A heater for heating a moving sheet material by contact therewith is used, for example, in electrophotographic apparatus for fixing toner to printing paper. The heater comprises an insulating substrate formed with a striplike heating element on its upper surface, and a support plate for supporting the substrate. A higher heat preserving property is given to the opposite end portions of the heating element than to a longitudinal intermediate portion thereof to thereby compensate for a temperature reduction at the element end portions and make the heating element uniform in temperature over the entire length thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heaters for sheer materials, and more particularly to heaters especially suited for use in the electrophotographic process for fixing toner as transferred from a photosensitive drum onto paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the so-called electrophotographic process, toner is transferred from a photosensitive drum to paper, then fused by heating with a heater and thereby fixed to the paper. The electrophorographic process has found wide use in dry copying machines, laser printers, LED printers, printing units of facsimile systems, etc.
To permit use of a compacted lightweight fixing unit in the electrophotographic process and to render the unit heatable to the operating temperature in a shortened period of time, the fixing heater, which is traditionally in the form of a tube having halogen lamp inserted therein, is replaced in some cases by a heater which comprises a strip of heating element provided on an insulating substrate. Such a hearer is disclosed, for example, in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,517.
The disclosed heater can be produced by a simple process wherein a silver-palladium paste or the like is printed in a strip form on an insulating substrate of ceramic and then baked to form a heating resistor, is generally thin, can be heated to the toner fixing temperature instantaneously after passing a current between both ends of the resistor, and therefore has the advantage of not only providing a compact, light-weight and inexpensive fixing unit for the electrophotographic process but also necessitating little or no waiting time after the passage of current.
As shown in FIG. 8, conventional heaters of this type comprise an insulating substrate a in the form of an elongated rectangular plate, a striplike heating element b formed on the upper surface of the substrate from a resistor paste by printing and baking and having a predetermined length longitudinally of the substrate, and conductor electrodes c, c partially lapping over the respective opposite ends of the heating element b and prepared from a silver paste or like conductor paste by printing and baking.
With this structure, the heat produced by the heating element b escapes from both ends thereof to the outside through the electrodes c, c and power supply wires (not shown) connected thereto, with the result that the temperature distribution of the heating element b with respect to the lengthwise direction thereof involves a lower temperature at its opposite ends than at the intermediate portion therebetween as seen in FIG. 9. When the effective length L of the heating element b has such a reduced temperature at its opposite ends, there arises the problem that the toner becomes fixed insufficiently at opposite ends of the paper used or that fixing irregularities occur with respect to the width of the paper.
This problem will be readily overcome by sufficiently increasing the length of the heating element b relative to the effective length L of heat production and using only the uniform temperature range L' of the temperature distribution shown in FIG. 9 as an effective range of heat production.
However, the heating element so designed can not always be employed because the heating element then makes the heater itself elongated or because the fixing unit for the electrophotographic process must have a larger size to incorporate the elongated heater.
The specification of the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,517 proposes another idea for correcting the temperature reduction at the heating element opposite ends due to the escape of heat from the end electrode portions, i.e., a striplike heating element b having a smaller width at its opposite ends than at the intermediate portion thereof as shown in FIG. 10. With the invention disclosed in this publiection, the opposite ends of smaller width have a greater resistance value than at the intermediate portion of large width, so that when a given current is passed through the heating element b, the rise in temperature is greater toward the opposite ends of greater resistance value. This compensates for the escape of heat from the end electrodes c, c to give a uniform temperature distribution to the heating element b in its entirety.
Nevertheless, since the striplike heating element b of the above structure locally has at its opposite ends a width smaller than the standard width of its intermediate portion, the heating element itself is inevitably weak thermally at the end portions, subjected to a marked temperature difference at the boundary between the electrode c and each element end, and liable to break owing to a thermal stress at the boundary.
Thus, it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory result in respect of the strength or life of the heating element b by the method shown in FIG. 10 of obtaining a uniform temperature distribution by decreasing the width of the heating element b at both ends thereof to give an increased resistance value.


A system and method for reducing the re-lock time of a phase locked loop (PLL) system, the system including a circuit having a capture control voltage module, a force control voltage module, a loop filter module, and a timer. The capture control voltage module compares the control voltage (voltage input of VCO) with predefined voltage levels during the lock time of the PLL and simultaneously stores the voltage level closest to the control voltage. The stored voltage becomes stable after the PLL has been locked. After power-down is applied and then released, the force control voltage module forces the stored control voltage on the loop filter in a very short time, thereby reducing the re-lock time of the PLL. The loop filter module stabilizes the control voltage. The timer then turns off the force control voltage module by sending a timeout signal after a pre-defined number of clock cycles.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to frequency circuits and, more specifically, to a system and method for enhancing re-locking of a phase locked loop (PLL) system, i.e., through this methodology the PLL will be locked almost instantly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of frequency synthesis, phase lock loops (PLLs) are employed to act as wide frequency range tracking filters and as wide frequency range frequency translators. When thus used, the phase lock loop is designed to lock a synthesized signal of a first oscillator at a first frequency and at a first phase to the phase of an incoming reference signal at another frequency. Once the frequency of the synthesized signal developed in the phase lock loop (PLL) is matched to that of the incoming reference signal, steady state is said to exist. However, when the PLL is powered down and then switched on, the phase lock loop experiences a transient state before the loop locks on and settles to the correct reference frequency. For many applications, where the PLL is switched on and off in the same configuration frequently, it is important to reduce the time spent in this transient state.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,536 discloses a phase lock loop frequency synthesizer for providing a synthesized frequency signal employing a modified adaptive loop construction having parallel feedback paths about a loop amplifier. A normal feedback path having a narrow bandwidth characteristic includes a feedback capacitor having one end connected to electrical ground via a controlled switch and a second feedback path having a wide bandwidth characteristic with a capacitor also connected across the amplifier. Upon the variation of an incoming reference signal, the controlled switch connects the normal feedback capacitor to ground permitting the wide bandwidth feedback path to rapidly settle the loop while charging the feedback capacitor of the normal feedback path. Upon opening the controlled switch, the narrow bandwidth feedback path completes the charging of the feedback capacitor of the normal feedback loop settling the loop to the steady state condition while enhancing the settling time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,505 discloses a frequency synthesizer is provided including a reference frequency generator coupled to one input of a phase detector. The output of the phase detector is coupled via a pair of alternately connected filters through a voltage controlled oscillator and a divider circuit to the remaining input of the phase detector to form a phase locked loop. The first filter of the pair is designated for operation on a main channel frequency while the remaining filter is designated for operation on a priority channel frequency. The capacitive elements of each respective filter remain fully charged up for operation on their respective frequencies and thus when such filters are alternately switched between to change frequency from the main channel to the priority channel, the capacitive elements need not be charged to new levels to accommodate such frequency change. Thus, switching between a main channel and a priority channel is accomplished in a minimal amount of time with a significant reduction in frequency synthesizer energy requirements.
The patents as described above lack in providing a fast, reliable and efficient mechanism for the fast relocking of the PLL. In the first patent the reduction in lock time is small enough. Whereas the second patent uses multiple loop filters for a fast frequency acquisition, but this methodology causes an increased PLL area.
Therefore, there is a need for a novel methodology that can improve re-locking time of a PLL system by locking the PLL instantaneously.

System and method for fast re-locking of a phase locked loop circuit


The present invention concerns a coupling arrangement for coupling a withdrawal arrangement (4) to a package (1) with liquid or essentially liquid contents (3), which withdrawal arrangement (4) is intended for the removal of the contents (3) from the package (1). The coupling arrangement (5) comprises not only an inner coupling device (9) that is arranged within the package (1) but also an outer coupling device (12) that is arranged on the withdrawal arrangement (4). The outer coupling device (12) comprises a tube section (14) with which the unbroken part (11) of the wall of the package (1) can be broken and that can be introduced into the hole (15) in the outer part (10) of the inner coupling device (9) in order to be coupled to this such that the contents (3) in the package (1) can be withdrawn through the tube section (14). At least one protruding part (16) is arranged on the outer coupling device (12). At least one space (17) is arranged in the outer part (10) of the inner coupling device (9). The protruding part (16) can be introduced into the said space (17) without breaking the unbroken part (11) of the wall (2).

Coupling arrangements of the type described in the introduction are known from the document EP 1700818. This document describes a coupling arrangement with inner and outer coupling devices. The outer coupling device is provided with a protruding part and the inner coupling device with holes for the protruding part. The protruding part can be introduced in the holes but the unbroken wall of the package must be penetrated by the protruding part for carrying out this operation.
It has proved to be the case that there is a need for coupling devices that have protruding parts to be introduced in holes but without penetrating wall portions of the package.

Coupling arrangement, coupling devices and use of coupling device


In a receiving apparatus for spread spectrum communications, a carrier detecting circuit for detecting a carrier in a spread spectrum modulated signal is intermittently operated in a standby mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus for spread spectrum communications, and more particularly, to a spread spectrum receiving apparatus with a battery saving function used in mobile communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a spread spectrum communications system, a data signal is multiplied by a spread reference code, i.e., a unique pseudorandom noise (PN) code to spread the data signal. Then, the spread data signal is transmitted. On the other hand, in a spread spectrum receiving apparatus, a received signal is multiplied by the same spread reference code to demodulate the received signal. Since noise added to the received signal in a propagation path is spread by the demodulation, the spread spectrum communications system is characterized by its privacy and interference tolerance, and therefore, has been developed for mobile phones, wireless local area networks (LANs), and the like.
In a prior art spread spectrum receiving apparatus, a carrier detecting circuit for detecting a carrier in a spread spectrum modulated signal is continuously operated even in a standby mode. This will be explained later in detail.
However, particularly, when the above-described prior art spread spectrum receiving apparatus is applied to mobile communications, the power dissipation of a battery for driving the apparatus is remarkably increased.

Spread spectrum receiving apparatus with battery saving function


A pneumatic radial tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, a carcass of at least one rubberized ply containing cords arranged in a radial direction and consisting of a main carcass body and a turnup portion. A belt is superimposed about a crown portion of the carcass, and a rubber filler is arranged between the main carcass body and the turnup portion above the bead core. The rubber filler is composed of three different rubber stocks, and a hardest rubber stock among these rubber stocks is arranged in at least an outer zone in the radial direction of the tire sandwiching a normal line drawn from the turnup end to the outer surface of the main carcass body at a cross section of the tire and perpendicular to the main carcass body. A rubber stock having a middle hardness is arranged between the outer surface of the main carcass body and the hardest rubber stock as a stress-mitigating rubber layer. A softest rubber stock is arranged along an inner surface of the turnup portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire, and more particularly to a heavy duty pneumatic radial tire for use in so-called heavy vehicles such as middle-size or more truck and bus, industrial vehicle, construction vehicle and the like. Particularly, the invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire having a long service life and excellent bead portion durability without arranging an extra reinforcing member in a bard portion or a region from a bead portion to a sidewall portion and increasing the volume of the rubber filler in the bead portion.
2. Description of Related Art
In a radial tire running under a heavy load, the sidewall portion is largely bent, but also the bead portion existing outward from a flange of a rim in a radial direction of the tire falls down toward the outside of the tire (hereinafter referred to as tire outside simply) or causes so-called bead portion fall-down phenomenon. By such a phenomenon a large compression strain.multidot.stress is applied to a turnup end portion of a carcass existing in the bead portion or in the sidewall portion near to the bead portion.
Further, a large movement of members is produced in a region ranging from the bead portion to the sidewall portion located in correspondence to stepping-in zone and kicking-out zone in a ground contact area of a tread portion of the radial tire along peripheries of these portions. Also, a large torsional deformation is created in these portions when a certain slip angle is applied to the tire during the cornering of the vehicle and hence a large shearing strain stress based on these member movement and torsional deformation is applied to the turnup end portion.
Since the above large compression strain stress and shearing strain stress are repeatedly input to the turnup end portion during the running of the tire, fatigue of rubber proceeds and finally rubber cracking is created along the turnup end portion, which is liable to advance to a separation failure of the turnup end portion. Such a failure is a time-honored and new problem with respect to the pneumatic radial tire running under a heavy load. This new problem is brought up by a high requirement of weight reduction and cost reduction and a tendency of a low section profile having, for example, an aspect ratio of not more than 70%.
In order to solve the above separation failure, various countermeasures have been taken. Among them, a main part in a typical embodiment of the conventional countermeasure is shown in FIG. 7, in which a rubber filler 7 taperingly extending from a bead core 4 toward an end of a tread portion (not shown) is arranged between a main body 5a of a carcass and a turnup portion 5b thereof along an outer surface of the main body. It is divided into a hard rubber stock 7-1 located side the main body 5a and a soft rubber stock 7-3 located side the turnup portion 5b.
When the solution is not yet satisfied by the illustrated embodiment, it is attempted to take various countermeasures for the distribution of the hard rubber stock 7-1 and soft rubber stock 7-3. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the section shape of the hard rubber stock 7-1 is thickened in the vicinity of a position opposite to an end of the turnup portion 5b, or the hard rubber stock 7-1 is selectively arranged in the vicinity of this position.
Although it is expected to considerably improve the separation failure of the end portion of the turnup 5b to thereby attain remarkable improvement of bead portion durability, it has actually been confirmed that satisfactory bead portion durability cannot be obtained by these countermeasures. A peeling failure between cord and coating rubber in the main body 5a of the carcass is caused as a negative compensation for the improvement of separation resistance in the end portion of the turnup 5b and such a peeling failure concentrates in a region located somewhat outward from a position opposite to the end of the turnup portion 5b in the radial direction of the tire. This failure is a quite inexperienced and novel form of trouble.

Pneumatic radial tires with rubber filler composed of three rubber stocks


An apparatus for extracting energy from a fluid flow including a secondary fluid channel, a fluid driveable generator unit and a primary fluid channel. The primary fluid channel comprises a fluid intake in fluid communication with a throat. The throat is configured to increase the flow velocity and reduce the pressure of the primary fluid flowing through the primary fluid channel and includes at least one plenum in the interior of the throat configured to further reduce the pressure of the primary fluid flowing through the primary fluid channel. The plenum includes at least one perforation through its exterior surface in fluid communication with the secondary fluid channel. As such, the flow of primary fluid through the primary fluid channel draws the secondary fluid into the primary fluid channel through the secondary fluid channel and the perforation and thereby into driving engagement with the generator.

Significant efforts have been made in the past few decades to identify and harness renewable energy sources. One area of particular interest has been the extraction of energy from fluid flows such as air and water. Prior art technologies have struggled with minimizing size, cost, and complexity, while maximizing power generation and ease of maintenance.

Apparatus for extracting energy from a fluid flow

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology


A propane injector system for internal combustion engines for improving performance, fuel efficiency, safety, cleanliness and environmental friendliness. The system consists of introducing propane gas into “a black box” that has a pressure reducing valve to drop propane pressure as it flows initially from its storage tank and through an electronically controlled on/off valve. Propane enters an injector manifold where it is distributed to two specially designed gas handling fuel injectors that act as variable flow rate pumps controlled by a programmable microprocessor that is pre programmed for specific vehicles or can be customized with improved performance programming as determined by the vehicle owner. A pressure feedback system senses when the engine blower has caused a pressure boost on its high side feeding the cylinders. Transducers located in a Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor detect the pressure boost and communicate with the microprocessor. This intake manifold pressure sensing provides feedback to the processor that controls the fuel injectors to customize the amount of propane being fed to the engine on an “as needed” basis. Information on engine performance is programmed into the computer controller, i.e. microprocessor, to provide the flow rates for the added propane. This arrangement maximizes fuel efficiency and minimizes propane use. A temperature sensor on the exhaust side monitors exhaust gasses and disables the system if excessive temperatures are experienced.

(1) Field of the Invention
This disclosure pertains to a system or method and apparatus for controlling the injection of propane into a gas or diesel internal combustion engine.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
One attempt to provide a safe and effective propane injection system for an internal combustion engine is the Reggiani, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,083 (1986) that shows a feedback and monitoring system for controlling the amount of propane injected into an internal combustion engine. Propane flow is determined by controlling pressures of propane to be injected into the fuel-air mixture and comparing intake manifold pressures to determine the flow of propane needed depending on the speed and load to maintain a predetermined fuel air ratio of 1.24. The Reggiani device is primarily concerned with maintaining a constant air-fuel ration during various engine speeds. There are no safety devices such as provided by the device and system disclosed herein and there is no programmable microprocessor to allow each unit to be pre programmed and customized as needed during use.
Other prior art devices used to inject propane into engines are of the type shown in the Fehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,515 (1990) that shows a system for injecting propane into a diesel engine based on the turbo charger boost pressure. In other words, when the engine turbo-charger is activated to increase air flow to the engine, resultant pressure increase occurs in the intake manifold of the engine. A series of pressure sensors are coupled to the turbo-charger to monitor this boost pressure and are coupled to propane injectors that feed propane in steps to the primary air fuel mix as the boost pressure rises thereby admitting progressively increasing amounts of the secondary fued, propane, to the engine. While the structure and operation of the Fehr arrangement does monitor boost pressure to vary the amount of secondary fuel, each one of the monitoring or pressure switches must be individually set at a specific pressure level to open a propane injecting valve. There are no safety monitoring devices or shut offs to prevent damage to the engine as provided by the devices and system disclosed herein.
Another example of a propane injection system is shown in the Long, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,015 (2002) that shows an attempt to overcome the drawbacks of the Fehr patent disclosure discussed above. Namely, Long shows a system that replaces the individual pressure sensing switches of Fehr with a diaphragm regulator valve that provides constant regulation of flow of the secondary fuel or propane rather than stepped flow shown in the Fehr patent. The Long patent also shows an on-off propane valve that is controlled with an electric switch to turn the system on and off from inside the vehicle. While this arrangement is different, it does not provide for adjustment or the safety features of this invention that includes an exhaust manifold temperature sensing probe to shut off the propane if engine temperatures rise to predetermined level. Further, this disclosure shows and driver accessible on off switch with a warning light for manual override if engine temperatures rise too high.

Propane injection control system and apparatus for vehicles


A communication apparatus includes a housing and an electronic device installed in the housing. The housing has a shell body having a top wall, a front wall and a mounting zone defined by a part of the top wall and a part of the front wall, and a cover coupled to the mounting zone. The mounting zone is provided with a first row of through holes and a second row of through holes. The cover has a row of light-guiding rods at a back side thereof, which are respectively selectively insertable into the first or second row of through holes. The electronic device includes a circuit board and a plurality of lamps electrically connected to and controlled by the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a housing for a communication apparatus and more particularly, to such a housing for a communication apparatus, which allows installation of LED lamps having different light-emitting directions, and a communication apparatus comprising the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A communication apparatus, such as cable modem or ADSL modem, has LED lamps installed in an electronic device inside the housing for different indications, for example, power on/off indication, error message indication, etc.
The LED lamps of regular communication apparatus may be installed in the circuit board in a horizontal position in parallel to the circuit board such that the light of the LED lamps can emit forwardly and horizontally, or a vertical position perpendicular to the circuit board such that the light can emit upwardly and vertically. To fit the emitting direction of the LED lamps, a different housing shall be used, i.e., the manufacturer shall have to provide two different housings to fit horizontal LED lamps and vertical LED lamps respectively. Preparing different housings require different molds, resulting in a high manufacturing cost.
Further, preparing a same kind of communication apparatus in two different models having horizontal LED lamps or vertical LED lamps complicates the inventory control and relatively increases the inventory cost.

Housing for communication apparatus capable of installing LED lamps having horizontal or vertical emitting direction therein, and communication apparatus comprising the same


An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for flexible tactile computer input. A surface module may define a pressure-sensitive surface, any physical surface, or a virtual surface of a flexible input device, the surface having a default shape, reshaping the surface in response to physical proximity to one or more external objects, including one or more bodily appendages of a user, and restoring the default shape when the surface is not in physical proximity to the objects. A sensing module may sense manipulation of the flexible input device by the bodily appendages in proximity to the surface. An analysis module may interpret the manipulation of the flexible input device as input to a computer.

Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to computer input from a user and more particularly relates to tactile computer input.
Description of the Related Art
Tactile input devices employ touch and other physical manipulation by a user to communicate with a computer or other intelligent electronic system. Examples of such devices include mice, television remotes, touchpads, keyboards, gaming controllers, and so forth. Great strides forward have been made in making computer interfaces more intuitive and usable through the proliferation of such devices.
Nevertheless, current tactile input devices tend to be rigid and only comfortable for a segment of users due to their various shapes, sizes, and contours. Buttons and other contact areas may also be non-optimally placed for any given user. These designated areas limit the type of input a user can provide.
For example, a device such as a computer mouse may have buttons, a thumbwheel, or other touch areas. In addition, the mouse must be used in a specific orientation. Specifically, the tracking laser or ball must always be on the bottom, and the user's hand must make contact with the buttons or designated areas. Computer mice are also only available in a discrete number of shapes and sizes to meet various user preferences. Other tactile input devices as mentioned above have similar limitations.

Apparatus, system and method for flexible tactile computer input


A method of creating a program management chart comprising the steps of displaying a plurality of tasks within a selected set of data as a first part of the program management chart; and displaying a task that is outside of the selected set of data but that is associated with at least one of the plurality of tasks within the selected set of data as a second part of the program management chart. A method of creating a program management chart comprising the steps of displaying a work breakdown structure tree associated with a project without accessing project data; selecting a subfolder within the work breakdown structure tree; and accessing task data associated with the selected subfolder within the work breakdown structure tree without accessing all of the project data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer software applications and data. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for creating a project management chart.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Software applications have become widely used tools that are used in a variety of ways in everyday life. Project management applications, for example, process data that includes information about tasks that need to be done, the resources to perform the tasks, and deadlines that need to be met to stay on schedule.
A PERT chart is a project management tool used to schedule, organize, and coordinate tasks within a project. PERT stands for Program Evaluation Review Technique, a methodology developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1950's to manage the Polaris submarine missile program. A PERT chart presents a graphic illustration of a project as a network diagram consisting of number nodes (either circles or triangles or similar shapes) representing events, or milestones in the project linked by labeled vectors (directional lines) representing tasks in the project. The direction of the arrows on the lines indicates the sequence of tasks.
In the project management chart software market, for example, Microsoft Project®, Artemis® and Primavera® brand project management applications, are software programs where projects can be illustrated in a PERT chart or project management chart.

System and method for creating a pert chart


A combination cooking utensil for use in food preparation has a handle with a shank extending from the handle to a utensil head. An audio input/output and audio player are provided with the housing for storing and playing audio files. A power supply is located within the handle for powering the audio player.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cooking utensils for use in the preparation of food items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of combination cooking utensils are known that combine different types of utensil such as a fork and a spatula. The utensil can be used as one or other device but cannot perform more than one task simultaneously. Furthermore, the utensil does not entertain its user.
It would be advantageous to have a combination cooking utensil that could perform more than one tasks simultaneously to ease the burden on a food preparer, and/or which entertains its user.


A toner cartridge inserted in an image forming apparatus and supplying toner to the image forming apparatus, the cartridge contains a toner container that contains toner, and a protrusion for showing a type of the toner cartridge, wherein the protrusion forms a ramp inclining toward a direction the toner cartridge is inserted in the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner cartridge for supplying toner to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus has a toner cartridge, for supplying toner to the apparatus. The toner cartridge is inserted in the image forming apparatus in a mountable and removable manner. Also, the toner cartridge is configured such that the user can exchange the toner cartridge himself or herself when the toner cartridge is emptied of toner. In addition, a filling opening is provided in the toner cartridge and the toner is supplied through the filling opening. In the toner cartridge, a mixer is rotated constantly so as to prevent the toner from solidifying inside the toner cartridge.
The toner cartridge needs to be inserted into a predetermined place of the image forming apparatus with respect to four colors, i.e. yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. In addition, the toner cartridge is classified by destination countries. For this reason, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publication No. 2006-30569 discloses a toner cartridge in which protrusions are provided and a shape and the number of the protrusions are varied depending on the destination countries.
The toner cartridge is configured such that, when the toner cartridge having the protrusions with the shape and the number thereof varied depending on the destination countries is inserted into the image forming apparatus, the toner cartridge cannot be inserted into a place other than the predetermined place due to the protrusions.
However, even if the shape and the number of protrusions are varied depending on the destination countries, there is a case in which a main body frame of the image forming apparatus bends and the cartridge is inserted in error when strength of the main body frame is low. Despite the above, no measures in case of the insertion in error is suggested in the conventional art.
The present invention is invented in view of the above circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly toner cartridge which can be easily pulled out from the image forming apparatus.

Toner cartridge having protrusion to show type of toner cartridge


An apparatus for controlling a rotor of a rotary wing aircraft, including a stationary frame, a rotary propulsion shaft extending through the frame, the propulsion shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion coupled to the first shaft portion at a joint, the first shaft portion being configured to be coupled to a drive unit and the second shaft portion being pivotable relative to a centerline of the first shaft portion in two degrees of freedom about the joint, and at least one actuator coupled to the stationary frame at one end and connected to the second shaft portion at the other end so that the second shaft portion rotates relative to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator being configured to pivot the second shaft portion in the two degrees of freedom.

Generally the pitch and roll (or yaw) of a rotor of, for example a rotary aircraft, is controlled using a swashplate mechanism. These swashplate mechanisms are generally complex and rotate in unison with the rotor.
Conventional swashplate systems utilize a control system that pitches each blade cyclically, in order to provide control over the tip path plant. As the blades and the entire hub rotate the hub needs to be moved or tilted in a given direction. Main rotors, tail rotors or compound rotors utilize the swashplate or similar means to provide necessary control of the rotor system. The controls and system components that provide the forces and the capability to move the hub and rotor are all dynamic in that these systems rotate around the main shaft at the same RPM as the hub and rotor.

Propeller/rotor control apparatus and method


Compositions for chemically removing sulfur deposits from reservoir formations, production tubing, flow lines, and other production equipment due to the production of sour gas and/or oil including reaction products of diamines and aldehydes at a mole ratio between about 1:1 and about 1:6, and methods for making and using same.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relates to compositions for dissolving or removing sulfur deposits from reservoir formations, production tubing and flow lines due to the production of sour gas and/or oil, and methods for making and using same.
More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relates to compositions for dissolving or removing sulfur deposits from reservoir formations, production tubing and flow lines due to the production of sour gas and/or oil, where the compositions include an effective amount of a reaction product of a diamine and an aldehyde or an aldehyde donor prepared at a diamine to aldehyde molar ratio between about 1:1 to about 1:6 and methods for making and using same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sulfur deposition is becoming more pronounced due to the number of wells that are now sour. Canada is one of the biggest producers of sour gas wells in the world and as a result has had to come up with methods to remove the sulfur from reservoir formations, production tubing and flow lines.
Currently, sulfur solvents are either used on a continuous or batch wise basis to remove sulfur deposition from formation surfaces and equipment surfaces. The sulfur solvents typically used are based either on amines, aromatic hydrocarbons, or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). The first two products have limited sulfur uptake at room temperature (approximately 2%) and typically retain between 5% and 15% sulfur after reacting with sulfur at 80° C. DMDS on the other hand may have up to a 100% sulfur uptake at room temperature. However, there are handling and HSE issues with using DMDS based products, which limits their application especially if the problem exists outside of Canada. Current suppliers are of these sulfur dissolution products include Weatherford International Inc. or Clearwater International LLC for aromatic hydrocarbon based products and DMDS based products, Baker Huges for amine based product, and Multi-Chem Group for aromatic hydrocarbon products.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a naturally occurring component during the production of crude oil and natural gas. The presence of H2S in oil and gas is challenging because it is corrosiveness, scale forming, toxic, and posses environmental and safety concerns. In Alberta, Canada one-third of the natural gas wells contain H2S. The main flow assurance problem associated with H2S is elemental sulfur formation. Precipitation of elemental sulfur occurs when the thermodynamic conditions of the process changes. High temperature and pressure favors the formation of polysulfides, whereas a decrease in temperature and pressure favors the reverse reaction of polysulfide to elemental sulfur and H2S1, shown in the reversible reaction below:H2S+SxH2Sx
Deposition of solid elemental sulfur may block pores in producing formations and/or may block production tubing, pipelines, and/or surface equipment. Sulfur has a tendency to bond extensively to itself forming chains such as S8 molecules with a variety of molecular configurations. Sulfur also has the potential to act as a fairly strong oxidizing agent and causes corrosion in stainless steel equipment, particularly pitting and other forms of localized corrosion.
Different solvents have been used in the field to remove sulfur deposition from formation faces and production tubing strings. Based on the literature2, elemental sulfur is dissolved in sour gas either by a physical or chemical mechanism with hydrogen polysulfide. Ockelmann and Blount (1973) reported that physical solvents of high aromatic content had higher sulfur carrying capacity than lean hydrocarbons' and this agrees with what is commercially available today especially with the SULPH-AMAX® (a registered trademark of Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.) product line. Chemical solvents work as a sulfur solvent by reacting with the S8 ring. Most widely used chemical solvents are based on amines, which react with elemental sulfur in the presence of H2S to produce ionic polysulfide according to the following reaction:H2S+amine→amineH+.SH−
Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) is another sulfur solvent that dissolves sulfur more effectively through both physical and chemical interaction. However, the handling of a DMDS is difficult because of its strong unpleasant odor. Currently there is a significant difference in sulfur uptake between DMDS and the amine/hydrocarbon systems currently available.
While there are several options for removing elemental sulfur deposits from reservoir formations, production tubing and flow lines, there is still a need in the art for other compositions that are effective at removing elemental sulfur deposits from reservoir formations, production tubing and flow lines.

High uptake sulfur solvent systems and methods for making and using same


When a new connection is set up between a mobile station and a cellular telecommunications network, the starting frame of the new connection is selected using a simple rule so that the starting times of the interleaving periods of all the presently active connections between the mobile station and the cellular network are periodically aligned, thereby substantially simplifying the handover process. In addition, the length of the interleaving period can be set such that the periodic alignment is more frequent.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a method for optimization of transmission links in a cellular telecommunications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows an example of a situation which sometimes occurs during a hard handover, i.e., when a mobile station 10 changes the base station or base stations 20 it is presently using. Such a situation may occur, for example, when a mobile station moves from one cell to another in a cellular telecommunication system. FIG. 1 depicts two situations, situation A, when the mobile station 10 is still in the area of the first cell, and situation B, when the mobile station (MS) has moved to the area of the second cell. FIG. 1 shows also base stations (BS) 20, which are controlled by radio network controllers (RNC) 30, 31. The radio network controllers are connected to a mobile switching center (MSC) 40. In the first situation, the mobile station 10 is in position marked by the letter A, having connections to base stations 20 controlled by the first RNC 30. The radio network controller 30 comprises combining 33 and splitting 34 units. Combining units 33 combine uplink signals belonging to same bearer coming from base stations, and splitting units replicate downlink signals to more than one base station. The RNC 30 also comprises a protocol control block 32, which executes the protocols needed for communication with the mobile station 10. The RNC 30 forwards the uplink data to and receives downlink data from the MSC 40, which communicates with the rest of the telecommunications network.
When the mobile station moves to the position marked by the letter B, the mobile station 10 establishes radio links to the base stations 20. During the handover signaling, the first RNC 30, i.e., RNC1 in FIG. 1, establishes the necessary connections B′ via RNC2 to base stations 20 controlled by RNC2, and releases the former connections A′ to the base stations 20 controlled by RNC1. The controlling RNC, i.e., RNC1 in FIG. 1, is commonly called the controlling RNC. The other RNC, i.e., RNC2 in FIG. 1, is commonly called the drift RNC. Further, in some specifications for the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), the interface between two RNCs is called the lur interface, and the interface between a MSC and a RNC is called the lu interface. These interface names are used in this specification.
The system of FIG. 1, namely the use of a controlling RNC and a drift RNC, has certain drawbacks which arise from the fact that in situation B the transmission links are routed via two RNCs, instead of only one as in situation A. As the number of transmission links increase, the delays created by the links also increase. The increase of delays places more demands on the whole network, when the network has to fulfill strict delay requirements for constant delay services, such as speech. Further, since the number of transmission links in use increases, the load on the network increases.

Method for controlling connections to a mobile station


A tine mounted weighing scale apparatus includes a pair of weighing scale units, each scale unit having a base mountable on one tine of a lifting device. The base has a predetermined number of load cell mounts each providing a deflection gap between a load cell and the base. A platform for contact with a load is disposed above and in operational contact with the base. A load cell is attached to each of the load cell mounts of the base and is positioned between the base and the platform. Each load cell has an engagement member in operational contact with the platform. An electrical control/display and a power supply is connected to the pair of weighing scale units for displaying the total weight supported by the scale apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to weighing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to portable, low profile weighing scales. Most particularly, the invention relates to a weighing scale system for use in weighing the load carried by each axle of a vehicle. The weighing scale provided by this invention is useful for efficiently, reliably and accurately weighing the load carried by the axles of a vehicle.
2. Background Information
Applicants Kroll et al. discloses scales in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,714,121, 4,979,581, 5,232,064, 5,646,376, and 5,894,112, and load cells in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,018, 4,813,504, and 5,228,527. The scales and load cells handle a broad range of capacities and have varying degrees of accuracy. Additionally, the scales have varied designs in terms of height, weight, portability and method of use. A common design factor shared by all of these scales and load cells is that in each, the mounting of the load cell in and to the scale is unique and provides a significant advantage over the prior art.
Wheel scales or platform scales are commonly used to measure axle weight loads of vehicles and aircraft. These scales are designed to be used singly, or multiply in concert, with the vehicle rolled onto the scale(s) and the weight of the vehicle thus determined with the wheels resting on the scale(s). Platform scales with sufficient capacity to weight the axle load of large vehicles, such as semi tractor and trailer units, are quite massive. Platform scales with large weighing platforms are common, but their size renders the scale immobile. Thus, vehicles to be weighed must be moved to the permanently placed scale, which may be a long distance away.
The small footprint scales do not have the capacity to weigh the axles of large vehicles, such as semi tractor and trailer units.
Thus, there is an unmet need for a weighing scale that can be transported to any selected weighing site, yet includes the capacity to obtain the weight of large vehicle axles efficiently, reliably and accurately. The invention provides a weighing scale system, which is believed to fulfill the need and to constitute an improvement over the background technology.

Platform scale with under-platform mounted load cell protection cases for reducing side forces


An abradable layer for labyrinth seals of a turbo-engine, particularly a gas turbine is provided. The labyrinth is made of a layered composite material with a core and a shell and embedments. A process for the manufacturing of this abradable layer is provided. In this case, the core is made of a felted or three-dimensionally crosslinked fiber body made of iron base, nickel base or cobalt base alloys and the shell consists of one or several precious metals or precious-metal alloys. Each core is completely surrounded by the shell material, in which case the embedments consist of oxidation-stable sliding materials of the oxide, carbide or nitride group with a hexagonal crystal lattice layer structure.

The invention relates to an abradable layer for labyrinth seals of a turbo-engine, particularly a gas turbine, made of a layered composite material with a core and a shell and embedments, and to a process for the manufacturing of this abradable layer.
Abradable layers for turbo-engines are known from the European patent Document EP-OS 0 166 940. The abradable layers disclosed there have the purpose of keeping the radial gap between the rotor blades and the housing as small as possible. When such abradable layers for labyrinth seals having, for example, labyrinth peaks, are used on the rotor shaft and the abradable layer on the housing, the danger of self-ignition of the abradable layer exists. This danger exists because, at the inlet, the labyrinth peaks are in a much more intensive frictional contact with the abradable layer than the individual blade tips of a rotor with the housing abradable layer.
For this reason, the abradable layers are not, as disclosed in the European Patent Document EP-OS 0 166 940 made of a core material of graphite or ceramics, but of a metal felt or metal fabric which better carries off heat, without any sheathings or embedments.
Despite this difference, engine failures occur as a result of the self-ignition of abradable layers made of metal felt or metal fabric on labyrinth seals. In this case, there is a local overheating of the metal felt or metal fabric as a result of an intensive frictional contact with the labyrinth peaks. As a result, there are exothermal reactions between condensed hot atmospheric oxygen (0.4 to 1 MPa at 280.degree. to 600.degree. C.) and the large specific oxidizable metal surface of the metal felt or metal fabric. In this case, the combustion rate is higher than the carrying-off of heat so that the seal construction is destroyed in an explosive manner. In this case, there may also be a partial welding-together of the abradable layer material with the rotor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an abradable layer of the above-mentioned type with improved starting and grind-in characteristics in the case of which an exothermal reaction is checked, and the thermal conduction characteristics are improved.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved in that the core is made of a felted or three-dimensionally crosslinked fiber body of iron, nickel or cobalt base alloys. The shell is made of one or several precious-metal alloys. Each metal core is surrounded by the shell material. The embedments consist of oxidation-resistant sliding materials from the group of oxides, carbides or nitrides with a hexagonal crystal lattice layer structure.
This solution has the advantage that the core made of an iron, nickel or cobalt alloy furnishes the required stability in order to form an abradable layer that corresponds to the shape. The precious metal shell has a higher resistance to oxidation than the dimensionally stable core material and limits and prevents the propagation of an exothermal reaction through the oxidation-resistant barrier layer. The fiber body starts to glow locally and also partially starts to melt so that the seal is ground in, but an explosion-type propagation of the combustion is prevented. At the same time, the precious metal shell increases the carrying-off of heat because precious metals, as a result of their higher electron mobility, exhibit a higher heat conduction than non-precious metals.
In the case of conventional abradable layers for blade devices, embedments have the task of grinding in the metallic blade tips and therefore consist of corundum or other hard grinding particles. In the case of labyrinth seals, such grinding particles would wear away the metallic peaks of the labyrinth seals and would increase the leakage rate. The embedments according to the invention, consisting of sliding materials from the group of oxides, carbides or nitrides with a hexagonal crystal lattice layer structure, have the advantage that the hexagonal crystal lattice layers, because they are not hexagonally densest ball packings, can be displaced in a sliding manner and thus do not abrasively stress the peaks of the labyrinth seals.
In the case of a preferred development of the invention, the fiber body is made of metal wire, metal fiber or metal shavings. Depending on the type of cross linkage, these may be long or short. According to the shape and type of the fiber, different manufacturing processes are advantageously used for forming a fiber body. From filament fibers having a diameter of approximately 1 to 50 .mu.m, two-dimensional cross-layer-wound cylindrical layers can be produced which are crosslinked by diffusion contact sintering or homogenizing at the crossing points of the fiber winding to form a fiber body. However, the filament fibers are also suitable for producing needle felts or for forming three-dimensional knitted or woven fabrics. Long and short fiber shavings may be processed into needle felt which is particularly suitable for a three-dimensional crosslinking by diffusion contact sintering or homogenizing to form a fiber body.
Metal fibers, filaments or wires which are electro-deposited on cotton fibers or carbon fibers may be processed into fiber bodies in the same manner as metal shavings.
Iron or iron base alloys, nickel or nickel base alloys or cobalt or cobalt base alloys are used as the material for metal wires and metal fibers or metal shavings.
It is a significant advantage of metal wire, metal fibers or metal shavings that the fiber body has a high initial porosity so that a large pore volume is available for embedments.
In another preferred development of the invention, the fiber body has flat knitted, woven, knotted or wound, two-dimensional fiber layers which, in the third dimension, are crosslinked by diffusion contact sintering or homogenizing or by knitting, crocheting, quilting or sewing. This has the advantage that, during the grinding-in of the labyrinth peaks, the fiber body cannot be denuded in layers so that no large-surface foreign particles peel off during the running-in and therefore possibly impair the function of a power unit.
As the precious metal for the cladding of the fiber core, platinum, rhodium, gold or alloys of these elements are preferably used. These oxidation-stable and heat-conducting metals have the advantage that they can be entered into the fiber body for the cladding of the metal wires, metal fibers or metal shavings in a very uniform and cost-effective manner.
A preferred embodiment is made of particles of hexagonal boron nitride. In addition, the hexagonal boron nitride improves the friction behavior and grazing behavior when it is entered as an embedment into the abradable layer before, during, or after the shaping of the abradable layer. Pyrolytically deposited .alpha.-boron nitride has a hexagonal crystal lattice layer structure and is not only extremely oxidation stable, but also has a coefficient of friction like that of graphite. It does not react with most molten metals, is not wetted and is as soft as talcum. Since it has considerable caloric conductibility, it reduces the rise of the temperature of the abradable layer when the pores of the fiber body are filled with .alpha.-boron nitride. The temperature rise is also reduced by the decrease of the coefficient of friction of the abradable layer as a result of the soft boron nitride.
The object of providing a process for the manufacturing of the abradable layer according to the above-mentioned type is achieved in that first the core material is coated with one or several previous metals or their alloys. Then, the spaces or pores of the fiber body are completely or partially filled with embedments so that a crude fiber body is created which is then processed into an abradable layer blank and is finally pressed to form an abradable layer.
This sequence of process steps has the advantage that, before the abradable layer is completed, quality-ensuring intermediate products are manufactured, such as a coated core material after a precious metal coating step; a crude fiber body after a charging operation for embedments; an abradable layer blank after a processing and shaping step; and finally the abradable layer is manufactured after a pressing operation. Each intermediate product may be subjected to a separate quality inspection in order to advantageously ensure the quality of the end product. Thus, after the precious metal coating step, this process permits the determination of the completeness of the cladding of the core material and the thickness of the precious-metal cladding. After the embedding of the sliding materials, the filling ratio of the pores and the remaining pore volume can be examined on the crude fiber body. After the processing and forming step, the dimensional accuracy of the abradable layer blank can be measured, and the amount of shrinkage is determined for a compressing step by pressing, and thus the dimensional accuracy of the abradable layer is ensured. After a quality-ensuring step, a reworking of the pressed abradable layer is also possible.
The manufacturing has the additional advantage that it is extremely economical because commercially available qualities can be used as the core material which are shown in Table 1 by their trade name and chemical composition and which are refined by means of the process according to the present invention.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ Typical Chemical Composition of Commercially Available Metal Fiber Alloys as Core Material Tradename Ni Co Cr Mo W Fe C Si Mn Al Y Ti __________________________________________________________________________ Hastelloy Basis 1-2 20-20 8-10 0.5-1 16-20 <0.15 0.5-1 0.5-1 Hastelloy 18-25 Basis 18-25 12-15 1-2 <0.15 0.1-0.3 0.5-1 188 FeNICrALY 22-28 0.3-1 16-22 Basis <0.1 <0.2 7-12 <0.1 Brunslloy 53 X Cr--Ni 8-12 16-20 1-3 Basis <0.1 0.5-1 <0.5 Stahl US- Typ304/404 __________________________________________________________________________
Another preferred implementation of the process consists of the fact that first the core material is processed to form an uncoated crude fiber body, is then pressed or diffusion-connected to form an abradable layer blank, and subsequently a precious-metal coating takes place by electroplating, chemical vapor depositing or plasma depositing, and finally embedments are entered.
This process sequence has the advantage that, before the precious-metal coating, a relatively compact crude fiber body exists already whose large number of fiber crossing points is fixed by the precious-metal coating, whereby an improved three-dimensional breaking strength is achieved.
Despite the compressing, the grain size of the embedding material is still small with respect to the pore size of the compacted crude fiber body so that a sufficient concentration of the embedding material can be achieved.
For the charging of hexagonal boron nitride as the embedding material, preferably after the coating of the core material with precious metals, an impregnating of the fiber body is carried out by a slurry of particles made of hexagonal boron nitride in a carrier liquid. After the evaporating or air drying of the carrier liquid, hexagonal boron nitride particles remain in the pores of the fiber body. The resulting crude fiber body can then be processed to form an abradable layer blank and can finally be compressed to form an abradable layer by pressing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Abradable layer for a turbo-engine and a manufacturing process


A device for assembling a plurality of cords which includes a bushing having a bore which cooperatively receives a clamp. The bushing includes an opening through which adhesive may be introduced after the clamp is inserted within the bore of the bushing to thereby bind the cords which are initially carried by the clamp. The clamp includes two branch elements joined by a crosspiece. Each branch element includes a first outwardly directing hooked end, a second inwardly directed jaw portion and an intermediate outwardly projecting portion. The intermediate portions are yieldably compressible with respect to one another to permit the insertion of the clamp in the bore of the bushing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for assembling a plurality of cords and more particularly, but not exclusively, to the assembling of the cords of a harness for a weaving loom.
2. History of the Related Art
A number of systems for assembling a plurality of cords is known, such as the one described for example in Belgian Patent BE-A-83 4747 which provides that the upper ends of a group of wires are connected to a sheath of thermoplastic material which is molded on the wires. Document FR-A-90 02467 also discloses a system whereby the cords of the harness are associated with a tubular member engaged in a bushing so that the cords are retained by abutment of the lower end of the tubular member against an annular base of the bushing.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the known systems of assembly so that they can be rendered automatic, while ensuring a particularly efficient retention of the cords and so that their cost is decreased.

Device for assembling a plurality of harness cords


Marine engine includes a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along a longitudinal axis and extend transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley therebetween. A catalyst receptacle is disposed at least partially in the valley and contains at least one catalyst that treats exhaust gas from the marine engine. A conduit conveys the exhaust gas from the marine engine to the catalyst receptacle. The conduit receives the exhaust gas from the first and second banks of cylinders and conveys the exhaust gas to the catalyst receptacle. The conduit reverses direction only once with respect to the longitudinal axis.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,367; which is hereby incorporated herein in entirety by reference; discloses a V-type four-stroke cycle internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold and an air intake manifold disposed in the valley of the V-engine. The exhaust from the cylinders passes through exhaust passages formed in the cylinder heads which discharge exhaust into the valley of the V-engine for collection in a central exhaust cavity provided in the exhaust manifold. A single exhaust discharge outlet is in communication with the central exhaust cavity for discharging exhaust therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,481; which is hereby incorporated herein in entirety by reference; discloses an exhaust treatment device for an internal combustion engine of a marine propulsion system. An outer chamber contains a first inner chamber within it and slidably supports the inner chamber. An exhaust inlet conduit directs a stream of exhaust gas from a cylinder of the internal combustion engine directly into the inner chamber. The inner and outer chambers are supported relative to each other to allow relative movement of these two components in response to changes in the differential temperature between the two components. A rail system slidably supports the inner chamber relative to the outer chamber. The exhaust treatment device comprises a liquid cooled housing surrounding the inner and outer chambers. Exhaust gas is directed through the inner chamber and then into the outer chamber at a closed end of the exhaust treatment device. Exhaust gas then flow through the outer chamber to an exhaust conduit of the marine propulsion system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,314; which is hereby incorporated herein in entirety by reference; discloses an engine having a cavity so that a catalyst member can be contained within the engine when an engine head portion is attached to an engine block portion. This attachment of the engine head portion and engine block portion, which forms the engine structure, captivates the catalyst member within the cavity without the need for additional brackets and housing structures. The cavity is preferably located above or at the upper regions of first and second exhaust conduits which direct exhaust upwardly from the engine head portion toward the cavity and downwardly from the cavity within the engine block portion. The first and second exhaust conduits are preferably formed as integral structures within the engine head portion and engine block portion.

Marine engines and exhaust systems for marine engines having a catalyst for treating exhaust


An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate through a liquid. The apparatus includes a stage that holds the substrate and moves, and a support plate disposed on the stage and around the periphery of the substrate and supporting the liquid together with the substrate. The support plate includes a liquid-repellent structure portion on the surface of which is formed a texture repellent to the liquid, and a flat portion on the surface of which is formed a film repellent to the liquid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support plate for an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate through a liquid, an exposure apparatus having the support plate, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exposure apparatuses that expose a wafer to a pattern of a reticle are used for manufacturing devices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal devices.
Miniaturization of devices requires improvement in the resolving power of projection optical systems of exposure apparatuses. As a means for improving the resolving power, an immersion exposure technique has attracted attention. The immersion exposure technique is a technique in which the space between the last lens of a projection optical system and a wafer is filled with a liquid and the wafer is exposed through the liquid. Exposure apparatuses using the immersion exposure technique are called immersion exposure apparatuses.
Immersion exposure apparatuses mostly use a so-called local fill method in which not the entire wafer surface but only part of the wafer surface including an exposed part is immersed in a liquid.
In the immersion exposure apparatuses using the local fill method, a liquid is supported by a wafer when the central part of the wafer is exposed, whereas the liquid outside the wafer is not supported when the periphery of the wafer is exposed. To solve this problem, WO 05/055296 proposes to provide a support plate on the wafer stage of an immersion exposure apparatus. The support plate is disposed around the periphery of a wafer and supports a liquid outside the wafer. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-319065 proposes to form a texture (liquid-repellent structure) on the surface of a support plate to make the surface of the support plate liquid-repellent.
To make the surface of a support plate liquid-repellent, it is necessary to form a fine texture the pitch of which is 500 μm or less. Forming such a texture requires many processes. Therefore, the cost of a support plate in the entire surface of which a texture is formed is high.
When a support plate is detachably attached to a wafer stage, the texture on the surface of the support plate is likely to be broken when the support plate is attached or detached.

Support plate, exposure apparatus having the support plate, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus


Members either of the polyglycol family of substances, more generally, or of the polyglycol ether subset of polyether compounds, more particularly, both for their gas absorption properties and for their plasticizing effect in a polyethylenic extrudate, are combined with physical atmospheric blowing agents, such as, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, water, and blends thereof, to produce uncrosslinked polyethylenic foams having densities as low as 10 kg/m.sup.3.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for producing low density polyethylenic foam.
2. Background Art
Low-density thermoplastic foams, particularly those having a density of less than about 150 kg/m.sup.3, generally are produced with physical blowing agents. Physical blowing agents are those chemical compounds which can be incorporated into the thermoplastic melt while within the extruders at high pressures, typically at 10 to 20 MPa, and which can be contained by the polymer structure when the cooled thermoplastic/blowing agent mixture is rapidly reduced to ambient atmospheric pressure. Polyethylenic foams, in particular uncrosslinked polyethylene foam, were manufactured for many years with halogenated hydrocarbons, primarily chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), as physical blowing agents.
During the 1980's, the worldwide scientific community presented sufficient evidence linking CFC's with atmospheric ozone depletion and sought for governments to regulate CFC's. Ozone levels in the stratosphere have been shown to be significant in protecting life on the planet from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Additionally, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC's), another class of chemical compounds, were also included in the resultant adopted regulations, but on a more lengthy schedule. The scientific community also showed that it was the higher atomic weight halogen compounds other than fluorine, which were the culprits.
As a result of the regulations, many low-density foam manufacturers sought to find materials other than halogenated compounds which could function as physical blowing agents. Many different approaches were taken, but generally these approaches involved the use either of hydrocarbons containing from two to five carbons or of blends thereof. Such short-chained hydrocarbons generally function as physical blowing agents to produce foams with satisfactory to physical properties, but they do have the adverse effect of flammability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,319 (Komori) discloses a process for producing polyethylene foams with various volatile organic compounds as the physical blowing agent. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,290,822 and 5,225,451 (Rogers et al.) disclose processes for producing ultra-low density foams using polymer blends. U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,376 (Pontiff) discloses a process to remove residual hydrocarbons, the purpose of which is to produce a non-flammable polyethylene foam.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,528 (Collins) discloses a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a large size, low density foam sheet of thickness in excess of 25 mm without restriction of the physical blowing agent. The intermittent process disclosed in the Collins patent provides an alternative embodiment for the current disclosure.
Patents for several processes involving the use of atmospheric gases to produce polyethylene foam have been issued in the 1990's. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,129 (Chaudhary et al.) discloses a process for preparing uncrosslinked ethylenic polymer foam using a polymer of a defined melt tension with an inorganic halogen-free blowing agent, such as, argon, carbon dioxide, or blends thereof. This disclosure indicates that argon and carbon dioxide in blends can function as a physical blowing agent with ethylenic materials having a specific melt tension. However, the associated reported data therein also suggest difficulty in maintaining satisfactory long term foam quality.
Patented processes for the purification of hydrocarbon effluent gases have utilized the enhanced solubility of acid gases in certain polyethers such as in tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether. U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,535 (Mehra) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,672 (Bunting) describe processes which utilize physical solvents such as tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether to remove acid gases such as carbon dioxide from hydrocarbon gas streams. These disclosures demonstrate the high affinity of the ether chemical bond for certain gases.

Process for producing low density polethylenic foam with atmospheric gases and polyglyols or polygycol ehters


A method for producing mottling in an image includes modifying digital colorant information in a digital image data file for at least one of a plurality of colorants. The degree of modification is based on digital colorant information in the digital image data file, mottling information from a mottling tile, and a colorant gain curve for at least one colorant. The colorant gain curve is obtained by determining a tint percentage, the variation of the tint of the printed at least one colorant when printed at a tint percentage on volume printing stock. The mottling information has a spatial frequency distribution substantially equal to the spatial frequency distribution of the mottling produced by at least one colorant on a volume printing stock. The method allows the digital image to emulate the image that would result if the digital image was printed on a volume printer on high volume printing stock.

It is common to provide a sample of an image to a customer for approval prior to printing a large number of copies of an image using a high volume output device such as a printing press to print the image on a high volume paper or printing stock. The sample image is known as a "proof". The proof is used to ensure that the consumer is satisfied with, among other things, one or more colors in the image.
It is not, however, cost effective to print the proof using high volume output devices of the type used to print large quantities of the image. This is because it is expensive to set up high volume output devices to print the image. Accordingly, it has become a practice in the printing industry to use digital color printers to print proofs. Digital color printers render color prints of images that have been encoded in the form of digital data. This data includes code values indicating the colors to be printed in the image and the amount of colorant to be used. When the color printer generates a printed output of an image, it is intended that the image recorded on the printed output will contain the exact colors called for by the code values in the digitally encoded data.
Accordingly, digital color printers have been developed that can be adjusted so that they can mimic the performance of high volume output devices. Such adjustable color printers are known in the industry as "proofers". Proofers generally employ a different printing technology from that used by the high volume printer. Associated with this, the media on which the proof is executed is correspondingly different from the media that the high volume output device employs. More specifically, the texture of the two types of media can differ significantly, the high volume media usually being of the lesser technical quality and exhibiting more texture.
Since the texture of the high volume media affects the behavior of ink deposited upon it by the high volume output device, and since the different colorants employed in a typical multi color volume print can have different liquid and colorant properties, they may differ in their behavior on the high volume printing stock. This implies that the texture of the high volume media directly affects the color behavior and produces a discernable mottling effect which has a distinct associated color variation aspect.
The challenge is to suitably modify the proofing process to allow for the image mottling effect of the high volume media and, in particular, to allow for the color mottling that happens as a result of the different behavior of the different colorants.


Disclosed is a lithium secondary battery which is excellent in battery characteristics such as long-term cycle characteristics, capacity and shelf life characteristics. Also disclosed is a nonaqueous electrolyte solution which can be used for such a lithium secondary battery. Specifically disclosed is a nonaqueous electrolyte solution for lithium secondary batteries obtained by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a nonaqueous solvent which is characterized by containing 0.01-10% by weight of a carboxylate compound represented by the general formula (I) below and 0.01-10% by weight or 0.01-10% by volume of a vinylene carbonate and/or 1,3-propane sultone. Also disclosed is a lithium secondary battery using such a nonaqueous electrolyte solution. (In the formula, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or COOR3 group, R1 and R3 respectively represent an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group or a phenyl group, and X represents an alkynylene group or an alkenylene group.)

In recent years, lithium secondary batteries have been widely used as driving power supplies for small electronic devices and the like. Such lithium secondary batteries are mainly constituted of a positive electrode, a nonaqueous electrolyte solution and a negative electrode. In particular, lithium secondary batteries constituted of a lithium compound oxide such as LiCoO2 as the positive electrode and a carbon material or a lithium metal as the negative electrode are used. The nonaqueous electrolyte solution for use in such lithium secondary batteries includes a carbonate such as ethylene carbonate (EC) or propylene carbonate (PC).
There is, however, a need for secondary batteries having better characteristics such as battery cycling property and electrical capacity.
A lithium secondary battery using, for example, LiCoO2, LiMn2O4 or LiNiO2 as a positive electrode brings about a reduction of the battery performance, when a part of the solvent of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution locally undergoes an oxidative decomposition during the charging, because the decomposition products inhibit the desired electrochemical reaction of the battery. Such a reduction is considered to be attributed to an electrochemical oxidation of the solvent at the interface between the positive electrode material and the nonaqueous electrolyte solution.
Also, a lithium secondary battery using, for example, a highly crystallized carbon material, such as natural graphite or artificial graphite, as a negative electrode brings about a reduction of the battery performance, when the solvent of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution undergoes a reductive decomposition on the surface of the negative electrode during the charging. Even in the case of ethylene carbonate (EC) which is widely generally used as a solvent for the nonaqueous electrolyte solution, a part thereof undergoes a reductive decomposition during repeated charging and discharging. Propylene carbonate (PC) having a low melting point and a high dielectric constant is preferable for use as a nonaqueous solvent because of its high electric conductivity even at low temperatures. However, PC has not been used for lithium secondary batteries because the decomposition thereof is significant.
For the purpose of improving the battery characteristics of such lithium secondary batteries, a variety of proposals have been made.
For example, Patent document 1 discloses an electrolyte solution containing the first solvent such as propylene carbonate, the second solvent such as dimethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate, and vinylene carbonate in an amount of 0.01 to 10% by weight based on the solvent mixture. Patent document 2 discloses an electrolyte solution containing 0.1 to 5% by weight of vinylene carbonate and an asymmetrical linear carbonate.
Patent document 3 discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a mixed solvent of ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate to which a diester of a dicarboxylic acid having an unsaturated group, such as diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, is added.
Patent document 4 discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing a diester of acetylenedicarboxylic acid having a specific structure. This compound differs from a carboxylate compound used in the present invention. Further, no consideration is made on combination with a nonaqueous solvent.
Patent document 5 discloses an electrolyte solution containing a cyclic carbonate and a linear carbonate, as main ingredients, and 0.1 to 4% by weight of 1,3-propane sultone.
The techniques disclosed in Patent documents 1 to 5, however, cannot satisfy the battery characteristics required in recent years. There is a demand for an electrolyte solution having more excellent cycling characteristics for providing lithium secondary batteries with high capacity.
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H08-45545
Patent document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H11-185806
Patent document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2001-256995
Patent document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2003-59532
Patent document 5: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2000-3724

Nonaqueous electrolyte solution and lithium secondary battery using same


A memory cell patterned as a trench transistor is provided with a first gate electrode (4) as auxiliary gate for source-side injection and a second gate electrode (5) electrically insulated therefrom, which are arranged in the trench, and has, at the trench walls, a storage layer sequence (10) provided for charge trapping and comprising a storage layer (12) between boundary layers (11, 13). The first gate electrode (4) and the second gate electrode (5) are electrically insulated from one another, which can be effected by means of a portion of the storage layer sequence (10). Source/drain regions (3) are arranged on the top side laterally with respect to the trenches. Word lines (6), source/drain lines and control gate lines are present for the electrical driving.

In charge trapping memory cells, which are nonvolatile memory cells based on charge storage between the channel region and/or the source/drain regions and the gate electrode, as part of the gate dielectric, a nonconductive storage layer is present between boundary layers for trapping charge carriers and thus for altering the programming state of the memory cell. Examples thereof include SONOS memory cells (semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor; see U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,192, U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,725, PCT Publication WO 99/60631), in which each boundary layer is an oxide and the storage layer is a nitride of the semiconductor material, usually silicon. Charge trapping memory cells are preferably programmed by channel hot electrons (CHE) and can be erased by means of hot holes from the channel region or by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. An SONOS memory cell provided for a special mode of operation with a read voltage applied in the opposite sense to the programming process (reverse-read), the memory cell having a thickness of the boundary layers that is adapted to this mode of operation, has been referred to as an NROM memory cell (Boaz Eitan et al.: "NROM: A Novel Localized Trapping, 2-Bit Nonvolatile Memory Cell" in IEEE Electron Device Letters 21, 543–545 (2000)).
The scalability of charge trapping memory cells is limited by the fact that, on account of the thicknesses of the dielectric layers required for data retention, i.e., of the storage layer between boundary layers, and owing to the high electrical voltages required, the channel length cannot be reduced in accordance with the minimum feature size possible. One approach to eliminate this problem consists in using a memory component in which the channel region is oriented vertically with respect to the top side of the silicon body and the channel length consequently does not limit the lateral dimensions of the memory cell and thus the required area of the top side of the semiconductor body. The top side of the semiconductor body has to be patterned suitably for such an arrangement of the channel region. This may be done by arranging the structure elements of the memory cell in elevated structures applied on the top side or in trenches in the semiconductor body.
For multi-bit charge trapping memory cells, in particular, in which at least two bits are stored, the variant with a trench transistor is a promising option for reducing the component area taken up. In the case of such a memory cell, the gate electrode is situated in a trench of the semiconductor body, at the top side of which the source/drain regions are formed by introduction of dopant. The gate dielectric, in which the storage layer sequence, for example an ONO storage layer sequence, is present, is situated between the gate electrode and the semiconductor material. The channel region extends around the trench bottom proceeding from the interfaces of the source/drain regions (junctions), thereby achieving a significantly longer channel length than in the case of a planar component. However, this gives rise to the problem that, on account of the non-rectilinear current flow, the electric field maximum does not occur at the interface (unction) of the drain region and, therefore, a targeted programming of a bit in the region of the drain is not ensured. In the case of previous trench transistors, the high field strengths required for programming and erasing the memory cells may lead to a complete depletion of the regions between two adjacent memory cells. In these intermediate regions, it is then no longer possible to control the direction of the hot charge carriers.
The storage layer of a charge trapping memory cell is situated between boundary layers made of a material having a higher energy band gap than the energy band gap of the storage layer, so that the charge carriers trapped in the storage layer remain localized there. A nitride is preferably appropriate as material for the storage layer; an oxide is primarily suitable as the surrounding material. In the example of such an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) storage layer sequence in the silicon material system, the storage layer is silicon nitride with an energy band gap of approximately 5 eV; the surrounding boundary layers are silicon oxide with an energy band gap of approximately 9 eV. The storage layer may be a different material whose energy band gap is smaller than the energy band gap of the boundary layers, the difference between the energy band gaps being intended to be as large as possible for good electrical confinement of the charge carriers. In conjunction with silicon oxide as boundary layers, it is possible to use, e.g., tantalum oxide, hafnium silicate, titanium oxide (in the case of stoichiometric composition TiO2), zirconium oxide (in the case of stoichiometric composition ZrO2), aluminum oxide (in the case of stoichiometric composition Al2O3) or intrinsically conducting (undoped) silicon as material of the storage layer.
The literature discloses programming memory cells by the so-called method of source-side injection. This requires two gate electrodes electrically insulated from one another. By virtue of the fact that the two gate electrodes are driven with electrical voltages that differ significantly from one another, the electric field maximum can be localized to the junction region between the two gate electrodes, so that it is thereby possible to achieve a targeted injection of charge carriers in this region. The literature specified in this respect shall include the publications by G. Groeseneken et al., Basics of Nonvolatile Semiconductor Memory Devices, in W. Brown and J. Brewer, Nonvolatile Semiconductor Memory Technology, IEEE Press, New York, 1998, pages 21 to 22, and H. Tomiye et al., A novel 2-bit/cell MONOS memory device with a wrapped-control-gate structure that applies source-side hot-electron injection.

Charge trapping memory cell and fabrication method


A pop-up flash of a camera includes a slidable member mounted to a camera body, the slidable member being movable between a retreated position and an advanced position in front of the retreated position; and a flash unit supported by the slidable member to be movable between a retracted position, in which the flash unit is accommodated in the camera body, and a fully-lifted position in which the flash unit projects from the camera body. The flash unit moves from the retracted position to the fully-lifted position when the slidable member moves from the retreated position to the advanced position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pop-up flash of a camera which pops up out of a camera body in flash photography.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general flash photography, the flashlight may be partly intercepted by a part of the camera which is positioned in front of a light emitting portion of the flash (e.g., a front edge of a lens barrel, a lens hood or a conversion lens) in a direction of the photographing optical axis to cause vignetting if the light emitting portion is positioned too closely to the photographing optical axis or the rear of the camera body. For instance, various types of cameras are equipped with a pop-up flash movable between a retracted position, in which the light emitting portion is retracted into a camera body, and a pop-up position (projection position/fully-lifted position), in which the light emitting portion projects from the camera body. However, the dimensions of this type of pop-up flash and the space for the same are apt to be limited by the camera body. Giving a higher priority to the optical performance of the flash may increase the dimensions of the camera and have an adverse influence on the camera design.
A typical pop-up flash is continuously biased toward the pop-up position by a spring force, and is accordingly retracted into the camera body by manually depressing the pop-up flash against the spring force when the pop-up flash is retracted. However, there has been demand for improving this manual retracting operation as much as possible.


Various embodiments described herein provide for systems and methods for using a machine-learning model to rank job search results based on the similarity of the job title of each job search result and a job search query that produces the job search results. According to some embodiments, the machine-learning model comprises a word-embedding machine-learning model that maps a word to a vector.

Various social networks provide job postings to their members. The member may perform a job search by entering a job search query, or the social network may suggest jobs that may be of interest to the member. However, current job search methods may miss valuable opportunities for a member because job search engines generally use raw string matching that matches the same words in a job search query and a job title, or use standardized entity matching that fetches a standardized title in the job search query and matches it against one associated with a job. Job search engines are usually unable to comprehend similarities between a job search query and a job title when different words are used. For instance, "Application Developer" and "Software Engineer" are very similar job titles but they use very different words.

Search query and job title proximity computation via word embedding


A cover mat suitable for use in preventing debris from entering a rain gutter does not require support when positioned in the gutter other than by portions of the rain gutter engaging the cover mat. The cover mat is formed of a nonwoven polyester fiber material that is coated with a stiffening agent, such as a styrene monomer that will add stiffness without significantly affecting the flow of fluids through the porous or liquid permeable fiber mat.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to standard gutters, such as standard K-style gutters, and a porous or liquid permeable covering device which fits into the top portion of the gutter to prevent debris, such as leaves or twigs from entering the gutter to prevent the gutter from being clogged.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of devices that are employed to prevent solid debris, such as leaves, pine needles, twigs and litter from entering a rain gutter and clogging the gutter. There are a number of shields or filters that are employed to prevent entry of solid debris, but allow water to pass over the filter or shield and enter the gutter. Alternatively some prior art techniques employ a porous filler or filter material that can be inserted into and at least partially fill the gutter. The porous filler material will be liquid permeable so that rain water can flow through the material and in the rain gutter. The pores or openings in such materials are, however, sufficient small to prevent the entry of solid debris that is not dissolved in the rain water or in liquid flowing into the gutter. The solid debris will then accumulate on top of the filler material where it will normally be removed by the wind or by gravity.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,341,891 discloses a device for preventing clogging of a rain gutter by leaves, twigs and other solid debris. This device includes a liquid permeable foam strip which sets on top of a thermoformed support member including a series of arms adhered to the lower surface of the foam member, but leaving much of the foam member unobstructed so that rain can flow through the foam strip and into the rain gutter. The thermoformed support member has a series of legs extending downwardly therefrom to engage the bottom of the a rain gutter, such as a standard K-style gutter, to elevate the foam strip relative to the bottom of the rain gutter. Preferably the foam member is formed from a reticulated foam and the foam member has a thickness so that it will fit in an inwardly facing slot on a K-style gutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,132 discloses the use of a porous polyurethane foam to fill a rain gutter. Rain water will flow through a sufficiently porous foam filling the rain gutter, but debris, such as leaves and paper scraps remain on the upper surface of the foam filler and cannot enter the rain gutter where clogs typically form. Supports can be provided along the length of the foam filler to leave an open passageway beneath the foam filler and above the bottom of the rain gutter.
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0034376 discloses the use of a porous sponge-like filler materials, such as fibers or foam or non-woven materials that can be cut to shape and packed into the gutter.
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0247611 discloses the use of a thick mat formed from a nonwoven material including randomly oriented and interconnected fibers or filaments forming open interstices affixed by a binder or coating. This mat is inserted into a rain gutter and in some cases in conjunction with a filter will prevent twigs, pine needles etc. from entering the rain gutter. Openings may be formed between the porous mat and bottom or side surfaces of the gutter to permit flow beneath the mat insert. U.S. Pat. No. 7,208,081 and US Published Patent Application 2006/0037253 show similar gutter filler in which the foam filter material partially fills the gutter.
US Published Patent Application 2001/0037610 discloses a composite gutter guard with a PVC coated fiberglass mesh layer bonded to a polymeric panel having a plurality of filter openings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,027 similarly shows a tangled mesh fiberglass bonded to a vinyl sheet that fits over a gutter with the mesh extending below openings in the vinyl sheet.
Even though these gutter filler products are porous, some can restrict the flow in a gutter, and because they must fill a substantial volume of the gutter, they can be relatively bulky and will use a significant amount of a material. In some of these devices an air permeable material must be bonded to a separate support that is in turn mounted in the gutter. It may also be difficult to install these products on rain gutters because roofing shingles may partially obstruct the rain gutters and gutter hangers can present obstructions.

Porous cover mat especially suited for use with K-style gutters