Method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting hand washing at a sanitizing station employs a sensor for signaling the dispensing of a sanitizer from a dispenser and a sensor module detecting the direction of passage of an individual into and out of a portal, such as the entrance to a sanitary area. The apparatus operates in a normal mode and a bypass mode. In the normal mode, the apparatus responds to the sensor indicating that an individual has not dispensed sufficient sanitizer to mitigate the spread of germs from care giver/health care worker to patient, and sounds an alarm when the individual passes through the portal in a particular direction, for example into or out of the sanitary area. Separate signals can be generated and recorded for each direction of passage through the portal. In the bypass mode, the alarm is not sounded and allows passage into and out of the sanitary area when a sanitary condition is not needed.

Discovery of penicillin during the middle of the twentieth century, and the development and widespread use of other antibiotics in the decades since, have been of tremendous benefit in curtailing the spread of infectious disease. Doubtless, antibiotics save lives and help avoid innumerable debilitating incidents of infection. However, as with many scientific advances, there are also limits. Reliance on antibiotics corresponds to an unfortunate de-emphasis of other simple and highly effective means of controlling bacteria, such as frequent sanitizing. Furthermore, the prevalent use, and perhaps over prescription, of antibiotics has lead to a natural selection process that favors those bacteria least affected by the antibiotics. Strains of bacteria are appearing that are highly resistant to many common antibiotics.
Concern with avoiding the spread of infectious disease is particularly high in those industries that deal with the public, such as the healthcare and food service industries. A single person, as a result of one incident of carelessness, such as not washing after using the bathroom, can transmit infectious bacteria to any number of patrons. The results can be disastrous, not only to those infected, but also to the employer's business and reputation. Because the public interest is clearly at issue, the Food and Drug Administration has promulgated regulations that address washing by hospital, foodservice and other personnel. FDA regulations identify hand washing as a "critical item", such that violations of the rules governing hand washing "are more likely than other violations to lead to food contamination, illness, or environmental degradation". The FDA regulations further specify that personnel must wash twice after using the bathroom, using a specified wash procedure. The regulations also require that "a person in charge routinely monitor person hand washing to ensure that persons are effectively washing their hands".
Of course, compliance with hygiene standards must be complete to minimize the chance of the transmission of infection. The failure of one worker to properly sanitize his or her hands can negate the efforts of all other workers who have been careful to properly sanitize their hands before touching patients or handling food. Ensuring complete compliance requires constant diligence on the part of supervisors, who typically have other pressing duties that can distract them from always effectively monitoring the hygiene of persons. Accordingly, there are known in the art systems for automating oversight and record keeping of person hand washing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,666 is directed to ensuring proper person hand washing. Persons are monitored, and carry a receiver and transmitter, preferably in the form of a badge. A multitude of transmitters, receivers and transducers, as well as proximity detectors, switches, valves and a computer, ensure that various activities relating to hand washing, such as dispensing water or soap or activating a blower, do actually occur. An alert signal is generated if the apparatus determines that an individual fails to properly wash, activating a light on the person's badge, reporting to a central computer or otherwise providing a warning.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,144 relates to a warning system using a door-activated switch. The switch detects entry to a wash facility, and an alarm warns the person entering to wash their hands prior to leaving or entering. When used in a bathroom, the warning system can be activated by the flushing of toilet, and can lock the door to ensure that the person properly washes their hands before leaving.
As another example, the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,945 uses two moisture-proof switches for sensing the immersion of both hands of the person in an antiseptic solution. Proximity detectors are installed to sense when a person approaches and moves away from a special wash station adjacent a food handling area. The system activates an alarm if a logic unit determines that a person has approached the washbasin and entered the food handling area without immersing both hands in the antiseptic solution.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,683,012, and 5,927,548, describe a novel, body-worn dispenser for alcohol-glycerin disinfectant gel that doctors and nurses can use to disinfect their hands before and after patient contacts. These patents do not disclose any means to monitor, track or record the usage dose applications of the disinfecting gel dispenser nor do they disclose any means for its piston pump which can be variably actuated depending on the amount of pressure applied by the user's hand, to dispense exact dose applications of the disinfecting gel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,194 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,986, both describe personal, portable, and refillable fluid dispensers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,194 describes an attachment means for a dispenser device to be worn on the body of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,986 describes a piston action pump to deliver an amount of fluid. Neither of these patents disclose any method or apparatus to provide uniform unit dose applications of the fluid dispensed or methods to monitor, track, record and report usage information of a fluid dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,910 describes a method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting hand washing, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,945 describes a self-monitoring, hand-sanitizing station. U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,666 describes a method and apparatus for enhancing hygiene. The preceding three (3) patents refer in general to a non-portable wash station that many people access to wash their hands. Each patent describes separate novel methods and apparatus to monitor, record and report various hand washing activity that occurs at a given wash station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,247 describes a fluid reservoir that is replaceable from a rigidly mounted dispenser utilized by many users. U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,372 further describes a dispenser for multiple user access with a disposable fluid reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,462 discloses a unique method and apparatus to accurately introduce measured amounts of liquid into receptacles. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,561 describes a similar method and apparatus for filling vials in an automated system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,372,267 discloses a method of measuring hand hygiene compliance the includes the steps of maintaining a computer database and determining whether any person entered a first area independent of whether the any person includes a sensor.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/042,699 discloses a method of tracking sanitization and an alarm system that automatically monitors hand sanitizing.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/684,034 discloses a method of tracking sanitization and an alarm system that is in communication with a dispenser for sanitizing agent and automatically monitors if the individual has dispensed sanitizing agent prior to entering or leaving a monitored area.
Although there are a considerable number of patents issued for dispensing apparatus and methods, there does not appear to be any prior art which directly relates to the monitoring of the amount of sanitizer dispensed and associates the dispensing with the crossing of the monitored portal. Also the ability for a monitor to determine if the person is entering or leaving a room is important due to the sanitizing requirements are different for someone entering a room versus someone leaving a room. The monitor is also configured so that a minimal amount of fluid must be dispensed from an associated dispenser to confirm the dispensing.

Apparatus and method for monitoring hygiene


A prosthetic adapter including a lower connector, an upper connector rotatably coupled to the lower connector, and a locking mechanism for preventing the upper connector from rotating relative to the lower connector. The locking mechanism is arranged to generally automatically retain a locked position when the lower connector is rotated to an original, predetermined alignment. An activation member is connected to and arranged for operating the locking mechanism.

Prosthetic devices provide amputees means for having a normal quality of life. Prosthetic devices are especially beneficial for transfemoral amputees, in which their amputation extends above the knee. For these individuals, a conventional above-the-knee prosthetic device may include a lower portion, such as an artificial lower leg and foot, and an upper portion, such as a rigid socket used for securing to the amputee's residual limb. A knee joint may be used to connect the lower and upper portions, and provide mobility to an amputated leg.
An artificial knee joint is typically connected between the upper and lower portions of the above-the-knee prosthesis to swing the lower portion relative to the upper portion to facilitate walking. Conventional artificial knee joints provide the same functionality as a normal knee and may include a hydraulic system with a pneumatic or spring cylinder. These systems generate a resistance or drag force to perform the swing motion of the lower leg during walking. Some artificial knees also require an additional attachment means to connect the knee joint to either the upper and/or lower prosthesis portion.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a customary adapter for connecting an upper portion of a transfemoral prosthesis to a lower portion. Such adapters are limited because they can only provide flexion and extension to a transfemoral prosthesis, and permit no twisting motion. The ability to achieve full use of a prosthetic limb is an important factor in both the physical and mental rehabilitation of an amputee. Allowing an amputee to operate their prosthetic device as if it was a normal limb is important during both walking and sitting.
Classic single-axis prosthetic knees only allow slight swinging of the lower portion of the leg prosthesis to mimic the wearer's natural gait. However, a true recreation of the gait cycle requires more than just bending at the knee. It would also require proper flexion and coordination between the ankle and hip as well. Attempts to more closely recreate a true gait motion by altering prosthetic knees to include additional axes from which to rotate about during ambulation have resulted in dangerous conditions. Allowing the lower portion of an above-the-knee prosthesis to rotate about its longitudinal axis while walking creates the risk of twisting an attached prosthetic foot out of proper stepping alignment. This leads to an unstable and unsafe walking motion.
When an amputee walking on an uneven surface tries to stop, the amputee will fall down if the artificial knee joint cannot resist rotation. It is important to maintain both dynamic and static alignment of the lower and upper portions of the above-the-knee prosthetic device in order to properly stabilize rotation of the lower portion from the upper portion when walking or standing still.
There are other times apart from ambulation when an amputee may want to rotate the lower portion of the transfemoral prosthesis about its longitudinal axis. The ability to twist the lower portion could allow the wearer to sit cross-legged on the ground, such as in a lotus position. Conventional knee joints in above-the-knee prostheses do not permit this type of rotation since their main purpose resists such twisting to ensure a steady and predictable bending motion during walking.
It can be seen from the foregoing there are many substantial needs for improving on the drawbacks of conventional prosthetic knee adapters. The present disclosure addresses these aforementioned shortcomings.


A fastening device for pedals in motor vehicles has a supporting bolt (8) which is accommodated at each of its free ends in a mounting point (5, 5A) of a pedal block (2). The bolt (8) has, between the mounting points (5, 5A), a mounting point for the pedal. The pedal mounting point is arranged in a hole (7) of the pedal body (2). The supporting bolt (8) comprises two bolt halves (9, 10), which are locked with one another in the assembled state by an elastic snap holder (11). The bolt halves (9, 10) are fixed by at least one stop (13) with respect to their position to the pedal.

Various embodiments of fastening devices of the type described are used in both passenger cars and trucks. The supporting bolts used to mount the pedals usually consist of metal and have various designs in terms of their embodiment and position relative to the pedal block accommodating the pedals and the supporting bolt.
For example, the metal bolts used may be pressed on one side into the pedal block and may be provided with a knurling on the opposite mounting side accommodated in the pedal block. The pressing and knurling of the metal bolt guarantee that it will not change its position under any operating conditions and especially also in case of an accident. Furthermore, metal bolts provided with a securing element, e.g., a retaining ring, instead of a knurling, and in which fixation of the position is thus brought about, have been known from the prior art. Furthermore, embodiments designed as threaded bolts with a stop on one side, which are fixed by means of a nut, are also known as supporting bolts.
It is common to all exemplary embodiments described that they are designed such that they remain in their position in case of an accident, and the pedal mounted by means of the supporting bolt is possibly removed from the area of the foot of the vehicle's driver due to rotation around this supporting bolt.
Moreover, there are fastening devices known under the name pedal release system in the prior art, in which the walls of the pedal block are enlarged in their original distance from each other in case of an accident, so that the supporting bolt mounted on both sides in the walls and the pedal fastened thereto are released in order to reduce the risk of accident in the area of the driver's foot. The knurlings or securing elements mentioned are, of course, to be designed in such fastening systems such that they will not offer any substantial resistance in case of an accident to the forces now occurring to widen the pedal block. The drawback of all existing systems is that a plurality of manufacturing steps are necessary for fixing the supporting bolt for mounting the pedal on the pedal block.

Mounting device for pedals in motor vehicles


A cover for an inflatable airbag that is configured to restrain a vehicle occupant in a motor vehicle. The airbag cover is arranged to cover the airbag on a side facing a vehicle interior. The airbag has an opening region configured to form an orifice during deployment of the airbag so that the airbag is deployed through the orifice of the airbag cover and into the vehicle interior. The airbag cover includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a more dimensionally stable material than the second portion. The second portion includes the opening region, which is configured to tear open and form the orifice for the airbag during deployment. The first portion includes the orifice, which is delimited by a sidewall and is covered by the opening region of the second portion. The sidewall is configured to guide the deploying airbag to the opening region.

The disclosure relates to an airbag cover for covering an inflatable airbag for the restraint of a vehicle occupant in a motor vehicle.
Airbag covers in the form of airbag caps for covering a vehicle airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system are known, for example, for driver airbags. Conventional airbag caps of this type are mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle such that an airbag arranged in a steering wheel is covered toward the vehicle interior side. The airbag cap has a region that opens (e.g., tears open) due to the pressure of the deploying airbag so that the inflated airbag can extend through the orifice of the airbag cap and deployed into the vehicle interior if triggered.
Airbag caps must tear open or swing open reliably and quickly when triggered and must be dimensionally stable to ensure a permanent connection with the steering wheel or with other vehicle parts. For this purpose, fastening structures are conventionally formed on the airbag cap, for example to allow a latching or riveting of the airbag cap, and to make it possible to fasten attachments, for example switches or other operating elements. Particularly for screwing attachments, threaded inserts or additional insert parts are conventionally provided in the airbag cap to ensure a reliable connection of the attachments to the airbag cap.


A cellular communication system and method providing improved handoff capability which reduces muting during handoffs. During handoffs, the system simultaneously monitors received signals from both the serving cellsite on a first channel and the target cellsite on a second channel and outputs the received signal containing an information signal. Additionally, the system simultaneously transmits an information signal to a mobile unit via the serving cellsite on a first channel and via the target cellsite on a second channel.

The present invention relates to cellular communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cellular communication system providing improved handoffs between cellsites.
Conventional cellular telephone systems provide radio communications over a service area using an allocated frequency band divided into radio channels. The service area is divided geographically into cells. Each cell contains an associated cellsite providing radio communications for the cell. The cellsites include, inter alia, a radio transmitter and a radio receiver for establishing radio communications with a mobile telephone. Each cellsite is coupled to a system controller, such as a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), either directly or through a base station (cellsite) controller.
In conventional cellular telephone systems, handoffs allow a call to continue as a mobile telephone crosses the boundary between two cells. FIG. 1 illustrates the sequence of a conventional handoff. For purposes of simplicity, it is assumed that the cellsites are connected directly to the MTSO. It is understood, however, that an analogous handoff sequence would apply in systems employing base station controllers.
Referring to FIG. 1, a handoff from one cellsite to another is initiated when the cellsite handling the call (the serving cellsite) determines that the received signal strength from the mobile telephone falls below a predetermined threshold value. (Step 105). A low signal strength indication implies that the mobile telephone is near the cell's border. When the signal level falls below the predetermined threshold value, the serving cellsite sends a handoff request to the MTSO. (Step 110).
In response, the MTSO sends "locate measurement requests" (Step 115) to the serving cellsite and its neighboring cellsites to determine which cellsite receives the mobile telephone's signal with the best signal strength. In response, the neighboring cellsites employ scanning receivers to determine the signal strength from the mobile telephone on the specified channel. The neighboring cellsites, as well as the serving cellsite, send "locate measurement responses" to the MTSO. (Step 120). If one of the neighboring cellsites reports a better signal level to the MTSO, a handoff to that cellsite (the target cellsite) will be attempted.
To attempt a handoff, the MTSO sends a new channel setup request to the target cellsite. (Step 125). In response, the target cellsite acknowledges the new channel set up request indicating that the new channel is ready to receive the mobile telephone. (Step 130). The MTSO then initiates handoff by sending a handoff order to the serving cellsite. (Step 135). The serving cellsite, in response, sends a handoff order to the mobile telephone commanding it to switch from the current channel to the new channel. (Step 140). The mobile telephone then sends a handoff order acknowledgment to the serving cellsite. (Step 145). The serving cellsite sends an acknowledgment to the MTSO (Step 150) and, upon receiving the acknowledgment, the MTSO switches the call from the serving cellsite to the target cellsite and releases the old channel (Step 152).
Meanwhile, after the mobile telephone sends the handoff order acknowledgment (Step 145), it switches to the second channel. Upon arriving, the mobile telephone sends a "mobile on channel" signal to the target cellsite (Step 155), which in turn, sends a "mobile on channel" signal to the MTSO (Step 160). If the MTSO did not previously receive the handoff order acknowledgment (e.g., because of fading or distortion), the MTSO switches the call from the serving cellsite to the target cellsite and releases the old channel (Step 152) upon receiving the "mobile on channel" signal.
During portions of the handoff sequence described in FIG. 1, system users experience periods of muting while their call is handed off from the serving cellsite to the target cellsite. As system operators reconfigure their systems to meet increasing demand by shrinking cells, instituting sectorization, and deploying microcells, the frequency of handoffs and resultant muting increases, especially in densely populated areas. Communications can significantly denigrate depending on the duration of the muting. For example, in communications involving data transfer, interruptions caused by muting can affect reliability, forcing some mobile users to employ special modem equipment to ensure data integrity. Moreover, even in ordinary conversations, gaps of over 250 milliseconds are generally noticeable to most subscribers.
In a conventional handoff, a mobile telephone's speech is muted from the time the mobile telephone receives a handoff order (Step 140) until the mobile telephone finishes transmitting a "mobile on channel" signal (Step 155). The duration of this muting ranges from about 100 milliseconds in Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems up to about 250 milliseconds in Advanced Mobile Telephone (AMPS) systems. Because this period is determined by characteristics of the mobile telephone itself (e.g., the radio interface standard employed and speed of the frequency synthesizer), little can be done to shorten this period without using special mobile equipment.
On the switch side, speech is muted from the time the mobile telephone receives a handoff order (Step 140) until the mobile telephone finishes transmitting a "mobile on channel" signal (Step 155) or the network path is switched in response to a handoff order acknowledgment (Step 150), whichever is later. If the MTSO receives no handoff acknowledgment (e.g., because of fading or distortion), speech is muted until the network path is switched in response to the "mobile on channel" signal or an indication from the old channel that the mobile is no longer present, whichever is later. If the mobile arrives on the new channel before the network path is switched, the muting period imposed by the mobile telephone itself may be extended by 150 milliseconds or more.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,501 to Gihousen et al., assigned to Qualcomm Incorporated, describes a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular system capable of reducing certain muting during handoffs by using a "soft handoff" technique. According to this technique, the serving and target cellsites monitor the same frame of the same channel and, on a frame-by-frame basis, a selector evaluates both frames and chooses the frame with the highest quality. This is possible in a CDMA system because adjacent cellsites can use the same radio channel and thus simultaneously monitor the same transmission of a mobile telephone. Likewise, in the reverse direction, both the serving and target cellsites simultaneously transmit to the mobile telephone. Although this soft handoff technique is effective in reducing certain muting during handoffs, it relies on CDMA infrastructure and coding, and is unworkable in existing AMPS and TDMA systems.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,327,577 and 5,109,528 to Uddenfelt, assigned to Telefonaktiebolaget L. M. Ericsson, are directed to handoff techniques which reduce muting in a cellular communication systems. The systems of these patents, however, rely in large part on an adaptive channel allocation system wherein at least some radio channels are common to neighboring cellsites. Thus, like the CDMA system, these techniques are generally incompatible with existing AMPS and TDMA systems.
To diminish muting problems, some existing AMPS systems use conference bridges which combine speech via the target and source cellsites during handoffs. While reducing muting due to lost handoff acknowledgments, the action of switching the conference bridge into and out of the call, in itself, breaks the network path causing brief muting before and after the handoff. Moreover, conferences bridges are generally suitable only for AMPS systems since they do not support coded speech, such as Vector Sum Excited Linear Prediction (VSELP) coding used in TDMA systems. Conference bridges also represent a significant investment of specialized equipment, and must be engineered to support peaks of handoff activity without lowering the grade of service to mobile subscribers.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a cellular communication system and method providing improved handoff capability that reduces muting during handoffs between cellsites and is compatible with existing cellular telephone systems and standards, without incurring the drawbacks associated with conference bridges.

Cellular communication system and method providing improved handoff capability


An electrically cooled detecting system comprises: two or more heat regenerative refrigerators each having a cylinder with a cooling head at its one end; a holder for supporting the two or more heat regenerative refrigerators to dispose the one ends of the cylinders along a certain plane and the other ends of the cylinders on one side of the certain plane; a connector for thermally and rigidly connecting the cooling heads; and a detector being thermally connected to the connector. This system is not necessary to use liquid nitrogen. This system is compact and has a high energy resolution.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator for cooling a detector by using electricity and a detecting system using the refrigerator.
b) Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor radiation detecting system detects radiation while cooling a semiconductor radiation detector. This system is widely used not only for measuring radiation such as gamma rays and X-rays at nuclear reactor facilities but also in other radiation measurement fields such as nuclear physics, astro-physics, and nuclear chemistry.
FIG. 17 shows a semiconductor radiation detecting system of a liquid nitrogen cooling type heretofore used. Liquid nitrogen 103 is filled in a double-walled cooling vessel 102. A cooling rod 104 extends from the inner side wall of the cooling vessel 102 through a pipe 108 and the flange 107 mounted on the outer side wall of the vessel 102. A semiconductor radiation detector 101 is mounted on the front end of the cooling rod 104. A vacuum vessel 105 is hermetically mounted on the flange 107. The cooling rod 104 and semiconductor radiation detector 101 are hermetically housed in the vacuum vessel 105. The semiconductor radiation detector 101 is cooled with the cooling rod 104 to a temperature near a liquid nitrogen temperature.
A preamplifier 106 is placed on the side wall of the pipe 108. A radiation detection signal outputted from the semiconductor radiation detector 101 is supplied via lead wires (not shown) to the preamplifier 106 which amplifies the inputted radiation detection signal and supplies it to a radiation signal processing (acquisition) circuit of the rear stage.
FIG. 18 shows a semiconductor radiation detecting system with closed cycle refrigeration system using an He refrigerator, heretofore used. A compressor 110 is coupled to an isothermal compression part 112 by pipes 111. A cylinder 116 extends from the isothermal compression part 112 into a pipe 113. Mounted on a cooling part 114 at the front end of the cylinder 116 is a buffer 115 to which a semiconductor radiation detector 101 is attached.
A vacuum vessel 105 is coupled to the pipe 113. The semiconductor radiation detector 101, buffer 115, and cylinder 116 are hermetically housed in the vacuum vessel 105. Compressed helium adiabatically expands in the cooling part 114 and cools the cooling part 114 which, in turn, cools the semiconductor radiation detector 101 via the buffer 115.
A preamplifier 106 is placed on the side wall of the pipe 113. Similar to the system shown in FIG. 17, the preamplifier 106 amplifiers a radiation detection signal and it to a radiation detection signal processing (acquisition) circuit of the rear stage.
The semiconductor radiation detecting system of a liquid nitrogen cooling type shown in FIG. 17 uses liquid nitrogen to cool the semiconductor radiation detector. It is necessary for the measurement to prepare liquid nitrogen, it is not easy to use the system, and the installation place is restricted. Since the cooling vessel is used, it is difficult to make the system compact.
The closed cycle He refrigerator shown in FIG. 18 inevitably generates vibrations at the cooling part 114 because of its mechanical structures. Vibrations at the cooling part 114 generates microphonic noises. Microphonic noises deteriorate an energy resolution which is an important performance of the radiation detecting system.
The frequency of microphonic noises covers the frequency range near radiation detection signals. It is therefore difficult to eliminate microphonic noises by using only signal processing techniques. In order to reduce the influence of microphonic noises, the buffer 115 is interposed between the cooling part 114 and semiconductor radiation detector 101 for absorbing vibrations. The buffer 115 is required to be cooled during the measurement, and a large cooling ability is necessary.

Combined refrigerators and detecting system using the same


Disclosed herein are a fluororesin composition for a sliding member comprising a fluororesin, at least one of fillers selected from the group consisting of glass fiber, glass powder, carbon fiber and carbon powder, and a phosphate, and a sliding member thereof.

The present invention relates to a fluororesin composition for a sliding member comprising a fluororesin, a phosphate and a filler composed of glass fiber, glass powder, carbon fiber or carbon powder, and a sliding member comprising the fluororesin composition, which has an excellent sliding property especially under conditions of a low speed and a high load (high surface pressure).
A polytetrafluoroethylene (which is abbreviated as "PTFE" hereinafter), which is one of the fluororesins, is not only excellent in heat resistance and chemical resistance but also has a low friction coefficient with a self-lubricating property, so that it is widely used in various fields as a representative of the so-called engineering plastics such as a material for a sliding member such as bearings and gears, and a molded article such as a tube and a valve. However, its wear resistance is not necessarily sufficient, and the deformation (creep) due to a load is large, so that its use is restricted under a high load or a high temperature.
However, a sliding member consisting of this PTFE is inferior in wear resistance and the creep resistance, so that depending on the use of the sliding member, for example, 1 by blending PTFE with a filler such as graphite, molybdenum disulfide, glass fiber or the like, or 2 by impregnating PTFE in and coating PTFE on a porous sintered metal layer integrally formed on a thin steel plate, the above-mentioned drawbacks are solved.
The sliding member of the above-mentioned embodiment 2 is one so-called as a multi-layer sliding member having a thin wall-thickness of the member itself (usually 1.5 to 3.0 mm) and showing a greatly improved load resistance, so that it is suitable for the use under conditions of low speed and high load.
However, on the other hand, in the case where an with a large grasping force (high surface pressure) and the rotation of the opposite member is smoothly supported with by sliding (in other words, a portion in which a clearance between the sliding member and the opposite member is loose) such as, for example, a hinge portion of various doors or a sliding portion of a ball joint for automobiles, creep and the like of the sliding member itself occurs and as a result it is absolutely impossible to withstand repeated use.
As sliding materials for solving the above-mentioned problems, for example, there have been proposed:
(1) a coated sheet as a bearing material comprising a metal net and a fluoropolymer sintered thereto, where intersectional wires of the metal net themselves are melted to be connected with each other by a thermal operation at intersectional portions (Japanese Patent Publication No. 35107-1978 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,227), and
(2) a sliding member comprising as a base body an expanded metal of stainless steel or a phosphorous bronze alloy provided with regular networks, and a lubricating composition containing a polytetrafluoroethylene as a main component with 5 to 30% by weight of a phenol resin subjected to heat-treatment and/or addition polymerization type polyimide resin as a filler, which is filled in the networks of the base member and coated on the base member (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (KOKAI) No. 79417/1989).
Moreover, as sliding members containing a fluororesin as a main component, there have been hitherto proposed:
(3) a porous structural article having a tetrafluoroethylene resin coating on one surface such that when an unsintered tetrafluoroethylene resin mixture containing a liquid lubricant is placed on the surface of a porous structural article to be coated in a powder state as it is or having been molded beforehand so as to perform rolling and coating between two rolls, a layer, interposed from the surface of the roll on the side of contacting with its back surface to the surface of the roll, is formed of a material which is soft and is allowed to enter into the surface of the porous structural article, and the resultant layer is rolled (Japanese Patent Publication No. 19053/1964),
(4) a lining foil comprising a metal textile, a fluoroplastic, and a material containing a reinforcing material of inorganic fiber, in which a fluoroplastic filled with glass fiber or other inorganic fiber, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene or fluoroethylenepropylene is rolled, extruded, or pressed in the form of powder, paste, or an unsintered subassembly on the metal textile at a processing temperature of a room temperature or a high temperature, and the obtained product is baked at a temperature not less than the melting point of said used fluorine polymer (Japanese Patent Publication No. 23740/1980),
(5) a sliding bearing member made of an expanded metal having a thickness of 0.3 to 0.9 mm which is a wrought aluminum alloy having an elongation at breakage (.delta..sub.5) of 8 to 20% and a Brinell hardness (HB) of 35 to 65 and a matrix containing 5 to 25% by volume of lead, 10 to 50% by volume of glass fiber, and 40 to 80% by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene, in which the open portions of the expanded metal are filled with the matrix. The expanded metal is coated with the matrix so that a friction sliding layer composed of the matrix is formed at a thickness of 0.01 to 0.3 mm. The matrix also contains 10 to 50% by volume of zinc sulfide or barium sulfate having a particle size range of 0.1 to 1.0 .mu.m (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (KOKAI) No. 57919/1988 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,135),
(6) a slide bearing including a rigid backing pad having a face, a metal mesh covering the face of the pad, means fixedly securing the mesh to the pad, and a sheet or low friction bearing material overlaying the mesh and having a portion of its thickness pressed into the mesh to interlock the bearing material with the mesh (U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,137),
(7) a sheet material for sliding surface bearings, consisting of a network of expanded metal coated with a fluorine-containing polymer, having a network of expanded metal, which consists of a wrought aluminum alloy having an elongation at break .delta..sub.5 =8 to 20% and a Brinell hardness HB 35 to 65 and which has a coating of a blend of 5 to 25% by volume lead, 10 to 50% by volume glass fibers, and 40 to 80% by volume polytetrafluoroethylene (European Patent No. 40448B), and
(8) a sheet material for sliding surface bearings made of an expanded metal mesh composed of a wrought aluminum alloy having an elongation at break .delta..sub.5 =8 to 20% and a Brinell Hardness Number HB of 35 to 65; a primer layer coating the surface of the expanded metal mesh having a thickness of 2 to 10 micrometers; and on the primer layer another layer composed of 10 to 30 wt. % of a filler for improving the thermal conductivity and wear resistance, 10 to 30 wt. % glass fibers and 40 to 80 wt. % polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,887).
Conventionally, in order to improve the wear resistance and the creep resistance previous experiments have added various fillers such as glass fiber, glass beads, carbon fiber, carbon powder and the like.
However, since fillers such as glass fiber and the like are hard, these fillers sometimes damage the opposite member and further the PTFE itself is cut and removed, so that there is a risk of causing abrasive wearing. As a result, depending on the amount of the filler, the wearing amount tends to increase.
Also, the sliding member with a metal network structure as a base member becomes sufficiently intimate with the surface of the opposite member owing to the flexibility generated in its thickness direction. This avoids creep and permits rotation of the opposite member which remains smoothly supported.
Depending on the use of the sliding member, electrical conductivity may be required for the sliding member.
Applicants have found that by adding glass fiber, glass powder, carbon fiber and/or carbon powder as a filler, and a phosphate to a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene, mixing them homogeneously to obtain a fluororesin composition, pressing and molding it at a normal temperature at 300 to 600 kg/cm.sup.2, and baking (heating) it under normal pressure at 360.degree. to 380.degree. C., the thus obtained sliding member exhibits a stable performance with a low friction coefficient showing no damage to an opposite member at all during sliding and is electrically conductive.

Fluororesin composition for a sliding member and a sliding member


The present invention relates to a ceramic tip and a random access print head for the transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluid. The print head can randomly collect and deposit fluid samples to transfer the samples from a source plate to a target. The print head can also be programmed to create a direct map of the fluid samples from the source plate on the target or to create any desired pattern or print on the target. The tip and print head can be used for a wide variety of applications such as DNA microarraying and compound reformatting. In one preferred embodiment, the tip is used as a capillary or “gravity” pin to draw or collect source fluid and “spot” or deposit the fluid onto the target via physical contact (touch-off). In another preferred embodiment, the tip is used in conjunction with an aspirate-dispense system to actively aspirate source fluid and deposit the fluid via a contact or non-contact approach. The tip provides improved, accurate and repeatable microfluidic transfer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluids and, in particular, to a tip design and random access tip array for genomic applications and high throughput screening.
2. Background of the Related Art
There is an ongoing effort, both public and private, to spell out the entire human genetic code by determining the structure of all 100,000 or so human genes. Also, simultaneously, there is a venture to use this genetic information for a wide variety of genomic applications. These include, for example, the creation of microarrays of DNA material on targets or substrates to create an array of spots on microscope slides or biochip devices. These arrays can be used to read a particular human's genetic blueprint. The arrays decode the genetic differences that make one person chubbier, happier or more likely to get heart disease than another. Such arrays could detect mutations, or changes in an individual's chemical or genetic make-up, that might reveal something about a disease or a treatment strategy.
It can be a difficult task to efficiently and accurately create DNA microarrays. The desired density of the microarrays can be as high as several thousand dots/cm2. Moreover, the desired volume transfer can be low enough to be in the picoliter range.
One typical way of forming DNA microarrays utilizes pins that can be dipped into solutions of the sample fluid(s) and then touched to a surface to create a small spot or dot. The pins are typically thin rods of stainless steel which have a sharpened fine point to provide a small spot size. Undesirably, the sharp point makes the pins fragile and repeated contact with the surface can lead to damaged pins. This can affect the accuracy of the volume transferred, and hence result in unrepeatable and inconsistent performance. Also, these pins generally allow only a single spot to be formed from a single dip.
More recently, pins have been made with a small slot to permit multiple spotting from a single dip of the sample fluid. Undesirably, the slot can render the pins even more fragile. Another disadvantage of the slotted pin technology is that there is a large variation in the spot size and volume transfer between the first transfer and subsequent transfers—this variation can be as much as 50%. Also, the fluid sample in the slot is undesirably exposed to the atmosphere during the transfer step. This can lead to contamination and evaporation of valuable fluid. Moreover, the pins can have limited reproducibility due to surface tension changes within the slot as solution is dispensed and as solution evaporates from the exposed pin. Additionally, thorough cleaning of the slotted pins can be difficult and time-consuming.
In many cases, the spotting pins are held in a pin holder which allows multiple pins to be dipped into the sample solution and spotted onto the target, typically a glass slide. The spacing between the pins typically corresponds to the spacing between the wells of the source plate. To create high density microarrays, the pins are simultaneously dipped and then spotted. Subsequent spotting is accomplished by offsetting the spotting position by a small distance. One of the disadvantages of this spotting technique is that the location of the samples (spots) on the slide does not correspond to the location of the samples (wells) in the source plate. Another disadvantage is that samples cannot be randomly accessed from the source plate and randomly printed on the slide. These disadvantages diminish the versatility and utility of such conventional microarraying technology.
Conventional pin transfer technology is also used in other applications such as high throughput screening (HTS). High throughput screening involves compound or reagent reformatting from a source plate to an assay plate. For example, test compounds, dissolved in DMSO are transferred from a 96 well plate to a 96, 384 or 1536 well microtiter plate. Typically, the desired transfer volume is higher than that for genomic arraying and is in the range from about 1 to 200 nanoliters (nL) or more. Undesirably, conventional pin transfer technology when utilized for compound reformatting can also suffer from some or all of the above disadvantages.
Microfluidic transfer of liquids can also be performed using an aspirate-dispense methodology. State-of-the-art aspirate-dispense methods and technologies are well documented in the art, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,554, incorporated herein by reference. These typically use pick-and-place ("suck-and-spit") fluid handling systems, whereby a quantity of fluid is aspirated from a source and dispensed onto a target for testing or further processing. But to efficiently and accurately perform aspirate and dispense operations when dealing with microfluidic quantities, less than 1 microliter (μL), of fluid can be a very difficult task. The complexity of this task is further exacerbated when frequent transitions between aspirate and dispense functions are required. Many applications, such as DNA microarraying and HTS, can involve a large number of such transitions. In these and other applications it is desirable, and sometimes crucial, that the aspirate-dispense system operate efficiently, accurately and with minimal wastage of valuable reagents.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved technology and methodology that provides efficient, repeatable and accurate transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluid while reducing wastage of such fluids.

Method and apparatus for liquid dispensing


A multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) with capacitive load reset on an operational amplifier and a pipeline analog-to-digital converter using the MDAC are disclosed. The MDAC includes an operational amplifier and first and second switched-capacitor networks sharing the operational amplifier. The operational amplifier is further coupled with first capacitive load cells when the first switched-capacitor network is coupled to the operational amplifier, and the first capacitive load cells are reset when the first switched-capacitor network is disconnected from the operational amplifier. The operational amplifier is further coupled with second capacitive load cells when the second switched-capacitor network is coupled to the operational amplifier, and the second capacitive load cells are reset when the second switched-capacitor network is disconnected from the operational amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) with capacitive load reset on an operational amplifier and a pipeline analog-to-digital converter (pipeline ADC) using the MDAC.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pipeline ADC has become a popular ADC architecture, which is used in a wide range of applications, including CCD imaging, ultrasonic medical imaging, digital receivers, base stations, digital video (for example, HDTV), xDSL, cable modems, fast Ethernet, and so on.
A pipeline ADC generally includes operational amplifiers (op amps) and the settling time of the pipeline ADC depends on the design of the op amps. A pipeline ADC with a fast settling time is called for.

Multiplying digital-to-analog converter and pipeline analog-to-digital converter using the same


A method of isomerizing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (“Δ9-THC”) to Δ10-tetrahydrocannabinol (“Δ10-THC”). The method includes the steps of: extracting Δ9-THC from cannabis biomass, which optionally contains one or more of the components found in fire retardant such as PHOS-CHEK®; dewaxing of crude extracts by winterization; pH-adjusting extracts by washing the extracts in heptane solution with aqueous solutions of: citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and brine; isomerizing Δ9-THC to Δ10-THC by exposure to suitable conditions and in the presence of a catalyst based on the components of fire retardant; vacuum distillation of Δ10-THC at a predetermined temperature range and vacuum level; collecting the distillate and redistilling it up to three times to acquire distillate containing less than 60% Δ10-THC; and purification of the MO-THC to a purity of 99% or greater by crystallization from n-pentane solution.

The Cannabis sativa plant is the primary source of cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are a diverse class of chemical compounds that act as ligands to the endocannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoids offer a variety of pharmacological benefits, including, but not limited to, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immunomodulatory effects.
Δ9-THC, which stands for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and is synonymous with the terms (6aR,10aR)-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and (—)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is one cannabinoid molecule found in marijuana (cannabis) that's long been recognized as its main psychoactive ingredient that is, the substance that causes users to experience the marijuana high. In fact, Δ9-THC is just one of more than 400 different substances and 60 different cannabinoid molecules contained in marijuana, although Δ9-THC is the most recognized.
Various processes have been made to extract and purify Δ9-THC and other constituents present in cannabis plants in order to separate and isolate these unique compounds. These techniques often involve the use of pressurized and explosive hydrocarbons, or pressurized carbon dioxide, each of which presents hazards to human operators and equipment. Typically, these extraction and refining techniques aim to avoid isomerization of double bonds in cannabinoids, although processes have been made to isomerize Δ9-THC to Δ8-THC.
Isomerization of Δ9-THC to Δ10-THC has been previously reported through the stoichiometric use of highly toxic and pyrophoric reagents such as n-butyl lithium, which can be costly and tedious and are not appropriate for use in the newly state-legalized cannabis markets, which do not allow use of these dangerous reagents in production scenarios. In addition, chromatographic separation techniques have been used for purifying the resulting reaction products in the reported methods for isomerizing Δ9-THC to Δ10-THC, which is also costly and tedious, and may fall outside the scope of cannabis production facilities operating within the frameworks of state-legalized cannabis.
In light of the shortcomings in the prior art, there is clearly a need for a safe, simple, and easy way to produce Δ10-THC that uses manageable quantities of safe components, and that advantageously avoids costly and tedious separation techniques.

Method of converting delta9-THC to delta10-THC and the purification of the delta10-THC by crystallization


A bale butler for transporting and feeding large round bales of hay includes a hay bale attachment frame and a carrying bed attached to each other in functional arrangement. The hay bale attachment frame has a front bar and a pair of bale connector arms pivotally mounted to the front bar. The hay bale attachment frame has a drawbar and a standard ball-type trailer hitch. Each of the bale connector arms has a hollow cylinder which provides for rotatable attachment of a pair of detachable bale attachment pins. The bale attachment pins are each sharpened on one end. The bale attachment pins have holes drilled perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at measured intervals and have slidably, perpendicularly mounted a plate. The bale butler has a carrying bed which consists of a rectangularly shaped deck. The deck has an axle rearward of the intermediate point of the long rectangular sides of the deck which axle has rotatively mounted hubs, wheels and tires. The deck has a pair of flexible stabilizing chains for attachment to a pair of stabilizing receiving attachments of the hay bale attachment frame. The deck has a collapsible handle. The bale butler has a plurality of two supports used to secure the hay bale attachment frame to the deck at the rear portions of both.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to improvements relating to hay bale transporters and feeders, and more particularly concerns large round hay bale transporters and feeders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Technological advancements are resulting in farmers, and more particularly ranchers, using large round hay bales to a greater extent for the feeding of livestock, said large round hay bales being relatively easily produced but bulky and cumbersome to transport and feed, particularly when transported and fed one at a time.
A variety of devices used lifting and transporting, and coincidentally feeding, large round hay bales appear in the prior art. Large round hay bale lifting and transporting devices of the general type to which the present invention pertains have been heretofore known in the art. It has been found that large round hay bales can be satisfactorily held, transported and fed or unrolled by using a framework which is substantially smaller than the large round hay bale to be handled. It has also been found that many of the devices appearing in the prior art generally require varying degrees of modification of the transport vehicle and may result in the substantial weight of the large round hay bale being borne by the axle of the transport vehicle, thus increasing wear and tear on such vehicle. In addition, it has been found that feeding of only a portion of a large round bale often necessitates leaving the remaining unfed potion on the transport vehicle for periods of time.
For this reason, it would be highly beneficial to provide a large round hay bale transporter and feeder, or a bale butler, which in addition to including the well-known and beneficial features, includes other features which are specially adapted to assist in the performing of the activities of transporting and feeding, is simple and economical to construct and repair, and requires no modifications and reduces wear and tear on the transport vehicle.


A tool for the application and removal of a wire nut from a plurality of wire ends being connected together, the tool providing a handle with a grip end for increased grip and torsion applied to the tool and a lower tool end defining a hollow lower opening leading into a hollow cylindrical cavity within which a stack of wire nuts may be placed, the cavity supplying an internal spring to urge against the stacked wire nuts positioning the last wire nut into the opening for application, the cavity defining axial grooves within an internal wall of the cavity, temporarily securing the winged extension of the wing nuts during the twisting motions involved in the application and removal of the wire nuts until an intentional release of the secured wire nut from the tool.

1. Field of Invention
A tool for the application and removal of a wire nut from a plurality of wire ends being connected together, the tool providing a handle with a grip end for increased grip and torsion applied to the tool and a lower tool end defining a hollow lower opening leading into a hollow cylindrical cavity within which a stack of wire nuts may be placed, the cavity supplying an internal spring to urge against the stacked wire nuts positioning the last wire nut into the opening for application, the cavity defining axial grooves within an internal wall of the cavity, temporarily securing the winged extension of the wing nuts during the twisting motions involved in the application and removal of the wire nuts until an intentional release of the secured wire nut from the tool.
2. Description of Prior Art
A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present wire nut tool, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art.
A majority of the prior art patents pertaining to the application or removal of a wire nut from a twisted wire bundle provide a tool with a socket on a tool end to accept a single wire nut and apply rotational forces upon the winged extensions of the wire nut to rotate the wire nut using forces greater than the simple grasp of the hand. These type tools include U.S. Pat. No. D576,426 to DeRuntz and U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,618 to Givot. Similar patents having an extension handle are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. D480,283 to Brown and D431,984 to Cotillon. Defined socket wire nut drivers attaching to a drill are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,887 to Keswani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,916 to Lassiter and U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,631 to Eaton. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,413,693 and 7,069,820 to Goacher, Jr., a hollow cylindrical tool defining dual tool ends is adapted to two different sized wire nut and providing a fully extending hollow bore for the insertion of a ground wire through the tool is indicated with an outer textured surface to improve grip of the tool. A torque limiting wire nut socket, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,049 to Korinek, is applied to a proprietary wire nut defining a modified top portion to the wire nut, is inserted upon the special wire nut top and applies a limited force upon the wire nut until a specific amount of torque is reached, the socket then abrading a portion of the wire nut to the point that the socket cannot continue to grasp the upper portion of the special wire nut to prohibit over-rotation of the wire nut on the twisted wire bundle.


An objective is to provide an avalanche photodiode that is excellent in device characteristics such as reliability. An avalanche photodiode is provided, which includes a substrate 1 formed with a light receiving region 3 on a multiplication layer 119, and formed with layers of differing semiconductor type with the multiplication layer 119 intervening, a ring-shaped groove 7 formed on the end face of the substrate 1 on its light-receiving-region side, in such a way that the groove surrounds the light receiving region 3, and one or more steps 5 provided on a side wall of the ring-shaped groove 7, in a range of from ¼ to ¾ of the depth of the groove. In the avalanche photodiode described above, because one or more steps provided on the side wall of the ring-shaped groove in the range of from ¼ to ¾ of the depth of the groove, discontinuity at the edge of the ring-shaped groove can be effectively prevented from occurring; consequently, an avalanche photodiode excellent in device characteristics such as reliability can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light receiving device for receiving light, and particularly to an avalanche photodiode that is excellent in device characteristics such as reliability and can be manufactured in a high yield.
2. Description of the Related Art
Avalanche photodiodes (hereinafter referred to as APDs) are excellent in device characteristics and may be manufactured in a high yield, therefore they have been applied to light receiving devices in optical-fiber communication systems, etc. Regarding the structures of these APDs, two types of structures, mesa-type and planar-type are known.
The mesa-type APD has a structure in which a depletion region of semiconductor layers such as a multiplication layer, an electric field-buffer layer, and a light absorption layer that are formed on an substrate is exposed to the surface. In detail, for example, a mesa-type APD disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 312,442/1995 (Patent Document 1) has each of crystalline layers such as a p+ type InP buffer layer, p− type InGaAs light absorption layer, a p+ type InP field buffer layer, an n− type InAlGaAs/InAlAs super-lattice multiplication layer, an n+ type InAlAs cap layer, and an n+ type InGaAs contact layer that are grown on a p+ type InP substrate. Then, a p+ type conductive region is formed so as to surround a light receiving region that is formed at the center portion of the n+ type InAlAs cap layer and the n+ type InGaAs contact layer, and a ring-shaped groove that has a depth reaching the super-lattice multiplication layer is formed between the light receiving region and the p+ type conductive region. In such a mesa type APD, a flip-chip-type electrode structure is mainly used, in which an electrode of another device is directly connected to the circular n-type electrode formed on the light receiving region, and detection light is incident from the back face of the APD.
On the other hand, the planar-type APD is structured in such a way that the depletion region of semiconductor layers such as a multiplication layer, an electric field-buffer layer, and a light absorption layer is not exposed to the surface, meanwhile a stable InP planar p-n junction, etc. is exposed to the surface. Because planar-type APDs are excellent in manufacturing and handling, recently they have been widely applied to optical communication fields, and their various improvements have been made.
For example, a conventional planar-type APD disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 330,530/1999 (Patent Document 2) has a laminated structure composed of specific six layers on a semiconductor substrate, a specific conductive region provided on the outer circumference of a light receiving region, and a specific circular ring-shaped separation-groove region in the light receiving region. Moreover, in order to further decrease equipotential-line concentration at the light receiving edge, a circular ring-shaped region that is thinner than the thickness of a semiconductor multiplication layer is formed in a position inscribed in the circular ring-shaped separation groove provided on the outer circumference of the light receiving region in a second conductive-type semiconductor cap layer.
In each of the columnar n-type conductive layers, in order to prevent tunnel current flowing, a semiconductor layer composed of crystalline material having wider band gap is needed. Moreover, in order to reduce device resistance, the layer needs to be thicker than a certain value. Therefore, the depth of the ring-shaped groove is made relatively deep comparing to the thickness of an SiNx surface passivation layer or an n-type electrode. As a result, in the ring-shaped groove, especially at the edge of the groove, the thickness of the surface passivation layer becomes extremely thin or lost, that is, discontinuity occurs; thereby, protection of the covered portion becomes not enough, causing a problem in which device characteristics such as electrical characteristics and device reliability deteriorates.
Here, in an APD disclosed in Patent Document 2, a circular ring-shaped region is provided on the side wall of the light receiving region, as a result, it has a structure as provided with a step; however, because the step height is set to be as low as not more than the thickness of an avalanche multiplication layer, this method is not effective enough with respect to the discontinuity in the surface passivation layer, etc. occurring at the edge of the ring-shaped groove.
Also, in the device manufacturing process, when a resist, an SiNx film, or an SiOx film, etc. is used for a mask for performing various kinds of processes such as etching, the discontinuity at the edge of the ring-shaped groove occurs. As a result, such troubles as etching solution penetrates into a covered portion occurs during device fabrication; consequently, which has caused such problems as the device characteristics are deteriorated or a manufacturing yield is decreased.
Also, in the APD having the structure in which light is incident from the back face as disclosed in Patent Document 1, positional alignment to make light incident on the light receiving region is generally difficult, therefore it is preferable, from a viewpoint of operation, to adopt a structure in which light is incident on the surface. However, in the structure in which light is incident on the surface, because light is incident on it from the side of n-type conductive layers each surrounded by the ring-shaped groove, an external circuit cannot be provided on the light receiving region; consequently, an external electrode for connecting the region to the external circuit needs to be provided outside the light receiving region, that is, outside the ring-shaped groove. Therefore, in order to electrically connect the n-type electrode provided on the light receiving region inside the ring-shaped groove with the external electrode provided outside the ring-shaped groove, a lead needs to be provided for electrically connecting both the electrodes across over the ring-shaped groove. Accordingly, in the ring-shaped groove, especially at the edge of the groove, so-called discontinuity occurs in which the film thickness of the lead becomes extremely thin or the lead is broken; thereby, the electric characteristics has been deteriorated, causing a problem in which device characteristics such as device reliability worsens.


The purpose of the present invention is to inspect the position, number, and size of fine defects in a variety of solid state materials, including a semiconductor device and metallic materials, with a high spatial resolution of nanometer order. The positron irradiation function is installed in the converged electron beam apparatus. The defect location information is obtained from the converged electron beam location information, and the number and size of defects are obtained from the detected information of γ-rays created by pair annihilation of electrons and positrons, and this two-dimensional distribution information is displayed in the monitor. Information on ultra-fine defects in a crystal can be provided with high-speed and high-resolution, and nondestructively in the case of a semiconductor wafer.

Recently, positrons have received attention as a technology to detect micro-defects in a semiconductor device. Although a positron has a mass almost equal to that of an electron and a positive electric charge opposite to that of an electron, it does not exist stably in the natural world because the lifetime is as short as several-hundred picoseconds (one picosecond means 10−12 seconds), but it can be generated by a nuclear reaction. Defects in a material are negatively charged locally. Therefore, it is known that a low-energy positron bearing a positive electric charge is trapped at a defect site and is long-lived. After incidence into a sample, a positron collides with other electrons within several hundreds picoseconds and, by transforming masses of electrons and positrons to γ-ray energies, pairs annihilate each other producing γ-rays with an energy of 511 keV. 511 keV is a value obtained by conversion of masses of electron and positron into energy. Because an evaluation using positrons is a pulse-count measurement of high-energy γ-rays, high S/N and high sensitivity evaluations of micro-defects can be expected, which is different from one in which a probe itself becomes a background competing with a detected signal such as electron detection by electron beam irradiation. There is much research, and many presentations and patent applications for such evaluation of micro-defects using positrons.
When an evaluation method using positrons is applied to defect inspection of a semiconductor sample, the detectable size of defects is a problem. Technological developments therefore have focused on improvement of a convergent method to improve resolution. In the positron annihilation analysis apparatus described in JP-A 292380/2000, a method is disclosed, wherein a positron emitted from a positron source is transformed into a monochromatic and low-energy positron by passing through a thin film. Thereby, a low-energy positron with a uniform energy converges on a sample by electromagnetic lens. Now, by scanning the converged positron beam onto a sample using a scanning coil, the two-dimensional defect distribution on the sample surface can be evaluated. The sample surface is a surface with a discontinuity in atomic arrangement and an electronic state which is similar to that of a defect.
However, a positron has the characteristic of obtaining an energy equal to the work function on the sample surface, therefore it has a low probability of being trapped by an atom on the sample surface. Because of this characteristic, when a positron is injected into a so-called moderator thin film, a monochromatic positron is re-eliminated. Therefore, a positron converted to white light in the range of several hundred megaelectron volts becomes monochromatic below 0.5 eV, and the direction of emission is also oriented perpendicular to the film surface. Because of the low probability of trapping by an atom at the sample surface, it is expected that a sensitive evaluation is possible for micro-defects inside a target sample. There is an advantage which cannot be seen in microprobe techniques suitable for surface evaluation such as light, STM and AFM. However, the generating efficiency of a monochromatic positron is low because of a low re-emission probability of about 10−4.
On the other hand, in JP-A 74673/2001, a method to improve the S/N ratio (Signal-to-Noise ratio) of a detected signal, is disclosed, wherein γ-ray detectors are placed opposite each other and a coincidence measurement is carried out by an opposed detector-pair. According to this technique, a positron emitted from a positron source is focused by an electromagnetic lens and irradiated onto a sample. γ-rays generated by pair annihilation are detected by γ-ray detectors placed opposite each other. That is, using the characteristic that pair annihilation γ-rays are emitted simultaneously in opposite directions, taking the phenomenon that both detectors simultaneously detect as the true γ-ray signal, and taking the phenomenon that only one of them detects as background such as the electrical noise from cosmic rays and from the detector, it is possible to improve the SN. Thereby, information related to micro-crystalline defects with the size of several nanometers, that is a statistical distribution of defect size, can be evaluated.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of a positron defect evaluation instrument with the prior art. Positron beam emitted from positron source 9 becomes monochromatic by passing through a thin film of tungsten etc. with a clean surface, so-called moderator 14. If it is not monochromatic, the beam cannot converge due to the effect of chromatic aberration. A conventional positron source used for civilian applications often has a type in which a positron is obtained using beta-decay. In this case, the obtained energy distribution of a positron beam is continuous, and making it monochromatic is important. In order to converge a positron beam, electromagnetic lens 11 is used. A monochromatic positron beam is extracted from pick-up electrode 17 and converged onto sample 7 by electromagnetic lens 11. 15 is an electric power supply to provide an electrical potential difference at pick-up electrode 17, and 16 is an electric power supply to accelerate the positron by providing an electric potential difference between sample 7 and pick-up electrode 17. 12 is a means of scanning to scan the positron beam onto the sample surface, and 8 is a γ-ray detector. The γ-ray distribution, that is, the two-dimensional distribution of defect quantity, can be visualized by mapping the information of two-dimensional scanning position obtained from scanning means 12 and signal intensity detected by the γ-ray detector using data processing apparatus 13.
As described above, the points disclosed in the prior art are summarized as follows:
(1) Irradiating positrons into a sample, making them stay in defects, and extending their life at the defect positions.
(2) Generating γ-rays by pair annihilation of the positron losing energy at the position of the defect with the electron in the sample.
(3) Measuring the number of defects (density) from the γ-ray intensity.
(4) Scanning convergent positron beam onto the sample. Evaluating the two-dimensional defect distribution on the sample by synchronizing the information of scanned position with γ-ray intensity and drawing a two-dimensional intensity distribution.
(5) Making the positron beam monochromatic by passing it through a so-called moderator metallic thin film.
(6) Taking advantage of a nuclear reaction using an accelerator to strengthen the intensity of positrons.
(7) Using a beta-plus decaying sealed radioactive source such as 22Na, 64Cu, and so on, as a positron source.
(8) Applying a coincidence measurement using opposing detectors in order to improve the SN of γ-rays. That is, cosmic rays and exogenous background radioactive rays have almost no probability of being simultaneously detected by both detectors.
Therefore, SN can be improved by making an algorithm, wherein an event which is detected by both detectors is taken as a true event and an event not simultaneously detected is neglected.
In prior art, the two-dimensional distribution of size and number of micro-defects on the order of several nanometers could be measured statistically. The statistical distribution herein means average information inside a region of several hundred nanometers. This technique is applicable for evaluation of an object which exhibits a similar state across a wide area. However, for example, in an electrical device such as a semiconductor memory, wherein a transistor gate length and circuit structure of one bit which is the smallest unit of structure is less than 10 nm (in some cases, several nanometers), and when knowledge of the internal distribution is desired, realizing a spatial resolution less than 1 nanometer is required, and the problem occurs that the spatial resolution is inadequate by one to three orders of magnitude. Converging a positron beam onto a nanometer diameter size is thought to be in principle possible by making it monochromatic using a moderator and converging using an electron lens. However, monochromaticity makes the positron intensity about 1000 to 100000 times weaker than the positron intensity as emitted from the source, therefore the signal intensity of detected γ-rays becomes weaker, thereby creating a problem of inadequate measurement sensitivity. Measurements using an accelerator as a source have been attempted experimentally to maintain positron intensity, but there are problems such as cost and limitations on the number of measurements. It is therefore difficult to apply it to civilian products such as semiconductor devices. Thus, resolution and sensitivity are always mutually contradictory and a subject of the invention is to realize a measurement apparatus, a method of measurement, and an application apparatus using said measurement apparatus.

Defect inspection instrument and positron beam apparatus


Acoustic noise from relatively high pressure gas flows as a result of opening for example a bypass valve in a gas turbine engine can cause problems. By provision of an acoustic apparatus incorporating an inner chamber where there is a pressure reduction and then a chamber divider surface incorporating small apertures with a wide spacing distribution an upward shift in acoustic frequency of the gas flow is achieved beyond normal human comprehension. An outer chamber is provided to receive the fine gas flow jets from the apertures in the chamber divider surface for further pressure reduction and low pressure release through wider apertures in an exit surface.

Referring to FIG. 1, a gas turbine engine is generally indicated at 10 and comprises, in axial flow series, an air intake 11, a propulsive fan 12, an intermediate pressure compressor 13, a high pressure compressor 14, combustion equipment 15, a high pressure turbine 16, an intermediate pressure turbine 17, a low pressure turbine 18 and an exhaust nozzle 19.
The gas turbine engine 10 works in a conventional manner so that air entering the intake 11 is accelerated by the fan 12 which produce two air flows: a first air flow into the intermediate pressure compressor 13 and a second air flow which provides propulsive thrust. The intermediate pressure compressor compresses the air flow directed into it before delivering that air to the high pressure compressor 14 where further compression takes place.
The compressed air exhausted from the high pressure compressor 14 is directed into the combustion equipment 15 where it is mixed with fuel and the mixture combusted. The resultant hot combustion products then expand through, and thereby drive, the high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines 16, 17 and 18 before being exhausted through the nozzle 19 to provide additional propulsive thrust. The high, intermediate and low pressure turbine 16, 17 and 18 respectively drive the high and intermediate pressure compressors 14 and 13, and the fan 12 by suitable interconnecting shafts 26, 27, 28.
From the above it will be appreciated that control of gas flows through a gas turbine engine is important in terms of achieving operational efficiency.
In such circumstances in order to avoid surging it is known to provide bleed valves which essentially allow when required. FIG. 2 provides a schematic side view of part of a prior gas turbine engine in which a bypass flow 30 is presented about a fairing 31 which surrounds an engine core including an intermediate pressure compressor stage 32 and a high pressure compressor stage 33. In use the gas flow pressure generated by the compressors 32, 33 acts with a combustor 34 in order to generate thrust. The casing 31 incorporates acoustic material 35 upon an outer surface with ducts 36 extending from an inner end adjacent to a respective compressor 32, 33 stage to an outer surface formed by a noise attenuation silencer 37 which is generally substantially contiguous with an outer surface 38 of the casing 31.
The inner end of the ducts 36 generally incorporates a bleed valve 39 which, as indicated, can modulate core mass flow from the compressors 32, 33 generally taken from vents 40.
It will be noted that the noise attenuation silencers are mounted with seals 41 and the acoustic material 35 generally secured appropriately through the groove or other association 42 with the diaphragm 41a.
In the known acoustic apparatus depicted in FIG. 2, it will be understood that the valves 39 generally are located within the duct 36 and the duct 36 terminated by the silencer 37. The silencer 37 is a porous structure with small holes operating at super critical pressure ratios in order to attempt to increase the characteristic acoustic frequency of a gas flow 43 passing through the valve 39 to a frequency less critical to the human ear. Placing the flow 42, 43 acoustic frequency at a higher frequency range will also allow more effective attenuation by acoustic liners within an engine and through atmospheric acoustic attenuation. It will also be appreciated that the silencers 37 mitigate the consequences of releasing hot gases by inducing increased mixing and flow deflection in the bypass flow 30.
Prior arrangements have not been perceived as fully able to mitigate the impact of hot gas release into the flow 30 to high exit temperatures and high exit velocities through the silencer 37. It will also be understood that the silencer 37 is a single stage approach without secondary protection should the silencer 37 fail. It will also be understood that the silencer 37 is generally a single porous plate, that is to say a plate with a distribution of apertures of a desired size and spacing and so the silencer 37 generally does not maximise acoustic treatment of the flow 43 due to variations in flow rate which in turn results in the silencers 37 being prone to failure as a result of large and varying pressure loads. It will also be noted that respective ducts 36 are required for valves 39 associated with respective intermediate and high pressure stages resulting in duplication which adds considerably to weight, cost and maintainability. The ducts are generally cylindrical sleeves or tubes causing direct impingement from the gas flow source, that is to say the valve upon the silencer exit surface with apertures.


A hand-held wire stripping tool for removing long sections of insulation from wire or cable of various diameters. The cable to be stripped is engaged between a pair of stepped sheaves on one side and a free-spinning, circular cutting blade on the other side. To accommodate different thicknesses of insulation, the axle of the cutting blade is journaled in a slidable mount that may be adjusted by turning a lead screw.

Conventional hand-held wire stripping tools are designed to remove a relatively short length of insulation from the end of an insulated conductor so that a high conductivity electrical connection can be made to the end of bare wire. A number of tool configurations have appeared. One popular type, long in use, employs a series of sharpened semi-circular notches cut in the opposing arms of a pair of hand-held scissors. Different size wire can be accommodated by being placed in the appropriate pair of semi-circular notches. The scissor arms are then closed together to cause the sharpened pair of notches to ring the insulation and cause it to be pierced through to the conductor core. Once so ringed the arms are relaxed slightly so that the tool can be moved along to widen the ring-shaped gap toward the free end of the wire thereby causing the cylinder of cut insulation to be removed.
While the notched scissor-arm design has seen long service and many refinements, its basic characteristic dictates that the degree of friction between the tool and the wire after the insulation has been ringed will be high. This occasions no particular difficulty when only a short length of insulation is to be removed from the end of the wire. However, when yards and yards of insulation are to be stripped, as may be the case when reel ends are to be prepared for scrapping, the conventional wire stripper generates so much friction that it cannot be efficiently utilized.


A method for estimating aggregates over a stream of axis-aligned rectangles, includes: decomposing the stream along one-dimensional intervals, wherein vertices for the rectangle are located in a predetermined grid; assigning each grid row to buckets, wherein the one-dimensional intervals are placed into buckets according to the corresponding rows in which the one-dimensional intervals are positioned; and estimating a sum of a number of grid points touched by at least one of the rectangles in each row of the grid to approximate a volume of the axis-aligned rectangles by: using pairwise-independent hash functions in a multi-dimensional algorithm to determine buckets that include a first interval corresponding to a given rectangle, wherein the interval has hash function results that meet a predetermined threshold; and inserting a second interval for the rectangle corresponding to the first interval into a one-dimensional algorithm for the corresponding bucket meeting the predetermined threshold.

The management of spatial and geometric data rises in various settings, including geographic database systems, astronomy, and very large scale integration (VLSI) design, among others. A spatial database system supports storing, indexing and fast querying of geometric objects. Spatial databases may deal with large collections of relatively simple geometric objects, such as lines, curves, and polygons in space. An important class of objects in spatial databases is rectangles in two or more dimensions.
In the data stream model of computation, an algorithm generally processes data in a single pass and with limited additional workspace. Some advantages of one-pass processing include: maintaining an aggregate in an online manner from an update stream with small space overhead; and even if data is not arriving as a stream, but is stored on locally, a streaming algorithm implicitly yields a small space summary of a large set of objects that can be used to quickly answer a query, along with an approximation error guarantee.

Summarizing a stream of multidimensional, axis-aligned rectangles

International Business Machines Corporation

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A marker insertion apparatus automatically removes a marker from a roll of marker material and applies the marker to an applicator. The markers mount to a backing sheet and are peeled from the sheet by passing over a peel bar. Jaws are positioned near the peel bar and configured for gripping an end marker. An applicator member inserts intermediate the jaws and has the end marker pressed onto the applicator and torn from the roll. In a first embodiment, the applicator is a paddle applicator for inserting markers between opposing pages, and in a second embodiment the applicator is a bayonet applicator for inserting markers into the spine of a book.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for inserting a marker into a book near the binding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Theft is a continually growing problem in society, requiring additional security measures to minimize theft. In particular, many stores and other places of business have installed electronic article surveillance systems (EAS) for controlling unauthorized removal of articles. Such systems use a single or dual status ferromagnetic marker attached to an article with systems placed at exits which detect the markers and sound an alarm.
Bookstores and libraries have special problems with theft of books, which are easily concealed. Libraries rarely have surveillance systems and typically have very limited resources for security personnel. Libraries cannot afford the expense of stolen books and, in many instances, libraries lose books which are very rare and irreplaceable. Bookstores try to minimize shoplifting of expensive inventory which is easily accessible and which may be difficult to monitor in crowded stores.
Special EAS systems have been developed for libraries and bookstores. The markers and attachment methods used with clothing and many other articles cannot be easily attached to books without damaging the book. EAS ferromagnetic markers for use in books are typically long narrow strips that are manually inserted between two opposing pages of a book, close to and extending substantially parallel to the binding. Such a marker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,313, assigned to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Each side of the marker is typically coated with an adhesive to secure the marker to the book pages. When properly placed, the markers are difficult to visually detect, difficult to remove, and do not detract from the reader's ability to read and enjoy the book. The markers must be deactivated when articles marked with them are checked out of libraries or purchased in stores so that an alarm does not sound.
It can be appreciated that for such systems to function effectively, all the books in a library collection must include a detectable marker. The markers heretofore have. been manually removed from a box of markers and inserted into a book. Manual removal and insertion of markers in libraries may be acceptable when the collection is quite small, however manual insertion methods may not be acceptable with larger collections.
The markers are typically manufactured in a roll on a backing sheet with an adhesive backing on both the front and back to adhere to the pages of the book. Individual strips are cut from the roll for insertion. Each marker includes overlapping backing material on each face. The process of removing an individual backing sheet from the adhesive coated marker and manually inserting and positioning each individual marker is very laborious, expensive and time consuming for large collections.
In addition to time and expense involved with manual. insertion, the quality of positioning each marker may vary with hand placement. It is appreciated that if markers having adhesive on both sides are placed on the page too far from the binding, it will be more difficult for the reader to turn the pages and the pages between which the marker is inserted will not be sufficiently separated and may be difficult to read. Similar problems also occur should the marker be placed into the book is a skewed or bowed manner. The removal and insertion of the markers by hand may also unduly stress or otherwise damage the markers. When this occurs, signal loss may become great enough that the markers may not be accurately detected.
With some types of books, the binding includes a spine. portion with a space between the cover and the spine. However, insertion of markers into the space is difficult as the space may only be accessed from the ends of the book. As the markers have an adhesive placed thereon, it is difficult to slide the markers into the end of the opening without the adhesive adhering to portions of the book at the wrong position.
As access to books is somewhat difficult in some libraries, often requiring a ladder to reach, it is important that the books need not necessarily be transported to a central location for marker insertion. Therefore it will be appreciated that if an insertion device is mobile so that it may be brought either into the aisles between book shelves or at least to different locations within the library, the work involved in transporting books is decreased.
It can be seen then, that a new and improved apparatus and method for marker insertion are needed for inserting a detection marker between opposing pages of a book or into the spine of a book. It can be appreciated that such a device should provide for properly positioning and aligning a marker in a book in a rapid manner. In addition, the device should provide for automatically removing the markers from a roll or other packaging of multiple markers. The device should be adaptable for inserting markers into a variety of sizes and types of books. The present invention addresses these as well as other problems associated with removal, insertion and placement of detectable markers used with books.