A blank made of titanium-doped silica glass for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography is provided. The blank includes a surface portion to be provided with a reflective film and having an optically used area (CA) over which a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) has a two-dimensional inhomogeneity (dCTE) distribution profile averaged over a thickness of the blank. A maximum inhomogeneity (dCTEmax) of less than 5 ppb/K is defined as a difference between a CTE maximum value and a CTE minimum value. The dCTEmax is at least 0.5 ppb/K. The CA forms a non-circular area having a centroid. The dCTE distribution profile is not rotation-symmetrical and is defined over the CA, such that straight profile sections normalized to a unit length and extending through the centroid of the area yield a dCTE family of curves forming a curve band with a bandwidth of less than 0.5×dCTEmax.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a blank made of titanium-doped silica glass for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography, with a surface portion to be provided with a reflective film and having an optically used area CA over which the coefficient of thermal expansion CTE has a two-dimensional dCTE distribution profile averaged over the thickness of the blank with a maximum inhomogeneity dCTEmax of less than 5 ppb/K defined as a difference between a CTE maximum value and a CTE minimum value.
Furthermore, in one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for producing such a blank from titanium-doped glass (quartz glass) having a high silicic-acid content for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography.
In EUV lithography, highly integrated structures with a line width of less than 50 nm are produced by means of microlithographic projection devices. Use is here made of working radiation from the spectral range between 10 nm and 121 nm, which is also called EUV range (extreme ultraviolet light, also known as "soft X-ray radiation"). The typical operating wavelength in EUV lithography is 13 nm at the moment.
The projection devices are equipped with mirror elements which consist of synthetic glass having a high silicic-acid content and being doped with titanium dioxide (hereinafter also called "TiO2—SiO2 glass", "Ti-doped silica glass"), and which are provided with a reflective layer system. These materials are distinguished by an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion (shortly called "CTE" hereinafter; coefficient of thermal expansion). The CTE is a glass property which depends on the thermal history of the glass and on a few other parameters, but mainly on the titanium dioxide concentration. Typical titanium dioxide concentrations are between 6% by wt. and 9% by wt.
The blank of Ti-doped silica glass is mechanically treated to obtain the mirror substrate and is provided with a reflective film to form a mirror element. The mirror element has an optically used area CA (CA stands for "clear aperture") which is specified for each mirror element and impinged by a predetermined radiation profile when used in an EUV projection system. Also in a mirror element blank which is not provided with a reflective film, CA is already defined as a projection onto the blank surface, namely independently of the treatment condition of the blank (before or after mechanical treatment).
The optical specification of the area CA of the optical blank is a design factor which is comparable to other technical design factors in the art, e.g. the load waterline (LWL) which characterizes the length of a boat where it meets the water when loaded to its designed capacity. The design factor is utilized throughout the design and manufacturing of the respective product in order to characterize how well it meets certain performance requirements. It is used to specify the acceptable limits of key parameters that govern system performance, as well as to specify the amount of resources (i.e. time and cost) that must be spent on manufacturing in order to reach the specification.
The maximum (theoretical) reflectivity of such an EUV mirror element is about 70%, so that at least 30% of the radiation energy is absorbed in the mirror coating and in the near-surface region of the mirror substrate and converted into heat. Viewed over the total volume, this therefore yields an inhomogeneous temperature distribution with a temperature difference that under typical operating conditions may amount up to 50° C. and lead to a deformation of the mirror substrate.
To keep this deformation small, it would therefore be desirable that the mirror substrate within a significant volume has a CTE that is around zero throughout the total operating temperature range. In practice, however, it is difficult to satisfy this condition because for a given glass composition the temperature range with a CTE around zero is small.
The temperature at which the CTE is exactly equal to zero is also called temperature of zero crossing or TZC (temperature of zero crossing). This glass property also depends substantially on the titanium concentration. The concentration is typically adjusted such that the CTE is about zero in the temperature range between 20° C. and 45°.
To reduce imaging errors caused by inhomogeneous temperature distribution in the mirror substrate blank, it is provided in International Application Publication No. WO 2011/078414 A2 that in a blank for a mirror substrate, the concentration of titanium oxide over the thickness of the blank is adapted stepwise or continuously to the temperature distribution occurring during operation, in such a manner that the condition for the zero crossing temperature TZC is satisfied at every point, i.e., the coefficient of thermal expansion for the locally evolving temperature is substantially equal to zero. This is said to be accomplished in that during production of the glass by flame hydrolysis, the concentration of start substances containing titanium or silicon, respectively, is varied such that a predetermined concentration profile is set in the blank.
It is evident that the reproducible adjustment of a variable, location-dependent titanium dioxide concentration over the volume of the mirror substrate blank is complicated and can be optimized also only for one of many mirrors of the projection device and only for a single specific irradiation constellation.
Another approach is taken in DE 10 2004 024 808 A1, which discloses a quartz glass blank for a mirror substrate of the aforementioned type and a method for the production thereof. The blank of titanium-doped, synthetically produced quartz glass known therefrom is given a cylindrical shape; it has, e.g., a diameter of 300 mm and a thickness of 40 mm. This yields by way of a mechanical treatment a mirror substrate plate which is provided with a reflective film completely or in part.
It is suggested that local homogeneity variances in the coefficient of thermal expansion (hereinafter also called "CTE inhomogeneity" or shortly "dCTE" and defined as the amount of the local deviation from an absolute minimum value CTEmin of the CTE distribution profile: (dCTE=CTE−CTEmin)) should be accepted under certain conditions in favor of a less expensive production method. According to these conditions, the dCTE does not exceed a predetermined limit value and in a measurement over the optically used area CA, it shows an evolution that can be described sufficiently accurately through a small number of low-frequency spherical Zernike polynomials. To be more specific, the known quartz glass blank has the following properties:
a) it contains micro-inhomogeneities caused by local variance of the TiO2 distribution of less than 0.05% TiO2,
b) it shows a radial variance of the thermal expansion coefficient over the usable area CA of not more than 0.4 ppb/(K·cm),
c) its absolute maximum inhomogeneity in the thermal expansion coefficient dCTEmax on the optically used area CA (averaged over the thickness of the blank) is less than 5 ppb/K,
d) where the dCTE evolution over CA can substantially be described by the following Zernike terms:
                    dCTE        =                              C            0            α                    +                                    C              3              α                                                  (                                                2                                                                              (                                              r                        R                                            )                                        2                                                  -                1                            )                                +                                    C              8              α                                                  (                                                6                                                                              (                                              r                        R                                            )                                        4                                                  -                                  6                                                                              (                                              r                        R                                            )                                        2                                                  +                1                            )                                                          (        1        )
where: C0α<=5 ppb/K; r=radial distance from the cylinder axis; R=radius of CA; and C3; C8=adaptation parameters of the terms.
The phrase "can substantially be described by the following Zernike terms" means that after subtraction of the terms, the remaining residual inhomogeneity of the thermal expansion is not more than 0.5 ppb/K (in the original document "dCTE" is designated as "Δα").
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0003609 A1 describes the preparation of a Ti-doped glass for photomask substrates for EUV lithography. The substrates show a radial refractive index distribution profile in which preferably the maximum is in the center, even if the blank has polygonal cross section. The polygonal cross-section is produced by way of "outflowing a molten glass mass" of a round rod in a polygonal shape.
DE 42 04 406 A1 describes the preparation of a striae-free body by multi-step forming process comprising a step in which a molten glass mass flows out in a rectangular shape. In this case, an intermediate product having a rectangular cross section is obtained which is finally twisted so as to obtain a rod with round cross section.
DE 10 2013 101 328 B3 describes a blank made of TiO2—SiO2 glass for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography. At a mean value of the fictive temperature Tf in the range between 920° C. and 970° C., the glass shows a dependence of its temperature zero crossing TZC on the fictive temperature Tf that, expressed as differential quotient dTzc/dTf, is less than 0.3.
DE 10 2010 009 589 A1 discloses a method for producing a blank made of Ti-doped silica glass for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography, wherein a soot body of titanium-doped SiO2 is produced by means of flame hydrolysis of silicon- and titanium-containing start substances, and whereby the soot body is dried in vacuum by heating to a temperature of at least 1150° C., so that a mean hydroxyl group content of less than 150 wt. ppm is set, the dried soot body is sintered forming a preform of Ti-doped silica glass, and the Ti-doped silica glass is loaded by way of the conditioning process with hydrogen, so that a mean hydrogen content of at least 1×1016 molecules/cm3 is obtained.
CTE inhomogeneities that satisfy these conditions show a substantially rotation-symmetrical distribution profile over CA. A mirror substrate blank adapted in this way tolerates comparatively high absolute CTE inhomogeneity values also in case of inhomogeneous heating if the irradiation profiles occurring during use and thus the optically used area CA show a circular symmetry. The known mirror substrate blank is however not suited for use with irradiation profiles having a geometry differing from the circular form.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a blank of titanium-doped silica glass for a mirror substrate for use in EUV lithography, which blank also without an individually adapted, location-dependent adjustment of the titanium dioxide concentration is designed and suited for use with a non-circular irradiation profile. Furthermore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method which permits the reproducible and inexpensive production of such a mirror substrate blank.

Blank made of titanium-doped silica glass and method for the production thereof


A motion guide apparatus includes a cylindrical member having a peripheral protrusion formed between two outer peripheral recesses, a housing engaged onto the cylindrical member and having a peripheral swelling formed between two peripheral depressions, a number of bearing members engaged between the cylindrical member and the housing, and two actuating ring members each having a number of orifices for engaging with the bearing members and each having an inner side portion directed toward the peripheral protrusion and the peripheral swelling, and each having an operating device extended into the gap that is formed between the peripheral protrusion and the peripheral swelling for wiping the lubricating oil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motion guide apparatus, such as a ball screw device, and more particularly to a motion guide apparatus or ball screw device including a number of ball or roller bearing members disposed or attached or mounted or engaged between two movable members, such as an elongated bolt or screw shaft and a ball nut member, and a lubricating device for supplying or applying or distributing the lubricating grease or oil into the helical threaded portions or grooves of the movable members and for suitably lubricating the ball or roller bearing members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical motion guide apparatuses, such as the linear motion guide apparatuses or the ball screw devices have been developed and comprise two movable members rotatable or movable relative to each other, and a number of ball or roller bearing elements disposed between the two movable members for facilitating the sliding movement between the two movable members.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,842 to Furutsu, U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,191 to Tomioka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,606 to Shirosaki et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,059 to Gobel et al. disclose several of the typical motion guide apparatuses or ball screw devices each comprising a ball nut pivotally or rotatably coupled onto a screw shaft, and a number of loaded ball bearing elements disposed between the screw shaft and the ball nut for facilitating the sliding movement between the screw shaft and the ball nut, and each further comprising an outer bearing ring and an inner bearing ring and a number of tapered rollers which roll between the bearing rings in two rows next to one another on the raceways of the bearing rings and kept apart at uniform distances by a respective bearing cage.
With the fitting of the bearing in machines or the like, the individual rings are usually positioned relative to one another by an interference fit on a shaft in such a way that production-related tolerances during the production of the individual parts of the antifriction bearing are compensated for, and defined axial prestress is produced between the tapered rollers of both rows. This axial prestress enables the bearing to roll free of play to the greatest possible extent under load.
The measures for defining the degree of the axial prestressing of the individual rings of an axially split bearing ring relative to one another, which measures were known up to the time of the prior patents and are still customary today, were in this case either to grind down the end faces of the touching end faces of the individual rings in an appropriately dimensionally accurate manner or to grind down in a dimensionally accurate manner the end faces of a separate distance ring arranged between the individual rings and then to join together all the individual parts in an accurately fitting manner.
A conceivable improvement of this state would therefore be to already connect together the individual rings of the axially split bearing at the bearing manufacture by means of clamping rings of U-shaped cross section. However, such clamping rings, which are usually made of thin metal sheets or of plastic, are not suitable for producing or for maintaining defined axial prestress between the individual rings of the axially split bearing ring and/or between the rolling elements of both rows as they roll on their raceways respectively.
In addition, the ball nut should be specially designed and machined for fitting or mounting the guide members such that the manufacturing procedures for the typical ball screw devices will be complicated and such that the manufacturing costs for the typical ball screw device will be greatly increased.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional motion guide apparatuses.


An apparatus for augmenting the coalescence of a component of an oil/water mixture employs an elongated cylindrical vessel having a fluid inlet at one end and a fluid outlet at the other end and an electrically conductive sidewall. An electrode is positioned within the vessel, concentric with the vessel sidewall, and between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet. An electrical potential is applied between the electrode and the vessel sidewall. A distributor plate is positioned within the vessel and between the vessel fluid inlet and the electrode. The distributor plate is shaped to cause fluid passing through it to move in a spiral pattern within the vessel and around the electrode as the fluid moves towards the fluid outlet.

Electrostatic treatment of oil and water has been used by the oil industry for many years to aid in the separation of water from an oil-continuous stream. Treating a water-in-oil emulsion by passing it through a high voltage electrostatic field has been shown to promote rapid coalescence of the water droplets leading to rapid separation. Electrostatic voltage sources includes AC, DC and combined AC/DC.
For background information relating to the basic subject matter of this invention, reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,601,834 and 4,747,921, and to pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/381,196 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OIL/WATER SEPARATION USING A DUAL ELECTRODE CENTRIFUGAL COALESCER", filed 31 Jan. 1995. These two patents and the application are incorporated herein by reference. For further background information, reference can be had also to the following patents:
______________________________________ PATENT NO. INVENTOR TITLE ______________________________________ PCT WO 92/05853 Bailes et al Separation of the Components Of Liquid Dispersions EPC 0 617 115 A1 Prevost et al Dipositif et proceded de separation de phases de densites et de conductivites differentes par electrocoalescence et centrifugation 1558382 Marx Electrocentrifugal Separation 1565997 Girvin Centrifugal Dehydrator 3758399 Pendergrass Pulse Imparter 4116790 Prestridge Method and Apparatus For Separation of Fluids With An Electric Field and Centrifuge 4341617 King Liquid Treater Having Electrical Charge Injection Means 4601834 Bailes et al Settling of Liquid Dispersions 4801370 Arnesen Field Generator For Generating An Electrostatic Field In A Body Of Liquid ______________________________________

Apparatus for augmenting the coalescence of a component of an oil/water mixture


A visual target tracking method and apparatus based on deep adversarial training. The method includes: dividing each video frame of video data into several search regions; for each of the search regions, inputting a target template and the search region into a response graph regression network, and outputting a response graph corresponding to a target; for each of the search regions, inputting the target template, the search region, and the response graph into a discrimination network, and outputting a score of the search region; and using positioning information corresponding to a search region with the highest score as positioning information of the target in the video frame. The method can track a target by constructing a plurality of search regions, and can effectively track the target having a change in length-width ratio. End-to-end processing can be achieved by combining the response graph regression network with the discrimination network.

As a basic trend in the field of computer vision, visual target tracking has a wide range of applications in the fields of intelligent video surveillance, human-computer interaction, automatic driving, robot navigation, and the like. However, in practical application scenarios, factors such as scale change, occlusion, and motion blur exert a large negative impact on tracking results. Many trackers that are based on manual features, such as a color feature, a directional gradient feature, a scale invariant feature, in many cases, may not effectively model the appearance of a target, causing the trackers to be easily subjected to tracking failure.
In recent years, deep learning algorithms have been widely used in the field of computer vision. Since the algorithms can automatically learn robust features from massive amount of data, better results than manually designed features can be obtained.
The existing visual target tracking algorithm based on deep learning mainly has the following shortcomings: Firstly, most tracking algorithms have a poor performance of tracking a target having a change in length-width ratio; secondly, a large number of candidate regions need to be extracted in the tracking process, resulting in excessive amount of computation; thirdly, a regression result of a response graph during the tracking process are not accurate enough, which easily causes a large accumulation of errors; and fourthly, regression and classification tasks are separately trained, such that it is impossible to carry out end-to-end training under a unified framework.

Visual target tracking method and apparatus based on deep adversarial training

BEIJING MOVIEBOOK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A support, holding, and/or carrying apparatus, especially for a device that has an elongate and movable arm which serves as a support, holder, or carrier, wherein the arm includes a hose provided for receiving a gaseous or liquid medium, which hose, when it has received the medium under pressure, is elastically bendable, and provided at the ends of the hose are elements for connecting the element to another part of the carrying apparatus and/or to the device. The elements are flanges connected gas-tight to the ends of the hose; preferably at least one of the flanges is provided with a valve for filling the hose with the medium.

The invention relates to a support, holding, and/or carrying apparatus, especially for a device that has an elongate and movable arm for a support, holder, or carrier.
Such apparatus are in known use for holding grinding, milling, and assembly machines, medical technology machines, lamps, and motion picture cameras in a working position. The arm is attached at its one end to an upright or suspension unit, and the device is movably held at the other end. Handling the device is made significantly easier since the weight of the device is carried by the arm and does not have to be held by muscular strength.
Additionally, stabilization systems for motion picture cameras, e.g., "Steadicams," are known in which the arm holding the motion picture camera is attached to a harness that is to be arranged on the upper body of a person and the arm may be arranged in different working positions. The arm is made of elements connected to one another by joints, and these elements are held in each working position by springs that are adjusted to the weight of the motion picture camera.

Support, holding, and/or carrying apparatus


A dark field inspection system that minimizes the speckle noise due to sample surface roughness can include a plurality of beam shaping paths for generating a composite, focused illumination line on a wafer. Each beam shaping path can illuminate the wafer at an oblique angle. The plurality of beam shaping paths can form a ring illumination. This ring illumination can reduce the speckle effect, thereby improving SNR. An objective lens can capture scattered light from the wafer and an imaging sensor can receive an output of the objective lens. Because the wafer illumination occurs at oblique angles, the objective lens can have a high NA, thereby improving optical resolution of the imaging sensor, and the resulting signal level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dark field inspection system and in particular to forming a ring illumination for this inspection system.
2. Related Art
The surface on a semiconductor wafer is optimally flat. However, even for a blank wafer, some residual roughness is inevitably present. This roughness, which may be only 2 nm or less (i.e. much less than the wavelength of light used for inspection), can still result in undesirable fluctuations in detected scattered light at an imaging sensor in a dark field inspection system. These fluctuations can be characterized as a noise floor and are referenced herein as "speckle". For wafer inspection, the speckle is effectively the limiting factor of sensitivity of the imaging sensor. That is, small particles (e.g. defects) that might otherwise be detected may be obfuscated by speckle.
Conventional methods of dark field wafer inspection have not been devised to overcome speckle, including edge contrast (EC) modes of broadband systems or laser dark field inspection systems. Unfortunately, an EC mode of a broadband system uses a low brightness broadband light source, which results in a lower illumination level at the imaging sensor. Moreover, an EC mode of the broadband system has an inherently limited numerical aperture (NA) available for defect detection because the NA is used for both illumination and imaging. This limited NA can result in low optical resolution, and relatively low collection efficiency for the scattered light.
A typical laser dark field inspection system, such as the Puma family of products offered by KLA-Tencor, uses oblique light incidence, which creates a relatively large line width (e.g. on the order of 1 um) which can somewhat limit the resolution. Moreover, a typical laser dark field inspection system uses a single angle of illumination, which results in strong spatial coherence. Strong spatial coherence can result in a relatively large level of roughness induced fluctuations (or speckle), which can affect the ultimate sensitivity of the system to real defects.
Therefore, a need arises for a dark field inspection system that can significantly improve defect detection sensitivity.

Dark field inspection system with ring illumination


A double wall vertical cooler designed for cooling extruded feed products and the like includes a cooling chamber with an upper cylindrical section and a lower frustoconical section. An outer wall surrounds the frustoconical section of the cooling chamber to form a cooling air circulating chamber. Apertures formed in a wall between the air circulating chamber and the cooling chamber allow cooling air to flow into the cooling chamber near the bottom with air flow exiting near the top as feed product is dropped from a product inlet in the top of the cooling chamber with product exiting at the bottom of the cooling chamber. The cooler design minimizes product breakage and enhances product throughput.

In the past, producers of extruded feed products, such as pet food, fish food, etc., have used combination pan dryer/coolers to dry the extruded food products and cool them in one step. More recently it has become a common practice to first dry the product and then fat and flavor coat it prior to cooling. This is because hot, dry products absorb more fat then cooled products. Thus, separate machines are often used for drying, then fat and flavor coating and then cooling.
A typical prior art cooler which is often used for cooling extruded animal feed is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,364 issued Dec. 19, 1989 to Pierre Geelen, entitled DEVICE FOR COOLING AND/OR DRYING BULK GOODS. In this apparatus, a cooling bunker receives bulk goods to be cooled through a rotary airlock feeder positioned on the top thereof. The bunker has a floor consisting of a number of pivotable bars which form a grate. The bars are designed to allow the passage of cooling air therethrough, which cooling air passes through the bulk material in the bunker and up and out of an exhaust port near the top of the bunker. The bars, when pivoted downward, form a substantially solid floor and, when pivoted upward, allow the passage of bulk material through the floor and into a collection hopper.
A number of problems occur with usage of coolers of the type shown in the Geelen '364 patent for cooling extruded animal feed products. The cooler bunker, and, particularly the grate, tends to collect small chunks of product which hang up on the grid due to the large number of flat surfaces involved. The grids also require a substantial effort to clean between production runs, often causing cross-contamination between product types. Product breakage is also a significant factor since feed pellets are broken when the grids open and close. In addition, a considerable time is spent adjusting the grid settings when production is switched between runs of small products such as fish food (e.g. 1.5 mm diameter range) and large products such as dog food (e.g. 15 mm diameter range). Finally, problems result from smaller pellets tending to leak out of the grid while larger pellets tend to collect on the grid.
It is clear that a need exists for an improved cooler specifically designed for cooling extruded feed products. Such a cooler should efficiently cool the extruded product while minimizing product breakage and allowing reliable and consistent flow through of product regardless of product size. The cooler should also be easy to clean between product runs.


A damping system of a glove box using a damper and a wire. The damper is attached to the glove box. An end of the wire is fixed to a fastener on a lower panel. Thereby, when a field problem occurs, the damper is mounted and demounted with ease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a damping system for adjusting an opening/closing speed of a glove box, and more particularly to a damping system of a glove box, in which a damper is located on a side of the glove box, so that the damper is exposed outward when the glove box is opened, and that a fastening bolt of a wire fixture is easily released, thereby facilitating mounting/demounting operation for repair.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, automobiles are equipped with various handy devices for accommodating a driver and passengers in an indoor space thereof. Among the handy devices, a glove box is installed to a crash pad in front of a passenger seat. The glove box is opened/closed by rotating about a hinge disposed on a lower end thereof. Here, a damper is used to smooth this opening/closing operation.
Conventionally, the damper has been generally used in a manner that the damper is installed inside the crash pad and that an end of a wire is attached to the opened/closed glove box. As the damper used for the glove box, an air damper composed of a cylinder, a piston, a resilient spring etc. is employed. The air damper is generally operated via the wire. The air damper has been already known in the art (Korean Utility Model Publication No. 1998-025961), and thus its detailed description about a configuration and an operational principle will be omitted.
The foregoing configuration where the damper is installed inside the crash pad makes it difficult to mount/demount a main body of the damper when a field problem takes place. In addition, there is much trouble with an operation of a worker who provides after service.


An iron loss reduction control apparatus for motor permanent magnet overtemperature protection is provided. The apparatus includes: a permanent magnet temperature prediction unit configured to predict a temperature of a permanent magnet in a motor based on a driving state of the motor; a first iron loss reduction unit configured to adjust a switching frequency of a switching element in an inverter providing a driving power to the motor based on the temperature of the permanent magnet; and a second iron loss reduction unit configured to adjust a current command of the motor based on the temperature of the permanent magnet.

A moving device such as an automobile using a motor as its power source may mainly use a permanent magnet built-in motor to obtain a large torque. In this permanent magnet built-in motor, the longer time the motor is used for, the higher temperature the internal permanent magnet has due to heat generated by the motor, and irreversible demagnetization of the permanent magnet may occur in which the permanent magnet loses its magnetism when the permanent magnet has a temperature increased to a predetermined level or above.
Therefore, when controlling the motor, it is necessary to continuously monitor the temperature of the permanent magnet to prevent the permanent magnet in the motor from being irreversibly demagnetized and thus to ensure that the temperature of the permanent magnet is not increased to a maximum limit temperature or above, at which the irreversible demagnetization of the permanent magnet occurs, thereby protecting the permanent magnet.
A general motor for power may use the permanent magnet for the rotor, and it may thus be difficult to implement a method of attaching a temperature sensor to the permanent magnet itself to monitor the temperature of the permanent magnet in real time. Accordingly, the following method may be used: a temperature of a stator coil, detected by a temperature sensor installed on the stator coil, is replaced with the temperature of the permanent magnet to monitor the temperature of the permanent magnet, thereby preventing the irreversible demagnetization of the permanent magnet.
However, the stator coil of the motor and the permanent magnet of the rotor may have different heating amounts and heat capacities from each other, and the stator coil and the permanent magnet of the rotor may thus have temperature increase trends different from each other when the motor is driven.
Therefore, when the temperature increase of the permanent magnet is greater than that of the stator coil, and thus the temperature of the stator coil fails to represent the temperature of the permanent magnet, it may be difficult to prevent the irreversible demagnetization of the permanent magnet.
The contents described as the related art have been provided only for assisting in the understanding for the background of the present disclosure and should not be considered as corresponding to the related art known to those skilled in the art.

Iron loss reduction control apparatus and method for motor permanent magnet overtemperature protection


Tetrafluoroethylene is safely shipped or stored in the form of a liquid mixture with 35 to 65 mol % hexafluoropropylene.

This invention relates to the safe storage and shipping of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,013 discloses the explosivity of TFE under a number of modest temperature and pressure conditions. This patent provides an improvement over the prior method of rendering the TFE safe during storage and shipping, by providing the TFE in the form of an azeotrope with CO.sub.2 instead of an azeotrope with HCl. The co-vaporization of the CO.sub.2 along with TFE, by virtue of the azeotrope relationship between these compounds, protects the TFE against ignition. While the CO.sub.2 azeotrope companion to the TFE is better than HCl because of the greater environmental friendliness of CO.sub.2, the CO.sub.2 still has to be separated from the TFE so that the TFE can be used as a monomer for making a fluoropolymer or for other chemical reaction.
The need exists for the ability to safely store or ship TFE without the accompaniment of an additional material that requires separation from the TFE before its use and disposal of the additional material.


An universal fluid coupling assembly is provided that includes a coupler housing that has an inner bore extending along an axis of, and opening onto a mating end of, the coupler housing. The coupler housing has an outer perimeter that includes an outer coupler flange that extends about the outer perimeter and that is located proximate to the mating end. The outer coupler flange has a periphery that follows a predetermined circumferential envelope and that has at least one discontinuity therein to define a blank area in the envelope. The assembly further includes a fitting member with an aperture there through. The aperture has an inner diameter that is smaller than the circumferential envelope of the outer coupler flange. The fitting member is loaded over the outer coupler flange onto the outer perimeter of the coupler housing by orienting the fitting member in a non-orthogonal relation with the coupler housing such that the outer coupler flange passes through the aperture. The circumferential envelope of the outer coupler flange may be generally circular, with the discontinuity including at least one flat cut across a portion of the circumferential envelope to define the blank area.

The present invention generally relates to fluid coupling assemblies and more particularly to a universal fluid coupling assembly that supports interchangeable fittings of different types to be used with a common housing based upon the type of mating coupling.
Today, a wide variety of coupling assemblies are used in fluid distribution systems. The coupling assemblies may be provided alone, or on various equipment, such as pumps, valves, circulators, meters and the like. Each type of coupling assembly is configured for use with a particular type of fluid, such as water, oil, fuel, sewage and the like. Examples of existing coupling types include flange fittings, threaded union fittings, sweat fittings, and NPT fittings.
For historic reasons, different applications have used certain types of couplings, regardless of whether such coupling remains today to be the most convenient for the application. Also, different geographic areas (e.g. different countries) may predominantly use certain types of couplings for a given application. For example, in Europe, a certain groundwater applications may utilize one type of coupling (e.g. a threaded union), while, in United States, the same groundwater application may utilize a different type of coupling (e.g. a flange).
For convenience, it is generally preferred to continue to use the same type of coupling that has historically been used in a certain application and geographic area. Continuity of use of the traditional coupling limits the need for plumbing to convert between different coupling types, as well as reduces the number of different types of couplings that an individual may need to carry or stock. Otherwise, one individual would be required to carry in stock numerous different types of couplings, where each type of coupling included a separate and dedicated overall structure. Consequently, it was unduly expensive to fully stock a wide variety of couplings and not practical for the "do it yourself" market or smaller contractors.
In recent times, more interest has been given to simplify the structures of, and steps for installing, fluid distribution systems and plumbing. The growing interest to simplify these systems and plumbing is due, in part, to the desire of contractors to improve efficiency and reduce inventory and, in part, due to the interest of individuals to perform more home repair and improvement.
A need remains for an universal coupling assembly that may be used in different applications and with different types of mating connectors. It is an object of certain embodiments of the present invention to address the above concerns and other problems experienced heretofore.

Universal fluid coupling assembly with interchangeable fitting members


A light weight high capacity friction-type draft gear assembly includes a housing having a front and a rear portion. A compressible cushioning element is positioned within the rear portion with a seating arrangement abutting one end thereof. A friction cushioning element is provided in the front portion of the housing and a spring release mechanism is provided for continuously urging the friction cushioning element outwardly from the compressible cushioning element thereby releasing such friction cushioning element after compression of such draft gear assembly.

Draft gear assemblies which utilize friction-type clutch mechanisms to absorb heat energy generated during service have been in widespread use on railway cars for several years prior to the present invention, as is generally well known in the railway art. These draft gear assemblies are disposed within an elongated opening located in the center sill member of the railway car along the longitudinal axis thereof and behind the shank, or innermost end, of the railway car's coupling mechanism.
In this position, these friction clutch type draft gear assemblies will absorb at least a relatively large portion of both the buff and draft forces generated during service. Such buff and draft forces encountered by such railway car are usually being applied in an alternating manner to the center sill member during normal car operation on the track.
Many of such prior art type friction clutch draft gear assemblies are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,916,163; 3,178,036; 3,447,693; 4,645,187; and 5,152,409. Each of the above-identified patents is owned by the assignee of the present invention. The teachings of each of these patents are also all incorporated into the present application by reference thereto.
It is quite well recognized, by those persons who are skilled in the art of friction clutch type draft gear assembly design, that there are a number of significant reasons why lighter weight draft gear assemblies are desirable in the railroad industry. The first reason is that less energy is required to move the railway car over the track structure. A second reason is that additional pay load may be carried by such car without exceeding a load limit on a particular track structure and without incurring increased energy costs. A third reason is that railroads are continuously attempting to increase load carrying capacity of modern railway cars.
Nevertheless, regardless of the weight of such draft gear assembly, it must be capable of maintaining the minimum shock absorbing capacity during its service life. This minimum shock absorbing capacity is specified in the standards which have been established by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), particularly, AAR specification M-901G. This specification, for example, requires that these draft gear assemblies have a rated capacity of at least 36,000 foot pounds and a rated velocity of at least 5 MPH. Also, it is important to note that the shock absorption must be accomplished without exceeding a 500,000 pound peak reaction force applied to the coupler of the railway car.
However, even though a light weight design of the draft gear assembly taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,409 has been successfully used in railway applications, it has not been found adequate to meet AAR-M-901G specification requirements.

Light weight high capacity friction draft gear assembly


A system and a method of managing and reconciling changes in the cost basis for assets is provided. More specifically, the system and the method allow asset management advisors to provide clients with investment portfolio information that is complete and accurate. Specifically, the present system and the method allow cost basis data and tax lot data to be extracted from brokerage systems and other financial instrument administration systems to enable automated reporting of changes to cost basis changes for an individual's portfolio of assets.

Typically, brokerage account holders move assets and change asset ownership at will, especially since many brokerage account holders have easy access to their accounts via communication means, such as via the telephone and/or personal computers via the internet. Moreover, brokerage account holders can buy additional assets, sell a portion of a holding or specify an accounting methodology at the time of sale or otherwise at the time of the change in the condition of the asset. Financial representatives, acting on behalf of the owner may also make these transactions on behalf of the owner.
These owner-generated transactions create inconsistencies in the way cost basis is calculated for their holdings. Moreover, these transactions make the complete and accurate accounting and reporting of cost basis very difficult. Specifically, the gains and losses on investment holdings are often incorrectly reported.
Similarly, actions by corporations and mutual fund companies can often result in reorganizations that can create complex changes to clients' asset and investment portfolios. In addition, the complex tax laws can affect the cost basis of an asset and how the cost basis is calculated.
To solve the problem of calculating asset cost basis when the ownership of the asset changes, portfolio owners can use tools such as Quicken that can accept cost basis changes that are individually crafted and manually entered by them. Typically, the ownership of an asset can change when the asset is sold, transferred, when actions by corporations and mutual funds result in reorganizations that can create changes to clients' assets, or when complex tax laws affect cost basis. For example, small brokerage houses have the capability of manually entering this information. Larger brokerage and financial planning institutions, however, have not been able to consistently use a combination of good data and automated tools to create accurate cost bases for assets without using large amounts of manual labor.
Moreover, solutions that require individuals to manually record and calculate accurate cost basis changes for assets do not attempt to deal with both corporate and client-driven portfolio changes. In addition, solutions that provide for complete automatic reconciling of cost basis changes for assets typically utilize "force balancing" techniques that assume that reporting of cost basis changes and gains of assets do not need to balance precisely. In essence, the various methods utilized to solve the problem of reconciling cost basis changes of assets either require too much manual labor to get complete and accurate results or do not provide accurate and complete reconciliation, categorization and calculation.
Other solutions include simply not providing clients with cost basis information or allowing clients' financial advisors to track this information. However, these solutions do not provide the types of services generally desired by individuals or financial representatives.
A system and a method, therefore, are needed that can automatically calculate and reconcile cost basis changes when assets are sold or otherwise reallocated in an account or a plurality of accounts. Moreover, a system and a method is needed that can completely and accurately provide for cost basis changes for assets without requiring large amounts of manual labor. In addition, a need exists for a system and a method that can solve the other various problems enumerated above.

Asset management reconciliation system and method


Methods for engineering a nucleic acid sensor molecule are provided. Biosensors comprise a plurality of nucleic acid sensor molecules labeled with a first signaling moiety and a second signaling moiety. The nucleic acid sensor molecules recognizes target molecules which do not naturally bind to DNA. Binding of a target molecule to the sensor molecules triggers a change in the proximity of the signaling moieties which leads to a change in the optical properties of the nucleic acid sensor molecules on the biosensor. Reagents and systems for performing the method are also provided. The method is useful in diagnostic applications and drug optimization.

In addition to carrying genetic information, nucleic acids can adopt complex three-dimensional structures. These three-dimensional structures are capable of specific recognition of target molecules and, furthermore, of catalyzing chemical reactions. Nucleic acids will thus provide candidate detection molecules for diverse target molecules, including those which that do not naturally recognize or bind to DNA or RNA.
A nucleic acid which binds to a non-nucleic acid target molecule through non-Watson-Crick base pairing is termed an aptamer. In aptamer selection, combinatorial libraries of oligonucleotides are screened in vitro to identify oligonucleotides, or aptamers, which bind with high affinity to pre-selected targets. Both small biomolecules (e.g., amino acids, nucleotides, NAD, S-adenosyl methionine, chloramphenicol), and large biomolecules (thrombin, Ku, DNA polymerases) are effective targets for aptamers. Aptamer biosensors have been used to detect specific analyte molecules. For example, fluorescently labeled anti-thrombin aptamers attached to a glass surface have been used to directly detect the presence of thrombin proteins in a sample by detecting changes in the optical properties of the aptamers (Potyrailo, et al., 1998). In this method continuous binding of thrombin to the labeled aptamer is requisite for detection to occur, since the concentration of thrombin in a test sample is monitored by directly detecting fluorescent emission of the aptamer-ligand complex. Another method of detecting binding of a ligand to an aptamer has also been described which relies on the use of fluorescence-quenching pairs whose fluorescence is sensitive to changes in secondary structure of the aptamer upon ligand binding (Stanton, et al. 2000) to form a fluorescent aptamer-ligand complex, and again, continuous binding of the ligand to the aptamer is required for signal generation and, hence, for detection to occur. A limitation with this type of aptamer-derived biosensor is that ligand-mediated changes in secondary structure were engineered into the aptamer molecule via a laborious engineering process in which four to six nucleotides were added to the 5′ end of the aptamer that was complementary to the bases at the 3′ end of the thrombin binding region. In the absence of thrombin, this structure forms a stem loop structure, while it forms a G-quartet structure in the presence of thrombin. Fluorescent and quenching groups attached to the 5′ and 3′ end signal this change. In aptamer-based detection without the use of amplification steps, assay sensitivity and hence the limit of detection is set empirically by the affinity of the aptamer-ligand complex, the KD value. Using aptamer-based sensor molecules one can detect analyte binding in both solution (homogeneous) and on solid supports (heterogeneous).
Other ligand detection methods known in the art are based upon antibody binding. Similar to the aptamer-based methods, antibody-based detection requires continuous ligand binding and ligand-antibody complex formation for the generation of a detectable signal. In addition, antibody methods such as ELISA or competitive RIA, while robust, are restricted in utility because these methods require that heterogeneous assay conditions be employed: 1] detection is done on a solid surface; 2] in most applications both a capture antibody and detection antibody are required; 3] for ELISA-based protein detection methods, the antibodies must recognize the folded, native structure of the protein that is present in cell or tissue isolates and; 4] antibody and protein based detection methods have not been described for intracellular or in vivo based analyte detection. That antibodies have not been employed for intracellular and in vivo based detection of proteins, drugs or metabolites is due to several technological factors. First monoclonal antibody fragments are unstable and do not fold properly when expressed as intracellular protein molecules. Second, intracellular detection requires homogeneous assay formats and these solution-based detection methods require the sensor to have a ligand sensing or modulation domain coupled directly to a catalytic or signal generating region of an enzyme or catalytic biomolecule. A fundamental and important consequence of the limitations of antibody-based detection methods is that they can not function as a universal reagent for all assays and tests that can be employed in drug discovery and development. These assays include 1] the initial discovery of a drug target through protein or metabolite profiling, 2] the subsequent use of that same drug target in the discovery of drug leads through high throughput screening and, 3] the optimization of drug leads against that same drug target through an evaluation of lead efficacy in mechanistic cellular and in vivo animal assays.
To streamline the drug discovery and development process and improve the efficiency of evaluating drug targets and drug leads, detection reagents are needed that can function in a context-independent manner. Needed then is a molecular sensor that can function in multiple assay environments and in multiple assay formats. The present invention is generally drawn to nucleic acid molecular sensors that can function in environments and formats that includes but are not limited to solution-based detection (homogeneous in vitro biochemical assays or in vivo cellular and animal assays), chip-based (heterogeneous in vitro assays on solid surfaces), and assays in complex biological isolates from blood plasma, cell lysates or tissue extracts.
Nucleic acid-based detection schemes have exploited the ligand-sensitive catalytic properties of some nucleic acids, e.g., such as ribozymes. Ribozyme-based prototype nucleic acid sensor molecules have been designed both by engineering and by in vitro selection methods. Engineering methods exploit the apparently modular nature of RNA structures; these sensors couple molecular recognition to signaling by simply joining individual target-modulation and catalytic RNA domains through a double-stranded or partially double-stranded RNA linker. ATP sensors, for example, were created by appending the previously-selected, ATP-binding aptamer-derived sequences (Sassanfar and Szostak, 1993) to either the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozyme (Tang and Breaker, 1997) or the L1 self-ligating ribozyme (Robertson and Ellington 2000). Robertson and Ellington (2000) have demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of a ligase ribozyme (derived from the L1 ligase described in Robertson and Ellington (1999)) can be modulated by a small molecule ligand, or small molecule target recognition. In this case, the ligase ribozyme can be employed as a nucleic acid sensor molecule and used to detect the presence and level of its cognate ligand by monitoring the ligation of a small, labeled second oligonucleotide substrate on to the ribozyme. A distinct feature of this detection method is that the actual detection event, e.g., monitoring oligonucleotide substrate ligation to the ribozyme, occurs after the ligand interacts with the nucleic sensor molecule. Hence, unlike antibody, or aptamer based detection methods, the ribozyme-based ligand detection method of Robertson and Ellington does not require continuous binding of the ligand to the sensor molecule in order to generate a detectable signal. In a complementary approach, radiolabeled hammerhead ribozymes which undergo cleavage upon binding to a ligand, have been used to detect ligand by monitoring the release of the label from the ribozyme (Soukup, et al., 2000, and Breaker, 1998). Limitations of the use of ligand modulated hammerhead ribozymes described by Soukup, et al., 2000, and Breaker, 1998 include: 1] the need for a two-step detection method for determining the enzymatic activity of the surface-immobilized hammerhead-derived sensors; 2] the need for radiometric determination of hammerhead activity in both solution and solid-surface based assay formats; 3] the need for significant chemical and structural modification of the hammerhead-based biosensor to render them suitable for optical based detection methods.
Another limitation of the engineering method to sensor generation is that it has been generally thought not to be applicable to the development of protein-dependent ribozymes. Robertson and Ellington (2001) describe their own efforts to extend this methodology to the identification of protein and peptide-dependent ribozymes, but state that simply appending aptamer-derived sequences to the catalytic domain of the L1 ligase at stem C, yields little or no target dependent modulation. Furthermore, the authors state that the "principles required for engineering protein-dependent ribozymes must be fundamentally different from those for identifying ribozymes dependent on small-molecules." Hence, in order to identify protein and peptide dependent ribozymes, Ellington and Robertson undertook a laborious in vitro selection process which involved randomization of the catalytic core of the L1 ligase coupled with multiple rounds of positive and negative selection. Ellington and Roberts (2000) describe several limitations of the ligase-derived sensors that they developed. First, the nucleoprotein enzymes developed by Ellington and Robertson (2000) required a laborious in vitro selection process to identify peptide and protein dependent ligases. Secondly, Ellington and Roberts (1999) describe a region of the L1 ligase that is required for allosteric ribozyme function, termed the effector oligonucleotide binding domain. It was postulated that the effector oligonucleotide binding domain of the ligase formed complementary base pairing interactions with the oligonucleotide substrate binding site, driving the ribozyme into an inactive conformation. The effector oligonucleotide, when added to the L1 ligase activates (kact) the enzyme by over 10,000 fold over the L1 ligase reaction measure in the absence of effector (kunact). Hence, the native L1-ligase has a switch factor (kact/kunact) greater than 10,000, which determines the sensitivity of a ribozyme-based detection method. When the effector oligonucleotide binding domain of the L1 ligase is deleted, the ligase activity of the deletion mutant is only 3–5 fold lower than the ligase activity of L1 ligase with the effector oligonucleotide bound to the effector oligonucleotide binding domain (Ellington and Robertson (1999). This indicates that L1 ligases deleted of the effector oligonucleotide binding domain may not be not subject to further allosteric regulation. Hence, a hindrance to the development of L1 ligase-based biosensor technology is the lack of a general method for the generation of biosensors that can work in multiple assay and detection formats required of solution-based and chip-based biosensors and, those that can work in multiplexed formats and in complex biological extracts.

Nucleic acid sensor molecules and methods of using same


A tooth cleaning assembly includes a rack, at least a detachable toothpaste squeezing assembly mounted on the rack and including a base, a toothpaste cylinder having a lower end fitted in the base, an annular member arranged an upper end of the toothpaste cylinder, a cover fitted on a top of the toothpaste cylinder and mounted on the annular member, a tubular neck telescopically fitted in the toothpaste cylinder, a cap pivotally connected with an upper end of the tubular neck, and a movable knob extending through the rack to be detachably engaged with a bottom of the base, at least a toothbrush detachably mounted on the annular member, at least a spring mug fitted within the rack, and at least a folding mirror fitted within the rack, whereby all commonly used washing articles are combined into one unit thereby making them convenient to use and arranging them in a tidy manner.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to an improved tooth cleaning assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, the toothbrush, toothpaste and tooth mug are separately placed on a vanity cabinet in the bathroom. When desired to brush teeth, it is necessary to hold the toothpaste with one hand, open the cap of the toothpaste with another hand, hold the toothbrush with the another hand, squeeze the toothpaste on to the toothbrush, and then put the toothpaste back to the vanity cabinet, thereby causing much inconvenience in use. Hence, various kinds of toothpaste squeezers have been developed to attempt to eliminate this drawback, but it is still necessary to align the toothpaste with the toothbrush and squeeze the toothpaste onto the toothbrush in use thus making them unsatisfactory and unfit for practical use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tooth cleaning assembly which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.


In an apparatus and method for automatically detecting the presence of an external device in a port of a mobile terminal, the external device is automatically enabled without the additional operation of the mobile terminal when plugged into a jack. The mobile terminal may be safeguarded against severe damage being done thereto by mistakenly choosing options to enable an external device while an earphone/microphone set is plugged in the jack of a mobile terminal.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically detecting the presence of an external device in a mobile terminal; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for automatically detecting the presence of a external device in a jack port of a mobile terminal wherein the external device is automatically enabled without the additional operation of the mobile terminal when plugged into the jack port.
2. Discussion of the Background
The mobile terminal includes all portable terminals capable of sending and receiving sound, characters and images through mobile channels, for example, a Personal Communication Services (PCS) end, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and Smart phone.
Nowadays, most mobile terminals currently on the market have a built-in color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), making a wide variety of additional functions available to the public. Furthermore, a mobile terminal having a built-in digital camera is now commonplace, largely because a color LCD can be best put into practice in the photograph-related industry.
Until recently, users in general played only a passive role in making choices between functions available in a mobile terminal. Now, it is often the case that the mobile terminal having the built-in digital camera enables a user to capture any image of his choice as well as to transmit an image of his own anytime anywhere to anyone.
On the other hand, as for the use of a built-in digital camera, a device called a strobo comes in handy when the luminescence of a place at which a photograph is to be taken is not suitable for the picture-taking purpose. However, most mobile terminals having the built-in digital camera currently on the market are not equipped with such strobo. It is partly due to a widely-held fallacy that the size of a mobile terminal matters more to consumers than its functionality and practicality when it comes to deciding on what to purchase.
Accordingly, current trends are such that external strobos are widely in use. The standard course of action in using the external strobo is described as follows. First, options of choice for the use of the external strobo are set. Then, the strobo is plugged in the earphone jack, bearing in mind that the earphone jack is designed to accept a connection from an earphone.
However, considerable inconvenience may be caused by having to go through the same set-up process all over again when using an external strobo. In addition to the above, an electric surge caused by mistakenly choosing options to activate a strobo when an earphone/microphone set is plugged in an earphone jack instead could do extensive damage to a mobile terminal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for automatically detecting presence of external device in mobile terminal


A docking station (10) for an elongate rectangular mobile device. A first adjustable slide clamp member (14) is fitted in aperture (28) and is capable of adjustment in one direction. A second adjustable rotate clamp member (16) has a plug (85) for interconnection with a socket of the mobile device. The slide clamp member (14) has a clamp surface (32) and comprises a ratchet arm (26). The rotate clamp member also has a clamp surface (32c) and is rotatably disposed with respect to the body so that it can rotate between two positions. In a first position the clamp surface is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slide clamp (14). In a second position it is parallel to that direction. In the second position, it opens a second aperture opposite the rotate clamp member and in which the slide clamp member can be inserted.

Many vehicle docking stations are available on the market. They are frequently employed to enable a mobile phone to be used in a manner that does not infringe the law in some countries, where it may be forbidden to hold a mobile phone in the hand and make telephone calls or use it for other applications. It is straightforward to design a station that is bespoke for a particular phone and many phone manufacturers do supply their own such stations. Equally there are a range of third party manufacturers who make docking stations. The stations they make fall into two categories: those designed for one or a particular range of phones; and those designed to be used by multiple different phones. In the case of the latter, there is inevitably a balance to be struck between a station that is difficult to operate, susceptible to damage, and not attractive; and one that simply does not fit many phones, even although it can be made robust, yet attractive and fit for purpose. The reason a station that fits many phones has the aforementioned disadvantages is because phones come in different shapes and sizes and need to be gripped in different planes to avoid clamping mechanisms from fouling or obstructing certain buttons or sockets that are located in different places around the phone. This means they need to have many capabilities and be very flexible to operate in different modes. That makes them generally susceptible to damage, and generally unattractive.
Docking stations usually have two kinds of base, a sucker or pad, for connection to a vehicle dashboard or windscreen, or a clip mechanism, for attachment to a ventilator grill. Many docking stations have the capacity to be switched between dash mounting and grill mounting. For example, the station may be supplied with the two kinds of mount either of which may be clipped or otherwise secured to the station.
Docking stations can have different functionalities. A most basic form simply grips and holds a phone that still has to be operated, either remotely through voice-activation, or by direct pushing of phone buttons. Another form at least has a charging port and is provided with means to connect to a vehicle electrical supply, for example, the cigar lighter port that most vehicles have. This still requires physical interaction by the user. More sophisticated docking stations have speakers and microphones and a connection for the phone whereby true hands-free voice-activation operation may be implemented. In these cases, the docking station requires a plug to engage the appropriate socket of the phone.
Nowadays, phones tend to fall in two camps: Apple Inc's iPhone® family of phones that has its own bespoke socket, and others that use a micro uUSB port connection. Any of a multiple variety of interfaces are possible and of course older phones are particularly variable. However, presently, phones tend to be gravitating to one of the two types of interface just mentioned.
These interfaces provide not only power interchange, useful for charging phone batteries, but also can be used for data exchange including voice control from the phone. However, most phones also provide Bluetooth® radio interconnectivity and therefore so also do some docking stations. However, a battery charging interface of a docking station is nevertheless still desirable, even if Bluetooth®, is used as the means of intercommunication.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a docking station, primarily but not exclusively for use in a vehicle, that can accommodate a wide range of phones, and yet is potentially robust and reliable.


An image forming apparatus uses toner that is given color-generation information and a color-generation state or a non-color-generation state of the toner is controlled, and includes an image carrier, a unit that forms toner image on the image carrier, an intermediate transfer medium that the toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred to, a first transfer unit that transfers the toner image to the intermediate transfer medium surface, a unit that gives color-generation information to the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer medium, a second transfer unit that transfers the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer medium surface to a recording medium, a unit that fixes the toner image transferred to the recording medium and a unit that causes color generation in the toner image that the color-generation information is given.

(1) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method.
(2) Related Art
In recording apparatus hitherto used for forming color images in accordance with an electrophotographic system, fundamental three primary colors are developed according to information on their respective images and these toner images are superposed one by one, and thereby color images are obtained. As to a specific apparatus configuration, there is known the so-called 4-cycle machine in which development of latent images formed on one photoconductor drum according to a method of image formation is performed for each color and transfer of developed color images onto a transfer member is repeated for each color, and thereby color images are obtained; or a tandem machine in which a photoconductor drum and a developing device are installed for an image forming unit of each color and toner images are continuously transferred onto a transfer member one after another by travel of the transfer member, and thereby color images are obtained.
At least one thing these machines have in common is that plural developing devices are provided for colors to which they are allocated, respectively. Therefore, usual color image formation requires 4 developing devices for three primary colors plus black color, and a tandem machine further requires not only 4 photoconductor drums responding to 4 developing devices but also an unit for harmonizing the synchronization among these 4 image forming units; as a result, upsizing of the apparatus and a cost increase become unavoidable.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


A first data transfer module sends update data to be written into a primary volume to a second data transfer module; the second data transfer module stores the update data into a secondary volume, stores differential data written to a storage address for the update data in the secondary volume into a second differential volume, updates a second management information holding module, and then informs completion of the data updating to the first data transfer module; and the first data transfer module stores the update data to an update address in the primary volume when the information of completion of the data updating is received from the second data transfer module, stores the differential data into a first differential volume, and updates a first management information holding module.

This invention relates to a storage system having a snapshot function, and more particularly to a technique for transferring data of a snapshot.
In an information society, one important role of a storage system that accumulates information is protecting data. The most common method of protecting data is a backup that saves a duplicate of data in a storage to a backup medium such as a tape. With the backup, even when the data in the storage is lost due to failure, a fault, an operational error, or the like, the data can be recovered based on the backup, thereby enabling recovery of the data at the time when saved and suppressing damage to a minimum.
However, as storage capacities expand, the amount of time necessary to make backups becomes a problem. Moreover, in applications that require frequent updating of data, even if the backup is made once, difference vis-a-vis the backup expand quickly. In the event of an accident, the damage may be great. Thus, backups must be made more frequently. Furthermore, in order to prepare for a case where a file is lost due to an operational error, or a case where one wants to compare file contents with a previous state, and other such cases, there is a desire to enable regular backups to be referenced easily.
As a function of handling these types of applications, a snapshot function has been receiving attention. The snapshot function is a function which maintains a data image in the storage currently being used at the moment when the snapshot is taken, and also enables access by means other than the storage currently being used. At the moment when the snapshot is obtained, the snapshot can be used without waiting for completion of all the data in the storage to be copied, thus minimizing the backup time which was a problem in making tape backups.
In order to maintain the snapshot, there is a method of using a saving storage area to save the data at the time when the snapshot is obtained (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,152).
According to this technique, once the snapshot of an operating volume is obtained, each time when an update subsequently occurs at a block that has not yet been updated, the old data in that block is copied to the saving storage area, and a virtual volume for providing the snapshot is also generated. When reading from the virtual volume, if the block at the address to be read has been copied to the saving storage area, that block is returned. If there is no copy in the saving storage area, then no update has occurred in the operating volume, so that the block at the same address in the operating volume is returned.
According to this technique, as compared to the case of saving in the separate volume all the data in the operating volume at the time when the snapshot is obtained, the image of the volume at the time when the snapshot is obtained can be maintained with small storage capacities.
Furthermore, regarding migration of data stored in the storage system, in order to migrate data being accessed from the superior device (host), an extended data transfer function (XRC: Extended Remote Copy) and a peer-to-peer data transfer function (PPRC: Peer-to-peer Remote Copy) have been proposed by IBM, Inc. (refer to "Implementing ESS Copy Services on S/390", IBM P.502.8.5 DASD migration).

Storage system, device and method using copy-on-write for synchronous remote copy


In a timer device having a timer sleeve at a housing with a timer piston slidably provided at the timer sleeve, a high pressure chamber is constituted by securing to the housing a high pressure side cover member constituted as an integrated part of the timer sleeve. The high pressure chamber and a passage at the housing communicating with a chamber are connected to each other by a passage formed in high pressure side cover member. A check valve for absorbing shock waves generated within the high pressure chamber is provided in the passage in the high pressure side cover member. The passage can be designed and manufactured with ease, and at the same time, the timer piston and the check valve can be separately designed and manufactured. Furthermore, stable operation of the check valve is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timer device that is employed to adjust the quantity of advance angle in a distributor type fuel injection pump, typical examples of which include a VE type fuel injection pump and a VR fuel injection pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
Timer devices in the prior art include, for instance, the timer device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H 8-42362. In this publication, a timer device for a VR type fuel injection pump is disclosed. This timer device includes a cylindrical steel pipe mounted at a nonferrous pump housing, with a timing piston slidably inserted in the steel pipe. A low pressure chamber provided with a return spring is formed at one end of the timing piston, and a high pressure chamber enclosed by an integrated flange (which, together with the steel pipe, constitutes an integrated unit) is formed at another end of the timing piston passage that communicates with the outlet side of a feed pump is connected to the high pressure chamber.
In addition, since an impact force (drive reactive force) is applied to the timer piston when the rollers ride up the cam lobes, an impact valve and a drain are provided at the timer piston so that any displacement of the timer piston caused by the impulse force is prevented, to stabilize the advance angle.
Furthermore, in the same publication, a structure is disclosed in which the timer piston is slidably inserted in a steel pipe which is internally fitted in the housing. A high pressure chamber is formed at one end of the timer piston with the low pressure chamber formed at the other end of the timer piston by closing off the two ends of the steel pipe with separate disks that are secured to the housing by bolts.
When forming the high pressure chamber with the integrated flange which, together with the steel pipe, constitutes an integrated unit, the clearance between the steel pipe and the timer piston can be maintained almost constant even if the temperature changes, by constituting the steel type and the timer piston of the same material. This is done to prevent the fuel from leaking through a clearance caused by a difference in thermal expansion that exists when different materials are used to constitute the steel pipe and the timer piston, and to greatly facilitate the seal management at the high pressure side. However, in the structure described above, in which a valve mechanism (impact valve) is provided inside the timer piston to absorb the shock wave generated in the high pressure chamber, i.e., a moving member is provided inside another moving member, there is a problem in that the movement of the timer piston is directly communicated to the valve mechanism to prevent stable movement of the valve mechanism.
In addition, in the structure described above, in which the high pressure chamber and the passage through which the fuel is supplied to the high pressure chamber are made to communicate with each other via the valve mechanism provided at the timer piston, the individual passages must be designed and machined by anticipating the range of movement of the timer piston in order to assure such a communicating state regardless of where the timer piston is positioned. This tends to make the design and machining more difficult and is likely to complicate the structure itself. Furthermore, if the valve mechanism is to be provided inside the timer piston by machining the timer piston, full consideration must be given to ensure that the timer piston does not become deformed and, at the same time, careful design is required to ensure that damage to the valve mechanism does not directly result in damage to the timer piston.
Thus, when the various factors of the structure described above are taken into consideration as a whole, the structure cannot be considered practical from a design standpoint in terms of productivity, durability, reliability and the like.
In addition, in a timer device in which the steel pipe and the flange are constituted separately (a timer device in which a high pressure chamber is formed by providing a separate disk at an opening end of the steel pipe), the seal member may become exposed to a high pressure fuel depending upon the seal structure at the high pressure chamber side, thereby risking having the seal member directly subject to the effect of the shock wave generated by the drive reactive force. In addition, if separate disks are to be secured to the housing with bolts, the mounting bolts are often provided in the vicinity of the steel pipe in order to save space and achieve miniaturization. In such a case, it is possible that the internal surface of the cylindrical hole of the housing through which the steel pipe is inserted will become distended or deformed when the bolts are tightened, which may, in turn, result in the sliding surface of the steel pipe becoming deformed and prevent the timer piston from sliding smoothly.

Timer device for distributor type fuel injection apparatus


A state of an operation of cutting a rubber sheet having a number of parallel cords embedded therein by moving a cutter in a cutting direction which is in parallel with a direction in which the cords extend is detected by monitoring a first displacement of the cutter in a direction of a thickness of the rubber sheet and a second displacement of the cutter in direction perpendicular to the cutting direction. When the first displacement of the cutter exceeds a predetermined threshold value, there is produced a comparison signal having a predetermined time period. In response to the comparison signal, the second displacement of the cutter is compared with a second threshold value within the time period of the comparison signal, and when the second displacement of the cutter exceeds the second threshold value, there is produced an alarm signal which represents that the cutting operation is not carried out correctly.

Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
The present invention relates to a method of detecting or judging a state of an operation of cutting a rubber sheet having a number of parallel cords embedded therein by moving a cutter in a cutting direction parallel to a direction in which the parallel cords extend.
In case of manufacturing a tire, there is a process of cutting the above mentioned rubber sheet with cords in a direction parallel to the cords to form a belt. In Japanese Kokai Hei 1-141,730, there is described a known method of detecting a goodness or badness of the operation of cutting the rubber sheet with parallel cords. In this known method, a voltage is applied across an electrically conductive cutter and an electrically conductive plate for receiving the rubber sheet. When the cutter is brought into contact with the rubber sheet receiving plate, an electric current flows through the cutter and plate, but when the cutter is separated from the plate so that the electrical conduction between the cutter and the plate is cut-off, the current does not flow. Therefore, by detecting the current, it is possible to detect the state of the cutting operation.
In the known cutting state detecting method explained above, when the cutter rides slightly on a cord and is separated from the sheet receiving plate, is the cut-off condition produced, so that an abnormal signal is erroneously generated which indicates an inferiority of the cutting state. Further, when electrically insulating stains, injures and so on are existent on the surface of the rubber sheet receiving plate, the current is also interrupted and the abnormal signal is erroneously generated.

Method of detecting state of cutting rubber sheet having parallel cords embedded therein


An electronic device is provided, the electronic device having an anti-theft interface. If damage to the anti-theft interface is detected, the electronic device enters a user authentication mode.

Some electronic devices are equipped with anti-theft mechanisms. Unfortunately, an aggressive thief may be able to destroy or otherwise disable the anti-theft mechanism. For example, some laptops have an interface for attaching or releasing a cable lock. The cable lock can be wrapped around another object and attached to the laptop to prevent the laptop from being removed from the object. Even with the cable lock attached, an aggressive thief can steal a laptop by cutting the cable or by breaking the interface that attaches the laptop to the cable lock.

Damage detection for an anti-theft interface

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention provides a valvetrain configuration in an internal combustion engine in which a plurality of two-step rockers enable the engine poppet valves to switch between two lift profiles. In addition, a lost-motion stationary lash adjuster enables the deactivation of the engine poppet valve. The integration of a two-step rocker with a deactivating stationary lash adjuster yields a better control of the combustion process, under different engine operating conditions than what is achievable with either one of these actuators acting alone. Preferably, the locking and unlocking of the two-step rocker arm and deactivating stationary lash adjuster is controlled by two on/off hydraulic valves in a hydraulic circuit, and a piloted check valve prevents hard landings between stationary and moving components within the stationary hydraulic lash adjuster.

Some prior art valvetrains are selectively adjustable to vary the amount of valve travel during opening. Typically, such valvetrains are selectively adjustable between a low-lift mode, in which the valvetrain causes an engine poppet valve to open a first predetermined amount (with lost motion), and a high-lift mode, in which the valvetrain causes the poppet valve to open a second predetermined amount that is greater than the first predetermined amount.
Lash adjusters are used to accommodate for build variations and wear in a valvetrain assembly. Known deactivating lash adjusters require significant length to achieve lost-motion, and can therefore be difficult to package.

Valvetrain with two-step switchable rocker and deactivating stationary lash adjuster


A vehicular heat management system includes a refrigerant circulation line configured to cool or heat a passenger compartment by generating a hot air or a cold air depending on a flow direction of a refrigerant, a cooling water circulation line configured to heat the passenger compartment with waste heat of an engine by allowing cooling water of the engine to circulate through a heater core, a refrigerant-cooling water heat exchanger disposed in the cooling water circulation line to allow the refrigerant and the cooling water to exchange heat, and an engine cooling water independent circulation unit configured to allow the cooling water passed through the engine to bypass the heater core and the refrigerant-cooling water heat exchanger.

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses an electric motor and an internal combustion engine in combination. When the hybrid vehicle is running at a high load, for example, when the hybrid vehicle is running at a high speed or on an uphill, the hybrid vehicle comes into an engine driven mode in which an engine is used.
Conversely, the hybrid vehicle is running at a low load, for example, when the hybrid vehicle is running at a low speed or stopped, the hybrid vehicle comes into a motor driven mode in which an electric motor is used.
Such a hybrid vehicle (hereinafter generally referred to as "vehicle") is equipped with an air conditioner for cooling and heating a passenger compartment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner is provided with a compressor 1, a condenser 3, an expansion valve 5, an evaporator 6 and a heater core 7. In a cooling mode, the refrigerant of the compressor 1 is circulated through the condenser 3, the expansion valve 5 and the evaporator 6 to generate a cold air in the evaporator 6. The cold air thus generated is supplied into the passenger compartment to cool the passenger compartment.
In a heating mode, the cooling water for an engine 8 is circulated through the heater core 7 to transfer the waste heat of the engine 8 to the heater core 7 to generate a hot air. The hot air thus generated is supplied into the passenger compartment to heat the passenger compartment.
Meanwhile, the air conditioner may often come into the heating mode while the vehicle is operated in the motor driven mode. In this case, the motor driven mode is converted into an engine driven mode to re-operate the engine 8.
Thus, the passenger compartment can be heated using the waste heat generated from the engine 8. This makes it possible to enhance the passenger compartment heating performance.
However, in such a conventional air conditioner, there may be a case where the entry and release of the heating mode are frequently generated in the motor driven mode. In this case, the engine 8 needs to be frequently turned on and off. Thus, the power consumption is increased and the temperature of the air blown into the passenger compartment is changed, resulting in a problem that the comfort of the passenger compartment is deteriorated.
Particularly, since the engine 8 is frequently turned on and off, the energy consumption is rapidly increased, which causes a drawback that the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is remarkably lowered.
In view of this, the air conditioner may be improved into a heat pump type (not shown) so that, in the cooling mode, the passenger compartment can be heated without re-operating the engine 8, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
However, the heat pump type air conditioner has a drawback in that the heat generation efficiency thereof is low and the air having a high temperature cannot be supplied into the passenger compartment. Thus, there is a problem that the passenger compartment heating performance is deteriorated.
Particularly, when the air temperature is very low, for example, when the ambient air temperature is −5 degrees C. or less, it is not possible to supply air having a temperature high enough to heat the passenger compartment. Thus, there is a problem that the passenger compartment heating efficiency is deteriorated and the comfort in the passenger compartment is lowered.
In view of this, an electric heater 9 using electricity may be additionally installed to heat the air supplied into the passenger compartment, thereby enhancing the passenger compartment heating performance.
However, when the electric heater 9 is used, the power consumption of a battery (not shown) is increased, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is further reduced.


An RIE method and apparatus provides uniform and selective etching through silicon nitride material of a supplied workpiece such as a silicon wafer having silicon oxide adjacent to the SiN. A plasma-maintaining gas that includes N.sub.2 having an inflow rate of at least 10 sccm is used to provide etch-depth uniformity across the workpiece. The plasma-maintaining gas further includes HBr and one or both of NF.sub.3 and SF.sub.6.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is generally directed to plasma etching of silicon nitrides. The invention is more specifically directed to reactive ion etching (RIE) selectively of silicon nitride (SiN) in the presence of silicon or silicon oxide using a plasma containing a halogen such as fluorine (F) or bromine (Br), and hydrogen (H).

Selective plasma etching of silicon nitride in presence of silicon or silicon oxides using mixture of NH.sub.3 or SF.sub.6 and HBR and N.sub.2


A seating device can include a height adjustment mechanism that permits a height of a seat to be adjusted. The height adjustment device can be configured so that a user may provide a force to provide upward height adjustment and may also provide a force to allowing for a controlled downward height adjustment of the seat. The height adjustment device can include an actuator that is connected to a rotatable member via linkages. An end of one of the linkages may engage the rotatable member to prevent rotation of the rotatable member, which can prevent height adjustment of the seat. Movement of the actuator may cause the linkages to move so that the rotatable member is free to rotate so that a user may provide a force on the seat to effect height adjustment of the seat and/or cause the seat to be lowered at a desired speed.

Chairs often include a base that supports a seat and/or a backrest. Some types of chairs are configured as stools. Some types of stools may not include a backrest. Of course, other types of chairs may also be configured to not include a backrest. Examples of chairs, stools, and other types of seating devices may be appreciated from U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,646,841, 8,136,876, 7,478,878, 6,834,916, 5,112,103, 4,130,263, 3,312,437, and D664,779. Other types of chairs such as lounge chairs or office chairs may have a backrest. Examples of such chairs may be appreciated from U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,764,117, 8,663,514, 8,480,171, 8,220,872, 8,216,416, 8,167,373, 8,157,329, 8,029,060, 7,887,131, 7,198,329, 6,997,511, 6,824,218, 6,817,667, 5,683,139, and 4,738,487 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2003/0168901, 2006/0006715, and 2008/0290712.

Seating device having a height adjustment mechanism


A coordinate data generator includes a coordinate data storage to store coordinate data, and a post-addition coordinate data generation section to respectively add independent values to the X coordinate value or the Y coordinate value of the coordinate data for each item of the coordinate data stored in the coordinate data storage, so as to generate new coordinate data in which a pattern has been distorted.

Generally a seam on a sewing machine has a position determined by amplitude of needle positions and amounts of cloth feed.
Thus patterns are created by joining needle positions together with thread.
The needle positions are based on the figure to be sewn, needle positions are determined for each stitch, and data input is performed.
Namely, fundamentally, sewing data are often produced so as to be able to accurately reproduce an original figure using seams.
This then enables the original figure to be drawn according to the sewing data using seams by connecting together needle positions in straight lines and curves.
This means that anyone is able to accurately reproduce a pattern as long as they use a sewing machine, and anyone is able to form a beautiful pattern on a cloth that looks as if it has been sewn by a sewing expert.
However conversely this has actually tends to give a mechanical and cold impression.
In order to address this issue, technology is disclosed in which a control variable is derived as a fluctuation l/f for seam control variable variation of a sewing machine, and a variation element is added when driving a feed control motor and an amplitude control motor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Moreover, there is also technology disclosed to avoid a pattern from being greatly distorted, and this is achieved not by making adjustments by using a variation while producing the pattern, and instead by controlling an amplitude or feed adjustment amount every cycle (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Coordinate data generator, sewing machine, and non-transitory recording medium