A control method for a spinning cycle in a washing machine is disclosed. The control method for a spinning cycle in a washing machine includes (a) step of performing a water-draining by rotating a motor at a predetermined speed lower than a resonance generation speed and (b) step of performing a main-spinning by rotating the motor at a speed higher than the resonance generation speed. The control method for a spinning cycle in a washing machine according to the present invention has an advantageous effect that over-vibration caused by unbalance may be controlled and that remaining water within the drum is drained smoothly and vibration/noise of a washing machine is minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, more particularly, to a control method a spinning cycle in a washing machine which can minimize over-vibration generated in a spinning cycle and can enhance drainage and dehydration capability.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a washing machine is an electric appliance used most commonly in a house. The washing machine washes cloth items, clothes and beddings (hereinafter, the laundry) by using friction poser of wash water current generated by rotation movement and shock power with the laundry, in a state where wash water, detergent and the laundry are mixedly loaded into a drum.
The washing machine is classified into a pulstor type washing machine having a drum vertically installed therein and a drum type washing machine having a drum horizontally installed therein, and performs washing by means of a washing algorithm including a washing, rinsing and spinning cycle.
Commonly, in a washing cycle, detergent, wash water and the laundry are loaded in the washing machine and dirt of the laundry is removed by chemical action of detergent and physical action of a drum.
In a rinsing cycle, wash water not mixed with detergent is supplied and detergent and dirt remaining on the laundry may be rinsed.
Finally, in a spinning cycle, a drum is spinned at a high speed to dehydrate the laundry after a rinsing cycle is completed.
As describing a spinning cycle more specifically, first of all, water is drained and a laundry-balancing is performed where a motor repeatedly rotates a drum in a clockwise/counter-clockwise direction to prevent the laundry from being entangled.
After the laundry-balancing, a dehydrating, in other words, a high speed spinning is performed by increasing RPM of the motor in a predetermined direction to remove moisture contained in the laundry.
If the laundry is not uniformly distributed during the spinning cycle, there might be unbalance of the laundry. Thus, it is needed to sense the RPM of the motor in a beginning of a spinning cycle, such that vibration or unbalance of a body may be sensed by variation of RPM.
Here, once the laundry unbalance is determined more than an allowable range, the drum is stopped and re-rotated. Once the laundry unbalance is determined less than an allowable range, the RPM of motor is increased gradually.
That is, in case the drum is rotated in more than the allowable range of laundry unbalance in the beginning of the spinning cycle, there may be bad influence on entire rigidity of the system. Thus, it is preferred to start the high speed spinning after limiting the laundry unbalance less than the allowable range.
However, a spinning cycle according to the related art senses laundry unbalance only once when accelerating the motor before starting a high speed spinning, thereby resulting in mal-sensing of laundry unbalance.
Especially, in case that laundry unbalance is mal-sensed in a spinning cycle at 200˜300 RPM in that resonance is generated, severe vibration is generated enough to cause damage such as glass scratch of a door or washing machine moving.
Also, since water leaked from the laundry by centrifugal force may be stuck to a wall of the drum after a predetermined RPM of high speed spinning according to the related art, normal drainage may not be performed.
Thus, the remaining water within the drum may be a cause of severe vibration or noise in a high speed spinning, thereby resulting in customer dissatisfaction.

Control method for spinning cycle in washing machine


A method for treating conditions associated with ischemia or infarct is disclosed which includes the steps of administering a biocompatible non-blood oxygen carrier while monitoring one or more oxygenation indices to maintain oxygenation of the patient's tissues at or above a predetermined level.

More than 13 million units of blood are collected each year in the United States alone, and about 10 million of these units are transfused into 4 million recipients. Of the transfused units, about two-thirds are used during surgical procedures, and the remainder are used primarily for treating severe anemia or in emergency indications. Experience from clinical studies suggests that postoperative recovery can be shortened if hemoglobin concentrations are not allowed to fall to below 10 g/dL, the previously generally accepted indication for transfusion (Zauder, Anesth. Clin. North Amer. 8:471-80 (1990)). This criterion, however, is currently being reevaluated due in part to a recent increase in awareness of the risks associated with allogeneic blood transfusion (NIH Consensus Conference JAMA 260:2700-2703 (1988)). This has also resulted in a renewed interest in the use of autologous blood transfusion techniques, in particular predonation and acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH).
Although autologous blood transfusion (i.e., reinfusion of the patient's own blood) was first employed over 170 years ago, it was not until the early 1970s that its use became more widespread because of growing concerns about the transmission of hepatitis. More recently, interest in autologous transfusions on the part of both patients and physicians has been stimulated by the emergence of AIDS. Despite an increased awareness and acceptance of the benefits of autologous blood transfusion, recent studies have revealed the widespread underutilization of autologous predonation (which is estimated to represent only 2-5% of all units drawn nationwide).
ANH is a procedure whereby several units of blood are withdrawn from the patient at the beginning of surgery and simultaneously replaced with either a crystalloid or a colloid plasma volume expander (Stehling et al. Transfusion 31:857 (1991)). The basic mechanism that compensates for most of the decreased oxygen capacity of the diluted blood is the rise in cardiac output and increased organ blood flow, factors that result from the improved fluidity of blood (i.e., lower viscosity) at lower hematocrit levels (Messmer et al Eur. Surg. Res. 18:254-263 (1986)). Weisskopf, Transfusion 35(1):37-41 (1995) describes a mathematical analysis of acute isovolemic hemodilution prior to surgical blood loss, which was used to determine the magnitude of potential reductions in allogeneic transfusion. Weisskopf concluded that isovolemic hemodilution prior to surgery can obviate allogeneic blood transfusion or diminish the amount transfused.
Predonation typically involves withdrawal of several units of a patient's blood during the six weeks prior to surgery. To avoid excessive anemia, the amount of blood that can be safely predonated in the weeks before surgery is limited, as is the amount of blood that can be removed during ANH.
Quite apart from ANH and predonation, it has been suggested that red cell substitutes, or blood substitutes, could be used in place of allogeneic blood (i.e., blood from other humans) during surgery. Methods for facilitating autologous blood use which employ a synthetic oxygen carrier or blood substitute are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,393 (Roth et al). Extensive research in the field of such blood substitutes over the past two decades has resulted in several candidate compositions. These include perfluorocarbon emulsions, such as FLUOSOL (Green Cross Corporation, Japan) and OXYGENT (Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp., San Diego, USA), and hemoglobin compositions, such as those derived from human, animal, or recombinant sources.
Traditional thinking has been that a red cell substitute would be given in volumes equal to the amount of whole blood that would be used for the same purpose. The use of such blood substitutes in large volumes to replace blood used in transfusions has not been entirely satisfactory in earlier applications. For example, early studies using FLUOSOL as a large volume blood substitute found that following blood loss, FLUOSOL was "unnecessary in moderate anemia and ineffective in severe anemia." Gould, et al., New Engl. J. Med. 314:1653 (1986). In this study, the average increase in arterial oxygen content with the drug was only 0.7 ml/deciliter. Thus, it was concluded that use of fluorocarbon emulsions as blood substitutes would not provide a significant benefit in severely anemic and bleeding patients. Indeed, although the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved FLUOSOL in 1989 for use as a perfusion agent to enhance myocardial oxygenation during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), it did not approve an earlier application for use as a large volume blood substitute for general use.
The problem in using fluorocarbon emulsions and hemoglobin compositions as red cell substitutes or blood substitutes to compensate for blood loss from surgery, disease, or trauma lies in the relatively short circulating blood half life of those materials in vivo. Healthy humans typically require about two weeks to manufacture new red cells and increase their hematocrit to normal levels following blood loss. In contrast, the intravascular half life of fluorocarbon emulsions and hemoglobin substitutes in vivo is typically less than 72 hours, most often much less than 24 hours. Thus, even if sufficient quantities of a red cell substitute are administered during and/or after surgery, for example, to provide adequate oxygen delivery, the oxygen carrying capacity will drop significantly long before the body can compensate by making new red cells. One aspect of the current invention therefore defines an improved method to use red cell substitutes or blood substitutes for temporary short-term perioperative use in conjunction with autologous blood conservation strategies as a means of reducing or eliminating allogeneic blood transfusions.
Treatment of intracoronary thrombotic events such as myocardial infarcts usually involves systemic administration of thrombolytic agents, for example tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or streptokinase. Mechanical intervention using percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is also used. Under no circumstance during current treatment methods is blood purposefully diluted, as this would dilute the concentration of red blood cells and thus impair the delivery of oxygen to the heart. Many cellular elements of blood, however, are detrimental in the case of myocardial infarction. For example, it is well known that platelets are necessary for the process of thrombus formation; reduction in the number of platelets would result in attenuation of the rate of thrombus formation following infarction. Further, certain white blood cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils), are known to be activated at the site of the infarct to release cytotoxic components including oxygen free radicals, which, upon successful opening of the stenosed artery, are responsible for damaging normal cells through a phenomenon known as reperfusion injury. It would be beneficial, therefore, to dilute blood during and for a specified time after treatment of a myocardial infarction in order to reduce the number of platelets and neutrophils that exacerbate the effects of the infarct. Hemodilution is not done, however, because it is also necessary to maintain high red blood cell levels to deliver oxygen to the myocardium.
The current invention therefore also defines an improved method to use red cell substitutes or blood substitutes for temporary short-term use in conjunction with treatment of myocardial infarction as a means of reducing or eliminating the detrimental effects associated with the infarct while providing enhanced oxygen delivery to the tissues.

Method for the treatment of organ ischemia or infarct comprising hemodilution


The disclosed embodiments relate to a charged particle source module for generating and emitting a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, comprising: a frame including a first frame part, a second frame part, and one or more rigid support members which are arranged between said first frame part and said second frame part; a charged particle source arrangement for generating a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam, wherein said charged particle source arrangement, such as an electron source, is arranged at said second frame part; and a power connecting assembly arranged at said first frame part, wherein said charged particle source arrangement is electrically connected to said connecting assembly via electrical wiring.

The disclosed embodiments relate to a charged particle source module for generating and emitting a charged particle beam. The disclosed embodiments further relate to an exposure system with said charged particle source module, a charged particle source arrangement, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a method for inspecting a target.
Charged particles sources are arranged for generating and emitting a beam of charged particles, which beam of charged particles may be directed towards a surface or a target. A known charged particle source comprises a source cathode and multiple electrodes located downstream of said source cathode.
A charged particle source is known from WO 2015/101538 A1 of the Applicant, where the source is applied in a lithographic exposure system. The charged particle source comprises a cathode arrangement comprising: a thermionic cathode comprising an emission portion provided with an emission surface for emitting electrons, and a reservoir for holding a material, wherein the material, when heated, releases work function lowering particles that diffuse towards the emission portion and emanate at the emission surface at a first evaporation rate; a focusing electrode comprising a focusing surface for focusing the electrons emitted from the emission surface of the cathode; and a heat source configured for heating the material held in the reservoir.
Another charged particle source is known from Proc. of SPIE, Vol. 8680, 868000-1 to −12, see FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.
The known charged particle sources are, apart from use in charged particle exposure systems, such as charged particle lithography systems, also applied in charged particle inspection systems or microscopes. At least in these applications, the individual components of the charged particle source must be accurately aligned with respect to each other. In addition, connecting the individual components of the charged particle source to corresponding power supply arrangements is cumbersome and must be performed with care not to disturb the alignment of the individual components of the charged particle source with respect to each other.
It is an object of the disclosed embodiments to ameliorate or to eliminate one or more disadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative charged particle source.


A system capable of switching terminals while continuously receiving data on terminals monitored by a relay device such as a gateway. In devices such as a gateway for relaying data, the session status of the terminal under control is monitored and the relay processing status of data received externally over a network is changed according to requests such as pause, list, resume and call from a terminal, and the dynamic data address is changed or the relay of data is temporarily halted (pause). The present structure allows the user (client) to change the terminal receiving the data and change the receive processing status so that data can be continuously received on the terminal used after switching terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communications relay device, communications relay method, communications terminal apparatus and program storage medium. The present invention relates in particular to a communications relay device, communications relay method, communications terminal apparatus and program storage medium capable of continuously transmitting and receiving data by the dynamic switching of terminals receiving data over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with the explosive growth of the Internet, the sending of moving image and voice data has also flourished. The transmission of moving image (video) and audio data over a network is performed as a common network application. On personal computer (PC) networks in particular, the downloading of a preferred compressed video from the World Wide Web (WWW), viewing of live images in real-time or the playing of music data has become quite popular.
Diverse types of communication terminals are currently available, and the possession by one user of a plurality of communication devices such as a desktop PC, notebook PC, cellular telephone or PDA (personal digital assistant) is a common situation. Amidst such circumstances, the user may desire to switch the moving image data or music data being received on a desktop PC, to a cellular terminal such as a PDA.
Switching the receive terminals during the ongoing receiving of data, requires processing to close the connection for the terminal (e.g. desktop PC) currently receiving data; and processing to again open (make) a connection on a different terminal (e.g. PDA).
In the switching process for making connections in the related art, there was absolutely no continuity between the connection before being switched and the connection after being switched and these were processed as independent connections so that a terminal for example, in the process of receiving image data or music data could not be switched to receive data from the point in time when it was switched. In other words, when receiving data after switching a terminal, if the data was video data then receiving was from the beginning of the video data, and if music data then receiving was from the beginning of the music. The data therefore all had to be received once again.
In this kind of processing, when for example receiving a service distributing video data or music data for a fee, the received data had to be processed as two independent connections due to this terminal switching, causing the problem of double billing.
In an environment where the user possesses a plurality of terminals, the various problems with switching data receive terminals at the desired timing, and the continuous receiving of data after switching a terminal, were factors causing the user to find the terminal less convenient and useful.

Communications relay device, communications relay method, communications terminal apparatus and program storage medium


A ball and socket joint for a motor vehicle, with a housing (4) having a wall (7), a bottom (8) and an opening (9), with a ball pivot (3), which has a joint ball (1) and a pivot (2). The ball pivot is mounted with the joint ball (1) rotatably and pivotably in the housing (4) and the pivot extends out of the housing (4) through the opening (9). An electronic component (14) is arranged in the housing (4). An electrically conductive connection (17) is arranged in the housing (4) and is electrically connected to the component (14). The electrically conductive connection (17) extends out of the housing (4) from the component (14) in the area of the opening (9) or through the opening (9).

Control arms are essential components of the chassis, which connect the wheel to the body and comprise a force transmission body made of metal and force-applying points (hinge points) arranged at the ends, the wheel suspension-side connection being usually designed as a ball and socket joint. Level sensors, which send the position of the wheel to the body, are increasingly encountered in modern vehicles. These sensors are usually designed as shaft encoders, which are fastened to the body and are coupled with the control arm via a linkage. There have been considerations for some time to integrate these and other functionalities of the sensor as well as the functionalities of other sensors in the ball and socket joint.
A ball and socket joint is known from EP 0 617 260 A1, wherein a ball pivot is provided with a magnet and is mounted in a ball socket made in one piece with a housing. An insert is connected via a locking mechanism to the housing and sealed against the housing by means of a seal. The insert has a plug type connector, which is connected to a printed circuit board in the housing in an electrically conductive manner. The printed circuit board is arranged on a bracket made in one piece with the insert and carries a magnetic field-sensitive sensor.
If the bottom area of the housing, in which area the sensor is seated, is arranged towards the pavement, there is a risk that the insert or the plug type connector will be damaged by stone chips, dirt or moisture, so that the ability of the sensor, the printed circuit board and/or the plug type connector to function may be compromised by contaminants penetrating via the bottom area.

Ball and socket joint for a motor vehicle


A manual brushing device has a handle which comprises a battery, as well as a rotatable driving part that is connected to the handle for driving the connected removable brush. This driving part comprises an electric motor for the rotation of the brush, as well as vibration devices, which can cause the brush to tap or vibrate, causing the better removal of the dirt and dust from the skin. The brush has a removable receiving cover locked onto the driving part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a manual brushing device for animals and in particular for horses, comprising a handle and a driving part which in turn includes an electric motor with an outgoing driving axle, as well as a brush that is connected to the driving axle. Horses must be taken care of regularly in order to keep the horse's skin clean and healthy. This is achieved by regularly brushing the horse's skin, whereby different brushes are used during the course of a brushing session. First a rubber brush is used for massaging the skin to release dirt and dead hairs. The brush is used in a circular motion. Then a stiff brush must be used to remove the dead hairs, dirt and dust. After which a soft brush is used for the removal of remaining hairs, dirt and dust. The blood circulation in the skin is stimulated during brushing, which keeps the skin healthy.
2. Prior Art
Such a manual brushing device is known from patent application JP-A-59135824. In this known manual brushing device the brush is formed by an axle with radial protruding brush hairs, whereby the axis of the brush is parallel to the driving axle of the electric motor. The driving part of this known manual brushing device is located in the handle. This known manual brushing device is suitable for removing dead hairs and dirt from the animal's skin, but does not stimulate the animal's blood circulation.

Manual brushing device for animals, horses in particular


A motor vehicle steering wheel has flat steel deformable spokes which connect a steering-wheel rim to a hub to be mounted on a steering shaft. The associated free ends of the spokes are cast into the cast hub, and each spoke has in the cast-in area a passage bore which extends in the axial direction of the steering wheel and penetrated by the hub material during the casting process. In order to achieve an increase in rigidity in the hub/spokes connecting area, the passage bore is arranged directly adjacent to the entry area of the spoke into the hub, forming a rolling step, such that in this area a tension-rod connection is formed between the hub material located above and below the spoke.

The present invention relates to a steering wheel for motor vehicles which has deformable flat steel spokes connecting a steering-wheel rim to a hub to be mounted on a steering shaft, and, more particularly, to a steering wheel in which the associated free ends of the spokes are cast into the cast hub, and each spoke has in the cast-in area a passage bore extending in the axial direction of the steering wheel and being penetrated by the hub material during the casting process.
Mercedes-Benz AG has produced vehicle steering wheels in which the passage bore is located in an area of the hub near to the steering shaft and serves as protection against the spoke/hub connection being loosened in the radial direction.
The present invention recognizes that, in the event of a head-on collision, the known steering wheel is loaded by the driver and deformed forwards while absorbing energy in the driving direction. In this situation, it is important that the spokes, on leaving the hub, are held in their position and deform in a defined manner in a foreseen rolling area in a large radius. On leaving the hub, however, the spokes buckle too quickly, for example, due to the breaking up of the cast-around material, the hub material consisting preferably of aluminum, and the steering column located below it then prevents and impedes the advance path of the spokes. The force can then rise, under certain circumstances, to undesired values.
A relatively large dimensioning might provide a possible remedy, but such a remedy cannot always be realized due to the narrow space available in the steering wheel/steering-column jacket area.
The present invention has an object of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages and ensuring sufficient rigidity in the area in question without increasing the external dimensions of the components involved.
This object has been achieved according to the present invention in a steering wheel by arranging the passage bore directly adjacent to the entry area of the spoke into the hub to form a rolling step, such that in this entry area a tension-rod connection is formed between the hub material located above and below the spoke.


A stabilized alpha metal matrix provides an improved ductility, creep strength, and corrosion resistance against irradiation in a zirconium alloy containing on a weight percentage basis tin in a range of 0.4 to 1.0 percent and typically 0.5; iron in a range of 0.3 to 0.6 percent, and typically 0.46 percent; chromium in a range of 0.2 to 0.4 percent, and typically 0.23 percent; silicon in a range of 50 to 200 ppm, and typically 100 ppm; and oxygen in a range 1200 to 2500 ppm, typically 1800 to 2200 ppm. The high oxygen level assists in reducing hydrogen uptake of the alloy compared to Zircaloy-4, for example.

This invention relates to alloys for use in light water nuclear reactor (LWR) core structural components and fuel cladding. More particularly, this invention relates to a zirconium alloy for such use which exhibits superior ductility, creep strength, and corrosion resistance after irradiation. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a zirconium alloy with improved creep strength, corrosion resistance, and low neutron absorption cross section by controlling its alloy composition to within particular ranges, and especially including oxygen in particularly high ranges, thus to assist in reducing hydrogen uptake of the proposed alloy.

Zirconium alloy with superior corrosion resistance


An opening into which a shift lever is inserted is formed on a cover slide main body. Normally, the cover slide main body moves with the shift lever. A side wall and auxiliary walls project from the opening at the rear surface side portion of the opening. The side wall blocks the opening side from the mark piece portion side. The auxiliary walls maintain rigidity of the cover slide main body around the opening. The side wall prevents light irradiated to the mark piece portion from escaping through a gap between the opening and the shift lever, and prevents water or the like from entering and splashing into the main body from outside thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever device for shifting a vehicle transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among shift lever devices for shifting a vehicle transmission, a shift lever device which is used for an automatic transmission can select (change) a desired shift mode (range) through the control of a shift lever. Further, the shift mode selected can be viewed (confirmed) through display windows installed in the upper housing of the shift lever device.
Ordinarily, a light transmitting (transparent) plate member is mounted on the display windows. Further, a lower housing is disposed at the rear surface side of the upper housing. Moreover, a cover slide is disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing, and is thereby supported so as to move slidably. An opening into which a shift lever is inserted is formed on the cover slide. The cover slide is inserted into the opening and is moved with the shift lever by the shift lever. Further, a mark piece on which a red seal or the like is stuck is formed integrally with the cover slide. The mark piece faces the rear surface side portion of the display windows and is spaced apart from them at a predetermined distance. When the cover slide moves with the shift lever, the mark piece moves directly below the display windows in accordance with the respective shift positions. Accordingly, the mark piece stuck with the red seal or the like can be viewed from outside through the display windows. As a result, it is structured such that the shift position of the shift lever is displayed.
The mark piece of the cover slide which is viewed through the display windows must be visible even in the dark. Accordingly, it is structured such that light is irradiated by a light source such as a lamp or the like. When light is appropriately irradiated onto the mark piece in the dark, the mark piece can be reliably viewed through a display window by the light reflected from the mark piece.
In this way, such a mark piece is provided on the cover slide. As described above, the opening is formed on the cover slide, the shift lever is inserted into the opening, and the cover slide is always moved with the shift lever. However, when light is irradiated onto the mark piece, if light escapes from a gap formed between the opening and the shift lever, visibility is in fact hampered. In this case, because the gap between the opening and the shift lever cannot be helped, a method which prevents light from escaping from the gap between the opening and the shift lever is necessary.
Moreover, for example, there is a possibility that water or the like (fluids) may splash into a housing along the shift lever. In this respect, another method which prevents water or the like from splashing into the housings is necessary.


A light sense controller uses a light sensor to sense light variations, and then turns a socket on or off in response to the light levels for controlling household appliances coupled the socket. The light sense controller includes a plug and at least one socket. A step-down circuit couples to the plug for receiving AC power and outputting a supply voltage. A stabilizer couples to the step-down circuit for receiving the supply voltage, and outputs a first and second work voltage. A light sensor outputs a control signal in response to ambient brightness. A controller couples to the stabilizer and the light sensor for receiving the first work voltage and the control signal, and outputs a drive signal. An outputting circuit couples to the stabilizer, the controller, the plug, and the socket for receiving the second work voltage and the drive signal, and turns the socket on or off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light sense controller, and more specifically relates to a controller for turning a socket on or off in response to ambient brightness.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, there are usually an insufficient number of sockets in a house to provide electrical power. Therefore, a user often uses a socket with an extended line or a socket with multiple holes for increasing the number of sockets available for various household appliances. However, the user often forgets to turn off the household appliance once they have finished using it, therefore wasting power. Therefore, it is necessary to create a socket that can switch on or off automatically in response to light levels.


A cable drawn snubbing apparatus includes a first track and a second track in parallel spaced relation. A carriage extends between and engages the first track and the second track. Pipe engaging slips are carried by the carriage. Upper cables extend from the carriage to an upper end of the first track and the second track. Lower cables extend from the carriage to a lower end of the first track and the second track. Upper winches exert a force upon the upper cables to pull the carriage toward the upper end. Lower winches exert a force upon the lower cables to pull the carriage toward the lower end.

Virtually all pipe snubbing apparatus currently used to insert and remove pipe from oil wells or gas wells are hydraulically actuated. Some recent accidents with hydraulic snubbing apparatus have resulted in renewed interest in cable drawn pipe snubbing apparatus. In one recent accident, the hydraulic pipe snubbing apparatus failed without warning and well pressure propelled a length of pipe from the well with such force that it killed a rig worker who had the misfortune to be standing in the vicinity.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,894,912 (Otis 1933) is an example of a cable drawn pipe snubbing apparatus. However, the configuration of the Sage et al patent is not viewed as being suited to the present needs of the oil and gas industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,610 (Sage et al 1976) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,297 (Gunther 1978) use a combination of cables and hydraulics.


A universal personal protective mask includes a main body having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges that define an internal pocket. An opening is formed along the main body to permit access to the pocket, and a zipper is positioned along the opening to secure the pocket in an open or closed position. The mask body is constructed from a durable machine-washable fabric so as to be reusable, and includes at least one head strap. A gasket is positioned along the inside periphery of the mask body, and a filter insert is removably secured within the pocket. The filter being constructed from myriad of different materials or industry standards to prevent the passage of particulates and harmful organisms.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 highlighted a global issue regarding the need and proper use of personal protective gear, such as facemasks. To this end, disposable personal protective masks, also referred to as "respirators" or "filtering face masks" have long been provided to be worn over the breathing passage(s) of a person's face.
Typically, there are two main reasons for why individuals use such masks. In the first situation, the mask is worn in an environment where the air contains particles harmful to the wearer, for example, doctors working with sick patients, blue-collar workspaces where fine particulates are present (e.g., painters, mills, auto body shops, etc.) and/or outdoor environments where high pollution is found. In the second situation, the mask is worn in an environment where there is a high risk of the wearer infecting others, for example, a sick person in a waiting room or a crowded workspace.
Unfortunately, there does not currently exist a single mask type that is suitable for use in each of these situations. For example, surgical masks, like those that doctors wear, are not airtight and are unable to filter out virus and other particulates from the air They rather are designed to act as a physical barrier against droplets or splatter from transferring from person to person. Many people are under the impression that these masks are effective, but this is not the case. Furthermore, another big problem with these masks is that they are not reusable, as they can only be used for a couple of hours before they lose their function and need to be replaced.
On the other hand, N95-type respirators provide an airtight mask that can filter out pathogens, but with this mask comes numerous problems deterring their use. These masks are very difficult to breathe through, and many users experience a suffocating/claustrophobic effect due to the low airflow. Moreover, these masks are also challenging to put on and also can be very painful, as they have an unnecessarily tight strap. Finally, as with surgical masks, N-95 respirators have a limited life expectancy and are recommended to only be used a couple of times before being discarded.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a universal personal protective mask that can be configured for use in virtually any situation without suffering from the drawbacks described above.


Flat-panel type picture display device having a luminescent screen and a large number of electron propagation ducts operating by means of electron wall interaction. Electrons are withdrawn from the ducts by means of an addressing system, whereafter these electrons are directed towards desired locations on the luminescent screen. An apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons is arranged between the addressing system and the screen. To enable large voltage differences to be applied across the dimension of thickness of the spacer plate, the spacer plate is provided with a high-ohmic layer, or with a pattern of a low-ohmic material, or with an equalization layer at one side and with a low-ohmic layer at the other side, and at least the walls of the apertures are preferably coated with a material having a low secondary emission.

The invention relates to a picture display device having a vacuum envelope which is provided with a transparent face plate with a display screen having a pattern of luminescent picture elements (pixels), and a rear plate, said display device comprising a plurality of juxtaposed electron propagation means extending substantially parallel to the face plate, between said propagation means and the face plate, an addressing system for addressing desired pixels and an apertured spacer plate of electrically insulating material for passing electrons.
The display device described above is of the flat-panel type, as disclosed in EP-A-464 937. Display devices of the flat-panel type are devices having a transparent face plate and, arranged at a small distance therefrom, a rear plate, while the inner surface of a face plate is provided with a (for example, hexagonal) pattern of phosphor dots. If (video information-controlled) electrons impinge upon the luminescent screen, a visual image is formed which is visible via the front side of the face plate. The face plate may be flat or, if desired, curved (for example, spherical or cylindrical).
The display device described in EP-A-464 937 comprises a plurality of juxtaposed sources for emitting electrons, local electron propagation means cooperating with the sources and each having walls of high-ohmic, electrically substantially insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient suitable for propagating emitted electrons, and an addressing system comprising electrodes (selection electrodes) which can be driven in rows so as to withdraw electrons from the propagation means at predetermined extraction locations facing the luminescent screen, further means being provided for directing extracted electrons towards pixels of the luminescent screen for producing a picture composed of pixels.
The operation of the picture display device disclosed in EP-A 464 937 is based on the recognition that electron propagation is possible when electrons impinge on a wall of a high-ohmic, electrically substantially insulating material (for example, glass or synthetic material), if an electric field of sufficient power is generated over a given length of the wall (by applying a potential difference across the ends of the wall). The impinging electrons generate secondary electrons by wall interaction, which electrons are attracted to a further wall section and in their turn generate secondary electrons again by wall interaction, and so forth.
Starting from the above-mentioned principle, a flat-panel picture display device can be realised by providing each one of a plurality of juxtaposed "compartments", which constitute propagation ducts, with a column of extraction apertures at a side which is to face a display screen. It will then be practical to arrange the extraction apertures along "horizontal" lines extending transversely to the ducts. By adding selection electrodes arranged in rows to the arrangement of apertures, an addressing means is provided with which electrons can be selectively withdrawn from the "compartments", which electrons can be directed (and accelerated) towards the screen for producing a picture composed of pixels by activating the pixels.
EP-A-464 937 particularly describes a multi-stage addressing or: selection system. A multi-stage selection system using a number of preselection extraction locations, which number is reduced with respect to the number of pixels, and directly or indirectly associated therewith a number of (fine-)selection apertures which corresponds to the number of luminescent pixels provides advantages with respect to, for example, the extraction efficiency and/or the required number of electrical connections/drivers. For controlling the preselection locations a pattern of preselecting electrodes is used, and for controlling the (fine) selection apertures a pattern of fine selection electrodes is used.
The luminescent screen is also referred to as the flu screen. An important component of the relevant display device is the flu spacer.
The flu spacer is located between the fine-selection electrodes and the face plate of the flu screen. Due to the efficiency and the saturation behaviour of the flu screen it is of paramount importance that the voltage between the flu screen and the fine selection electrodes is as high as possible. Dependent on the phosphors used, 3 kV or, even more frequently, 5 kV is a minimum requirement.
The fine-selection plate, the flu spacer and the flu screen are made of an insulating material, for example glass. A metallization of, for example nickel is provided in patterns on the fine-selection plate. A low-ohmic transparent conducting layer of, for example ITO is provided on the flu screen. This layer is provided with the flu screen and (possibly) a black matrix; the flu current is depleted via the conducting layer. A typical thickness of the flu spacer is 0.5-1.0 mm. The voltage difference between the fine-selection electrodes and the ITO layer on the flu screen should be as high as possible. A number of unwanted effects may occur at large voltage differences.

Flat-panel type picture display device with electron propagation ducts


A compiler method converts an indirect call to a callee routine in a caller routine program listing, to an in-line listing of, or a direct call to, the callee routine in the caller routine. An indirect call is a call to a callee routine wherein the callee routine is not absolutely identified until run time of the program listing. The method includes the steps of: comparing plural prospective callee routines in the program listing with characteristics of an indirect caller site in the caller routine and eliminating prospective callee routines which evidence other than a match with those characteristics; employing call statistics associated with remaining prospective callee routines (and the caller routine) to eliminate further ones of the prospective callee routines to arrive at a set of one or more chosen prospective callee routines. The method concludes by in-lining at the indirect caller site at least one of the set of chosen prospective callee routines. As an alternative, a direct call can be inserted. At run time, the program listing is executed and, in the process of execution, the callee routine is absolutely identified. If the identified callee routine has already been in-lined (or there is a direct call present), it is executed and the program continues. If the identified callee routine is not present in the caller's code listing, via either an in-line listing or a direct call, an indirect call is executed to the identified callee routine.

A compiler accomplishes a translation of a source code listing to a set of object files that are written in machine language. During the compilation action, code generation and optimization decisions are made, and the resultant coded output is then subjected to a linking action which primarily relocates code and data, resolves branch addresses and provides binding to run-time libraries.
Many modern programming languages support the concept of separate compilation, wherein a source code listing is broken up into separate modules that can be fed individually to a language translator for generation of the machine code. The use of source code modules during a compilation process enables substantial savings in required memory in the computer on which the compiler executes. In a co-pending application entitled "Compiler with Intermodular Procedure Optimization" (Attorney Docket 10961037-1) Ser. No. 08/795,986 filed Feb. 5, 1997, and assigned to the same Assignee as this Application, a method is described for improving the optimization of a source code listing which is compiled in a modular fashion. That method involves the derivation of a number of program-wide tables which enable inter-modular referencing to occur, even though individual modules are, in the main, processed individually during compilation. A principal use of the invention in the aforesaid patent application is to enable insertion of in-line code listings in place of direct call sites in the individual modules being optimized. A direct call is one wherein a routine is specifically noted in the routine by a name which enables a direct reference to the called routine, wherever it is stored.
Such code listings also include indirect calls. An indirect call is a reference to a subroutine (i.e., the callee) wherein the subroutine is not identified until program run time. Indirect calls are present in many of today's programming languages (e.g., C, Fortran, etc.) and also play a significant role in object-oriented programming languages like C++ and Java. Indirect calls, by their very nature require considerable processing and procedure delay time for their execution. If it were possible to identify, in advance, the callee of an indirect call, the code comprising the callee routine could be inserted into the caller's routine by in-lining or a direct call could be inserted to the identified code (a direct call requiring less processing than an indirect call).
As above indicated, in-lining replaces a call site in the caller routine with the callee routine's code. In-line substitution eliminates call overhead and tailors the call to the particular set of arguments passed at a given caller site. Nevertheless, since in the prior art the identification of a callee subject to an indirect call has not been known until run time, such indirect calls have remained in the compiled code and have resulted in increases in processing time.
In "Reducing Indirect Function Call Overhead in C++ Programs" Calder et al., ACM Principles of Programming Languages, Portland, Oreg., 1994, a technique is described for replacing an indirect call with a matching test, followed by a direct call. However it is assumed that prior to optimization, a profiling phase identifies a list of callee candidates for each indirect call site by observing program behavior on a test input. Such indirect call information is expensive to accumulate.
In other prior art, a compiler has been described which performs a series of passes over a database that contains information about all of the procedures in an application. A variety of analyses are performed to provide information as to which procedures are invoked by a direct call; which names refer to a same location (alias analysis); which pointers point to which locations (pointer tracking); which procedures use which scalars (scalar analysis); and which procedures should be in-lined at which call sites (in-line analysis); etc. The results of the analyses are then employed during the compile action to achieve application improvement. See "Engineering and Inter-Procedural Optimizing Compiler", Loeliger et al., Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tex. (undated).
While the Loeliger et al. procedure performs many analyses, there is no indication of an attempt to identify, in advance, callee procedures that are subject to an indirect call.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved compiler which attempts to identify a callee that is the subject of indirect call.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved compiler which both identifies prospective callees of indirect calls and either in-lines the code of the identified callees into caller routine listings or inserts a direct call thereto.

Compiler for reducing number of indirect calls in an executable code


Wave energy is directed into a body. A condition within the body is observed by reflection from effects within the body. An internal target is located. Wave energy is focused on the target within the body and is increased in intensity to treat the target. A hand held instrument passivates or moves scalp from a skull, and converges, diverges or collimates near infrared laser beams through a skull and into interior tissue. Reflected energy reveals vessels edema or bleeding. Vessel targets are identified. Infrared laser beams are directed, triggered and intensified to coagulate or constrict the vessel. The hand held instrument is a wand connected to a laser source, processor, display and power source. The power supply, processor, infrared laser, display and laser director are mounted on a hand held unit for field use by technicians and medics to prevent time delay and further injury.

Intracranial bleeding following head trauma is a major medical concern for the modern U.S. warfighter and civilian population. Since there is no practical point of injury treatment for intracranial bleeding, death or permanent neurological injury becomes increasingly likely as treatment is delayed during transportation to a medical treatment facility.
Battlefield and point of injury treatment of intracranial hemorrhage is nearly nonexistent. There is very little a field medic or first responder can do to mitigate the consequences of intracranial bleeding in the first moments after injury. The best option available to the medical personnel is to prepare the patient for rapid evacuation to a surgically capable medical treatment facility. The unfortunate consequence is that neurological damage or death becomes increasingly likely as time passes. This applies to civilian situations as well. Closed head injuries are very common injuries resulting from automobile accidents, blunt trauma, and sports injuries. Cranial hypothermia has been used for many years in an attempt to slow the progression of central damage. Hypothermia is intended to reduce inflammation, limit bleeding, and retard metabolism. This technique has been demonstrated to reduce the long-term neurological injury resulting from aneurysm; however, this technique is logistically impractical on the battlefield or accident site and does little to address the underlying cause.
Closed head injuries with edema greater than 1 cm2 have a mortality rate of 89%. The time from injury to treatment is of critical importance in the treatment of intracranial hemorrhage. Classically, superficial intracranial hemorrhage is treated by drilling a burr hole through the skull to relieve intracranial pressure. If the patient survives, a neurovascular surgeon would then intervene to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, the classical medical and surgical intervention is limited to the medical treatment facility, long after the progression of the injury may have become fatal.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from intracranial hemorrhage is a major cause of death and permanent disability for modem warfighters and in the civilian sector. Advances in protective body armor have contributed to the reduction in U.S. warfighter mortality. Injured warfighters that would have previously suffered fatal bodily wounds are presenting with injuries such as TBI. The TBI damage resulting from the initial blast or concussion is commonly exacerbated by subsequent intracranial bleeding. Intracranial hemorrhage commonly occurs when the soft tissues are displaced relative to the skull and meninges, creating damaging shearing and crushing forces. As the hemorrhage progresses, the blood confined in the volume of the skull displaces the brain, further damaging the tissues. Additionally, the intracranial pressure increases with the blood pressure from an arterial rupture. This increased pressure resists adequate blood flow to all the tissues within the closed volume resulting in widespread neurological damage. The options for point-of-injury treatment are severely limited. If the injured patient survives the transport to a treatment facility, a burr hole and craniotomy are the first line of treatment. Significant time may pass between injury and treatment, usually resulting in additional disability or death. Field medics and medical-evacuation personnel are substantially unequipped to treat intracranial bleeding in the first critical moments following injury. Point-of-injury treatment of intracranial bleeding would decrease the extent of secondary insults and decrease mortality.

Laser treatment of body injuries and defects


FinFET semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided. Discrete fins are formed on a substrate. An insulation layer is formed on the substrate between the discrete fins, the insulation layer having a top surface lower than a top surface of the fin and covering a portion of a sidewall surface of the fin. A sidewall spacer is formed covering the sidewall surface of the fin and exposing the top surface of the fin. A top portion of the fin is selectively nitrided to convert a thickness portion of the fin into a semiconductor nitride layer on a remainder fin. The semiconductor nitride layer is removed to form an opening on the remainder fin and between adjacent sidewall spacers. A stress layer is formed to fill the opening.

With continuous development of semiconductor technology, semiconductor technology nodes continue to decrease based on Moore's Law. In order to adapt to the reduced technology nodes, channel length of MOSFET devices is shortened. The shortened channel length may allow increases of die density and increases of switching speed of the MOSFET.
However, as the channel length of the device is shortened, the distance between the source and the drain of the device may also be shortened. This increases difficulties for the gate to control the channel region and increases difficulties in gate voltage to pinch off the channel. Then, subthreshold leakage phenomenon, i.e., the so-called short-channel effects, may be more likely to occur.
In order to better adapt to the scaled-down device dimensions, focuses of semiconductor technology are gradually changed from planar MOSFET transistors to three-dimensional-type transistors, such as fin field effect transistor (FinFET), with high efficacy. In a FinFET device, the gate may control the fin at least from both sides of the ultra-thin body (the fin) and may have much stronger control capability on the channel region, as compared with planar MOSFET devices. The short channel effects may be suppressed. Further, the FinFET may have better compatibility with existing IC production technology.
According to carrier mobility enhancement technology, the improved carrier mobility in the channel region may increase drive current of the FinFET device. Performance of FinFET may be improved.
In conventional semiconductor fabrication process, because a stress layer may be used to exert stress in the channel region to alter energy gap and carrier mobility of the silicon material. Performance of FinFET devices may then be improved. In particular, by appropriately controlling the stress in the devices, carrier (e.g., electrons for NMOS FinFET and holes for PMOS FinFET) mobility can be increased to improve drive current to greatly improve the performance of the FinFET devices.
However, the stress layer formed using conventional methods may result in undesirable electrical performance of the resultant FinFET devices.

FINFET semiconductor device and fabrication method

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


A drive transmission mechanism including a shaft including a reduced diameter portion at an outboard end, an engaging portion inboard of the reduced diameter portion, and an installation portion inboard of the engaging portion and having the same diameter as the engaging portion, a first bearing having an inner ring onto which the reduced diameter portion is fitted, a connecting member provided to the shaft and including a main body into which the installation portion is fitted and a fitting portion provided to the main body on a side in which the engaging portion is provided to accommodate the engaging portion, and a second bearing engaging the shaft to support the shaft at an inboard end of the shaft opposite the first bearing with the connecting member interposed between the first and second bearings.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary aspects of the present invention generally relate to a drive transmission mechanism and an image foaming apparatus including the drive transmission mechanism, and more particularly to a drive transmission mechanism having an uncomplicated configuration and good transmission property and an image forming apparatus including the drive transmission mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gears, timing belts, and pulleys are generally used for a drive transmission mechanism that transmits a drive force generated by a motor or the like. In the drive transmission mechanism, each of the gears or the pulleys (hereinafter both referred to as drive transmission members) is fitted onto a shaft supported at both ends by bearings. It is important for accurate transmission of the drive force to prevent the drive transmission member and the shaft from being moved not only in a radial direction but also in a thrust direction. In order to restrict movement of the shaft in the thrust direction, the bearing is typically sandwiched between an enlarged diameter portion at the end of the shaft and the drive transmission member fitted onto the shaft.
In such a configuration, however, the drive transmission member may contact a shield plate fixed to an outer ring of the bearing. Consequently, although the shield plate is stationary, the drive transmission member is rotated together with an inner ring of the bearing. As a result, vibration due to friction between the drive transmission member and the shield plate may cause uneven rotation of the shaft.
To solve the above-described problem, the shaft can be given a portion of enlarged or reduced diameter, with a step thus formed at a boundary between a normal diameter portion of the shaft and the enlarged or reduced diameter portion is pressed against the inner ring of the bearing to restrict movement of the shaft in the thrust direction. However, the drive transmission member needs to be fitted onto the shaft, thereby preventing easy assembly of the drive transmission mechanism.
In another approach, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a drive transmission mechanism 110 includes a drive transmission member 30 which is loosely fitted onto a shaft 20 to facilitate assembly of the drive transmission mechanism 110. Accordingly, reliable transmission of the drive force can be achieved even in a case in which a pin 40 inserted into the shaft 20 and a pin seating formed in the drive transmission member 30 contact each other to loosely fit the drive transmission member 30 onto the shaft 20.
However, with such a configuration it is necessary to fix a position of the drive transmission member 30 in the thrust direction with an E-ring (or C-ring) 70 in order to restrict movement of the drive transmission member 30 in the thrust direction. Therefore, a space into which the E-ring (or C-ring) 70 is inserted must be provided between the drive transmission member 30 and a bearing 10. Consequently, a length of the shaft 20 is increased, thereby possibly causing uneven rotation of the shaft 20.

Drive transmission mechanism and image forming apparatus including same


A holographic recording medium comprises (a) an acid generator capable of generating an acid upon exposure to actinic radiation; and (b) a polymer comprising a plurality of high refractive index moieties, a plurality of low refractive index moieties, and a plurality of acid-sensitive linking groups connecting the high and low refractive index moieties. When an interference pattern is formed within this medium, in the light areas of this interference pattern acid is generated by the acid generator and cleaves the acid-sensitive linking groups, thereby causing separation of either the high or the low refractive index moieties from the polymer, and formation of a hologram within the medium.

This invention relates to a holographic medium and a process for the use thereof to form a hologram. More specifically, this invention relates to such a medium containing a polymer which separates into two components during the holographic exposure.
In prior art processes for the formation of volume-phase holograms, interference fringes are formed within a holographic recording medium comprising a homogeneous mixture of a polymerizable monomer or oligomer and a polymeric binder; the polymerizable monomer or oligomer must of course be sensitive or sensitized to the radiation used to form the interference fringes. In the light areas of the fringes, the monomer or oligomer undergoes polymerization to form a polymer that has a refractive index different from that of the binder. Diffusion of the monomer or oligomer into the light areas, with consequent chemical segregation of binder from these areas and its concentration in the dark areas, produces spatial separation between the polymer formed from the monomer or oligomer and the binder, thereby providing the refractive index modulation needed to form the hologram. Typically, after the holographic exposure, a post-treatment step of blanket exposure of the medium to actinic radiation is required to complete the polymerization of the monomer or oligomer and fix the hologram.
There are two major difficulties in formulating this type of holographic recording medium. Firstly, the components of the medium must be compatible with one another so that the medium does not separate into two discrete phases before the holographic exposure, and for a practical commercial product, it is necessary that the recording medium not undergo phase separation during several months of storage during which the medium may be subjected to wide temperature variations, for example in trucks during delivery of the medium. However, it is also desirable that the two phases produced from the medium during the holographic exposure show a large difference in refractive index, since such a large difference in refractive index improves the holographic efficiency of the hologram produced. Unfortunately, these requirements of compatibility and high refractive index difference tend to be inconsistent with one another. A high refractive index component will typically contain numerous aromatic nuclei, while a low refractive index component will typically contain fluorinated alkyl or similar groups, and such aromatic and fluorinated alkyl components tend not to form homogeneous mixtures. It is difficult to produce, for example, a recording medium, comprising a highly aromatic polymer and a perfluoroalkyl acrylate or methacrylate monomer or oligomer, which is homogeneous and stable for long periods over a wide temperature range. Although useful media can be formulated, the ranges of components which can be used are limited (which tends to increase the cost of the medium) and in practice workers are usually forced into somewhat unsatisfactory compromises, resulting in media which have workable (though less than optimum) compatibility and workable (though less than optimum) refractive index differences.
Secondly, the physical properties of such holographic recording media tend to be unsatisfactory. Since such media comprise a mixture of a polymeric binder and a polymerizable monomer or oligomer, they tend to be soft, or even semi-solid, with considerable tackiness. Such soft, tacky mixtures are difficult to handle without damage to the thin layer of the medium normally used to form a hologram, and are likely to pick up dirt, dust and other materials during storage and handling; the presence of dust, dirt etc. on the medium is of course highly undesirable since the quality of the resultant hologram is adversely affected.
The present invention provides a holographic recording medium which is essentially free from the problems of incompatibility and tackiness experienced in prior art media.
Accordingly, this invention provides a process for preparing a hologram. This process comprises:
providing a holographic recording medium comprising (a) an acid generator capable of generating an acid upon exposure to actinic radiation; and (b) a polymer, this polymer comprising a plurality of high refractive index moieties, a plurality of low refractive index moieties, and a plurality of acid-sensitive linking groups connecting the high and low refractive index moieties, the acid-sensitive linking groups being capable of being cleaved by the acid generated by the acid generator; and
passing into the medium a reference beam of coherent actinic radiation to which the acid generator is sensitive and an object beam of the same coherent actinic radiation, thereby forming within the medium an interference pattern and, in the light areas of this interference pattern, causing generation of acid by the acid generator and cleavage of the acid-sensitive linking groups by this acid, thereby causing separation of either the high or the low refractive index moieties from the polymer, and formation of a hologram within the medium.
This invention also provides a holographic recording medium comprising:
(a) an acid generator capable of generating an acid upon exposure to actinic radiation; and
(b) a polymer, this polymer comprising a plurality of high refractive index moieties, a plurality of low refractive index moieties, and a plurality of acid-sensitive linking groups connecting the high and low refractive index moieties, the acid-sensitive linking groups being capable of being cleaved by the acid generated by the acid generator, thereby causing separation of either the high or the low refractive index moieties from the polymer, the medium being capable, upon exposure to an interference pattern formed between two beams of the actinic radiation, of forming regions differing in refractive index and thereby producing a hologram.

Holographic medium and process for use thereof


A process for spot-welding hydroformed members allows at least one hydroformed member to be positioned with an end butted against a lateral side of the second hydroformed member. A structural shell member sandwiches the joint around the two hydroformed members to provide a surface to which each of the hydroformed members can be spot-welded. The U-shaped structural support receives the lateral side of one hydroformed member in the bight portion thereof and has arms that are positioned against the perpendicularly positioned second hydroformed member. Each of the hydroformed members are formed with access openings therein to allow spot-welding electrodes to be positioned against an appropriate wall of the hydroformed member and the adjacent portion of the U-shaped structural shell member. The joint is rigidly formed by spot-welding each of the hydroformed members to the structural support. The process is particularly adapted for utilization in the manufacture of automotive frames.

Manufacturing processes for automobiles have evolved from one that utilized MIG welding processes, i.e. a welding process in which a line of molten material is deposited by the welder in joining two pieces of metal together. Spot-welding, a process involving the passage of electrical current between two electrodes to melt and join two pieces of metal placed between the electrodes, is being utilized in a greater degree in the manufacturing of automotive vehicles. Spot-welding requires a frame design that is conducive to being manufactured using the spot-welding process. For example, if two tubular members are being spot-welded, access to the adjoining walls of the two tubular members by the spot-welder electrodes must be provided.
The joinder of hydroformed frame members presents a problem for frame construction in automobiles. If the frame members are positioned in a parallel orientation, the contiguous sides of the two frame members can be spot-welded together with the electrodes being inserted through openings formed during the hydroforming process in the respective opposing sides of the frame members.
Since hydroformed frame members are tubular in configuration, the frame members have open ends. Therefore, welding the connection of a frame member that is butted against a lateral side of another frame member presents a welding problem that is conventionally solved by MIG welding processes with the edges of the butted frame member being welded to the sides of the adjoining frame member. If the frame member being butted against the lateral side of the other frame member is physically smaller that the other frame member, the smaller frame member can be inserted into an opening formed in the other frame member so that the smaller frame member butts or aligns with the opposing surface of the larger frame member and the respective sides of the frame members can be spot-welded together if the frame members are sized appropriately. However, such welding techniques do not work if the two frame members are not sized to snuggly fit together before being spot-welded.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system and welding process in which spot-welding techniques could be utilized to weld together frame members that are butted together with at least one end of a frame member to be welded to anther frame member.

Spot-welded joint for hydroformed members


A hard disk drive using an increase in servo address mark delays to create a touchdown flag in response to a slider making contact with a rotating disk surface while accessing a track. This may be used particularly when the track being accessed is located away from the Inside Diameter (ID). The hard disk drive may further use resistive heater electrical readings to determine the touchdown flag for track locations near the ID. The hard disk drive may be calibrated during manufacture and/or may be recalibrated in the field with this method. The calibrated hard disk drive is a product of this method. The method may be used during normal access operations and/or may be embodied as a program system residing in computer readable memory for instructing a computer operating the hard disk drive, where the computer and/or the memory may or may not be included in the hard disk drive.

The basic mechanics of a hard disk drive involve at least one disk being rotated to create a rotating disk surface and the position of a slider over the rotating disk surface to access data that is usually stored as a track. One of the central and continuing concerns is determining when and under what conditions the slider make contact with the rotating disk surface. As hard disk drives evolve, the flying height of the slider over the rotating disk surface becomes smaller. Today the flying height during the access of a track is often less than ten nanometers (nm) and the tolerances for flying height as measured in standard deviations may be from three to six nm. While several methods have been proposed and developed, several approaches are relatively insensitive to a region of the disk surface referred to as the Middle Diameter (MD) and/or suffer from low sampling bandwidth problems.

Method and apparatus for estimating touchdown of a slider in a hard disk drive


A pattern-forming method includes coating a radiation-sensitive resin composition on a substrate to provide a resist film. The resist film is exposed. The exposed resist film is developed. A developer solution used in developing the exposed resist film includes no less than 80% by mass of an organic solvent. The radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a first polymer and a radiation-sensitive acid generator. The first polymer includes a first structural unit having an acid-labile group and an alicyclic group. The alicyclic group is capable of avoiding dissociation from a molecular chain by an action of an acid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern-forming method, and a radiation-sensitive resin composition.
2. Discussion of the Background
Miniaturization of structures in various types of electronic devices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal devices has been accompanied by demands for miniaturization of resist patterns in lithography processes. Although fine resist patterns having a line width of about 90 nm can be formed using, for example, an ArF excimer laser at present, finer pattern formation is required in the future.
Therefore, pattern-forming methods involving resist compositions, developer solutions, exposure methods and the like have been improved. For example, high resolving abilities can be reportedly attained according to liquid immersion lithography, even if a light source of the same exposure wavelength is employed, similarly to the case in which a light source of a shorter wavelength is employed. Such liquid immersion lithography has drawn attention as a technique that achieves high resolution in manufacturing semiconductor elements which require a large amount of investment in equipment while suppressing an increase in costs.
However, due to elution of substances included in a resist into a liquid immersion medium, and the like in liquid immersion lithography, disadvantages have been suggested that adversely affect lithography characteristics by way of: deterioration of the resist film to impair performances thereof; regional changes of a refractive index of the liquid immersion medium due to eluted substances; contamination of the surface of a lens from eluted substances; and the like (see pamphlet of PCT International Publication No. 04/068242).
In addition, as a technique for increasing resolving power utilizing characteristic features of chemically amplified type resist materials, a technique in which a developer solution is used which is an organic solvent having lower polarity than that of aqueous alkali solutions has been investigated (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2000-199953).

Pattern-forming method, and radiation-sensitive resin composition


A magnetic head assembly comprises a magnetic head, a magnetic head support structure having a first mount, a second mount and a housing space, and an optical unit fixed to the second mount, capable of projecting a plurality of light beams through a light passage on a recording medium and of receiving a plurality of reflected light beam. The optical unit comprises a light emitting device which emits a light beam, a holographic unit capable of producing a plurality of light beams from the light beam and of focusing the plurality of light beams on a position sensing track formed on the recording medium, and a photodetection device for receiving the plurality of reflected light beams. The holographic unit is partly received in the housing space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head assembly which projects light beams on a disk-shaped recording medium to position a magnetic head. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic head assembly having a small dimension in a direction perpendicular to the recording surface of a recording medium.
2. Background Art
Most disk-shaped recording mediums prevalently used today are 3.5 inch diameter disks having a high track density in the range of about 2100 to 2500 TPI (tracks per inch) and a storage capacity in the range of 100 to 120 Mbyte.
The recording medium is provided with a position sensing track for optical tracking servocontrol for positioning a magnetic head relative to the recording medium. The position sensing track is used for closed-loop optical servocontrol for positioning the magnetic head relative to recording tracks.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of an optical system included in a conventional magnetic recording apparatus. Shown in FIG. 10 are a disk-shaped recording medium 50, a position sensing track 50a of a predetermined length formed continuously in concentric circles on one surface of the recording medium 50, a magnetic head 51 for writing information to the recording medium 50, or erasing or reading information recorded on the recording medium 50, a cartridge 50b for protecting the recording medium 50, and a rectangular window 50c formed in the cartridge 50 to enable the magnetic head 51 to gain access to the recording medium 50. The magnetic head 51 is bonded to a magnetic head support spring 51a, and the magnetic head support spring 51a supporting the magnetic head 51 is carried by a carriage unit, not shown. The magnetic head 51 slides on the surface of the recording medium 50 provided with the position sensing track 50a.
A light emitting-and-receiving unit 52 is provided with a laser diode 52a, i.e., a light source, and a photodiode 52b, i.e., a photodetection device.
A holographic unit 53 is provided with an optical element, not shown, for dividing light emitted by the laser diode 52a into three light beams, and an optical element, not shown, for guiding the reflected light reflected from the recording medium 50 to the photodiode 52b.
Shown also in FIG. 10 are a lens 54 for condensing light rays from the holographic unit 53 and guiding the reflected light to the holographic unit 53, and a mirror 56 for reflecting a light beam traveled through the lens 54 to the recording medium 50 and guiding the reflected light reflected by the recording medium 50 to the lens 54.
The above components 52 to 55 constitute an optical system. The optical system, the magnetic head 51 and the magnetic head support spring 51a are carried by a carriage mechanism, not shown, for simultaneous movement in directions parallel to the radius of the recording medium 50.
In operation, the recording medium 50 is rotated at a fixed rotating speed by a recording medium drive motor, not shown. The magnetic gap of the magnetic head 51 supported on the head support spring 51a slides on the recording medium 50.
Next, closed-loop optical servocontrol of the optical system will be described. Light emitted by the laser diode 52a is divided into three light beams by the holographic unit 53, the three light beams are condensed by the lens 54, the three condensed light beams fall on the mirror 55, and then the mirror 55 deflects the three light beams toward the recording medium 50.
The position of the light emitting-and-receiving unit 52 is adjusted so that the three light beams are arranged in a direction at a predetermined angle to the position sensing track 50a when the three light beams are projected on the position sensing track 50a.
The three light beams deflected toward the recording medium 50 by the mirror 55 are reflected toward the mirror 55 in reflected light beams of different intensities dependent on a condition in which the three light beams fall on the recording medium 50 or on the position sensing track 50a of the recording medium 50. The mirror 55 deflects the three reflected light beams toward the lens 54, the three reflected light beams travel through the lens 54 to the holographic unit 53, and then the holographic unit 53 guides the three reflected light beams to the photodiode 52b.
Upon the reception of the three reflected light beams, the photodiode 52b generates detection signals respectively representing the intensities of the three reflected light beams. A servocontroller, not shown, receives the detection signals from the photodiode 52b and gives a drive signal to a carriage drive unit, not shown, for driving the carriage mechanism, not shown, to drive the carriage mechanism according to the contents of the detection signals. The magnetic head (more precisely, the magnetic gap) carried by the carriage mechanism is positioned relative to a predetermined track by closed-loop optical servocontrol.
In the conventional magnetic head assembly thus constructed, the holographic unit 53, the lens 54 and the mirror 55 are individual components, those components are disposed below the magnetic head support spring 51a. Therefore, it is difficult to miniaturize the magnetic head assembly and to form the magnetic head assembly in a relatively small thickness, and hence the magnetic recording apparatus employing the same magnetic head assembly cannot be miniaturized and cannot be formed in a relatively small thickness.
Techniques for integrating the optical system with the holographic unit are disclosed in Japanese patent publication JP-A No. 4-219640. Those prior art techniques, however, concern an optical system for an optical pickup, go no further than facilitating the adjustment of the optical system and in miniaturizing the optical system by the integration of the optical system, and do not realize or suggest any means effective in forming a magnetic head assembly in a relatively small thickness.

Reduced profile magnetic head assembly and method of manufacturing reduced profile magnetic head support structure


A pneumatic tire with a tread comprising a blend of 3,4-polyisoprene rubber, cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber, and a terpolymer of styrene/isoprene/butadiene. The triblend of the three basic elastomers when compounded and cured into a polymer network gives a high tan delta at 0.degree. C. associated with good wet traction and a low tan delta at 60.degree. C. which has been associated with low rolling resistance.

Pneumatic rubber passenger and truck tires are composed of elements which conventionally include a tread of a rubber composition. The tread rubber is sometimes desirably compounded to provide a tire with a relatively low rolling resistance with reasonable wear and good traction.
Although it may be desired to compound the tire's tread composition to reduce the rolling resistance of the tire without substantially reducing the tire's traction features, tire traction might be expected to be somewhat sacrificed as may be evidenced by its decrease in wet and dry skid resistance.
Various rubber compositions have been prepared for various purposes, some of which have included the tire treads. Often tire treads are composed of synthetic rubber or blends of synthetic rubber with natural rubber for the purpose of achieving desirable tire tread characteristics such as wear, traction and reduction in rolling resistance. Various synthetic rubbers have been used in the manufacture of tires with such treads including styrene/butadiene copolymers (prepared by emulsion or solution polymerization methods) sometimes referred to as SBR, high cis 1,4 polybutadiene rubber as well as high and medium vinyl (1,2-) polybutadiene rubbers. Sometimes a synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene may, at least in part, be substituted for the natural rubber in tire tread compositions.
Vinyl isoprene (3,4-polyisoprene) rubber has heretofore been taught to be useful for various purposes such as, for example, as a blend with other rubber in tire treads and use in industrial products such as vibration dampers, belts and shoe soles.
Representative of various patent and patent application disclosures are JP (Japan) 79531(1982)(58-196,245); 84660(1983)(59-210,958); 206328(1982) (59-96,143); 1-158,056; 4578(1988); and 244786(1985) (62-104,847); GE (Germany) 3,720,461; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,192,366; 4,756,353; 4,894,425; 4,946,887. One issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,483, discloses the use of SIBR terpolymer for use in tire tread compositions.
Viscoelastics properties of a rubber, or a rubber blend, for a tire tread applications, are important. For example, a tan delta property is the ratio of the viscous contribution to the elastic contribution for a viscoelastic rubber subjected to a dynamic deformation. Such property is typically represented in the form of a curve as a plot of tan delta values versus temperature.
For a tire with low rolling resistance, a tread rubber with tan delta optimization for a temperature in the range of about 50.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. is desired and a tan delta optimization for a temperature range of about -20.degree. C. to about +10.degree. C. is desired for a tire with good wet skid resistance. It is difficult to adjust a rubber blend to achieve a tan delta optimization substantially simultaneously for both temperature ranges and, thus, for both rolling resistance and wet skid resistance at the same time. Often, compromises have to be made.
By tan delta optimization it is meant that the tan delta value for the rubber, or rubber blend, is maximized in the region of approximately -20.degree. C. to about 10.degree. C. for a tire tread to have high wet skid resistance and tan delta value is minimized in the region of about 60.degree. C. for a tire tread to have low rolling resistance.
Although various rubber compositions are taught to provide various benefits, some for tire treads, it continues to be desirable to provide a pneumatic tire having a rubber tread having an enhanced rolling resistance and/or treadwear commensurate with reasonable traction qualities.

Rubber blend and tire with tread thereof


A method of producing a composite metal material includes: (a) mixing an elastomer and filler particles to obtain a composite material; and (b) mixing the composite material and a metal to obtain a composite metal material in which the filler particles are uniformly dispersed in the metal.

The present invention relates to a composite metal material and a method of producing the same.
In recent years, a composite metal material using a ceramic or the like as the reinforcing material has attracted attention. As such a composite metal material, an aluminum matrix composite material has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-115017, for example). As the fillers, particulate fillers (hereinafter called "filler particles") and fibrous filler are used.
As described above, the composite metal material using a ceramic or the like as the reinforcing material has been conventionally proposed. However, room for improvement still remains in dispersibility of the filler particles in the metal matrix. It is known that the compositing performance of the composite metal material is affected by wettability between the matrix metal and the reinforcing material and dispersibility of the reinforcing material in the matrix metal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composite metal material and method of producing the same


A design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes a first structure for determining a non-linear characteristic of the input voltage to the output frequency response, the first design structure providing a tunneling-based current relationship with the input voltage. Also disclosed is a system and a method of implementing such structure.

In many applications, it is highly desirable to make the output function of a particular circuit or system have a linear relationship with the input function of the circuit. For example, one can make a circuit or device that produces a capacitance whose value depends on an input voltage. In this case, it is desirable that the capacitance value behaves linearly with the input voltage. Another example relates to phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits which contain a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) whose output frequency is a function of an input control voltage. In such circuits, it is also desirable that the output frequency behave linearly with respect to the input control voltage.
There are many known techniques for linearizing the input/output response of VCOs in PLL circuits. Such techniques typically utilize circuit methods which can be very complex. Other techniques divide the frequency range to several ranges and employ different circuit and computational techniques to linearize each frequency range.
It is also known to utilize gate tunneling current with gate voltages less than 3V (volts) in devices with ultra-thin gate oxides, i.e., those which have gate oxide thickness less than about 4.5 nm. The gate current (Ig) can be expressed as a power function of the gate voltage (Vg) as follows:Ig=C1×VgC2   (1)
FIG. 1 graphically depicts the relationship between parameter C1 in amps per centimeter squared (AMP/cm2) versus oxide thickness at 27 C (27 degrees Celsius).
FIG. 2 graphically depicts the relationship between parameter C2 versus oxide thickness. As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, parameters C1 and C2 are functions of gate voltage and can be written as functions of oxide thickness (TOX). The range of TOX employed here is 3.5 nm to 1.2 nm. This range is selected as a practical case for the tunneling current as function of the gate voltage. The parameters C1 and C2 could be represented as follows:C1=4.8385×108×Exp[−1.301×TOX]  (2)C2=1.0611+[1.5863×TOX]  (3)The range of C2 corresponds to the TOX range, is from about 3.0 to about 6.7, and is a wide range.
The gate voltage Vg can be expressed as a function of Ig as follows:Vg=A1×IgA2   (4)where:A1=(1/C1)(1/C2)   (5)and,A2=1/C2.   (6)
There exists a need in the art for a better technique and an associated circuit through which the relationship between the output and input functions can be transformed into a linear one.

Structure for transforming an input voltage to obtain linearity between input and output functions and system and method thereof

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus for registering sheet material while being conveyed along a feed path including: (i) a conveyance deck for conveying sheet material along a support surface, (ii) a registration member defining an abutment surface operative to align an edge of the sheet material as the sheet material is conveyed along the support surface of the conveyance deck, and (iii) a drive mechanism disposed adjacent to the registration member and along the conveyance deck. The drive mechanism includes a flexible belt disposed about and supported by at least two rolling elements, and a means for driving the flexible belt about the rolling elements. The flexible belt includes a twisted section defining a plurality of spiral edge segments operative to (i) frictionally engage a surface of the sheet material to urge the sheet material against the abutment surface and (ii) convey the sheet material along the conveyance deck.

Sheet material/mailpiece handling systems frequently require sheet material, assembled/folded collations or completed mailpieces (hereinafter collectively referred to as "sheet material") to be turned over to match a specific downstream requirement. For example, mailpiece fabrication equipment typically requires that sheet material be oriented face-up or face down depending upon the orientation of a receiving envelope. This requirement has come under increasing demand as new and old equipment have, over the course of time, been merged. That is, some mailpiece fabrication systems require a face-up orientation while others employ a face-down presentation. Additionally, it may be necessary to change the orientation of a mailpiece to accommodate a specific printing requirement, i.e., printing on a particular side of an envelope.
Various inversion modules have been developed to reorient sheet material for use in sheet handling equipment. One such apparatus is a twist module wherein sheet material is directed linearly along a spiral path typically effected by a series of twisted belts or chords. While such twist modules retain the respective leading and trailing edge position of the sheet material, such modules require a lengthy axial path to change the face-up/face-down orientation of the sheet material. Furthermore, twist modules are less reliable when handling stacked collations inasmuch as the stacked sheets tend to skew as they follow the spiral path.
Another common requirement is for the sheet material to be re-directed at a right angle from an upstream feed path to be processed along another feed path, out-sorted or stacked in a sorting bin. For example, a mailpiece inserter will frequently employ modules for re-directing the feed path to accommodate the configuration of a customers facility. Additionally, it may be desirable to re-direct completed mailpieces ninety-degrees from the primary feed path to stack or out-sort mailpieces in a bin, tray or container disposed laterally of the primary feed path.
Yet another requirement relates to the registration and conveyance of the sheet material after the sheet material has been handled or in preparation for a subsequent downstream operation. For example, sheet material will may skew during handling, e.g., as the orientation changes, and, as such, correction may be required. Commonly, such correction is effected by urging the sheet material against a shoulder or wall to register the individual sheets, or square the leading and trailing edges of a mailpiece relative to the primary feed path. This is typically achieved by a series of banked rollers arranged so as to define a shallow angle relative to the feed path and the registration wall. The shallow angle functions to impart components of velocity, i.e., to the sheet material, in two directions—a primary velocity component along the feed path and a secondary velocity component toward the registration wall.
While this arrangement is well-suited for sheet material travelling along the primary feed path, i.e., substantially parallel to the primary velocity component produced by the banked rollers, such arrangement is less effective, or entirely ineffective, should the sheet material enter at a more aggressive angle, e.g., ninety-degrees. That is, the orientation of the banked rollers can inhibit the smooth transition of the sheet material to the primary feed path.
Furthermore, inasmuch as the banked rollers drive the sheet material as a function of the friction developed by, or under the weight of, the sheet material, it can be difficult to accelerate the sheet material to the full inserter throughput speed. For example, when sheet material enters the banked rollers, the sheet material may have no initial velocity in the direction of the primary feed path. Consequently, the sheet material must be rapidly accelerated, i.e., from zero velocity to the full inserter throughput speed, to prevent upstream sheet material from interfering or colliding with the downstream material. Difficulties can arise when friction forces developed between the sheet material and banked rollers are low, and, accordingly, the banked rollers do not develop sufficient traction to adequately/rapidly accelerate the sheet material.
A need, therefore, an apparatus which satisfies a requirement to rapidly accelerate sheet material along a feed path while effecting registration of the sheet material during conveyance.
The invention will be fully understood when reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Alignment/registration and conveyance apparatus