smell of articles in contact with the matrix composition.
In order to enhance preservation, it is standard practice to package food and other materials within laminated packaging material that generally includes a barrier layer, that is, a layer having a low permeability to oxygen. The sheet material can be thin, in which event it is wrapped around the material being packaged, or it can be sufficiently thick that it forms a shaped container body that is provided with a lid or other separate closure. The polymeric sheet material may constitute some or all of the interior exposed surface area of the container or its closure means.
It is known to include an oxygen scavenger in sheet material. The oxygen scavenger reacts with oxygen that is trapped in the package or that permeates into the package. This is described in, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,409 and 4,702,966 and the prior art discussed in these references. U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,409, for example, describes cylindrical containers formed from such sheet material and provided with metal lids.
When the container is formed of a glass or metal body and is provided with a hermetically sealed metal closure, the permeation of oxygen through the body and the closure is theoretically impossible because of the impermeability of the materials forming the body and closure. As a practical matter, metal cans can reliably prevent oxygen ingress. However, some oxygen ingress may occur by diffusion through the gasket or the like positioned between a container body and its lid. It has long been recognized that when conventional containers of these types are used for the storage of oxygen sensitive materials, the shelf life of the stored materials is very limited. The quality of the packaged material tends to deteriorate over time, in part because dissolved oxygen typically is present in the pack from the time it is filled; and in part due to oxygen ingress which occurs during storage.
When the container is in the form of a can, the can end or other closure in many instances includes push components or pull components which are intended to be, respectively, pushed or pulled in order to allow removal of the fluid or other material in the container without removing the entire closure from the container. These push or pull components are often defined by discontinuities or lines of weakness in the panel of the closure. Problems that can arise at these lines of weakness or discontinuities include the risk of permeation of oxygen into the container and the risk of corrosion of the metal where the normal protective lacquer coating is ruptured at the lines of weakness or at the discontinuities.
It would be very desirable to be able to significantly improve the shelf life while continuing to use conventional materials for the formation of the container body, the container closure and, where applicable, the gasket between the body and closure.
Various types of oxygen scavengers have been proposed for this purpose. For example, it is well known to package iron powder in a sachet for use with dry foods. See Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.'s literature titled "Ageless.RTM.--A New Age in Food Preservation" (date unknown). However, these materials require the addition of water soluble salts to enhance the oxygen scavenging rate and, in the presence of moisture, the salts and iron tend to migrate into liquids, producing off-flavors. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,409 issued to Farrell et al. recommends potassium sulphite as a scavenger, with similar results. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,875 issued to Speer et al. discloses the use of unsaturated hydrocarbons for use as oxygen scavengers in packaging films.
It is known in the art that ascorbate compounds (ascorbic acid, its salts, optical isomers, and derivatives thereof) as well as sulfites, bisulfites, phenolics, etc. can be oxidized by molecular oxygen, and can thus serve as components of an oxygen scavenging formulation, for example, as a component of a closure compound. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,362, issued to Hofeldt et al., discloses the use of ascorbates in container closures as oxygen scavengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,871 issued to Graf relates to the use of an oxygen scavenging composition made of a solution of a reducing agent and dissolved species of copper which are blended into foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Cu.sup.2+ ascorbate is used in the examples. The reference indicates that relatively high level of Cu.sup.2+ (.about.5 ppm) are required in the food for scavenging to be effective but indicates that small amounts of the Cu.sup.2+ can combine with oxygen in food to cause food spoilage. In order to avoid spoilage, one is required to reduce the amount of headspace O.sub.2 or partially flush the container with an inert gas (Col. 5, lines 32-39). A paper by E. Graf, "Copper (II) Ascorbate: A Novel Food Preservation System", Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, Vol. 42, pages 1616-1619 (1994) identifies copper gluconate as a preferred raw material.
It is also well known in the scientific literature (See "Polymer Compositions Containing Oxygen Scavenging Compounds", Teumac, F. N.; et al. WO 91/17044, published Nov. 4, 1991, filed on May 1, 1991) that the oxidation rate of ascorbate compounds can be increased significantly by the use of catalysts. Typical oxidation catalysts for ascorbic acid and its derivatives are water soluble transition metal salts. When such catalysts are combined with an ascorbate compound in a polymeric matrix, e.g., a PVC closure formulation, they are effective in catalyzing the oxidation of the ascorbate compound, and increase the oxygen scavenging rate of the ascorbate.
In each of the above references, the active agents of the oxygen scavenging systems utilized readily transfer into the food or other packaged product or materials which produce oxidation by-products which are known to adversely affect a wide range of packaged material.
It is highly desired to provide an effective oxygen scavenging system suitable for packaging applications which has good oxygen absorption capabilities and capacity and which does not itself or by its by-products, provide material which adversely effects the color, taste or smell of the packaged material.
It is further desired to provide an effective oxygen scavenging system which has the active scavenger agent contained within a carrier and the agent still provides effective scavenging capacity.
It is further desired to provide an effective oxygen scavenging system which is thermally stable and, thereby, capable of allowing the packaged system to undergo pasteurization or sterilization.


Load test apparatus for shipping containers comprising a horizontal beam (200), the beam having pivotal plate assemblies (210) attached to lifting eyes (330) or other feature of a container by cables (130) or similar means, extending from the pivotal plates to the lifting eyes. The pivotal plates rotate about a horizontal pin (430) permitting the pivotal plates to become axially aligned with the cables. The Horizontal beam is forced vertically upward by a plurality of force generating means such as hydraulic cylinders (120). The force of the force generating means is applied through a point common to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal beam and the axis of the horizontal pin, thereby eliminating moment loads within components of the assembly. The opposite vertically downward reaction force is applied to the bottom of the container and simulates the force applied by the weight of the typical contents of the container when it is in use.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the load testing of structures that are lifted or suspended by one or more cables or chains, collectively referred to as "Shipping containers". The test apparatus applies a load to the lifting points of the containers, known as pad eyes, and simulates the application of loads present in the container when it is lifted or suspended.
2. Background
Shipping containers are designed, manufactured and tested in compliance with one or more specifications published by governmental and private organizations. These specifications require that the container be load tested to a multiple of the rated load of the container. The most popular method used to apply the test load is to fill the container with heavy objects such as concrete, steel, water, etc. This method is time consuming, expensive, and of questionable accuracy.
A second method is to use a hydraulic ram to apply a load to a cable attached to one or more pad eyes, where the reaction of this load is applied to the container near the pad eye being tested. This method applies the load only to the pad eye and not to the entire structure of the container. Therefore, this method does not simulate the actual loads applied the contents of the container when it is in use.
A third method is to use a single telescopic mast to apply a load to cables attached to two or more of the pad eyes. The reaction of this load is applied to the bottom of the structure, more closely simulating the loads applied by the contents of the container when it is in use. This method works well for smaller containers whose length and width are nearly equal, i.e., the container is nearly square. However, it is common for containers to have a large aspect ratio, where the length is several times the width, i.e., the containers are long and narrow.
Containers of large aspect ratios present at least two significant problems to the single telescopic mast method of application of the test load. First, the apparatus must be tall enough to allow the cables to form an angle of not less than 45 degrees with the horizontal. Such a test apparatus must be heavy enough not to fail by buckling when the test loads are applied and, because of the height and weight requirements, the apparatus presents a safety hazard to personnel setting up and operating the apparatus. The second problem with the single telescopic mast method is that the load is applied to a relatively small area at the center of the container unless large, heavy beams are used to distribute the load along the base of the container.
Considerations
A safe and efficient test apparatus for shipping containers should be compact, and easily set-up for testing. It should have a low weight-to-strength ratio, that is, it should be as light-weight as possible while being strong enough to apply and withstand the required loads. Members subject to compressive loads should be as short as possible to increase the resistance of the member to failure or excessive deformation due to buckling. It should reliably apply the test load to the lifting eyes and to the bottom of the container in such a manner so as to accurately simulate the magnitude and direction of an actual load typical to said container. The test load should be evenly distributed among the lifting eyes of the container. The design should provide a means to accurately measure the applied load and minimize the factors that contribute to measurement errors. Such factors include improper set-up resulting in improper alignment of components, improper angle between the cables and a horizontal plane, application of extraneous loads and moments to the load measuring members, and improper distribution of the reaction load to the structure of the container.
Objects and Advantages
Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) to provide a test apparatus that maximizes safety to personnel while setting up and operating the apparatus, specifically by attaining a low weight-to-strength ratio while maximizing the factor of safety of the apparatus against failure;
(b) to provide a test apparatus that reduces the weight-to-strength ratio by eliminating the application of moment loads to members of the test apparatus;
(c) to provide a test apparatus that resists failure and excessive deformation due to buckling, specifically by providing a plurality of load application members such as hydraulic cylinders;
(d) to provide a test apparatus that applies the test load to the container in a manner so as to accurately simulate the typical loading conditions applied to the container during use, specifically by applying and distributing said test loads so as to induce stresses within various members of the container; and,
(e) to provide a test apparatus that accurately measures the applied test load, specifically by reducing extraneous components of the applied and reaction loads and by minimizing deformation of members of the test apparatus.


The present tooth cleaning device generally comprises a controllable fluid distributer coupled with the sink/bath faucet and by first connecting element with the first end of the flexible tube, the second end of which is coupled with the projection of the handle portion of the brush portion, which also includes the head portion comprising the bristle portion, fluid channel, and at least one aperture in the bristle portion of the brush head portion.

It is also known, that major incidences of tooth decay and of periodontal disease occur in interproximal areas such as crevices between adjacent teeth and the pits and fissures of the occlusal surfaces. Cleaning these areas with traditional hand brushing methods generally is unsatisfactory, with ineffective removal of residue and of dental plaque, and resulting in increased susceptibility to tooth decay and periodontal disease. The dental hygiene devices, such as tooth brushes provide gingival stimulation and enhance the peripheral capillary dental circulation, and also conventional hand brushing dental hygiene practices are fairly efficient for cleaning smooth facial and lingual surfaces of the teeth because the bristle tips of a conventional toothbrush can readily access these broad surfaces. The known techniques propose to solve these problems are powered brushes, in which the entire brush head is moved while water or another fluid is emitted from the brush head.
Other prior art techniques are powered brushes in which the brush head has rotating tufts and/or longitudinal (reciprocating) movements of bristles, and liquid jet devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,723 describes a tooth cleaning apparatus having powered brush and spray and includes a housing that provides a manually deployable handle for the device and that houses a motor that drives both a brush agitating drive mechanism, and a liquid dispensing pump mechanism. The housing has a tool mount that interchangably mounts in operable relation with the drive mechanism and with the pump mechanism any one of a dental brush tool and a dental spray tool. The brush tool and the drive mechanism preferably are arranged to agitatingly drive two sets of brush elements and oppositely, preferably with back and forth rotation of individual brush tufts. The motor is powered either by batteries mounted within the housing or from an external power source, has an output shaft a centered on the axis and mechanically coupled to rotate a beveled gear about the axis. The beveled gear is drivingly engaged with a pair of cranking bevel gears and coupled with the output shaft of the motor. The cranking gears are rotatable about a common axis, perpendicular to the axis, by way of shaft screws that mount each gear to a support frame that in turn is seated within the housing. The cranking gears are spaced apart along the axis. A crank rod is pinned to the periphery of the cranking gear and a similar crank rod is pinned to the cranking gear. Each crank rod extends generally along the direction of axis and is rotatably fastened at its end remote from its respective cranking gear to one reciprocating rod respectively. The reciprocating rods extend side-by-side along the direction of axis and are axially slidable relative to the housing.
Such device is very complex and requires a liquid dispensing pump mechanism.
The device by U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,460, provides a multibrush tooth cleaning apparatus with a spray providing a possibility to clean the teeth with the simultaneous flushing away the plaque debris and includes a fluid inlet tubular means coupled with the sink/bath faucet and with a main controllable valve installed on a stand comprising the major manifold. The stand comprises a fluid line, at least one of a plurality of fluid channels, an appropriate at least one of the same plurality of outlet pipes coupled with an appropriate at least one of the same plurality of the auxiliary controllable valves coupled by the flexible tubes with an appropriate at least one of the same plurality of the mouthpieces (tooth brushes). The outlet pipes are appropriately extended of the fluid line, and each of the outlet pipes is rigidly connected to the appropriate auxiliary controllable valve, comprising a lever intended to close or open the auxiliary controllable valve for fluid flow. Specifically, the multibrush tooth cleaning apparatus provides a family dental hygiene, wherein in the initial state (for example, all tooth brushes are inserted in the appropriate holders and the main controllable valve is closed). At this state, all levers of all auxiliary valves are "down" in the vertical positions, which correspond to their closed position. In this position the eccentric of the lever extends rod of the auxiliary controllable valve, thereby closing valve for fluid flow (the eccentric is coupled with the rod by the appropriate pin). At the time when the user pulls his/her personal tooth brush (for instance, the i-th tooth brush) from the appropriate i-th holder, the i-th lever's spring (not shown) actuates the i-th lever moving it in the its horizontal position, thereby opening the auxiliary controllable valve for fluid flow. Then the user open the faucet's valve, and when the user is ready to spray/jet the fluid to the teeth, he/she open the main controllable valve providing the fluid flow into fluid line. The fluid flows from the opened main controllable valve along the fluid line, through the i-th outlet pipe, opened i-th auxiliary controllable valve, i-th tubular means, fluid passage into handle portion of the i-th tooth brush to the apertures located into bristle area of the bristle portion, and through the apertures of the bristle portion of the i-th tooth brush to the teeth, thereby spraying (sprinkling) the teeth by fluid. When the dental hygiene procedure is completed, the user turns-off (closes) the main controllable valve, closing the fluid line for the fluid flow, and installs the i-th tooth brush in the i-th holder, thereby closing the i-th auxiliary controllable valve.
Such apparatus is complex, requires space and complex installation near sink, and is not efficient for the single person use.
In some other known dental cleaning devices, the dental jet device whose grip member comprises a control means in the form of an adjustment wheel. The adjustment wheel is connected to a rotatable valve body of a valve provided as fluid-flow control means. An amount of fluid which flows through the fluid channel in a given time interval, which fluid is supplied to the mouthpiece of the dental jet device and is adequate for a normal cleaning operation, is adjustable by turning the valve body by means of the adjustment wheel in order to supply this amount of fluid. The amount of fluid is below a maximum possible flow and is selected by the user, is supplied to the mouthpiece of the dental jet device. In order to increase the fluid supply to the mouthpiece after the fluid flow has been adjusted by means of the adjustment wheel, for example in order to remove very persistent residual food particles, the adjustment wheel on the grip member of the known dental jet device should be rotated from a previously selected setting for a desired fluid flow to a setting for an increased fluid flow. As a result the previously selected setting of the adjustment wheel for the previously desired fluid flow adequate for a normal cleaning operation is lost. Moreover, in the known dental-jet device the fluid flow supplied to a mouthpiece cannot be increased beyond the maximum fluid flow dictated by the dimensioning of the fluid channel and the fluid-flow control means. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,784 a dental cleaning device is provided with a mouthpiece and with a grip member having a fluid channel and having a fluid-flow control device located on the brush body, which is adjustable an actuating member, which is movable between different actuating positions to change the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece through the fluid channel, the grip member is provided with activatable parts for temporarily increasing the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece while the instantaneous actuating position of the actuating member for the fluid-flow control device. The grip member comprises a slide knob which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member indicated by the arrow and in a direction opposite thereto, between an "off"-position and an "on"-position. When the slide knob is in the "on"-position the water supply from the tube to the mouthpiece via the grip member is interrupted and when the slide knob is in its "on"-position water supply from the tube to the mouthpiece via the grip member is possible. A push-button included in the slide knob has a part which points away from the grip member and traverses the slide knob. The grip member of the dental jet device has an elongate sleeve-shaped plastic housing comprising a first housing section, situated nearest a mouthpiece, and a second housing section, whose end adjoins the end of the first housing section at the location of the flexible adjustment ring. At its free end the first housing section has an opening through which the interior of an inner tubular housing portion is accessible. A mouthpiece is inserted into the tubular housing portion through the opening to couple this mouthpiece to the grip member in a fluid-transmitting manner. At its free end the second housing section has a bottom. The tubular portion of the first housing section is adjoined by a plastic tubular coupling member located in the first housing section and having a comparatively thick-walled portion into which the end of a mouthpiece can be introduced. At the location of the comparatively thick-walled portion a wire spring is arranged having a circular shape over an angle of substantially 270 degree and having straight end portions which extend substantially parallel to one another and towards the interior of the circular spring. The two spring ends hold a mouthpiece onto the grip member in that the spring ends engage a groove in the mouthpiece. The end of a mouthpiece held by means of the spring then lies against a sealing ring fitted in the comparatively thick-walled portion of the coupling member.
This device is complex too and expensive.
The tooth brush by U.S. Pat. No. 8,141,563 describes the tooth brush combination. The simple design includes a movable flossing head and tong cleaning section. The device provides the locking the flossing head in to place when in use or change the position of the flossing head when needed.
Such device is not complex and not expensive, but is not efficient because it does not provide the liquid jet stream which additionally and effectively cleans the teeth and flushes away the plaque debris.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for the improved tooth cleaning device with a spray (fluid stream, jet), providing convenient, economical and effective cleaning of the teeth with the flushing away the plaque debris.


An LED driving circuit that is directly activated by an AC power supply is disclosed. A driving circuit has a first and second pair of opposite branches. The first pair of opposite branches operates in a positive half cycle of the AC power supply and the second pair of branches operates in a negative half cycle of the AC power supply, so the lighting time for each LED is less than a half cycle time, in other words, the time for heat dissipation is prolonged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LED (light emitting diode) driving circuit, and particularly relates to an LED driving circuit that is capable of activating the LEDs directly by an AC power supply, and the LEDs are arranged in a bridge circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
The LED is developed with advantages of low cost, low power dissipation, and high brightness, which are better than in other illumination devices.
The LED is driven by a DC voltage, so a voltage converter is required to transform an AC voltage to the DC voltage. A common LED driving circuit in prior art has a power supply, a bridge rectifier, a voltage detector and a current direction control circuit, wherein the bridge rectifier is connected to the power supply (AC power supply). The current direction control circuit consists of at least one current control unit, which is further coupled to the LEDs' cathode. The AC voltage is transformed into the DC voltage in the bridge rectifier, and the voltage detector will activate corresponding current direction control circuit based on the detected DC voltage level, to light an appropriate amount of LEDs, meanwhile, a filter capacitor is omitted.
Another example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,450 includes two rectifiers and two voltage compensation circuits.
The above examples both have a comparatively complex driving circuit; in addition, the heat dissipation is a problem in the complex circuit, which will further shorten the service life of the LEDs.
Therefore, the invention provides an LED driving circuit to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


The present invention provides a grease composition capable of securely preventing generation of a low-temperature abnormal noise when it is cold and a grease-enclosed bearing. A grease composition comprises a base oil and a thickener, wherein the base oil has a pour point not more than −50° C. and a kinematic viscosity not less than 15 mm2/s at 40° C. The base oil is at least one oil selected from a PAO oil and a perfluoro ether oil. The thickener is at least one substance selected from a urea compound and a fluororesin. A mixing consistency of the grease composition is in the range of 250 to 350. A grease-enclosed bearing has an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling elements interposed between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a grease composition enclosed on a periphery of the rolling elements. The grease-enclosed bearing is used for an automotive electric auxiliary machine.

A grease composition is enclosed in a bearing incorporated in various industrial machines and vehicles to impart lubricity to the bearing. The grease composition is prepared by kneading a base oil and a thickener. As the base oil, synthetic oils such as a mineral oil, an ester oil, a silicone oil, an ether oil, a fluorine oil, and the like are generally used. As the thickener, metal soap such as lithium soap, urea compounds, fluororesin are generally used.
In recent years, a rolling bearing tends to be used at a high rotational speed. Thus the grease composition is demanded to have durability at a high temperature. When the metal soap is used as the thickener, oxidation of the base oil is accelerated at the high temperature and thus lubricating action deteriorates. Regarding the base oil, the grease composition containing the mineral oil as the base oil thereof is oxidized more readily than the grease composition containing the synthetic oil as the base oil thereof and thus has a short lubricating life at the high temperature. Thus in recent years, the grease composition containing the synthetic oil as the base oil thereof and the urea compound or the fluororesin as the thickener thereof is mainly used for the rolling bearing which is used at the high temperature and speed.
As various industrial mechanical members become compact and have high performance, use conditions tend to be strict. Consequently the grease composition is demanded to have a higher lubricating performance and a longer lubricating life. In compliance with the demand for the longer lubricating life, the addition of an antioxidant and an antiseptic agent to the grease composition containing a synthetic oil having a high viscosity as its base oil and an urea compound as its thickener is investigated. This grease composition is liable to generate the low-temperature abnormal noise when it is cold.
When a pulley and the like to be driven by an engine of a car is operated when it is cold, there is a case in which an abnormal noise (hoot noise) is generated when it is cold, namely, a low-temperature abnormal noise is generated. Although the reason of the generation of the low-temperature abnormal noise has not been clarified, it is supposed that the low-temperature abnormal noise is generated owing to a self-excited vibration of a rolling element caused by nonuniformity of an oily film of grease. That is, when it is cold, the oily film of the raceway surface is liable to be nonuniform owing to a rise of the viscosity of the base oil of the grease. The oily film causes the coefficient of friction between the rolling element and the raceway surface to make a slight periodical change. Thereby the rolling element generates the self-excited vibration. Owing to the self-excited vibration of the rolling element, the pulley and the like resonate with the bearing. As a result, the outer ring vibrates (translational motion) axially to generate a low-temperature abnormal noise.
As the grease excellent in the durability at the high temperature and preventing the generation of the low-temperature abnormal noise, grease containing mixed oil of synthetic hydrocarbon oil and ester synthetic oil in which not less than eight ester groups are disposed like the teeth of a comb at one side of not less than eight carbon atoms constituting chain-shaped molecules of oil; an urea compound mixed with the base oil as a thickener; and dithiophosphate added to the base oil thereof as an extreme-pressure agent is known (see patent document 1).
A bearing for use in a pulley of a car in which a grease composition containing a base oil composed of a mixed oil of poly-α-olefin (hereinafter abbreviated as PAO) oil and an ester oil; an alicyclic diurea compound mixed with the base oil as a thickener; and zinc dithiocarbamate as an additive added to the base oil is known. In the bearing, a contact angle is formed by bringing each of a plurality of balls interposed between an inner ring and an outer ring both constituting the bearing into contact with the inner ring or with at least the outer ring at two points (see patent document 2).
These attempts are aimed at the stability of the oily film when it is cold to prevent the generation of the low-temperature abnormal noise and at a long life of the grease composition at the high temperature. But these attempts are incapable of obtaining a sufficient effect in preventing the generation of the low-temperature abnormal noise.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-208982
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-270566

Grease composition and grease-enclosed bearing