A connector for joining an endotracheal tube and an integrally formed auxiliary lumen to a source of anesthesia and a preselected item of auxiliary equipment, respectively, includes a first pair of tubular mounting members on a proximal end of the connector that are closely radially spaced with respect to one another and longitudinally spaced from a second pair of tubular mounting members on a distal end of the connector that are closely radially spaced with respect to one another. A pair of parallel bores are formed in the base of the connector to provide fluid communication between associated, longitudinally spaced apart mounting members. The radially spaced mounting members on the proximal end slide-fittingly receive the respective distal ends of an anesthesia supply tube elbow connector and an auxiliary monitoring equipment tube, and the radially spaced mounting members on the distal end slide-fittingly receive the respective proximal ends of an endotracheal tube and an auxiliary lumen that is formed integrally with the endotracheal tube. A CO.sub.2 port is formed in a tubular mounting member on the proximal end of the connector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to endotracheal tubes of the type having an auxiliary lumen. More particularly, it relates to a connector therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,759 to the present inventor discloses an endotracheal tube having an auxiliary lumen integrally formed therewith along the extent thereof.
Due to the close spacing of the auxiliary lumen and the main endotracheal tube, connection of the auxiliary lumen to preselected auxiliary equipment and connection of the main endotracheal tube to a supply source for the gaseous fluids to be administered to the patient is problematic. Note that a total of four primary items must be interconnected, i.e., the auxiliary equipment must be connected to the auxiliary lumen, and the supply source of the gas must be connected to the main endotracheal tube. The connector currently in use is designed to interconnect the proximal end of the main endotracheal tube and the distal end of a tube from said anesthesia supply source; no means are provided for interconnecting the auxiliary equipment and the auxiliary lumen. Thus, the proximal end of the auxiliary lumen merely abuts the connector when the proximal end of the endotracheal tube is connected to said connector. This results in a very unsatisfactory interconnection of the auxiliary equipment and the auxiliary lumen; the connector at the distal end of the tubing extending from the auxiliary equipment is brought around the endotracheal tube connector and brought into connection with the proximal end of the auxiliary lumen. An unacceptably sharp bend must be formed where the tubing from the auxiliary equipment meets the proximal end of the auxiliary lumen, resulting in an unacceptable constriction. Moreover, this arrangement requires the use of two separate connectors, i.e., a first connector for interconnecting the supply source and primary endotracheal tube and a second connector for interconnecting the auxiliary equipment and the auxiliary lumen. Since connectors are bulky, each connector interferes with the other when the various tubes are interconnected.
In the above-mentioned patent, this problem was overcome by making the auxiliary lumen substantially shorter than the main endotracheal tube so that the bend could be more gradual, thereby eliminating the constriction. However, this was unsatisfactory for other reasons. Specifically, the main endotracheal tube and auxiliary lumen are best constructed as a single unit. Thus, the manufacturing process is simpler and thus more cost effective if the main endotracheal tube and the auxiliary tube have a common length. Truncating the auxiliary lumen so that its proximal end is remote from the main connector thus drives up the manufacturing costs associated with the patented item. Moreover, shortening of the lumen still requires use of two connectors.
Still another shortcoming of the prior art is that the overall length of the connectors, when assembled, is too long. More particularly, a sleeve of elongate construction is used to interconnect the connector and an elbow member that engages a hose that extends from the source of anesthetizing gas. Thus, there are a total of three parts that must be assembled just to deliver the gas to the patient. Since all three parts are simply slide fit onto one another, it is incumbent upon the physician to hold the assembly together during the operation. The assemblies heretofore known are about eight centimeters in length; thus they are somewhat bulky and clumsy to deal with. Moreover, the physician must hold the assembly together by stretching his or her thumb upwardly so that it can overlie the elbow joint and thus hold the parts together.
What is needed, then, is a way to interconnect the lumen and the main tube to their respective pieces of equipment with a single connector and in the absence of sharp bends or truncated lumens. Moreover, an assembly of parts that would have less longitudinal extent than the assemblies now in use would be beneficial, because a shorter assembly of parts would be less bulky and would enable the anesthesiologist to hold the assembly together with less thumb reaching. However, at the time the present invention was made, the prior art, when considered as a whole as required by law, neither taught nor suggested to those of ordinary skill in this field how the extant problems could be resolved.


Apparatus and methods for providing a high density memory array with reduced read access time are disclosed. Multiple split bit lines are arranged along columns of adjacent memory bit cells. A multiple input sense amplifier is coupled to the multiple split bit lines. The loading on the multiple split bit line is reduced, and the corresponding read speed of the memory array is enhanced over the prior art. The sense amplifier and the memory bit cells have a common cell pitch layout height so that no silicon area penalty arises due to the use of the multiple split bit lines and sense amplifiers. Increased memory array efficiency is achieved.

A current common requirement for an advanced electronic circuit and particularly for circuits manufactured as integrated circuits ("ICs") in semiconductor processes is the use of embedded or discrete memory devices. Increasingly these memory devices are provided as a macro or portion of an integrated circuit and manufactured on a substrate along with other circuitry such as user defined logic circuitry, microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors and the like to provide a highly integrated circuit in a single package. Embedded memory arrays may be formed as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) or increasingly as static random access memories (SRAMs). While DRAM cells require less silicon area per stored bit, the DRAM cells require sophisticated memory controllers to perform the periodic refresh cycles needed to maintain the data over time. In contrast, while SRAM cells require more silicon area per stored bit, the SRAM cells will maintain the data without the need for refresh cycles and therefore are better suited for some embedded applications. As alternatives, non volatile memory cells such as FLASH or EEPROM cells may also be embedded with other circuitry.
In order to make a memory cell as small as possible and to make read and write cycles as fast as possible, memory cells are created using small signal approaches. A capacitive charge is stored in the cell either in a discrete capacitor such as for a DRAM cell, or using the gate capacitors and the latching action of cross coupled inverters, such as for an SRAM cell. By keeping the signal levels small, the cell may be rapidly read from and written to.
However, the small signals on the bit lines are not useful by other logic circuitry and so these small signal levels are usually converted to full logic signals in the input/output circuitry of a memory array. This function is performed through the use of differential sense amplifiers. These differential sense amplifiers sense a small signal difference between an active bit line, which is coupled to a selected memory cell, and another bit line, which is not selected and so maintains a level voltage. The differential voltage is used to cause the sense amplifier to put out a voltage corresponding to a logical "1" or logical "0" depending on the stored bit in the cell. Typically a cell storing a logical "1" will leave the bit line undisturbed, while a cell storing a logical "0" will discharge, or lower the voltage on, the respective bit line, causing a small voltage drop. The small voltage drop is then sensed by the differential sense amplifier.
The read speed of a memory device is a critical characteristic of a high density memory array performance. The speed for a read cycle is determined in part by the time required for a bit cell to discharge the nominal voltage on the bit line. If the bit lines are particularly long and/or heavily loaded, that is, the bit lines have many memory cells coupled to them, the read time may become unacceptably long.
FIG. 1 depicts a simple DRAM cell 10 of the prior art. An access transistor T1 is coupled with its gate input coupled to a word line WL. Although not visible in the figure the word line WL will be coupled to many other memory cells along its length. When the word line WL goes active (that is when a rising voltage is supplied on the word line) the access transistor T1 turns on and couples one plate of the storage capacitor C1 to the bit line BL. Although the bit line BL is also coupled to other memory cells, the memory array is arranged so that in a given cycle only one memory cell is active on a particular bit line. As can be seen from the figure, if the capacitor C1 is charged, storing data representing, for example, a logical "1", the bit line which begins the memory cycle in a "pre-charged" state, will remain at a high voltage level. If on the other hand the capacitor C1 is discharged, meaning it is storing data representing a logical "0" then as the word line goes active and the transistor T1 couples the memory cell to the bit line, a charge sharing event occurs and the bit line voltage will fall slightly as the capacitor C1 takes charge from the bit line. This will put a lower voltage, representing a logical "0", on the bit line.
Because the sense amplifiers used in typical memory devices are small signal sense amplifiers, during a read cycle the bit line voltages are moved only slightly below a pre charged voltage, or not changed at all. The use of two bit lines, one active and one inactive, input into a logical gate sense amplifier or a differential pair sense amplifier, enables fast sensing of the read data. It is not necessary to wait for the bit line to reach a full high or full low logic voltage to obtain the data, instead the small signal difference is detected and the sense amplifier, which outputs a full logical level voltage, amplifies this value to a logic level voltage for use by other circuits in the device.
FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary prior art memory array architecture. As is known to those skilled in the art, memory arrays may vary widely in size and may include millions of bit cells, for example a 16 megabyte memory has 16 million cells. These may be arranged in many sub-arrays and each of those may be further divided. The use of illustrative embodiments in this description which depict, for ease of understanding, only a few bit cells is not limiting on the discussion, or the embodiments of the invention.
In FIG. 2 the illustrative memory array is divided simply into two sub-arrays, a left sub-array 11 and a right sub-array 13. There are bit lines coupled to a sense amplifier 15 which may be positioned, for example, in a central portion between the two sub-arrays, forming part of a local input/output or "local I/O" circuit. The sense amplifier 15 is shown implemented as a differential signal sense amplifier with bit lines and cells arranged running right to left. In some prior art literature the bit lines are referred to as forming "columns" and the word lines are said to form "rows" of cells which are arranged along the word lines. In using a memory array, data words are usually input to, and output from, the memory. A data word has a word width; it might be 16 bits, 32 bits, 64 bits, 128 bits. The word line, when active, will cause the cells that form a word at a selected row to become active. There will be a sense amplifier for each bit, or each column, in the data word. Each sense amplifier is coupled to an active bit line and also to an inactive one to form the differential voltage comparison needed to sense the small signal voltage. In a memory read operation, the bit lines are first precharged to a nominal voltage. Often, to reduce the power and speed the transitions of the bit lines, the precharge voltage is substantially less than a nominal positive supply voltage, for example precharge voltages such as Vdd/2, or some other reduced voltage, might be used.
The sense amplifier can sense a difference voltage of as little as a few millivolts. The use of small signal voltages on the differential bit lines can reduce the size of the storage capacitor needed, and speed up the read access time for the memory. However the small signals used have to be selected to be large enough to prevent data read errors, and to overcome noise and coupling signals from adjacent bit lines, for example.
Because memory arrays can be physically laid out in any fashion including folded and mirror image arrangements, the terms "rows" and "columns" do not really describe orthogonal arrangements, even though in the simple schematic views such as the ones used here the column or bit lines and row or word lines are usually drawn in this manner. In a physical implementation the bit lines and word lines can be in parallel, orthogonal, or arranged at any angle to each other. The figures presented here are simplified schematic views that are used to discuss the circuit, but which do not reflect the manner or in any way limit the manner of a physical implementation of the device.
In FIG. 2, there are "n+1" memory cells ranging from Cell_0 to Cell_n in each sub-array arranged along each bit line position, each cell is coupled to one of the corresponding bit lines, the left or the right bit lines BL_L and BL_R. For very large memory arrays (high density memory devices) the bit lines can become quite long, and an additional capacitive loading occurs for the extra length of the physical conductor that forms the bit line and for each added memory cell that is coupled to the bit line. During a read operation, because the selected memory cells must discharge or "charge share" with the bit lines in order to change the voltage on the bit lines, the capacitance on the bit line is critical to the amount of time it takes the cell to change the bit line voltage and therefore to put data on the bit lines. As the bit line capacitance increases, the time needed to perform a memory read access cycle also increases, and for larger memory arrays this read access time may become unacceptably long.
One skilled in the art will recognize that the bit line length and loading effects occur with all types of memory cells. The example DRAM type cells of FIG. 1 are easily the smallest memory cells; however, they also impose additional timing requirements on an integrated circuit. The read cycle for a DRAM cell must also include a "write back" cycle, because the DRAM reads are destructive (the cell discharges the bit line directly which changes the state of the cell, so to maintain the data, the DRAM cell must be rewritten to restore it to the original state.) For reliable operation, the DRAM cells also have to be "refreshed" fairly frequently, a refresh is a read, followed by a write back, of all of the cells. This refresh of dynamic memory is performed periodically; else the stored data can be lost due to capacitor leakage from the cell storage capacitors. An integrated circuit with embedded memory must also include support logic that performs these time critical operations.
Accordingly, other memory cells for storage are increasingly typically used, such as six transistor (6T) or eight transistor (8T) static RAM cells. These SRAM cells form a latch that is constantly supplying power to the stored capacitive charge, and thus they do not require refresh cycles. The use of SRAM cells imposes less timing requirements on the integrated circuit or system. Read cycles of SRAM cells are also not destructive. The static characteristic of these cells may be particularly important in applications for battery powered devices, where, in order to extend battery life, integrated circuits often go into "standby" or "sleep modes", in those modes DRAM cells are not able to retain data, so an SRAM memory array is a more attractive option. However, the silicon area per bit for an SRAM cell is somewhat higher than for a DRAM cell, simply because the number of transistors is larger (6T for SRAM, vs. 1T for DRAM).
Regardless of the type of memory cell used, the memory arrays are increasing in capacity, and thus in physical size, which tends to increase the length of the bit lines, and also the number of cells attached to a bit line.
FIG. 3 depicts in a simple schematic view another prior art example memory architecture. Here the memory device 12 uses a different type of sense amplifier 18. In this example, a single ended logic gate sense amplifier 18 is used. The remaining elements of the memory array are again arranged as shown in FIG. 2, and like reference numerals are used for the left sub array 11, the right sub array 13, and the cells 17 which again have a cell pitch height "h". As shown in FIG. 3, the sense amplifier 18 performs a logical NAND function, that is, the data output signal "SA-out" will be a high value when either input, whether from the left bit line BL-L or the right bit line BL-R, is a low voltage.
In a memory operation, the bit lines BL_L and BL_R are first precharged to a higher (although not necessarily a full positive voltage supply level) voltage before the memory cycle begins. The memory cell selected will either leave the bit line voltage undisturbed, or slightly discharge the bit line to a lower voltage. In this way the active bit line may be a small differential voltage that represents a "1" (typically, this bit line voltage is at or above the pre-charge voltage level) or a "0" (typically, the bit line voltage is slightly lowered from the precharge level), while the inactive or unselected bit line remains at the nominal precharge voltage. This characteristic of pairing a selected bit line with an unselected bit line allows the detection of the small signal voltage difference between the two bit lines. In this sense the NAND gate acts as a logical comparator and outputs a "1" when a voltage difference is detected between the two bit lines BL_L and BL_R. Since only one of the two bit lines is active, the data from the active bit line is thus correctly sensed, and amplified onto the "SA-out" data signal. The output signal is a full logic voltage so that other circuitry can correctly receive it. Thus, a sense amplifier first "senses" the small signal voltage and then "amplifies" it to an output.
An important characteristic of the sense amplifiers used in memory arrays is that they should be physically configured for a dense memory layout. A distance "h", shown in both FIGS. 2 and 3, represents the bit cell pitch in one direction for the memory cells arranged in an adjacent manner to form a column; "h" is the cell pitch "height". In order to compactly lay out the memory array, the sense amplifiers, one of which will be provided for each bit line column, should have a pitch height that is the same or less than the memory cells. By keeping the pitch regular, the memory array may be densely compacted, the lay out is regular and orderly, and the memory array uses silicon area as efficiently as possible.
One approach known in the art to shorten bit line swing times is to add additional sense amplifiers for each column, and to divide the bit lines into segments; however, this approach reduces the layout efficiency obtained, as the added sense amplifiers don't fit in the regular cell pitch structure defined by the cell pitch height, and so while some speed benefit in bit line swing time may be obtained, the disadvantages created by the extra silicon area penalty when these divided bit lines are used are undesirable.
In the typical prior art memory devices, the long bit lines that result from the memory array architectures in high density memory arrays greatly increases the time needed for a memory read access. As a result read speeds for the high density memory arrays are undesirably slow. These problems are increasing as memory array density (the number of bits) increases.
A continuing need for memory bit line architectures that provide reduced bit line loading and fast read access times in large memory arrays, and for methods for these memory devices that reduce or eliminate the problems associated with the prior art circuits and methods thus exists.

Split bit line architecture circuits and methods for memory devices

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A process for preparing bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 represent identical or different electronegative groups, which process entails reacting C--H-acidic compounds of the formula (II) ##STR2## wherein X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are as defined above, with formaldehyde, wherein the reaction is carried out in an anhydrous medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds.
2. Description of the Background
Bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I): ##STR3## wherein X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are the same or different electronegative groups, are presently used as intermediates in the preparation of UV stabilizers or radioopaque media. See, for example, EP-A2 0 220 034.
Current methods for preparing compounds of the formula I usually start from the corresponding C--H-acidic compounds of the formula (II): ##STR4## where X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are as defined above. These compounds are reacted in aqueous reaction media in a Knoevenagel condensation.
If the reaction is carried out as described for the industrially important diethyl bis(hydroxymethyl) malonate (see (a) Gault, Rosesch; Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr. (5)4 (1937), 1411; and (b) Lenz, R. W.; Saunders, K.; Balakrishnan, T.; Macromolecules 12, 3 (1979), 392; and (c) Chang, H. M. et al.; J. Med. Chem. 34 (1991), 5, 1675) and ethyl bis(hydroxymethyl) cyanoacetate (see Tschierske, C.; bis(hydroxymethyl) cyanoacetate (see Tschierske, C.; Vorbrodt, H. -M.; Kresse, H., Zaschke, H.; Mol. Cryst. Liq. 177 (1989), 113), in aqueous solution using KHCO.sub.3, K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 or NaOH as a catalyst, the selectivities observed are indeed very good, compared with acid catalysis. Implementing the method on an industrial scale, however, entails a number of serious drawbacks, in particular relating to the removal of water and the isolation of the product.
Thus, as a rule, isolation by distillation is out of the question, due to considerable losses in product resulting from thermal decomposition. The gaseous decomposition products formed in the process (Welch, J., J. Chem. Soc. 1930 258), moreover, mean that a stable vacuum cannot be achieved. Isolating the bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds by extraction from the aqueous reaction solution is very laborious, particularly with the industrially important bis(hydroxymethyl) malonic esters where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 =--COOCH.sub.3 or --COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5, as these are highly water-soluble.
While, the diethyl bis(hydroxymethyl) malonate can be extracted from the aqueous reaction solution by being salted out with ammonium chloride, according to Organic Synthesis, 40, 27, this results in the entire nitrogen load remaining in the aqueous phase, requiring complex disposal measures. Moreover, multistage extractions mean that not only the desired products, but also considerable amounts of water pass into the organic phase. This has adverse consequences particularly in those cases where further processing of the bis(hydroxymethyl) malonic esters must be carried out under anhydrous conditions.
Since the bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I) are all quite polar and, consequently, readily water-soluble and somewhat thermally unstable, similar problems are also encountered with the other bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of this formula.
Irrespective of the type of method used for isolating the bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I), the preparation of these compounds yields wastewater streams which are not entirely free from formaldehyde and, thus, not readily disposable. This is virtually prohibitive for the preparation of bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I) on an industrial scale.
Moreover, the bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the formula (I), being typical organic intermediates, must often be used in anhydrous form, in order to achieve high yields or utilize simple procedures in subsequent reactions, e.g. the reaction to 2-substituted 1,3-dioxane-5,5-dicarboxylic acid derivatives in accordance with a currently pending German patent application.
Anhydrous processes have also been disclosed. For example, the preparation of diethyl bis(hydroxymethyl) malonate by reacting diethylmalonate with paraformaldehyde in acetic acid in the presence of copper acetate at comparatively high temperatures has been described (Japan. patent appl. 072564), where the laborious removal of water is, of course, avoided. However, O-acetylated and non-acetylated compounds are produced in a mixture which can only be separated with difficulty, and the selectivity for the desired non-acetylated compound is low (Kunichika, S.; Oka, S.; Sugiyama, T.; Nakamura, K.; Fukui, K.; Nippon Kagaku Kaishi 3 (1972), 596). Moreover, the use of reaction temperatures above 50.degree. C., which are required for a satisfactory space-time yield, results in considerable product losses by thermal decomposition and by the formation of diethyl methylenemalonate.
It is also known that malonitrile can be reacted in glacial acetic acid, in the presence of potassium acetate, with gaseous formaldehyde at 100.degree. C. to produce bis(methylol) malonitrile (Ardis, A. E.; Averill, S. J.; Gilbert, H.; Miller, F. F.; Schmidt, R. F.; Stewart, F. D.; and Trumbull, H. L.; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 72 (1950), 1305), although the yield is only 24% of the theoretical yield.
There, a need exists for a process for the bis-hydroxymethylation of compounds of the above formula (II), which affords high yields of the corresponding bis(hydroxymethyl) compounds of the above formula (I) which can be further reacted with high yields, either in the pure form or alternatively in a reaction mixture, and which process does not produce any wastewater containing salts, such as ammonium salts, for example, and/or formaldehyde.

Process for preparing bis (hydroxymethyl) compounds


A system and method for testing a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor is disclosed. The system includes the LiDAR sensor radiating a plurality of LiDAR rays, a plurality of bars positioned at a predetermined distance from the LiDAR sensor, and a testing device. The method includes triggering a LiDAR sensor to radiate a plurality of LiDAR rays. The method further includes determining at least one intersection point at each of a plurality of bars upon intersection of at least one LiDAR ray from the plurality of LiDAR rays with each of the plurality of bars. The method further includes computing at least one operational parameter for the LiDAR sensor based on the intersection points, and determining one or more test results based on the one or more operational parameters.

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology finds implementation across multiple technology domains for various purposes, such as, surveying. One such implementation is in the domain of Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) that aim to replace or reduce human intervention in driving the vehicle. The AGV may employ a LiDAR sensor for localizing the AGV on a map and guiding the AGV on a trajectory.
However, the AGV may face various uncertainties with regards to vision afforded by the LiDAR sensor. For example, the LiDAR sensor may be blocked by a snowflake during snowfall, that may lead to error in the obtained LiDAR data. Similarly, a drop of water during rainfall may cause lens effect, which may introduce an error in the obtained LiDAR data. Further, accuracy of the data may be marred by an object, such as a tree leaf wrapping and blocking LiDAR sensor for a period of time. These errors in the data obtained by the LiDAR sensor may lead to AGV making wrong navigation and driving decisions.
Some conventional techniques in this regard suffer various limitations. For example, some conventional techniques provide for detecting runtime difficulties in a sensor's vision system, and shifting vehicle control to human control. However, these techniques require data from multiple sensors. Further, these techniques attempt to overcome the runtime difficulties by re-establishing a driving model based on probabilistic means afforded by sensor's partial vision. Due to this, judging weather-related difficulties becomes a lengthy process. Moreover, these techniques fail to handle random and abrupt sensor failure within a short duration of time.
Some other conventional techniques provide for shifting vehicle control to manual control upon detecting unsuitable conditions for vehicle. However, these techniques rely on LiDAR data (obtained by LiDAR sensor) considering it to be always accurate, and are unable to detect anomalies in the LIDAR data.

Method and system for testing LiDAR sensors


A gas delivery system for a patient room may include a centralized gas distribution system that provides a source of gas and a manifold for distributing the gas in the patient room. The gas delivery system may include a gas outlet coupled to a wall of the patient room and line connecting the gas outlet to the manifold.

The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for delivering medical gases in a hospital room. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to a medical gas delivery system for delivering various medical gases to a hospital room.
Clinical care settings, such as a hospital room, for example, serve a two-fold purpose of delivering healthcare services. In the first instance, the hospital room serves as an area for delivery of medical care. In the second instance, the hospital room serves as a residence for a recuperating patient.
With regard to the delivery of healthcare services, the hospital room must include state of the art technology accessible to the healthcare provider during the delivery of care. As the acuity of a patient's illness or injury increases, the complexity of additional equipment required to assist with the delivery of care increases. For example, medical gases such as compressed air, oxygen, and vacuum may be delivered to the patient room. Pneumatic equipment may use compressed air as a source of power, oxygen may be provided to aid patients in breathing, and vacuum may be applied to help remove fluids from patients.
The delivery of medical gases, electrical power, and data communication lines tends to be routed through the headwall area of the patient room. The headwall area also tends to support lighting for the patient room and healthcare equipment thereon. As a result, the headwall area may be crowded with wiring, electrical components and equipment useful in caring for a patient. In order to provide all the features for treatment of the patient and maintenance of the features, hospitals may use headwall structures that have additional capacity for future uses. Hospitals also may provide redundant features so that flexibility in treating the patient may be achieved.
Medical gases are delivered to each patient room by a centralized gas distribution system. The centralized gas distribution system supplies compressed air, oxygen gas, and vacuum by way of three separate conduits to a centralized gas manifold included in the headwall as described in U.S. Patent Application 2010/0095604. The centralized gas manifold includes three sets of outlet ports, each set of outlet ports provides only one type of medical gas. The centralized gas manifold tends to include additional ports beyond the number of gas outlets included in the head wall so that future uses of the headwall and patient room may be supported by the centralized gas manifold. As a result, additional capacity and complexity is included in the centralized gas manifold that may not be used by the caregiver.


A propeller device includes a shaft rotatably supported in a marine engine, and a hub secured to the shaft and having three or more axially extending keys. A propeller housing includes three or more pairs of lobes for forming keyways and for engaging with the keys of the hub. The keyways include a narrower outer end for preventing the housing from disengaging from the hub. Three or more stops are disposed between the pairs of lobes. A retainer disc includes a number of angularly spaced ears for engaging with the lobes and the stops and for preventing the propeller housing from being disengaged from the propeller shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a propeller assembly, and more particularly to a propeller assembly for a marine engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical marine propeller assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,028 to LoBosco et al. and comprises a propeller housing to be secured to a propeller shaft and to be rotated by the propeller shaft. However, the retainer disc may not solidly secure the propeller housing in place such that the propeller housing may be disengaged from the propeller shaft inadvertently and such that the marine propeller assembly may easily become failure.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional marine propeller assemblies.

4F., No. 3, Avenue 17, Lane 300, Sec. 4, Jen Ai Road


An ultrasound imaging apparatus and a control method thereof. The ultrasound imaging apparatus may include: a display; a communication unit; and a processor configured to be operatively connected to the display and the communication unit. The processor may obtain a first ultrasound image of a subject and a result of an analysis of the first ultrasound image. The processor may also control the display to display a user interface, which allows selection of an operating mode of the ultrasound imaging apparatus, based on the result of the analysis.

An ultrasound imaging apparatus irradiates an ultrasound signal, which is generated by a transducer of a probe, to a subject (e.g., a patient), receives information of an echo signal reflected from the subject, and obtains an image of an area (e.g., soft tissue or blood flow) inside the subject. Particularly, the ultrasound imaging apparatus is used for medical purposes, such as observation of internal areas of a subject, detection of foreign substances (e.g., a lesion), evaluation of injuries, and the like. As compared to a diagnostic apparatus using X-rays, the ultrasound imaging apparatus is advantageous because it has high stability, can display an image in real time, and is safe because it involves no exposure to ionizing radiation. Accordingly, ultrasound imaging apparatuses can be used together with another imaging diagnostic apparatus, such as a Computerized Tomography (CT) apparatus, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus, and the like.
A clinician who has treated a patient can request an examination using the ultrasound imaging apparatus, and a radiologist or sonographer can perform ultrasonography using an ultrasound imaging apparatus.
When a radiologist performs ultrasonography, the radiologist usually reads the produced images simultaneously with the ultrasonography. However, when a sonographer performs ultrasonography, the sonographer merely manipulates an ultrasound imaging apparatus and does not read the produced images with the level of skill of a doctor. Therefore, the sonographer obtains images required for reading and stores the acquired images in a memory, and then transmits the stored images to a radiologist. The doctor or radiologist then reads the images and makes a diagnosis on the basis of the received images.
Meanwhile, interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently been increasing. In AI technology, machines learn and draw conclusions by themselves, and recognition rates thereof improve over time through learning or training. AI technology has different types of learning: an unsupervised learning model using an algorithm for autonomously classifying/learning the characteristics of input data; a supervised learning network model using learned data; and the like, and includes element techniques describing (or, corresponding to) functions, such as recognition, decision, and the like of the human brain.
Element techniques may include at least one of, for example, a linguistic understanding technique for recognizing human languages/letters, a visual understanding technique for recognizing things as in the manner of a human visual sense, an inference/prediction technique for determining information to make a logical inference and make a prediction, a knowledge expression technique for processing human experience information as knowledge data, and an operation control technique for controlling autonomous driving of an automobile or the movement of a robot. Among them, the visual understanding technique is for recognizing things as in the manner of a human visual sense and processing the visual recognition, and may include object recognition, object tracking, image search, recognition of a human, understanding of a scene, spatial understanding, image improvement, and the like.

Ultrasound imaging apparatus and control method thereof


An optical unit is provided which includes gaps dR1 and dR2 in a radial direction that prevent an optical component from being affected by external stress during thermal expansion is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the optical component and an inner circumferential surface of a holder and gaps d0A1 and d0A2 that prevent the optical component adjacent to a pressing component from being affected by external stress during thermal expansion and are formed between predetermined surfaces on the pressing component and the optical component adjacent to the pressing component opposing each other in an optical axis direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical unit. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical unit in which optical components are housed within a holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the past, an imaging device using an image sensor element, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), mounted on a portable computer, a television phone, a portable phone, a digital camera, and the like, has been using a lens unit having a lens for forming an image of an object on a sensor surface of the image sensor element.
Within this type of lens unit, there is a lens unit that is assembled as follows. A lens is housed within a cylindrical holder while position adjustment (centering) of an optical axis of the lens is being performed. The housed lens is then pressed by a pressing component. Moreover, among lens units assembled in this way, there is a lens unit in which a tapered surface is formed on a flange section of the lens. The lens is housed within a holding section within the holder in a state in which the tapered surface is in contact with the holding section or a tapered surface of another lens (refer to, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Conventionally, when various lens units such as this that are mounted on imaging devices are mounted on a circuit board to which the lens unit is assembled to achieve modularization, the image sensor element is attached to a lens unit by a thermosetting resin and the like. A socket (an integrated circuit [IC] socket) is attached to the circuit board by reflow soldering. Subsequently, the image sensor element is fitted into the socket. A connector serving as the socket is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-101778.
The socket is attached to the circuit board by reflow soldering and the lens unit is mounted on the circuit board by separate processes to prevent changes in optical performance caused by thermal expansion of the lens in the lens unit as a result of exposure to a high temperature environment during reflow soldering.
In other words, each component configuring the lens unit such as the lens, the holder, the pressing component, and a diaphragm, may be formed from materials with different linear expansion coefficients. If the lens unit is exposed to a high temperature at which reflow soldering is performed in an instance such as this, an amount of change in dimensions caused by thermal expansion of each component differs because of differences in the linear expansion coefficient of each component. As a result, the thermally-expanding lens presses against another component in the lens unit, such as the holder, another lens, or the diaphragm, and is affected by external stress from the other component. The lens that has been thermally expanded and affected by the external stress does not return to its original lens shape before thermal expansion, even when the reflow soldering is completed and the lens is cooled. As a result, changes occur in optical performance. To prevent a situation such as this, conventionally, the reflow soldering of the socket onto the circuit board and the mounting of the lens on the circuit board are required to be performed through separate processes
However, a number of processes increases when the mounting of the lens unit on the circuit board and the reflow soldering are performed by separate processes. Moreover, as a result of the socket being required, a number of component in a module increases.
As a method of mounting the lens unit on the circuit board without performing reflow soldering, there is a method in which, for example, after a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to which the image sensor element is attached to the lens unit by a thermosetting resin or the like, the FPC is fitted onto the circuit board. However, similar to when the socket is used, a method such as this causes an increase in the number of components because the FPC is required. Moreover, the FPC is expensive. Therefore, the method is not suitable for cost reduction.
Therefore, as described in Patent Literature 2, for example, a technology has been proposed that allows mounting of the lens unit on the circuit board to be performed in a same process as that for reflow soldering, while suppressing deterioration of the optical performance of the lens caused by the thermal expansion of the lens unit.
In other words, in Patent Literature 2, a lens unit is disclosed in which an elastic spacer presses a lens placed within a case, and an elastic ring surrounds an outer circumference of the lens, thereby holding the lens. In a lens unit such as this, a change in the dimensions of the lens during thermal expansion is absorbed by deformation of the elastic spacer and the elastic ring. Therefore, the external stress applied to the lens can be reduced to a certain extent.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2007-163657
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-295024
However, even in the lens unit described in Patent Literature 2, external stress from the elastic spacer and the elastic ring may be placed on the lens when the lens and the like thermally expand. Therefore, the lens unit is not necessarily optimal for external stress reduction.
Moreover, in the lens unit described in Patent Literature 2, components separate from the lens, namely the elastic spacer and the elastic ring, are required. Therefore the increase in the number of components still occurs, similar to when the above-described socket and FPC are used.


A bending machine includes a bending head with three bender rollers, one of which is vertically displaceable with a double-acting cylinder having a cylinder body inside the bending machine frame and below the bending head. A work surface is above the bending head and provided with an opening coaxial with the double-acting cylinder. The work surface includes a support for a tool driven by the cylinder.

This invention relates to the field of the bending machines in general, i.e. machines adapted to bend straight semifinished products having an indeterminate length and being of a constant cross-section such as pipes, rods and section bars, into plane and spatial curves, also more than a round angle, for example helically and/or spirally.
Bended pipes or section bars are largely and meaningfully used in the architectural field, both for mainly functional members, such as e.g. handrails for winding staircases and section bars for arcades, and attractive elements, such as e.g. grates, in technical systems for building, such as e.g. heating plant pipes, as well as in several industrial apparatuses such as heat exchangers.
In particular this invention concerns a bending machine comprising a frame, having a main side in which a bending head is provided including three bender rollers, whose two rollers have fixed axes of rotation, the third one having a vertically displaceable axis of rotation, as it is mounted on a slider which is movable along a vertical rectilinear guide; comprising a motor and reduction gear unit driving one or more bender rollers; comprising thrust rolls and comprising a driving cylinder of said slider.
A prior art bending machine, of the kind which this invention refers to, is perspectively shown in FIG. 1 in the accompanying drawings.
This prior art bending machine comprises a machine body, indicated by the reference numeral 1, that encloses and supports internally a motor unit of the bending machine and externally has working means. As shown in FIG. 1 (prior art), the working means comprises three grooved rollers or pulleys 2, 2', 2" which are located in a .DELTA. (delta)-shaped configuration, having one horizontal side and two oblique sides, upon a working head 1' which is provided by a main side 1a of the machine body 1. (The bending machine is shown in an usual arrangement with the working head 1' in vertical position. However the working head 1' can turn in a right angle to be displaced into a horizontal position, if desired according to working necessity.) Two rolls or thrust elements or straighteners 3, 3' are mounted approaching the two oblique sides, respectively, of delta-shaped configuration of the grooved rollers.
Arranged inside the machine body as above mentioned is a motor unit that gives the working head a torque. The motor unit comprises an electric motor that through a reduction gear rotates two toothed wheels that in turn rotate the two first rollers 2, 2'. The electric motor is located approaching the working head, i.e. the main side of the bending machine; the reduction gear, connected to the output of the motor, approaches the side of the bending machine which is opposite to the main one, or rear side. Meshed on the reduction gear are three sprockets that are driven by the motor through the reduction gear, and in turn drive the three bender rollers through respective pairs of universal joints. (In order to bend with only two instead of three rollers, the third roller can be removed from its meshing. In order to bend semifinished products with an aesthetical aim, two power-driven rollers or trailer rollers or forming rollers are required, in this case they being provided with a knurl to catch the semifinished product and thus draw it in the bending phase.)
In operation, a pipe or section bar is feed among the three grooved rollers and the trailer ones of said rollers are rotated. The thrust rolls operate to give the semifinished product being worked an axial pitch of a helicoidal spatial bending, outside the bending plane which is defined by the delta-shaped configuration of the three grooved bender rollers. The thrust rolls work by exerting a thrust force on a pipe or section bar or rod that is feed during the bending operation.
The bender roller, which is located in the apex opposite to the horizontal side of the delta-shaped configuration, the third roller--as opposed to the other two rollers, the first one and the second one--indicated by reference numeral 2", is mounted on a saddle or slider 2"a, that can be stopped in a vertically adjustable working position. As the third bender roller is displaceable along the vertical direction, its position can be adjusted in relation to the other two bender rollers, i.e. the distance between the axes of the bender rollers can be adjusted. This allows the radius of curvature to be changed in a bending operation.
A hydraulic cylinder 4 usually is provided in order to carry out linear displacements of the slider 2"a. The cylinder 4 is mounted on a shelf 4a' upon a horizontal ridge plane of the main side 1a. The cylinder 4 usually is assisted by its own drive motor (not shown). (Further, a low cost screw-type manual driving device, mounted on the same shelf 1a', can be provided instead of cylinder 4).
The bending machine is equipped with a control keyboard.
This invention starts from the following.
Both, the shelf 4a' on the main side 1a of the bending machine and the hydraulic or pneumatic or oleodynamic cylinder 4 arranged on the shelf, are limited to their specific function, i.e. to carry out the linear displacements of the slider 2"a bearing the third roller 2". In fact, the shelf plane is not available because it is occupied by the body of hydraulic cylinder; further, the positive displacements of the cylinder rod cannot be used differently for other purpose, as the cylinder rod works downward and therefore cannot cooperate with an user device.
On the contrary, it would be very advantageous that the shelf plane was available and the positive displacements of the cylinder rod, that can exert pressure as great as 12 (twelve) tons, could be utilized. In this way a tool could be installed onto the shelf and driven by the hydraulic cylinder, thus adding functions to the bending machine.
From this point of view, the same motor unit of the bending machine can be suitably utilized for the primary motion of a tool. In the prior art arrangement of the motor unit, a tool outside the bending machine cannot utilize the torque delivered by the motor unit.
On the contrary, the use of this torque would be also very advantageous, as the bending machine, with the only and the same motor-driving of principal bending means, would be able to mount and drive further tools, in particular tools able to operate on the same type of semifinished product (pipes, section bars, rods) on which the bending machine is designed to work, said further tools being driven both by a thrust (such as a thrust exerted by the above said hydraulic cylinder) and a torque (such as a torque drawn from the motor unit).
Thus, a general object of this invention is to provide a bending machine of the above mentioned type, in which the driving units can be utilized to operate tools outside the same bending machine.
In particular, an object of this invention is to provide a bending machine so that it can sustain a tool upon the shelf provided by its main side and operate said tool by utilizing the positive displacements of the rod of the hydraulic or pneumatic or oleodynamic cylinder.
Such an object is achieved according to the teaching of present invention by the following expedient.
The hydraulic driving cylinder is not installed above the shelf, rather below the shelf, suitably housed in the machine body. The shelf so cleared is provided with connection means for a tool, thus becoming a connection shelf.
A bending machine with such capacities has an advantage to be modular, i.e. it can be considered a basis unit on which a different tool can be installed from time to time. E.g. a countersink, a punching tool, a drawing die, a trimming tool etc. is able to be installed on the bending machine, all being driven by the thrust of the pre-existent hydraulic cylinder. Thus this machine, besides being a real bending machine, is also a multipurpose machine.
This advantage is important particularly in that functions strictly pertaining to pipe and section bar working can be added to bending machine so that one machine is available to carry out a number of operations on pipes and section bars. Firstly a bending machine would become also a thrust pipe bender. One really may think to install on the connection shelf a tool provided with a structure adapt to support idle counteracting rollers on the one side and on the other side with respect to a vertical axis. This vertical axis of said structure has to be coincident, when said tool is mounted on the connection shelf, with the axis of the linear displacements of the rod of the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. Thus, a thrust means adapt to sustain a pipe, such as e.g. a half-moon shaped grooved rest, can be connected onto the free end of the cylinder rod in order to bend a pipe against the abutment of said counteracting rollers.
A yet greater advantage would result from that a bending machine also being able to carry out functions useful to preparation for a bending operation. A pipe throughout a bending operation is considered in the following. Referring to FIG. 2 of accompanying drawings--in which it is shown schematically how e.g. a pipe is affected during a bending operation--a pipe P is feed to the space among three rollers R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, into the respective grooves thereof. The pipe P separates the rollers R.sub.1, R.sub.2 on the one side from the only third roller R.sub.3 on the other side with respect to a line of extension of the pipe P. The pipe P, in the bending operation, has an end cross-section of entrance P' and an end cross-section of exit P". If now one considers those generating lines that are tangent to circumference of second roller R.sub.2 and circumference of third roller R.sub.3, he can see generating lines touching the second roller in a point p' and the third roller in a point t', respectively. Then, if he considers generating lines tangent to circumference of first roller R.sub.1 and circumference of third roller R.sub.3, he can see generating lines touching the first roller in a point p" and the third roller in a point t", respectively. The pipe P is bent on the third roller only within the circumferential length defined by the points t' and t", i.e. the arc of circumference t't". From a result of this analysis, it follows that at the beginning of curving operation, when the pipe P is feeding to the bending head, its end of entrance P' reaches the tangent point p', the curving begins, but only in the length of pipe lying on the arc t't". Thus, if the pipe cross-section coincident with t', when P' is coincident with p', is indicated as T', as a result the leading length P'T' is not curved, but it remains straight. Similarly, at the finish of a curving operation, when the pipe P is exiting from the bending head, its end of entrance P" reaches the tangent point p", the curving terminates. As the curving is limited to the length of pipe lying on the arc t't", if the pipe cross-section coincident with t", when P" is coincident with p", is indicated as T", as a result the tail length P"T" remains straight. As a consequence of this, a pipe P curved according to a round angle, as shown in FIG. 2A, has a leading length P'T' and a tail length P" T", that remain straight. Thus an operator has to cut off these lengths and weld new ends so obtained, with waste of material and time.

Modular multipurpose bending machine and its linear positioning system

C.M.L. Costruzioni Meccanichi Liri S.r.l.


A semiconductor device having both vertical and horizontal type gates and a method for fabricating the same for obtaining high integration of the semiconductor device and integration with other devices while also maximizing the breakdown voltage and operational speed and preventing damage to the semiconductor device.

A power MOSFET has a much simpler gate driving circuit than a bipolar transistor due to having a high input impedance. In addition, as a unipolar device, the power MOSFET is also advantageous in view of causing no time delay induced by accumulation or recombination of some minority carriers while the device is being turned off. Accordingly, use of the power MOSFET has been increasing in the fields of a switching mode power supply, a lamp ballast, a motor driving circuit, etc.
A double diffusion MOSFET (DMOSFET) structure using a planar diffusion technology has been generally applied to the power MOSFET. However, a trench gate-type MOSFET structure, so called a vertical gate-type MOSFET structure, in which trenches are formed by etching a semiconductor substrate by a predetermined depth and gates are formed in the trenches is being researched. The trench gate-type MOSFET is capable of implementing high integration and low source-drain on resistance (Rds(on)) by increasing the cell density per unit area while reducing a junction field-effect transistor (JFET) resistance among the devices.
As illustrated in example FIG. 1, the trench gate-type MOSFET is structured in a manner that low-density N-type epitaxial layer 2 is formed on and/or over high-density N-type substrate 1. P-type epitaxial layer 3 is formed on and/or over low-density N-type epitaxial layer 2. P-type epitaxial layer 3 and low-density N-type epitaxial layer 2 are etched to a predetermined depth, accordingly forming trench 4. Gate dielectric layer 5 is applied on and/or over sidewalls and bottom wall of trench 4. Gate electrode 6 is formed on and/or over gate dielectric layer 5 and to fill trench 4. High-density N-type dopant region 7 is formed on and/or over P-type epitaxial layer 3 around trench 4 formed with gate electrode 6. Accordingly, high-density N-type dopant region 7 becomes a source terminal of the MOSFET whereas high-density N-type substrate 1 becomes a drain terminal.
However, the above-described trench gate-type MOSFET has a variety of disadvantages. For instance, a bottom of substrate 1 should be in electric connection in order to apply signals to the drain terminal. Therefore, the trench gate-type MOSFET can be used only as a single device but cannot be integrated with a horizontal-type device. In addition, in a drain extended MOSFET (DEMOS) which is a horizontal-type high-voltage device, channels are formed horizontally. Accordingly, the area occupied by chips is increased to achieve great voltage and current capacity as desired.

Semiconductor device having vertical and horizontal type gates and method for fabricating the same


An endodontic reamer and a method for manufacturing endodontic reamers and files, more specifically an endodontic reamer having a cylindrical shaft and a working portion extending forward from a removed end of the shaft. The working portion includes, typically, a pair of wedged shaped projecting sections that extend beyond the diameter of the shaft. Forward from the wedge shaped sections is a nose, typically non-cutting nose, that has a diameter of about equal to diameter of the shaft. There are typically two (2) wedge shaped sections projecting outward opposite one another. Applicant also provides a novel method for manufacturing an endodontic reamer, which consists of using a two piece mold and placing a wire blank between the mold, followed by forcing the mold together, under compression, against the wire blank, to deform the blank into the shape of the mold parts.

The field of endodontics involves diseases of the tooth pulp, commonly known as a root canal, and typically requires the dentist to remove infected material from within the pulp of the tooth. The root canal itself is the space within the tooth that carries the blood supply into the tooth and contains the pulp. Within the root canal the pulp contains the nerve endings, which causes pain to warn when one bites down too hard on a hard object. From time to time, this space (the root canal) becomes infected and requires the dentist to clean (ream) out the root canal space in order to remove the pulp and/or other infected material. This cleaning consists of using a series of instruments to remove the pulp and infected material by enlarging and conically shaping the canal. Once cleaned and shaped, the space is sealed so that it does not become reinfected once again. It is the dentist's goal to provide complete cleaning by removing as much of the infected material as possible. The more infected material that is removed, the more likely the case has of being successful and thus the tooth saved. Otherwise, the tooth must be extracted and the space filled with a false tooth or treated by other means.
Endodontic reamers typically have helically wound cutting edges (blades). Rotation of the reamer allows the cutting blades to work within the root canal to cut dentin and remove infected material from the walls of the canal. Applicant has invented a novel endodontic reamer for effective cutting and removing of material that overcomes many limitations of the prior art of helically wound reamers. Applicant's novel endodontic reamer is comprised of a shaft having a longitudinal axis and wedge sections, not helically wound, with respect to the longitudinal axis.
Applicant provides a novel reamer for engagement at first end with a handle for manual manipulation or powered by a dental handpiece and a second end for engagement within the root canal of a patient requiring root canal therapy. Typically, the wedges are wider than the diameter of the shaft. Furthermore, the shaft is typically flexible as opposed to being rigid. This flexibility helps allow the reamer to stay centered within the root canal. The Applicant's wedges include forward and trailing portions that are typically at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis. One or more cutting edges, which in a preferred embodiment may be straight, are typically provided—radiating outward around the shaft. A novel pilot tip guides the flexible shaft within the canal. The pilot tip can be cutting or noncutting.
The novel endodontic reamer's cutting blades can be typically very narrow and sharp; increasing it's cutting efficiency and reducing the number of instruments required by the dentist for treatment. Reducing the number of instruments also reduces the treatment time for both the dentist and patient. The cutting blades are typically made very thin, thus reducing the surface area contact of the blade with the root canal walls. These thin blades (typically from 0.01 mm to 1.00 mm thick preferably from 0.05 mm to 0.25 mm thick) also allow for more space for the previously cut material to reside before being irrigated and suctioned from the canal. When compared to prior art, this extra space helps reduce the loss of cutting efficiency that the cut material often causes by interfering with the cutting action of the blades. Thin blades increase cutting efficiency and reduce torsional stress on the shaft. Stress by torsion (twisting along the long axis of the shaft) is a primary cause of premature instrument breakage.
Applicant's reamer is manufactured by a novel method. This method includes using wire of the same diameter as the shaft of the finished product. The wire form may be cylindrical or tapered and be made from nonmetal or metals such as nitinol, stainless steel, and carbide steel. The wire provides the "blank" for the reamer. A second end of the wire, near the cutting portion is located and then swaged, coined, hot or cold formed, forged, pressed or otherwise subjected to mechanical compression to "flare" the second end such that it is flattened—thereby, having a width greater than the unflattened (round portion) of the wire and having a thickness narrower then the rounds portion in the other dimension. The leading edge of the flattened portion may be polished, machined, sheared or further formed into a sharp cutting edge.
In prior art, endodontic reamers have been ground into the desired shape. This grinding process is time consuming, requires many procedural steps and requires the use of very specialized, expensive machinery. This grinding process also generates imperfections and flawing on the surface of the finished work piece. These imperfections and flaws on the reamer's surface may lead to premature failure, increasing the risk to the patient, reducing the reamer's useful life and causing it to be more expensive for the dentist to use. This cost is thus passed onto the patient in the form of higher treatment costs. Thus for economic, rather than biological reasons, teeth are being unnecessarily extracted rather than saved.
Applicant's also provide for a novel process of manufacturing a dental instrument, including the novel reamer. Because the novel shaft is made without grinding the outside surface down to the desired the diameter, typical of prior art, less material is removed (wasted) and less material must be handled for disposal. Of significant importance, the surface of the shaft is not marred through the grinding process. The instrument's fatigue life is extended because the surface of the shaft is kept in its original state as when drawn into wire form. Finally, this simplified forming process allows for less complex and less expensive equipment to be used for manufacturing. The time to manufacture such an instrument is reduced. Less specialized equipment and the elimination of the time required to grind down the shaft reduces the cost of manufacturing such reamer.
Applicants also provide a novel handle, the handle for holding a file or reamer. Applicants' novel handle may include a shank. The shank is cylindrical and is designed to engage a file or a reamer. Applicants' novel handle includes a portion, typically along the shank, having a reduced diameter. This reduced diameter may take the shape of a groove (U-shaped) or a notch (V-shaped). By providing such a reduced diameter, Applicants provide a predictable break point, such that a file or reamer does not break in the tooth, but at the break point at the reduced diameter. In other words, rather than having a file or reamer break along a shaft or other part thereof, and thus be difficult to retrieve, Applicants' novel handle with a reduced diameter will break first and, will be far easier to retrieve from the tooth than a piece of a file or reamer that may be deep within the canal of the tooth.

Endodontic reamer and a method for manufacturing endodontic reamers and files


A modular electrical connector assembly for use with the wiring systems of vehicles. The assembly includes a plurality of modular blocks, each having one or more tapering mortises formed on the sides thereof and a plurality of tubular, singled walled, double tenon wedges which are insertable into the mortises to assemble the blocks together. Preferably, wedges are formed with an upwardly tapering ramp disposed on each tenon which terminates in an upwardly depending stop surface for engagement with a downwardly depending stop surface formed on the mortises of the modular blocks to prevent relative verticle motion between the blocks and the wedges.

The electrical systems of motor vehicles of all types are becoming increasingly complex, requiring correspondingly more complex electrical connection or interface boards to accommodate the wiring. These boards include a variety of appropriate electrical connectors for connection of wires and cables from the wiring system (which generally enter the board at the rear face thereof) to appropriate electrical components (such as relays, fuses, and terminals) which plug in to suitable openings formed on the front of the board.
Of course, modern vehicles are equipped with various and sundry electrical devices. Depending on the options selected, even two vehicles of the same model may vary in the complexity of their wiring systems. Certainly, there is tremendous variation from one model to another. If an integrally formed connection board is provided for each vehicle, either a variety of custom boards must be produced, which is expensive and inefficient, or a standard board must include capacity for the most complex system; in that case, much of the board's capacity is wasted when used on vehicles with simpler wiring systems. This also represents inefficiency and waste.
To address these concerns, modular electrical connection boards have been developed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,042,895; 3,474,397; 3,771,104; 4,269,470; 4,343,258; and 4,611,879. In some cases, modular blocks into which individual electrical components are inserted are attachable directly to each other, such as is the case in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,104. In other cases, the individual, modular blocks are joined by means of an intermediate wedge, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,879. However, a problem is encountered with both types of modular systems in that the environment in which they operate (generally under the hood of a vehicle) is subjected to considerable thermal and mechanical stress. Particularly, when the joint is heated, the female member thereof "relaxes," thereby causing the joint to loosen.
Furthermore, alignment problems are often encountered after assembling the modular blocks together to make up the interconnect board. Such misalignments can make it difficult to correctly insert the appropriate electrical components into the board in their correct positions and can result in bad electrical contact.
It would be desirable to provide a modular electrical connection system which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art and has joints between the various members thereof which maintain their integrity when subjected to thermal and mechanical stress. It would also be particularly advantageous to have such a system wherein means are provided for aligning the electrical components with respect to the modular blocks of the system before they are permanently locked in.

Modular electrical assembly and removable wedge therefor


A wire tray includes tray walls defining a tray channel configured to receive corresponding wires of a wire bundle. A wire cradle extends from a corresponding tray wall. The wire cradle has a cradle channel open to the tray channel having a wire exit at a front of the wire cradle. The wire cradle has a pocket and a protrusion aligned with the pocket on an opposite side of the cradle channel. The wire is routed in the cradle channel around the protrusion into the pocket to form at least two bends in the wire between the tray channel and the wire exit. The wire cradle includes a retention cap extending into the cradle channel that captures the wire in the cradle channel.

The subject matter herein relates generally to a wire tray for a wire harness.
Wire harnesses have many uses, such as for interconnecting a transmission, control unit with solenoid connectors of a transmission. In some applications, the wire harness includes a wire tray that supports wires of a wire bundle. In some applications, the wire tray is mounted to the transmission and directs the wires between the transmission control unit and the transmission. Such wire harness support systems are not without disadvantages. For instance, the wire trays use separate wire retention clips that are inserted into pockets in the tray. The clips can be pulled out of the tray if the wire bundle is pulled on too hard, causing loose parts to be present around the working parts of the transmission. Damage to the transmission could result. Also, the wires may be easily removed from the tray after the clips are removed, which could lead to damage to the wires. Additionally, current tray designs have problems with the tray sliding on the wire bundle, such as during shipping, handling and assembly. Another problem with existing wire harness designs is that long lengths of the wires exit the tray for termination to the solenoid connectors. The exposed wires are susceptible to damage, such as from the moving parts of the transmission.
A need remains for a wire harness assembly having few loose parts, which may be secured to the wire bundle and that protects the wires from damage.


A first file system to assist in the storage management of a second file system not able to store its own management classes and management attributes. A repository file space in the first file system is used to accomplish the storage of some or all of the management classes or attributes for the files of the second file system. For each file in the second file system an empty file is created in the repository file space of the first file system. The creation of an empty file in the repository file space causes a management class to be selected for the file and stored in the catalog of the first file system as would be done for any file in the first file system. A naming convention is used to link each file in the repository file space with its associated file in the second file system. The additional files in the first file system are left empty as no other information need be stored for storage management purposes. The management attributes of the files are then compared to the management criteria represented by the management classes stored in the catalog of the first file system and the files are managed accordingly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage management across file systems. More particularly, the invention relates to storage management of both the minidisk and shared file systems in a virtual machine operating system environment in which at least some of the management classes for the minidisk file system files are stored in the catalog in the shared file system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Modern data processing systems include a host processor having one or more central processing units, a memory facility, an input/output system, and an interconnection system (i.e. a bus). The processor manipulates data stored in the memory according to instructions provided to it. The memory must therefore be capable of storing data required by the processor and transferring that data to the processor at a rate capable of making the overall operation of the computer feasible. The cost and performance of computer memory is thus critical to the commercial success of a computer system.
As computers manipulate ever increasing amounts of data they require larger quantities of data storage capacity. Computer memory is available in several forms. Generally, the faster data can be written to or read from a particular form of memory, the more expensive it is. Microchips are fast, but expensive, and are typically used as the primary or main memory in/to the host processor. Other available forms of memory are used as auxiliary or peripheral memory, and include numerous peripheral storage devices. For example, magnetic direct access storage devices (DASD), magnetic tape storage devices, and optical recording devices are all peripheral storage devices. These devices have a greater storage capacity and lower cost than main memory, but do not provide the same performance. For example, the time required to properly position a tape or disk beneath the read/write mechanism of a drive cannot compare with the rapid, purely electronic data transfer rate of main memory. It is, however, inefficient to store all of the data in a system in a single type of memory device. Simply storing all data in main memory is too costly and simply storing all data in a peripheral storage device significantly reduces performance. A physical portion of the total storage area of one or more peripheral storage devices is referred to as a "storage space".
A typical data processing system includes both main memory and one or more peripheral storage devices. A data processing system having a plurality of peripheral storage devices arranged hierarchically is referred to as a "data storage hierarchy". In a data storage hierarchy, primary or level 0 data storage generally refers to the level therein having the highest performance and lowest storage capacity.
Secondary or level 1 (or lower level) storage includes the (equal or) greater storage capacity, but at (equal or) reduced performance and thus reduced cost. The unit of data storage can be data sets, files, or objects. Data set and file are terms used essentially interchangeably in different operating system environments to mean a collection of data in a prescribed arrangement and described by control information to which the system has access. An object is a variably sized byte stream with no record or other internal boundary orientation. For convenience, the term "file" is used hereinafter to refer generically to data sets, files, objects or any such data entities. Data is moved and copied between different levels of the hierarchy as files (or some larger unit of data), as required, to balance performance, storage and cost. Such data transfers and related actions to manipulate a data storage hierarchy (such as the deletion of data which is no longer being used from the hierarchy) to achieve this balancing is known as "storage management".
Storage management includes several subcomponents, such as performance management, reliability management, capacity management, space management and availability management. Each of these may involve the transfer of data between levels of the hierarchy. Space management is the movement of data between different levels of the hierarchy so as to store data only in the most appropriate level of the peripheral storage hierarchy. For example, relatively active data should be stored in a relatively high performing level of the hierarchy and relatively inactive data should be stored in a relatively lower performing level of the hierarchy. As data ages, it is generally referenced less (i.e. relatively less active) and should thus be moved to lower levels of the data storage hierarchy. The movement of data from one level of a data storage hierarchy to another is referred to as "migration", and may include data compaction to save storage space.
Availability management is the backup of data within a data storage hierarchy to improve the likelihood of its being available if and when it is needed by the host processor. The original or primary copy of the data is not deleted; an additional or secondary copy is generated and transferred to another portion of the data storage hierarchy. The secondary copy is typically stored on a different peripheral storage device from the primary copy to ensure the availability of the data. If the primary copy of the data becomes unavailable, such as by device failure, the secondary copy of the data may still be referenced. The secondary copy of the data need not be stored in a different level of the data storage hierarchy, but such may be desirable as the secondary copy is not likely to be as active as the primary copy. Data backup may occur unconditionally or incrementally. Unconditional backup generates a copy of any specified file, incremental backup copies only those files which have been updated since the previous secondary copy was generated. Note that transferring a file by migration may include the maintenance of a primary copy of a file in level 0 storage. The primary copy is, however, an empty file--the data in the file having been transferred to the secondary copy of the file in level 1 storage.
Storage management is traditionally performed manually. The data owner decides when to migrate or backup data, and where such migrated and backup files should be stored. Such decisions are time consuming, usually requiring a review of each file stored. The operations involved are often so time intensive that manual reviews and decisions are not made until there is no alternative. For example, a user might not migrate any files to level 1 storage until all storage space in level 0 storage is in use. In large systems, or in any system storing relatively large amounts of data, it is simply impractical to perform storage management manually.
In recent years, computer software has become available which reduces the need for manual operations. The IBM Data Facility Hierarchical Storage Manager (DFHSM) application program is an example of such software. DFHSM is a utility to the IBM Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS) series of operating systems. DFHSM uses specified management criteria to manage files, including the automatic recall of a transferred file upon an attempt to reference the file by a user. The management criteria include the minimum length of time a file will be permitted to be resident in the data storage hierarchy or a particular level thereof before it will be eligible to be migrated or deleted or the maximum length of time a file will be permitted to exist without being backed up after being updated. Numerous management criteria are defined to the system and stored in a configuration file. The DFHSM management criteria are selected manually at the time of file identification to DFHSM. While DFHSM improves storage management, the manual selection of management criteria is still burdening.
In recent years, manual operations for storage management have been further reduced. System-managed storage is a term indicating that the system itself selects the management criteria for data and performs storage management. The storage administrator need only define the management criteria in a configuration file, the system itself selects the management criteria for a particular file upon its creation and manages it accordingly. An example of software providing system-managed storage is IBM Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem software, hereinafter referred to simply as DFSMS (DFSMS is a trademark of IBM Corporation). DFSMS is a subsystem of the IBM Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS) series of operating systems. DFSMS encompasses several subcomponents, including DFHSM and IBM Multiple Virtual Storage/Data Facility Product software, hereinafter referred to simply as MVS/DFP (MVS/DFP is a trademark of IBM Corporation).
DFSMS accomplishes the aforementioned with the addition of the automatic class selection (ACS) routine to MVS/DFP. The management criteria are defined in sets of such criteria (known by names such as storage and management classes, but hereinafter referred to simply as "management classes") in a configuration file and the ACS routine itself is defined once by the storage administrator for the system. As each file is identified to DFSMS, MVS/DFP uses the ACS routine to automatically select the management class therefor. ACS selects the management class based upon certain characteristics of a file, such as the name of the file, the owner of the file, the directory path to the file, and the size of the file. Once the ACS routine has selected the management class for a file, such management class is stored in one or more fields in a catalog existing in the host processor.
DFSMS must also provide for storage of the current data management attributes associated with each file. The management attributes are stored in one or more fields in the catalog, and/or the volume table of contents for each volume of data. The management attributes include certain data relating to the status and use of each file and are updated as such data changes during use. For example, the management attributes include the date and time a file became resident in the data storage hierarchy or a particular level thereof, the date and time a file was last accessed (whether the file was updated or not), and the date and time of last backup and update of the file.
One or more common DASD include one or more control files for storing control information also needed for storage management. These control files are not themselves managed by DFSMS, but may co-exist on common DASD with managed data files. A separate control file exists for each type of storage management activity (i.e. one control file for migration, one control file for backup, etc.). For example, a control file includes the information necessary to map migrated and secondary copies of files to their catalog and table of contents entries, and/or their primary copies (i.e. to their level 0 source files). Such mapping allows for recall of the correct migrated or secondary copy of a file upon specification of such file by a user. After determining that the primary copy of a file has been migrated, or that the secondary copy is required, the mapping data is used to locate and access the migrated or secondary copy of the file.
Actual storage management by DFSMS occurs during periods of relative system inactivity to minimize interference with other processing. During the prescribed periods, DFHSM is called to compare the management attributes of files to the management criteria of such files, as defined by the assigned management class. DFHSM then manages the files accordingly, transferring files and updating the management attributes and control information as required. In addition, storage management may be applied to units of data larger than a file. For example, a group of files having certain common management requirements may be established such that the entire group is managed as a whole. The group is assigned a management class of its own and managed accordingly. It should be understood that where files are hereinafter described as being managed during storage management, entire groups or other data units could be similarly managed, unless otherwise specified.
Another example of computer software to provide system-managed storage is IBM Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem for Virtual Machines software (hereinafter referred to simply as DFSMS/VM), which is a subcomponent of the IBM Virtual Machine (VM) series of operating systems. The currently available release 1 of DFSMS/VM does not provide space or availability management, but does provide several improvements to the VM operating systems. Traditionally, VM operating systems have used a minidisk file system (MFS) for organizing data for users on peripheral storage devices. MFS preallocates contiguous storage space (a consecutively addressed logical portion of a physical storage space) within the data storage hierarchy to individual users. Each preallocated contiguous storage space is known as a "minidisk" because it appears to be a complete peripheral storage device (such as a DASD) to the user. A minidisk is a set of consecutively addressed DASD cylinders. Each minidisk is owned by (i.e. assigned to) a particular user, no other users can store or access files thereon unless so authorized by the owning user. A minidisk (and MFS) is said to be "preallocated" because the storage space reserved to a user is typically larger than that immediately needed by that user. As a user fills a minidisk with files, there is a tendency to try to keep at least a portion of that minidisk available for new files by manually deleting the existing, unused files. The condition of "underutilization" refers to the remaining increments of unused storage space spread throughout the data storage hierarchy and results in a significant amount of wasted storage space. In addition, "fragmentation" results when a minidisk is deallocated from a particular user and cannot be reallocated to another user because it is too small to meet the needs of such other user.
A relatively new file system, known as the "shared" file system (SFS), is included in current releases of VM operating systems, such as Virtual Machine/System Product (VM/SP) release 6. Shared file systems significantly reduce underutilization and fragmentation problems as compared to MFS. However, because of the large number of existing VM operating systems users, the use of MFS has not been discontinued. Thus, SFS and MFS may exist simultaneously in a data storage hierarchy. SFS allows for the dynamic sharing of peripheral storage space among different users. Physical storage space is not preallocated to a user account. Instead, as each user actually stores a file, storage space is dynamically allocated for that file only. Users are given accounts to a file pool, which is simply a collection of files for a set of users. In VM operating systems, a file pool is a collection of minidisks owned by a single virtual machine that contain files for a number of users. Each user stores files in a logical file space within a SFS storage group, which is a collection of minidisks within a file pool. The storage space assigned to a file space changes dynamically as files are added thereto, deleted therefrom, or updated. The files in each file space can be organized into one or more directories (and subdirectories within each directory), the file space itself being a top level of the directory hierarchy.
SFS includes control information in level 0 storage as part of every file pool. The control information includes files of information used to locate minidisks in the respective file pool and to track which blocks of such storage space are in use. The control information also includes a catalog of information about the directories and files in the file pool, such as the owner of each file. Multiple file pools can exist for each instance of DFSMS/VM, each file pool being an instance of SFS.
If DFSMS/VM is to provide storage management for both MFS minidisks and SFS file pools (and the files of each), it must be able to store both the assigned management class and management attributes for each file or group of commonly managed files therein. This is relatively simple for SFS files because the SFS catalog has been designed with enough remaining storage space to accommodate storage of the management class and management attributes for each file or group of commonly managed files. A previously unrecognized problem is that of how to accommodate the storage of both management classes and management attributes for MFS files. The first cylinder of each MFS minidisk is used to store the catalog of information for the user files stored in the remaining files. No space remains in the allotted MFS catalog cylinder to accommodate the storage of both the management classes and the management attributes. One solution to this problem is to increase the number of cylinders allotted for the catalog. Such enlargement of the catalog would result in restructuring and reprogramming of VM operating systems and would have severe impact to existing applications expecting the precise current location of the catalog. Thus, a different solution to the problem is required.

Storage management of a first file system using a second file system containing surrogate files and catalog management information

International Business Machines Corporation


A cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber for receiving a. cooking medium, a lid configured to cover the cooking chamber, and a lid locking system. The lid locking system includes a pressure lock pin coupled to a movable diaphragm, an electronic lock pin coupled to the lid, and a latch. The latch includes a pressure lock pin aperture formed therein to accommodate the pressure lock pin, and an electronic lock pin aperture formed therein to accommodate the electronic lock pin. The pressure lock pin engages the latch in response to pressure in the cooking chamber exceeding a predetermined threshold, and the electronic lock pin engages the latch in response to a lock signal from a controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pressure cooking medium systems (e.g., pressure fryers) that use cooking media to cook product under pressure. Specifically, the present invention relates to a seal for sealing a lid to the cooking chamber to facilitate pressurized cooking.
2. Description of Related Art
Known cooking apparatus, such as pressure fryers, are used to cook various food products, e.g., poultry, fish, potato products, and the like. Such cooking apparatus may include one or more cooking chambers, e.g., fryer pots, which may be filled with a cooking medium, e.g., an oil, a liquid shortening, or a meltable-solid shortening. Such cooking apparatus also may include a heating element, e.g., an electrical heating element, such as a heating oil medium, or a gas heating element, such as a gas burner and gas conveying tubes, which heat the cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The amount of time sufficient to cook or to complete the cooking of the food product at a given cooking temperature depends on the type of food product that is cooked, In a pressure fryer, when the food product is submerged in the oil, the food product cooks, releasing heat and steam, which pressurizes the cooking chamber. The increased pressure in the cooking chamber allows for thorough cooking in reduced time, and assists in preventing drying out of the food product.
Known pressure fryer apparatus may include a lid to seal the cooking chamber once the food product has been placed inside the cooking chamber. The lid may create a seal with the chamber body that is sufficient to withstand the pressure from the cooking operation. In known cooking apparatuses, the lid may be very heavy and a locking mechanism may be employed to prevent the lid from opening while the cooking chamber is under pressure. Nevertheless, known locking mechanisms may be limited by certain operational characteristics.

Lid locking system and cooking apparatus having lid lock