Methods and system for in-situ measurement of polymer growth within an olefin polymerization reactor are provided. The method includes polymerizing one or more olefins within a reactor at a first temperature sufficient to deposit a polymer coating therein. A second temperature is created within the reactor, and a rate of temperature change is measured from the first temperature to the second temperature. The rate of temperature change is correlated to a thickness of the polymer coating deposited within the reactor.

Gas phase polymerization converts a gaseous monomer into granular solids. The gaseous monomer, and optional comonomer, are introduced under pressure into a reaction vessel, i.e. reactor, containing a catalyst and optional activator. Once polymerization begins, the monomer molecules diffuse to the growing polymer chains within the reactor. The resulting polymer is obtained as a granular solid which is fluidized within the reactor with the monomer and catalyst.
Gas phase polymerization is particularly prone to depositing solid particles on the reactor walls and other process exposed surfaces of the reactor due to static charge or electrical attraction between a metal surface and the polymer. Over time, the solids can accumulate and grow to form a solid sheet of polymer on the metal, such as a reactor wall or internal distribution plate, injection nozzle or product discharge nozzle. This phenomenon is common in the art and is known as "sheeting" when the polymer forms on a wall of the reactor, or "plugging" when the polymer forms on the distributor plate or nozzles and blocks the flow of fluid therethrough.
Polymer sheets on the walls of the reactor can grow in height and thickness to the point where the weight of the sheet overcomes any attractive forces between the sheet and the metal and falls to the bottom of the reactor. Solid polymer can also grow to an appreciable thickness to plug or block fluid flow paths on the nozzles or distribution plate. In either case, the solid polymer can plug or block monomer injection, catalyst injection, and/or product discharge. The solid polymer can also inhibit or interfere with fluidization within the reactor. As a result, the polymer product can become off spec and/or polymerization can come to a stop. To remove the solid polymer, the reactor is usually purged and shut down, which is both costly and time-consuming.
Certain pretreatment techniques have been used to prevent or control sheeting or plugging within the reactor. For example, a liquid catalyst has been sprayed onto the walls of the reactor and reacted with the monomer to produce a polymer coating or layer on the reactor wall that serves as an insulation layer to prevent product polymer growth thereon. The liquid catalyst is typically a chromocene. Such technique is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,532,311, 4,792,592, and 4,876,320.
To be an effective tool for preventing or controlling sheeting or plugging within the reactor, the polymer should be even and consistently distributed throughout the reactor. The reaction time is estimated based on experience; however, due to varying conditions or other interruptions, the polymer growth is often uncertain and unpredictable. Thus, to assess the success of the chromocene treatment, the reactor is typically purged and opened to visually inspect the polymer coating and/or to measure the layer thickness. Often times, to the disappointment of the operator, no coating is found upon inspection and/or the coating is not evenly distributed.
There is a need, therefore, for new apparatus and methods for an on-line, real time detection of the polymer thickness during the chromocene treatment.

Methods for monitoring reactor passivation for gas phase polymerization


The present invention relates to a method for separation of vWF into high molecular vWF and low molecular vWF which is characterized in that vWF is bound to an affinity support and is then eluted at different salt concentrations.

Direct and indirect functions are assigned to von Willebrand Factor in normally proceeding blood coagulation. It binds to Factor VIII in a complex. This complex serves to stabilize Factor VIII. This stabilized Factor VIII then has essential cofactor function in the activation of Factor X. Additionally, von Willebrand Factor directly influences blood coagulation by mediating platelet aggregation to injured vessels.
In plasma, vWF circulates in a concentration of 5-10 mg/l in the form of a non-covalent complex with Factor VIII. vWF is a glycoprotein which is formed in different cells of the human body and is later released into the circulation. Moreover, starting from a polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of about 220,000 (vWF monomer), a vWF diner (primary diner) with a molecular weight of about 550,000 is made in cells by the formation of several sulfur bridges. Then, further polymers of vWF with increasing molecular weights up to about 20 million are produced from the vWF dimers by association.
There are several clinical pictures which are traceable to under- or overproduction of von Willebrand Factor. Thus, for example, an overproduction of vWF leads to an increased tendency towards thromboses, whereas an undersupply of vWF results in an increased bleeding tendency or prolonged bleeding time.
von Willebrand Syndrome can manifest itself in several forms. All forms are distinguished by a prolonged bleeding time which is based on either an absolute absence of a functional vWF or an abnormal spectrum in the multimer composition of vWF. Forms of von Willebrand disease in which multimer formation is reduced as well as forms in which low molecular vWF molecules are barely present are diagnosed thereby. Although other forms demonstrate high and low molecular vWF molecules, their concentration and/or their ratio to each other is drastically decreased and/or altered compared to a healthy person.
The lack of vWF can also cause hemophilia A because vWF, as mentioned above, is an essential component of functional Factor VIII. In these cases, the half-life of Factor VIII is decreased in such a manner that it can not fulfill its special functions in the blood coagulation cascade.
All forms of von Willebrand Syndrome as well as the form of hemophilia traceable to the lack of vWF were treated up to now by replacement of the missing vWF through intravenous infusions with concentrates of blood plasma which contain either vWF-Factor VIII complex or enriched vWF. Although in one respect the administration of Factor VIII is not necessary in both disease cases, the preparative separation of vWF from Factor VIII is technically very difficult to impossible.
In order to establish the exact function of high molecular vWF molecules on the one hand and low molecular vWF molecules on the other hand, ways have been looked for to isolate these fractions in enriched form. Wagner, D. D. et al (J. Cell Biol. 101: 112, 1985) prevent multimer formation by addition of monensin in vitro and conclude from different experiments that the low molecular form of vWF is not functional. On the other hand, Senogles, S. E. et al (J. Biol. Chem. 258: 12327, 1983) find no functional difference in ristocitin mediated platelet aggregation in high molecular and low molecular forms of vWF. They obtain low molecular forms by reduction of the sulfur bridges of high molecular vWF molecules. Aihara, M. et al (Tohoku J. Exp. Med. 153: 169, 1985) observe a lower binding capacity of vWF molecules from patients with von Willebrand Syndrome of the type IIa to collagen in affinity chromatography. This type of von Willebrand Syndrome is characterized by absence of the high molecular molecules of vWF.
In the literature, there are numerous methods which describe an analytical separation of high molecular and low molecular forms of von Willebrand Factor such that statements can be made as to the quantitative proportion of both forms. As an example, a publication from Baillod et al in Thrombosis Res. 66: 745, 1992 should be mentioned here. However, a preparative method for the separation of low molecular and high molecular forms has not been described to date.

High molecular and low molecular fractions of von Willebrand Factor


A method of detecting an electric current through a main bearing of a rotating system comprising: a hub; a plurality of blades connected to the hub; at least one electrical motor arranged at the hub; a main shaft attached to the hub and enclosing cabling for providing electrical power to the at least one electrical motor; a bearing housing attached to a metallic structure acting as electrical earth; and a main bearing having an inner ring attached to the main shaft and an outer ring attached to the bearing housing, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first measurement device for determining a measure indicative of an electric current in the main shaft at a first location on a side of the main bearing facing the hub; providing a second measurement device for determining a measure indicative of an electric current in the main shaft at a second location on a side of the main bearing facing away from the hub; determining a measure indicative of a difference between a first current flowing through the main shaft at the first location and a second current flowing through the main shaft at the second location, the difference being indicative of the electric current through the main bearing.

Large-scale rotating systems with blades connected to a main shaft have been used for a long time for, for example a field of technology with large-scale rotating systems is the field of horizontal axis wind turbines. It is known to control the pitch (longitudinal rotational state) of the blades during operation in order to optimize the efficiency of operation of the rotating system.
In rotating systems such as wind turbines, the main bearing, which connects the main shaft with a fixed structure—the nacelle in a wind turbine—is subjected to substantial and varying forces during operation.
In order to improve the availability/up-time and life span of, for example, a wind turbine, various bearing related parameters may be monitored, such as, for example, vibrations, lubricant pressure, lubricant quality, lubricant temperature and bearing load
Although the monitoring that is currently described in the art helps the scheduling of maintenance and prediction of failures before they occur, and thereby may improve the availability of wind turbines and other similar rotating systems, failure modes that are not detected in time may still exist.

Method and apparatus for detecting a current in a rotating system


A liquid ejection head including:                a recording element substrate provided with an element;        an electric wiring substrate having a bent portion, a connecting portion provided on one side of the bent portion and connected with the recording element substrate, and an input portion provided on the other side of the bent portion; and        a housing having a first surface, a second surface, a depression provided on the second surface, and a member separated from a bottom surface of the depression and extending into an opening of the depression, wherein        part of the other side of the electric wiring substrate is disposed between the bottom surface of the depression and the member.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a liquid ejection head configured to eject a liquid, and a liquid ejection apparatus provided with the liquid ejection head. This disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing the liquid ejection head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid ejection head forms an image by ejecting liquid drops. Ejection of the liquid drops is achieved by heating liquid with an energy generating element provided with a heat generating resistance member and causing the liquid to undergo film boiling. Alternatively, there is a case where a piezoelectric element is used for ejection of the liquid drops, and there is also a case where a method of irradiating the liquid with an electromagnetic wave generated by a laser or the like is used. The liquid ejection head is mounted generally on a recording apparatus body. The liquid ejection head is controlled and driven by an electric signal supplied from the recording apparatus body, and forms an image. Therefore, in order to form an image with the liquid ejection head, electrical communication between the recording apparatus body and the liquid ejection head is required.
In order to realize the electrical communication, the liquid ejection head includes an electric wiring substrate that electrically connects the energy generating element and the recording apparatus body. The electric wiring substrate includes an electric signal input portion including a conductive contact pad, and the recording apparatus body includes a contact pin configured to be electrically connected to the contact pad. Contact between the contact pad and the contact pin enables the electrical communication. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-320229, the electric wiring substrate is a flexible wiring substrate having a plurality of electric wiring lines arranged in a single layer, and the contact pad is provided directly on the flexible wiring substrate. In order to reduce the size of the electric signal input portion, there is also a case where a multilayer wiring substrate having a plurality of electric wiring lines arranged in multiple layers is connected to the flexible wiring substrate, and the contact pad is formed on the multilayer wiring substrate. In a manufacturing step of the liquid ejection head, the electric wiring substrate is bent along two surfaces of a housing of the liquid ejection head, and crimped at points the circumference of the electric signal input portion (at four points, for example).
Although a principal portion of the electric wiring substrate, specifically, a bent portion is formed of an easy-to-bend material such as that for a flexible wiring substrate, it is difficult to bend completely along the shape of the housing. Therefore, there is a case where floating occurs in the vicinity of the bent portion at the time of bending.
FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B are a side view and a front view of the liquid ejection head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-320229. In a liquid ejection head 1 disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-320229, a housing 2 includes a first surface 2a positioned on the same side as an ejection port, a second surface 2b intersecting the first surface 2a, and a corner portion 2c formed by the first and second surfaces 2a and 2b intersecting each other.
An electric wiring substrate 3 includes a first portion 4 supported on the first surface 2a, a second portion 6 including a bent portion 5 bent at the corner portion 2c, and a third portion 7 supported on the second surface 2b. The third portion 7 corresponds to the electric signal input portion described above.
In this manner, when the electric wiring substrate 3 is supported by the housing 2, floating occurs in the vicinity of the bent portion 5 due to the bending rigidity of the electric wiring substrate 3. This tendency is notable in the electric wiring substrate 3 having a large area other than the electric signal input portion and the electric wiring substrate 3 having a large width. The floating of the electric wiring substrate 3 occurs not only at the time of manufacture, but also by heat after usage or a change with time. The floating in the vicinity of the bent portion 5 as described above causes an increase in the dimensions of the liquid ejection head 1, specifically, an increase in a dimension L illustrated in FIG. 11A.
In order to reduce a height of the floating, it is conceivable to fixedly crimp the electric wiring substrate 3 while pulling strongly. However, since the electric wiring substrate 3 is fixed in the state of being applied with a tensile force, a crimped portion of the electric wiring substrate 3 may be cracked, or other portions may wrinkle after the tensile force is released. From these reasons, the electric wiring substrate 3 is preferably supported on the housing 2 in the state of being tensed with an excessive length at the second portion 6, that is, in the state in which the second portion 6 sags.

Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, and method of manufacturing liquid ejection head


Preparing a computer software application for static analysis by identifying a control flow within a model portion of a computer software application having a model-view-controller architecture, where the control flow passes a value to a controller portion of the computer software application, analyzing a declarative specification of the controller portion of the computer software application to identify a view to which the controller portion passes control based on the value, and synthesizing a method within the computer software application, where the method calls the view.

The Model-View-Controller (MVC) design architecture is a computer software application design architecture in which those elements of a computer software application that present data to an application user or receive input from the user (i.e., the "user interface" or "presentation layer"), referred to as the application "view", are separated from those elements of the application that access stored data and process and transform data (i.e., the "business logic layer" or "domain layer"), referred to as the application "model". In the MVC architecture, a "controller" determines when control of the application during its execution is passed to a view element or a model element.
Static analysis is often performed on computer software application source code to identify issues such as logic errors and security vulnerabilities. However, traditional static analysis techniques do not provide sufficiently precise results for MVC-based applications where the controller logic is external to the application source code, as the controller logic is either approximated in an overly-conservative manner, thereby creating invalid control-flow paths between the model and the view layers, or an under-approximation is used, in which case certain valid flows are simply ignored.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Static analysis of computer software applications having a model-view-controller architecture

International Business Machines Corporation


According to the invention there is provided a concealed radio transmitting device which includes a radio transmitter, an antenna coupled to the radio transmitter, power supply for supplying electric power to the transmitter, an on/off device connected between the power supply and the radio transmitter, and a housing shaped as a tape measure adapted for containing the radio transmitter, the antenna, the power supply and the on/off device, and wherein further the concealed radio transmitting device includes in the radio transmitter an audio input, and a microphone connected to the audio input for transferring audio signals to the transmitter.

In surveillance work it is sometimes necessary to employ a radio transmitter that can be concealed so as not to attract unwanted attention.
Concealment of small radio transmitters in unobvious locations is known in the art. Various difficulties, however, must be overcome in concealment, since the radio transmitter requires for its operation both power supply devices and an antenna and other parts that tend to be bulky.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a radio transmitter that is both concealable in a small enclosure which is unobtrusive, yet provides enough radiated energy to be readable at a distance sufficient to allow inconspicuous monitoring and has adequate stored electrical energy to remain in operation for the length of time required for most surveillance operations, i.e. at least several hours.
Applicant has found that a conventional tape measure housing with suitable modifications can provide an enclosure for a concealed radio transmitter adapted to fit into the tape measure housing.

Concealed radio transmitter in a tapemeasure


A drop hammer for driving piles. The drop hammer of the present invention comprises a housing member and a ram member. The housing member defines a housing chamber. The ram member is supported within the housing chamber for movement relative to the housing member between an upper position and a lower position. When the ram member moves into the lower position, the impact of the ram member drives the pile. When the ram member falls below a preload position between the lower and upper positions, fluid within a preload chamber portion of the housing chamber compresses as the ram member moves into the lower position.

For certain construction projects, elongate members such as piles, anchor members, caissons, and mandrels for inserting wick drain material must be placed into the earth. It is well-known that such rigid members may often be driven into the earth without prior excavation. The term "piles" will be used herein to refer to the elongate rigid members typically driven into the earth.
One system for driving piles is conventionally referred to as a diesel hammer. A diesel hammer employs a floating ram member that acts both as a ram for driving the pile and as a piston for compressing diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is injected into a combustion chamber below the ram member as the ram member drops. The dropping ram member engages a helmet member that transfers the load of the ram member to the pile to drive the pile. At the same time, the diesel fuel ignites, forcing the ram member and the helmet member in opposite directions. The helmet member further drives the pile, while the ram member begins a new combustion cycle. Another such system is a drop hammer that repeatedly lifts and drops a hammer onto an upper end of the pile to drive the pile into the earth.
Diesel hammers seem to exhibit fewer problems with tension cracking in concrete piles than similarly configured external combustion hammers. The Applicants have recognized that the combustion chambers of diesel hammers pre-load the system before the hammer impact and that this preloading may explain the reduction of tension cracking in concrete piles associated with diesel hammers.
The need thus exists for improved drop hammers that induce stresses in the pile driven that are similar to the stresses induced by diesel hammers.


Fire abatement fluid flow control apparatus, comprising a fusible link, a valve housing, a stopper in the housing, and a stopper seat, the link operating to normally block movement of the stopper away from the seat, and upon fusing to unblock the stopper movement, whereby when the fire abatement fluid is operatively supplied under pressure to the valve housing, and when overheating of the link occurs, the link will fracture so that stopper movement away from the seat is effected, allowing release of abatement fluid for application to a fire.

This application contains contents of provisional application 61/685,753, filed Mar. 22, 2012.
This invention relates generally to fire abatement, as in buildings, and more particularly to automatic fire detection and response as by control or fire abatement fluid flow control.
There is need for quick and reliable automatic detection of fire break-out in buildings, and equipment as well as quick response as by initiation and control water or other fluid flow directed at the fire. There is also need for economical and reliable apparatus that provides such fire detection and responsive fluid flow.

Temperature controlled fire abatement apparatus


Provided is a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon by plasma CVD, which includes changing at least one of conditions selected from a high frequency power density, a bias voltage with respect to an interelectrode distance, a bias current with respect to an electrode area, a high frequency power with respect to a source gas flow rate, a ratio of a diluting gas flow rate to a source gas flow rate, a substrate temperature, a pressure, and an interelectrode distance, between conditions for forming a deposited film of a microcrystalline region and conditions for forming a deposited film of an amorphous region; and forming a deposited film under conditions within a predetermined range in the vicinity of boundary conditions under which the crystal system of the deposited film substantially changes between a amorphous state and a microcrystalline state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a deposited film, and more particularly, to a silicon-based deposited film, and a method of forming a photovoltaic element using a silicon-based deposited film such as a solar cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
High frequency plasma CVD is an excellent method of mass-producing a silicon-based deposited film because a large area film can be formed easily at a low temperature and the process throughput is improved. A solar cell which is an application of a silicon-based deposited film to a product has an advantage in that the energy source is unlimited and the power generation process is clean as compared with a case of existing energy utilizing fossil fuel. However, in order to make a solar cell widely available, further reduction of costs is necessary. In attaining this, one important technical problem to be solved is to improve the film forming rate by high frequency plasma CVD and to establish technology for further improvement in the characteristics.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-330520 discloses technology for a method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based deposited film layer. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-330520, a silicon-based deposited film layer can be formed at a high rate under the conditions under which a silane-based gas and hydrogen gas are included, the pressure inside a reaction chamber is set to be 666.61 Pa or more, and the distance between a substrate and an electrode is 1 cm or less. Further, a photoelectronic conversion device using the silicon-based deposited film layer has high conversion efficiency.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-252484 discloses technology of forming an amorphous silicon film under the conditions under which the partial pressure of an SiH4-based gas is 159.986 Pa or more and 2666.44 Pa or less, the interelectrode distance is 8 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and diluting hydrogen gas is four times or less of the SiH4-based gas.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-243219 discloses technology for a stacked photovoltaic element formed by stacking at least a constitution element with a pin junction element comprising a microcrystalline semiconductor in the i-type layer and a constitution element with a pin junction comprising an amorphous semiconductor in the i-type layer. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-243219, by providing a stacked photovoltaic element in which a current value is determined by the constitution element with the pin junction comprising the microcrystalline semiconductor in the i-type layer, photodegradation of the photovoltaic element can be suppressed to improve the characteristics.
The technologies disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents and the like gradually improve the characteristics of a silicon-based deposited film formed by plasma CVD. For example, by carrying out plasma CVD at a relatively higher pressure (600 Pa or more) with a smaller interelectrode distance (10 mm or less) as compared with a conventional method, a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon having relatively good characteristics can be formed at a high deposition rate of 1 nm/sec or more. A photovoltaic element such as a solar cell formed by those technologies has an improved conversion efficiency, a suppressed degradation ratio, and thus, better characteristics. Further, similarly, the characteristics of amorphous silicon are also improved by adjusting conditions for forming the deposited film.
However, in order to attain more excellent characteristics and further reduction of costs of the above-mentioned photovoltaic element or the like, there are still various problems to be solved.
As a first problem, in order to improve the conversion efficiency, it is necessary to find the well-balanced optimum conditions for forming a deposited film which is improved in both a short circuit current value and an open circuit voltage value at the same time.
The short circuit current value can be improved by, for example, making larger the crystallization ratio and the crystal grain diameter of the deposited film, and by making lower the defect density of the crystal boundaries. However, it has been found that a larger short circuit current value tends to make the open circuit voltage value smaller.
On the other hand, it has been found that, when the deposited film is amorphous (when the amount of amorphous component in the deposited film increases), the open circuit voltage value tends to become larger while the short circuit current value tends to become smaller.
In this way, the short circuit current value and the open circuit voltage value tend to be mutually contradictory depending on the crystallization ratio in the deposited film and other characteristics. Therefore, to find the well-balanced optimum conditions for forming the deposited film which is improved in both the short circuit current value and the open circuit voltage value at the same time, a lot of experiments are necessary, and adjustment of the conditions is extremely difficult.
As a second problem, in order to suppress the degradation, it is necessary to find the optimum conditions for forming the deposited film which can suppress the degradation ratio.
In a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon, there is a problem that, when the crystal grain diameter is small, or when there are many defects in the crystal boundaries, it is impossible to attain an open circuit voltage value which is large enough for a solar cell, and the short circuit current value is small. In addition, there is also a problem that the film quality is degraded and the electrical characteristics and the like are lowered with the elapse of time.
Further, depending on the conditions for forming a deposited film, the ratio of microcrystals in the deposited film is decreased and the amount of the amorphous component is increased relatively. Depending on the thickness of the deposited film, in the case of light irradiation for a long period of time, weak bonds of those bonds constituting a network are broken and the number of dangling bonds increases, which has an adverse effect on the characteristics. When such a deposited film is adopted as an i-type layer of a pin junction of a photoelectric conversion device such as a solar cell, depending on the layer structure of the solar cell, degradation of the characteristics due to photodegradation is increased. Although those characteristics change depending on the conditions for forming the deposited film, the correlation between the conditions for forming the deposited film and the above-mentioned characteristics is not necessarily clarified, and thus, it is difficult to form a deposited film containing microcrystals having the optimum characteristics required for a photovoltaic element such as a solar cell.
On the other hand, the degradation ratio of amorphous silicon is not necessarily fixed, and significant differences exist in the degradation ratio depending on the amorphous structure. Therefore, it is desirable to form amorphous silicon having a low photodegradation ratio with a high open circuit voltage maintained which is a characteristic of amorphous silicon. However, it is generally difficult to form such amorphous silicon.
Further, the number of parameters to be controlled when a deposited film is formed in order to solve the first and second problems is large, and it is extremely difficult to determine the optimum range in which the characteristics are more excellent. More specifically, in the case of a method of forming a deposited film by plasma CVD, when, for example, in a solar cell having a structure in which two layers of a pin structure are stacked, that is, a so-called double structure, in order to attain conversion efficiency of about 10%, there is a certain extent of latitude in the combination of the respective parameters. Therefore, even if the conditions for forming the deposited film are not necessarily the optimum conditions, passable characteristics to function as an element can be obtained. However, when improvement of the conventional characteristics is attempted, it is extremely difficult to specify the conditions for forming the deposited film.
As a third problem, in order to improve independence from an apparatus, it is necessary to find a relationship which can be used when diverting the optimum conditions for forming the deposited film determined with an experimental apparatus for another apparatus with ease.
Conditions for forming a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon or a deposited film substantially comprised of amorphous silicon include high frequency power, bias voltage, bias current, source gas flow rate, diluting gas flow rate, substrate temperature, pressure, and interelectrode distance. Because, generally, the conditions for forming a deposited film change much depending on the required characteristics of the deposited film, the structure of the deposited film forming apparatus, and the like, it is not easy to determine the optimum combination.
For example, in the case of a scale-up of the conditions for forming a deposited film determined with an experimental apparatus to those for a mass production apparatus, dimensions of the apparatus, such as the capacity of a space in which the deposited film is formed, the area of high frequency electrode, the position and the cross sectional area of an exhaust port, and the like are different. Therefore, if the conditions for forming the deposited film determined with the experimental apparatus are adopted as such for the mass production apparatus, although a certain extent of tendency or correlation can be grasped between the conditions for forming the deposited film and the characteristics of the deposited film, it is difficult to reproduce the characteristics as designed within a short period. More specifically, even if the conditions for forming a deposited film determined with the experimental apparatus are used as such, or after correction of the scale-up of the apparatus using a simple comparison expression, when a deposited film is actually formed with the mass production apparatus, the characteristics are not necessarily reproduced. As a result, it is necessary to determine again the optimum conditions using the mass production apparatus itself.

Method of forming deposited film and method of forming photovoltaic element


Example pedal detection devices for bicycles are described herein. An example a pedal detection device includes an electronics module to be disposed in a spindle of a crankset of the bicycle. The electronics module includes a sensor to detect angular velocity and/or position of the spindle, a driver, and an expander wedge movably coupled to the electronics module via the driver. Axial movement of the expander wedge relative to the electronics module causes the expander wedge to expand radially.

Pedal detection devices or cadence sensors are often used on bicycles to detect or measure pedal activity. These known devices or sensors are mounted externally on the crank, crank arm, and/or frame of the bicycle. The pedal activity information can be used to refine suspension settings and/or other parameters of the bicycle to improve rider comfort and/or performance.


The present invention reveals that biotin biosynthesis in a plant is enhanced when the level of one or more of the enzymes in the plant biotin biosynthetic pathway is increased. Based upon this revelation, methods that increase the level of one or more biotin biosynthetic enzymes in plant tissue are provided as a means for achieving enhanced levels of biotin in plant tissue. In particular, a method is provided for enhancing biotin levels by introducing into plant tissue a chimeric gene capable of expressing a biotin biosynthetic enzyme such as biotin synthase. Thus, transgenic plant tissue, including whole plants, having enhanced levels of biotin is likewise provided.

I. Biotin Biosynthesis
Biotin (vitamin H) is an essential nutrient for all living organisms (Eisenberg, M. A., Adv. Enzymol. 38: 317-372 (1973)). It is a basic component of cell metabolism that acts as a cofactor that binds covalently to carboxylases to facilitate the transfer of carboxyl groups during enzymatic carboxylation, decarboxylation and transcarboxylation reactions (Knowles, J. R., Ann. Rev. BioChem. 58: 195-221 (1989)). The chemical structure of the naturally occurring d-isomer of biotin is as follows: ##STR1##
Biotin biosynthesis has been extensively studied in microorganisms, primarily through the isolation and characterization of biotin auxotrophic mutants (Eisenberg, supra). Through this work, four enzymatic steps common to E. coli and other microorganisms for the biosynthesis of biotin from the precursor pimeloyl-CoA have been elucidated (Eisenberg, supra; Pai, C. H., Canad. J. Microbiol. 15: 21-26 (1969); del Campillo-Campbell et al., J. Bacteriol. 94: 2065-2066 (1967)). Analysis of two classes of E. coli mutants, those defective in either the bioC (SEQ ID NO:11) or the bioH gene, suggests that the products of these genes play a role in biotin synthesis, but at steps prior to pimeloyl-CoA. The final common steps of the biotin biosynthetic pathway are as follows: ##STR2##
The first step in this common biotin biosynthetic pathway is the synthesis of 7-keto-8aminopelargonic Acid (KAP) from pimeloyl-CoA and L-alanine. This step is catalyzed by an enzyme known as KAP synthetase, which is encoded by the bioF gene in E. coli (Eisenberg, supra). This gene is part of the E. coli biotin operon, which has been cloned and sequenced (Otsuka, A. J. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263: 19577-19585 (1988); Genbank accession no. J04423).
The second step in this common biotin biosynthetic pathway is the conversion of KAP into 7,8-Diaminopelargonic Acid (DAP). This step is catalyzed by an enzyme known as DAP aminotransferase, which is encoded by the bioA gene (Eisenberg and Stoner, in Methods in Enzomology 62: 342-347, ed. by McCormick and Wright, pub. by Acad. Press, NY (1979); Stoner and Eisenberg, J. Biol. Chem. 250: 4037-4043 (1975); Stoner and Eisenberg, J. Biol. Chem. 250: 4029-4036 (1975); Eisenberg, supra; Eisenberg and Stoner, J. Bacteriol. 108: 1135-1140 (1971); Pai, C. H., J. Bacteriol. 105: 793-800 (1971)). The bioA gene is also part of the E. coli biotin operon, which has been cloned and sequenced (Otsuka, A. J. et al., supra.; Genbank accession no. J04423).
The third step in this common biotin biosynthetic pathway is the conversion of DAP into desthiobiotin. This step is catalyzed by an enzyme known as desthiobiotin synthetase, which is encoded by the bioD gene (Eisenberg, M. A., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 447: 335-349 (1985); Cheeseman and Pai, J. Bacteriol. 104: 726-733 (1970); Eisenberg and Krell, J. Biol. Chem. 244: 5503-5509 (1969); Pai, C. H., J. Bacteriol. 99: 696-701 (1969)). The bioD gene is also part of the E. coli biotin operon, which has been cloned and sequenced (Otsuka, A. J. et al., supra.; Genbank accession no. J04423).
The final step in this common biotin biosynthetic pathway involves the addition of sulfur to desthiobiotin and subsequent ring closure to form biotin. These steps are catalyzed by an enzyme known as biotin synthase, which is encoded by the bioB gene (Eisenberg, M. A., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 447: 335-349 (1985); Pai, C. H., J. Bacteriol. 112: 1280-1287 (1972)).
The biotin biosynthetic pathway in plant cells has also been elucidated (Baldet, P. et al., Eur. J. BioChem 217: 479-485 (1993)). This pathway is very similar to the pathway common to all microorganisms, which is described above, with two additional steps. First, the pathway in plants includes the conversion of pimelic acid to pimeloyl-CoA. This step is catalyzed by an enzyme known as pimeloyl-CoA synthetase. This step may also occur in a number of microorganisms, although it may not be common to all (Gloeckler, R. et al., Gene 87: 63-70 (1990); Eisenberg, M., in "Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Cellular and Molecular Biology", pp. 544-550, ed. by Neidhardt, F. C. et al., pub. by Amer. Soc. Microbiol., NY (1987); Izumi, Y. et al., in Methods in Enzomology 62: 327-330, ed. by McCormick and Wright, pub. by Acad. Press, NY (1979); Izumi, Y. et al., BioChem. Biopys. Acta 264: 210-213 (1972)).
Secondly, the conversion of desthiobiotin to biotin involves the creation of an intermediate compound, 9-mercaptodethiobiotin (Baldet et al., supra). This intermediate may also occur in microorganisms, as conversion of desthiobiotin into biotin in these organisms is not completely understood and as this compound will support the growth of E. coli bioB mutants (Baldet et al, supra).
II. Biotin as a Nutrient
For higher eukaryotic organisms other than plants and some fungi, biotin is an essential vitamin that must be part of the diet. Biotin deficiencies in animals can have a number of adverse effects, including a reduction in growth rate, alopecia (hair loss), scaly dermatitis, and edema and erythema of the feet (Nutritional Reviews 48: 352-355 (1990); Kopinski, J. S. et al., J. Nutrition 62: 751-759 (1989); Poultry Science 67: 590-595 (1988); Marshall, M. W., Nutrition Today 22-23: 26-29 (1987)). In humans, biotin deficiency has also been associated with a number of genetic and acquired diseases (Marshall, M. W., supra).
In general, plant-based feeds do not contain enough biotin to serve as a sufficient dietary source of this vitamin. This is especially true for stockyard animals such as pigs and chickens (Frigg, M., Poultry Science 63: 750-753 (1983). Enhanced performance has been observed in a number of production animals following biotin supplementation of the normal diet (Kopinski, J. S. et al. British Journal of Nutrition 62:751-789)). As a result, additional biotin is incorporated as a feed supplement into the diet of many animals (Robel, E. J., poultry Science 70: 1716-1722 (1991)).
If biotin production in plants could be increased, the need for additional biotin in animal and human diets from sources other than plants could be reduced or eliminated. However, until the present invention, not enough was known about this pathway in plants, or its regulation, to achieve the objective of increasing biotin production in plants.
One approach for enhancing biotin production that might be considered would be to alter the levels of intermediates or enzymes in the biotin biosynthetic pathway. However, in light of what was previously known, this approach would not have been expected to work because metabolic pathways are typically tightly regulated so that metabolite synthesis remains stable despite fluctuations that may occur in the levels of available pathway intermediates and enzymes. Regulation of metabolite synthesis may involve a variety of mechanisms. Classic examples of mechanisms used to regulate metabolite synthesis in microorganisms include catabolite repression and enzyme induction (Dickson et al. Science 187:27-35 (1975)), feedback inhibition (Stryer, L., "BioChemistry", 2nd ed., pub. by W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, pp. 500-503 (1981)), attenuation (Wu, A. and Platt, T. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S. 75:5442 (1978)), and general control (M. Wolfner et al. J. Mol. Biol. 96:273-290)). Some or all of these mechanisms may also be involved in metabolic pathway regulation in plants. Because these pathways are typically tightly regulated through a variety of mechanisms, the effect that increasing the amount of any one enzyme in a pathway would have, if any, upon the final level of the end product (metabolite) synthesized could not ordinarily be predicted.

Transgenic plants having increased biotin content


A fast, open-loop amplifier for an electronic measuring system is formed by a folded, differential, open-loop amplifier. This amplifier includes a differential common-source portion, a current mirror portion and a load portion. The current mirror portion is connected between the differential common-source portion and the load portion. The load portion is connected to a common voltage supply portion. The fast, open-loop amplifier can include multiple stages, where each stage includes the folded, differential, open-loop amplifier. In this case, each stage can have its own common voltage supply portion. Alternatively, a single common voltage supply portion can be shared between the stages. All the transistors of the differential common source portion and the load portion have the same type of doping, while all the transistors of the current mirror are the same type of doping, but of a type which is different than that used in the differential common source amplifier portion and the load portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the structure and operation of a pre-amplifier for amplifying signals received from a transducer of an electronic measuring system. More particularly, this invention relates to the structure and operation of a fast response, open loop pre-amplifier.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic measuring systems, such as capacitive or inductive calipers, linear scales and the like, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,754, 4,878,013, 4,879,508 and 5,023,559, and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/441,769 filed May 16, 1995 (now U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/912,567, filed Aug. 18, 1997), herein incorporated by reference, are well known in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, the prior art measuring system 20 includes a microprocessor controller 22 which controls a ROM 28, an amplifier 40, a demodulator 50, an integrator 52 and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 54. An oscillator 26 is connected to the microprocessor controller 22 and a modulator 30. The ROM 28 outputs, for example, 8 bits of data to the modulator 30 based on the control signals received from the microprocessor controller 22.
The modulator 30 modulates the oscillator signal received from the oscillator 26 based on the data received from the ROM 28 and outputs the modulated oscillator signals to the measurement transducer 32.
The measurement transducer 32 can be any known type of electronic transducer, such as a relative position capacitive position encoder, an absolute position capacitive position encoder, a relative position inductive position encoder, an absolute position inductive position encoder, or the like. The modulated signals are input by the transducer 32. The transducer 32 further modulates those signals based on the relative or absolute position between a slide of the transducer and a scale of the transducer. The transducer thus outputs a signal which is indicative of the relative or absolute position of the slide on the scale. This signal is output to the amplifier 40.
The amplifier 40, based on control signals received from the microprocessor controller 22, amplifies the signal received from the transducer 32. The amplified signal is then output to the demodulator 50. The demodulator 50 may include a sample and hold circuit for sampling and holding the amplified signal from the amplifier 40 based on control signals received from the microprocessor controller 22. The demodulator 50 then demodulates the sampled signal based on control signals from the microprocessor controller 22. The demodulator 50 then outputs the demodulated signals to the integrator 52.
The integrator 52 integrates a number of signals received from the demodulator 50 based on control signals received from the microprocessor controller 22. The integrator 52 then outputs the integrated signal to the A/D converter 54. The A/D converter 54 then converts the analog integrated signal received from the integrator 52 to a digital signal based on control signals received from the microprocessor controller 22. The A/D converter 54 then outputs the digital signal to the microprocessor controller 22.
The microprocessor controller 22 then processes the digital signal received from the A/D converter 54 to determine the relative or absolute position of the slider of the transducer 32 to the scale of the transducer 32. The determined relative or absolute position is output to a display 24 to be viewed by an operator. Alternatively, the position signal output by the microprocessor controller 22 can be output to another controller, such as the controller of a numerically controlled machine tool, a computer or the like.
FIG. 2 shows a well known amplifier circuit for the amplifier 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the transducer signal input from the transducer 32 is connected to one plate of a capacitor 42. The other plate of the capacitor 42 is connected to the base of a PMOS transistor 44, the base of a NMOS transducer 46 and one pole of a switch 48. The transistors 44 and 46 are connected in series between a supply voltage V.sub.DD and ground. The output of the amplifier 40, which is connected to the input of the demodulator 50, is connected between the PMOS transistor 44 and the NMOS transistor 46. Furthermore, the other pole of the switch 48 is connected directly to the output of the amplifier 40. Thus, when the switch 48 is closed, the input to the amplifier 40 is connected directly to the output of the amplifier 40, resetting the amplifier 40, as described below.
In operation, when the transducer 32 outputs a voltage signal to the amplifier 40, the NMOS transistor 46 and the PMOS transistor 44 act in concert to amplify the input voltage signal input to the amplifier 40 to obtain the amplified output voltage signal from the amplifier 40. The gain in amplitude of the amplified output voltage signal output by the amplifier 40 is based on the transconductance g.sub.44 and the output conductance c.sub.44 of the PMOS transistor 44 and the transconductance g.sub.46 and the output conductance c.sub.46 of the NMOS transistor 46. In particular, the gain G provided by the amplifier 40 is EQU G=-(g.sub.44 +g.sub.46)/(c.sub.44 +c.sub.46).
The transconductances g.sub.44 and g.sub.46 are a function of the PMOS transconductance parameter K'.sub.P and the NMOS transconductance parameter K'.sub.N, respectively. The output conductances c.sub.44 and c.sub.46 are a function of the PMOS channel length modulation parameter .lambda..sub.P and the NMOS channel length modulation parameter .lambda..sub.N, respectively. Each of these parameters is process dependent, and will vary independently of the each other.
When the switch is closed, the output to the demodulator 50 stabilizes at the midpoint of the curve shown in FIG. 3. When the switch 48 is open, the amplifier 40 provides a very fast, high-gain amplification of the input signal received from the transducer 32.
However, due to the differing manufacturing processes required to form the PMOS transistor 44 and the NMOS transistor 46, the transconductance parameters K'.sub.P and K'.sub.N and the channel length modulation parameters .lambda..sub.P and .lambda..sub.N will vary uncontrollably. Thus, it is extremely difficult to match the transconductance g.sub.44 and the output conductance c.sub.44 of the PMOS transducer 44 and the transconductance g.sub.46 and the output conductance c.sub.46 of the NMOS transistor 46. Thus, the amount of amplification provided by the amplifier 40 will be difficult to predict by design. However, it is necessary for the amplifier to have a controlled, linear and predictable gain. Because the manufacturing processes which are used to form the PMOS transistor 44 and the NMOS transistor 46 are difficult to control, and the processes are different for each of the transistors 44 and 46, a predictable gain is thus impossible to obtain.
The transconductance g of a PMOS or NMOS transistor is a function of the transconductance parameter K', while the output conductance c of a PMOS or NMOS transistor is a function of the channel length modulation parameter .lambda.. However, the transconductance parameter K' and the channel length modulation parameter .lambda. of such MOS transistors can each vary by .+-.30% due to uncontrollable manufacturing process variations. Thus, a predictable transconductance g and a predictable output conductance c for such MOS transistors is difficult to obtain.
FIG. 4 shows another possible amplifier 40'. As shown in FIG. 4, the amplifier 40' is generally similar to the amplifier 40 shown in FIG. 3. However, in the amplifier 40' shown in FIG. 4, the gate of the PMOS transistor 44 is connected to the node between the transistors 44 and 46, rather than to the capacitor 42. In the amplifier 40' shown in FIG. 4, the gain G of the amplifier 40' is: EQU G=(-g.sub.44 /g.sub.46).sup.1/2
where g.sub.44 is the transconductance of the PMOS transducer 44, and g.sub.46 is the transconductance of the NMOS transistor 46. In general, the gain G of the amplifier 40' will also be highly dependent upon the process-dependent transconductance parameters K'.sub.P and K'.sub.N of the transistors 44 and 46, but not upon the channel length modulation parameters .lambda..sub.N and .lambda..sub.P. Therefore, the gain will be more predictable by design than in the previous amplifier 40. In order to achieve some amplification, the transconductance g.sub.46 of the NMOS transistor 46 will be very much larger than the transconductance g.sub.44 of the PMOS transistor 44.
Furthermore, in the amplifiers 40 and 40', the output will generally not be perfectly linear, as seen on the curve shown in FIG. 3. To compensate for this non-linearity, two amplifiers 40.sub.1 ' and 40.sub.2 ' can be combined and connected to the inverting and non-inverting inputs of an operational amplifier, as shown in the amplifier 40" of FIG. 5. In the amplifier 40", the transducer 32 must output two outputs, a positive signal IN+ and a negative signal IN-. Each of the positive and negative signals IN+ and IN- from the transducer 32 are input to one of a pair of capacitors 47. The positive and negative signals IN+ and IN- are then connected to the amplifiers 40.sub.1 ' and 40.sub.2 ', respectively, of the amplifier 40". The output of the first and second amplifiers 40.sub.1 ' and 40.sub.2 ' of the amplifier 40", shown at points A and B, respectively, are equal to: EQU V.sub.A =k(V.sub.IN+ /2+V.sub.CM) EQU V.sub.B =k(V.sub.IN- /2+V.sub.CM)
where V.sub.IN+ is the positive voltage output by the transducer 32, V.sub.IN- is the negative voltage output by the transducer 32, and V.sub.CM is the common mode voltage.
The amplifier 40" shown in FIG. 5 allows the non-linearities of the amplifiers 40.sub.1 ' and 40.sub.2 ' to self-compensate. However, the amplifier 40" introduces the common mode voltage V.sub.CM. The common mode voltage V.sub.CM arises because the positive voltage signal IN+ and the negative voltage signal IN- output by the transducer 32 cannot be fully isolated from each other. This arises due to the geometry of the transducer 32, noise in the electronic measuring system 20, noise picked up from the environment by the transducer 32, and cross-talk between the positive voltage signal IN+ and the negative voltage signal IN- within the transducer 32.
The common mode voltage V.sub.CM is undesirable because margin is lost due to saturation of the transistors. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when the common mode voltage V.sub.CM is not present, the original margin M.sub.O between the saturation voltage V.sub.S and the input voltage V.sub.IN /2 is significantly larger than the margin M.sub.CM available when the common mode voltage is present.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the common mode voltage V.sub.CM is present, the signals received from the transducer 32 are no longer in the linear operating range O of the amplifier 40". Thus, the common mode voltage V.sub.CM causes the amplifier 40" to lose linearity. Finally, the common mode voltage V.sub.CM can generate other circuit imbalances affecting the linearity and predictability of the gain from the amplifier 40".

Open loop pre-amplifier for an electronic measuring system


A football table for playing purpose includes: a bottom plate embedded in between a pair of end panels and a pair of side panels secured to the two end panels to form a football playing field generally rectangular shaped, having a plurality of packing sleeves transversely secured on a bottom surface of the bottom plate each packing sleeve engageably riding on a fastening bolt which is passed through the two side panels, and the packing sleeve for firmly fastening the two side panels with the bottom plate for quickly assembling a football table from its knockdown state.

A conventional football or soccer table as shown in FIG. 1 is constructed by a pair of end panels 1, a pair of side panels 2, and a bottom plate 3 to form a football field (on an upper portion of the table) for simulating a football game by striking a plurality of player rods P. However, a plurality of elongate ribs R should be fixed on the side panels 2 by screws, nails or rivets for supporting a plurality of beams B transversely secured on the ribs R for supporting the bottom plate 3 by engaging each beam B with the notches N recessed in the rib R, thereby causing a very inconvenient assembly job for storage or shipping. The assembled table, whenever shipped, will increase its handling or shipping cost due to its gigantic volume.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional football table by mounting angles A in between the longitudinal edge portions of the bottom plate 3 and the side panel 2 for fixing the bottom plate 3 between the two side panels 2, and by transversely reinforcing a plurality of bolts 4 for fastening the two side panels 2 with the bottom plate 3. By riveting, screwing or fastening the angles A onto the panel 2 and the bottom plate 3, it will consume longer time and require skilled labors or technicians to finish such an assembly job, thereby causing an inconvenient assembly and increasing the production cost for assembling the football table.

Quickly assembled knockdown football table

C/O Hung Hsing Patent Service Center, P.O. Box 55-1670


An infusion pump assembly includes a reservoir assembly configured to contain an infusible fluid. A motor assembly is configured to act upon the reservoir assembly and dispense at least a portion of the infusible fluid contained within the reservoir assembly. Processing logic is configured to control the motor assembly. A primary power supply is configured to provide primary electrical energy to at least a portion of the processing logic. A backup power supply is configured to provide backup electrical energy to the at least a portion of the processing logic in the event that the primary power supply fails to provide the primary electrical energy to the at least a portion of the processing logic.

An infusion pump assembly may be used to infuse a fluid (e.g., a medication or nutrient) into a user. The fluid may be infused intravenously (i.e., into a vein), subcutaneously (i.e., into the skin), arterially (i.e., into an artery), and epidurally (i.e., into the epidural space).
Infusion pump assemblies may administer fluids in ways that would be impractically expensive/unreliable if performed manually by nursing staff. For example, an infusion pump assembly may repeatedly administer small quantities of an infusible fluid (e.g., 0.1 mL per hour), while allowing the user to request one-time larger "bolus" doses.
Unfortunately, the failure of the power supply included within the infusion pump assembly may result in the infusion pump assembly ceasing to operate. Further, as the infusion pump assembly is no longer operating, the user may not be warned of the failure of the infusion pump assembly.

Infusion pump assembly with a backup power supply


Usually, the speed change control of the transmission is carried out in accordance with a real speed ratio “i” provided based on a primary pulley rotation speed “N1” and a secondary pulley rotation speed “N2”. While, when, at the time of stopping the vehicle, the real speed ratio fails to return to a value corresponding to the lowest speed position of the transmission, it is judged that there is a speed change failure. Upon this judgment, hydraulic pressures “p1” and “p2” for varying practical diameters of the primary and secondary pulleys are fixed to predetermined values “p1(old)” and “p2(old)” provided for such speed change failure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to belt type continuously variable transmissions of a wheeled motor vehicle, and more particularly to the belt type continuously variable transmissions of a type that comprises a primary pulley driven by an engine, a secondary pulley driven by the primary pulley through a belt, a primary pulley rotation speed sensor for detecting a rotation speed of the primary pulley, a secondary pulley rotation speed sensor for detecting a rotation speed of the secondary pulley, and a control system by which a target speed ratio (viz., a target value represented by dividing rotation speed (Np) of the primary pulley by that (Ns) of the secondary pulley) between the maximum speed ratio (viz., a low speed side speed ratio) and the minimum speed ratio (viz., a high speed side speed ratio) is calculated based on the detected rotation speeds of the primary and secondary pulleys and by which primary and secondary pulley pressures operatively applied to the respective primary and secondary pulleys are so controlled as to put a real speed ratio actually taken by the transmission into agreement with the calculated target speed ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, the belt type continuously variable transmissions are of a type that can continuously vary a speed ratio that is the ratio between a rotation speed of the primary pulley and that of the secondary pulley. More specifically, the speed ratio is a value represented by dividing the rotation speed (Np) of the primary pulley by that (Ns) of the secondary pulley. Usually, a control system is associated with the transmission so that the speed ratio is continuously varied in accordance with an operation condition of an associated motor vehicle.
As is described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Tokkaihei) 9-203459, for sensing the operation condition of the transmission, the rotation speeds of the primary and secondary pulleys are detected and, a target speed ratio of the transmission is calculated based on the detected rotation speeds of the primary and secondary pulleys and other information on the operation condition and, primary and secondary pulley pressures operatively applied to the primary and secondary pulleys are so controlled as to put a real speed ratio actually taken by the transmission into agreement with the calculated target speed ratio.
As is known, the rotation speed sensors for the primary and secondary pulleys can not detect a rotation speed that is lower than a predetermined level. For dealing with this undesirable fact, a technique has been employed wherein the target speed ratio is so set as to return the real speed ratio to the minimum speed ratio (viz., the ratio corresponding to the lowest speed position of the transmission) prior to the time when the rotation speed is no longer detected by the rotation speed sensor, and at the same time, the primary pulley pressure and the secondary pulley pressure are controlled in such a manner that the real speed ratio takes the target value while avoiding undesired slippage of the belt to the primary and secondary pulleys.
However, as is known, the speed ratio control has a limit in suppressing the slippage of the belt. Thus, for example, in case wherein the vehicle is forced to stop in a short time with a rapid deceleration, it tends to occur that the real speed ratio fails to return to the minimum speed ratio until the time when the rotation speed sensor can no longer detect the rotation speed. In this case, it is unclear whether the real speed ratio has returned to the minimum speed ratio or not, which tends to bring about a so-called speed change failure.
If the speed change control is continuously carried out even after the rotation speed sensor fails to detect the rotation speed, undesired belt slippage tends to occur because the speed change condition is not detected even if the change speed shows an excessive value. Furthermore, upon restarting of the vehicle, the undesired belt slippage tends to occur because of failure of detecting the real speed ratio. Furthermore, even if the speed change control is put off or delayed until the time when the rotation speed sensor begins to detect the rotation speed of the pulley, application of an excessive torque tends to induce the undesired belt slippage.

Belt type continuously variable transmission


A unitary flexible substrate has three planar areas with components and conductors carried thereon. The substrate is folded to provide a subassembly with a compact packaging factor such that each planar area is in a different parallel plane. Two conductor-carrying projections of the substrate extend from different end portions of the substrate to free distal ends of the projections which are positioned adjacent to each other. The projection conductors, at the projection distal ends, are soldered to each other to provide a more direct, low resistance electrical connection between conductors on the substrate end portions. Heat sink rigidizer plates are attached to each of the three planar substrate portions. One rigidizer plate is thermally and planarly coupled to a metal heat sink cover of a protective housing for the folded subassembly. The other rigidizer plates are planarly bonded to each other to form a unitary support structure for two of the planar substrate portions.

The present invention is related to the field of electronic assemblies, and more particularly to such assemblies which utilize flexible printed circuit wiring.
Some prior electronic assemblies use flexible printed wiring as a substrate since it can provide pre-existing flexible interconnections between various non-coplanar portions of a substrate having conductors and components thereon. Some such prior assemblies have utilized an integral flexible substrate having conductors thereon to interconnect three or more different planar portions of the substrate oriented in different planes. Each planar portion can carry a plurality of components. This technique greatly simplifies making interconnections between various portions of the assembly. However, in some situations, an extremely long conductor is required to directly connect a component at one end of the flexible substrate to a component at a distant end of the flexible substrate. If this long conductor is required to have a large current-carrying capacity or a very low resistance, such as the conductor corresponding to a power or ground connection, this complicates the layout of the flexible printed circuit since the long conductor will now have to be relatively wide and still traverse a relatively long distance. This is not desirable since it forces a compromise between efficient circuit layout (space utilization) and the electrical resistance of and/or current-carrying capacity of the desired connection.
In addition to the above-noted disadvantage of prior flexible substrate electronic assemblies, such assemblies typically encounter power dissipation problems for the electronic components mounted thereon by providing insufficient heat sinking configurations for such assemblies while also providing a compact packaging factor. Some prior assemblies heat sink flex circuit boards to a housing. However, such assemblies generally compromise providing optimum heat sinking with providing a compact packaging configuration.


In an image forming method in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a rotating image carrier, the electrostatic latent image is developed by toner particles, to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier, the toner image is transferred to a recording medium, and toner particles or the like remaining on the surface of the image carrier are removed by a cleaning blade, inorganic fine particles having a BET specific surface area from 30 to 300 m.sup.2 /g stay in a portion on the upstream side of a portion where the cleaning blade is in contact with the surface of the image carrier in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, and the length of the portion where the inorganic fine particles stay on the upstream side of the contact portion in the direction of rotation of the image carrier is in the range of 5 to 50 .mu.m.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image forming method in an image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, and more particularly, to an image forming method in which a toner image formed on the surface of an image carrier is transferred to a recording medium, after which residues such as toner particles remaining on the surface of the image carrier can be stably cleaned by a cleaning blade composed of an elastic member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally in forming images in an image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, an image carrier 1 in a cylindrical shape is rotated, to charge the surface of the image carrier 1 by a charger 2, after which an electrostatic latent image is formed on the image carrier 1 by suitable exposing means (not shown), toner particles 4 in a developing agent are supplied to the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier 1 from a developing device 3, to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier 1, the toner image is transferred to a recording medium 6 such as paper by a transferring and separating charger 5, and the recording medium 6 is separated from the image carrier 1, as shown in FIG. 1.
The recording medium 6 is introduced into a fixing roller 7, and the toner image transferred in the above-mentioned manner is fixed to the recording medium 6 by the fixing roller 7, while residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 after the transfer are removed from the surface of the image carrier 1 by a cleaning device 8, after which a potential remaining on the image carrier 1 is discharged by a discharger (not shown).
As the cleaning device 8 for removing the residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 after the transfer in the above-mentioned manner, various devices such as a device using a cleaning brush are employed. A device so adapted that a cleaning blade 8a composed of an elastic member is used, an end of the cleaning blade 8a is caused to abut against the surface of the image carrier 1, and the residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 are removed by the cleaning blade 8a, as shown in FIG. 1, is frequently employed in that it is low in cost and is simple in construction.
On the other hand, in recent years, toner particles having small particle diameters have been used as the toner particles 4 in order to reproduce precise images in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus.
If the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are used, however, in removing the residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 from the surface of the image carrier 1 by the cleaning blade 8a, the toner particles 4 slip between the image carrier 1 and the cleaning blade 8a. Therefore, the toner particles 4 are liable to be insufficiently removed from the surface of the image carrier 1, whereby noise is produced in formed images.
Specifically, in a case where the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are produced by the kneading and pulverizing method conventionally commonly used, even if the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are classified by an air classifier or the like, fine powder included in the toner particles 4 is not sufficiently removed. When the fine powder, together with the toner particles 4, is supplied to the surface of the image carrier 1, therefore, the fine powder is not removed from the surface of the image carrier 1 by the cleaning blade 8a, to pass between the cleaning blade 8a and the image carrier 1. At the time of the passage, the fine powder adheres to the surface of the image carrier 1, whereby noise is produced in formed images.
On the other hand, in a case where the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are produced by the wet granulating method such as the suspension polymerization method or the emulsion dispersion method, the particle diameters of the toner particles 4 thus obtained are distributed in a narrow range and are relatively uniform. The shapes of the toner particles 4 are approximately spherical. When the end of the cleaning blade 8a is pressed against the surface of the image carrier 1, to remove the residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 as mentioned above, the toner particles 4 whose shapes are approximately spherical slip between the image carrier 1 and the cleaning blade 8a. Therefore, the toner particles 4 are not sufficiently removed from the surface of the image carrier 1, whereby noise is produced in formed images.
Furthermore, in a case where the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are agitated with magnetic carriers, to frictionally charge the toner particles 4, the rising of the charging of the toner particles 4 is degraded if the magnetic carriers are conventionally commonly used. Therefore, magnetic carriers having small particle diameters have been used as the magnetic carriers.
When the magnetic carriers having small particle diameters are used, however, the carriers are liable to adhere to the image carrier 1. If the magnetic carriers adhering on the surface of the image carrier 1 are not sufficiently removed by the cleaning blade 8a, the surface of the image carrier 1 is damaged by the carriers, and the carriers are embedded in the surface of the image carrier 1, whereby noise is produced in formed images.
When binder-type carriers including magnetic powder in binder resin are used as the above-mentioned magnetic careers, the binder-type carriers are generally produced by the kneading and pulverizing method. At the time of the pulverization, therefore, the magnetic powder is liberated, and the magnetic powder thus liberated is included in the carriers. The liberated magnetic powder adheres to the surface of the image carrier 1, and is embedded in the surface of the image carrier 1 without being sufficiently removed by the cleaning blade 8a, whereby noise is produced in formed images.
In recent years, in order to miniaturize the above-mentioned image forming apparatus and increase the speed thereof, an image carrier having a small diameter has been used as the above-mentioned image carrier 1, and the image carrier 1 is rotated at high speed, to form images.
When the cleaning blade 8a is pressed against the surface of the image carrier 1 having a small diameter which is thus rotated at high speed, to remove the residues such as the toner particles 4 remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1, the cleaning capability is further degraded, whereby the toner particles 4 are often insufficiently removed from the surface of the image carrier 1. Consequently, much noise or the like is produced in formed images, so that good images are not obtained.
Furthermore, in recent years, in transferring the toner image to the recording medium 6 and then fixing the toner image on the recording medium 6 by the fixing roller 7, a small-sized fixing roller has been used as the fixing roller 7, and temperatures at the time of fixing in the fixing roller 7 have been lowered in order to miniaturize the image forming apparatus and achieve energy saving as well as shorten warm-up time.
When the toner particles 4 transferred to the recording medium 6 are thus fixed to the small-sized fixing roller 7 at low temperatures, the nip width in the fixing roller 7 is small, and the fixing is performed at low temperatures, whereby superior fixing properties at low temperatures are required for the toner particles 4. At the beginning of heating of the fixing roller 7, the fixing roller 7 may, in some cases, be temporarily heated to high temperatures of 200.degree. C. or more. Therefore, superior offset resistance to high temperatures is also required for the toner particles 4, and offset resistance in a low-temperature region and a high-temperature region is required.
In the toner particles 4 fixed at low temperatures as mentioned above, therefore, an anti-offset material for preventing offset in the low-temperature region and an anti-offset material for preventing offset in the high temperature region are contained.
Each of the anti-offset materials included in the toner particles 4 does not generally have compatibility with the binder resin used for the toner particles 4, and exists in a state where it is dispersed in a particle shape in the binder resin.
When the toner particles 4 containing each of the anti-offset materials are produced, therefore, the anti-offset material may, in some cases, exist as liberated fine powder in the toner particles 4. For example, when the toner particles 4 are produced by the kneading and pulverizing method conventionally commonly used, each of the anti-offset materials exists as liberated fine powder in the toner particles 4. When the toner particles 4 having small particle diameters are used in order to form precise images as mentioned above, the fine powder of the anti-offset material cannot be sufficiently removed by classification, for example, whereby much fine powder of the anti-offset material exists in the toner particles 4.
In a case where development is performed using the toner particles 4 in which the fine powder of the anti-offset material exists, when the fine powder of the anti-offset material, together with the toner particles 4, is supplied to the image carrier 1, the fine powder of the anti-offset material is not sufficiently removed from the surface of the image carrier 1 by the cleaning blade 8a to pass through the cleaning blade 8a. At the time of the passage, the fine powder of the anti-offset material is film-formed on the surface of the image carrier 1, whereby the chargeability of the image carrier 1 in this portion is degraded. Consequently, noise is produced in formed images.

Image forming method in an image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic system


A silver halide color photographic material containing one or more imidazotriazole cyan couplers each having an electron attracting group with a .sigma.p of 0.35 or more in at least one layer on the support. The material provides a cyan color image having a sharp light absorption characteristic absorbing light having a relatively long wavelength falling within a narrow wavelength range. The imidazotriazole cyan coupler is of the following structural formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; R.sub.2 represents an electron attracting group having a Hammett's constant value .sigma.p of 0.35 or ore; X represents a hydrogen atom or a group released by coupling with an oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent; and R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 may also be a divalent group forming a dimer or higher polymer, or they each may be bonded to a polymer chain to form a homopolymer or copolymer.

Formation of indophenol, indaniline, indamine, azomethine, phenoxazine, phenazine and like dyes by reaction of the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent formed by oxidation with an oxidizing agent of exposed silver halide and a coupler to provide color dyes is well known in color photography. In a photographic system of this kind, the subtractive color process is employed in which color images are formed from yellow, magenta and cyan dyes.
Of them, phenol or naphthol couplers are generally used for forming cyan color images. However, since the couplers have an unfavorable absorption in the green color range, severe problems in terms of a noticeable reduction in color reproducibility occur. Therefore, the solution of the problem is desired.
Recently, various cyan couplers of heterocyclic compounds have been proposed, in addition to phenol and naphthol couplers. Above all, imidazotriazole couplers as described in Research Disclosure, No. 16216 (1977) are typical examples. ##STR2## However, the dyes formed from the couplers described therein have a wavelength range of from 576 to 612 nm, and the wavelength is short. Further, these dyes have a broad half-value width.

Silver halide color photographic material containing an imidazotriazole cyan coupler


Apparatus and methods for applying heated sealants, such as molten polymeric material, to surfaces such as for filling cracks in pavement surfaces. Aspects of the invention include block cutting assembly, heated dispensing hose, and crack filling applicator head. By way of example, the block cutting assembly comprises a ram device for driving sealant blocks against a heated cutting member which severs the blocks to speed liquefaction within the heated sealant chamber. An associated enclosure incorporates a loading door preferably configured for operation in response to the position of the ram device. The heated dispensing hose may comprise a heating element running through the interior of the hose to heat sealants as they pass through the hose. The crack filling applicator head comprises a dispensing tube upon which a sealing chamber is coupled for retaining a quantity of liquid sealant proximal to the pavement surface being filled.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to roadway repair, and more particularly to an apparatus for applying hot sealants to cracks or similar areas to be filled upon a surface, such as a paved roadway surface.
2. Description of the Background Art
It will be appreciated that an unfilled crack in a paved roadway is subject to expansion from various sources, such as from ice formation, and that cracked surfaces can be subject to erosion. By filling cracks and similar voids in pavement surfaces, the longevity of the surface can be greatly increased. Typically these cracks, and similar small voids, are filled during pavement maintenance operations by melting a polymeric sealer and introducing a sufficient quantity of the sealer into the crack to completely fill it and seal it from the environment.
Hot sealants are often applied using a portable sealant melter that melts blocks of solid sealant material into a liquid state. The molten sealant is then retained in a sealant reservoir generally having a capacity of from about two hundred to about four hundred gallons, and is typically held at a temperature of over 300° F. for application. The sealant material is usually purchased in solid blocks that weight approximately twenty to fifty pounds.
Currently, the process of sealing cracks, such as in pavement, is subject to a number of drawbacks and inefficiencies that slow the work and increase the associated cost. In typical sealing applications, the sealant is dispensed from the sealant melter, into which blocks of solid sealant must be periodically added to maintain the reservoir of molten sealant at a desired level. Newly added blocks of sealant liquefy slowly, thereby constraining the rate at which the liquid sealant may be dispensed from the sealant melter system at the desired temperature. Due to the slow speed with which sealants are often applied manually, the slow rate of liquefaction generally does not pose a significant detractor of current sealant melting operations.
However, as sealant application becomes increasingly subject to automation, the slow rate at which solid blocks of sealant are liquefied can limit the speed of sealant application and associated operations.
One known approach to increasing the rate by which solid blocks are liquefied within a sealant melter is to route a series of large pipes, approximately two to three inches in diameter, over the heated sealant chamber opening and pass a heated oil through the pipes. The blocks of solid sealant material are placed over the pipes and required to melt under gravity feed in response to the heat in the pipes before entering the melting chamber. A number of minutes may pass before the block is melted and pieces of the block fall into the melter reservoir. Furthermore, the large pipe diameter, which is necessitated to provide sufficient rigidity, slows the transition of the material into the sealant reservoir, as a substantial portion of the block must be melted away prior to entry into the sealant reservoir. As a result, such "automated" systems are limited in their ability to rapidly melt sealant to a desired benchmark that the sealant blocks be divided within less than a minute to speed melting within the sealant chamber.
Additional drawbacks exist with regard to equipment used to dispense melted sealants. Typically, the heated sealants are dispensed from a heated chamber to an applicator head which then directs the liquid sealant into the pavement crack. Prior to reaching the applicator head, the heated sealant passes through a hose to reach the applicator. However, as the sealant flows through conventional hoses, heat is lost. As a result, sealant viscosity increases which can prevent proper application of the material, and in some cases lead to clogging within the hose. Furthermore, as a consequence of using an unheated hose, the viscosity of the liquid sealant during application is variable and depends on the rate at which the material is being applied, with longer delays during application leading to further cooling of the heated sealant in the hose. It should also be readily appreciated that stopping fluid flow through the hose for an extended period of time, such as thirty minutes, can allow the sealant to solidify in the hose and applicator head, requiring expensive servicing of the equipment.
Insulated and/or heated hoses have been created to remedy the situation and maintain a high liquid sealant temperature as it traverses the hose. These heated hoses generally rely on passing a heated fluid, such as an oil, through passageways within hoses joined to the exterior of the liquid sealant conveyance hose. This method of externally heating the sealant carrying hose so as to heat the contents therein has a number of drawbacks. First, the hose itself is subjected to temperatures from the heater that are substantially in excess of the desired sealant temperature in order to achieve a desired temperature within the faster flowing central portion of the hose passageway. It should be noted that the heat from the heated fluid is insulated from the sealant material being heated by the walls of the heated fluid hose and the walls of the sealant hose. Additionally, the common use of hoses with a circular cross section limits the heat conductive interface available between the heater hose(s) and the sealant hose. However, the incorporation of non-circular hoses leads to increased fabrication and maintenance costs. Secondly, the heating element must encircle the exterior of the hose to provide even heating of the flowing material. Thirdly, layers of insulation must be built up surrounding the combination of heating hose(s) and sealant hose to reduce the burn hazard posed to operators and to reduce heat losses. In view of the preceding discussion, it is not surprising that the resultant sealant hose has limited flexibility, is burdensome to maintain, and is prone to cracking along with similar leakage inducing conditions. Therefore, although current heated hoses provide a number of benefits they are also expensive, heavy, inflexible, prone to leakage, and are a burden to maintain.
Additional problems arise further downstream of the sealant hose during the application of sealants to cracks in pavement surfaces. Traditional sealant applicator heads, which receive liquid sealants through the sealant hose, rely on dispensing a flow of sealant over a crack to fill the crack under the effect of gravity and therein seal the crack. That approach, however, is subject to a number of detractors that limit application speed along with the benefits and longevity of sealing the crack. It should be recognized that cracks generally do not follow regular straight paths and that they vary in width and depth along the span of a given crack. Since the volume of the crack ultimately depends on crack width and depth, the amount of sealant required to fill the crack varies along the crack span. When manually applying sealants, the varying crack volume is accommodated by adjusting the speed of application or the rate at which sealant is dispensed so that an appropriate amount of sealant is applied. However, modulating sealant application speed is inefficient and not always practical. This is particularly true regarding systems which automatically dispense the heated sealant, in that the crack must be monitored as it is being filled while applicator motion must vary in response to crack capacity. Another approach is to match the sealant dispensing dynamics, such as flow rate, to the characteristics of the crack. However, this is difficult to achieve and, due to the delays involved, can lead to underflow or overflow of the sealant which can be considered a miss-fill of the crack. In addition, with either of these approaches, the sealant is only "drizzled" into the crack. As a result, the sealant generally does not seat deeply into the crack, thereby allowing water to enter the crack and further reduce the security of sealant retention while substantially reducing the effectiveness of the sealant patch.
Therefore, a need exists for advanced sealant delivery methods and devices that provide more efficient sealant delivery for filling of pavement cracks. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies of previously developed pavement crack sealing devices and methods.

Apparatus for dispensing pavement sealants

The Regents of the University of California


A motor includes a plurality of ends, including a first end and an opposing second end, an outer surface of the magnetic carrier extends between the ends, and a plurality of magnetic poles including a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole, the plurality of magnetic poles disposed on the magnet carrier, extending between the ends, and being adjacent on the outer surface of the magnet carrier, wherein each of the plurality of poles comprising an array of magnets, each magnet in the array of magnets being a permanent magnet, each array of magnets comprising a plurality of magnets including a first magnet and a second magnet, the plurality of magnets differing from each other in one or more of material and magnetic field strength (MGOe), wherein the first plurality of magnets and the second plurality of magnets are adjacently disposed within the array of magnets.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of permanent magnet (PM) machines and more specifically PM machines having a rotor poles comprising an array of permanent magnets.
Permanent magnet (PM) machines may consist of one type of permanent magnet located around a circumference of a rotor to constitute magnetic poles. The magnets may be located on the surface of the rotor or be embedded inside the rotor. The poles may consist of a single piece magnet or be segmented radially and/or axially for loss reduction, manufacturability, reduced cost, etc.

Permanent magnet (PM) machine having rotor poles with an array of permanent magnets


In one embodiment, a control circuit for a series resonant switching power supply control system is configured to disable a power switch of secondary side of the system in response to a polarity reversal of the voltage across a primary side winding of the system.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics, and more particularly, to methods of forming semiconductor devices and structure.
In the past, various methods and structures were utilized to produce resonant switching power supply converter systems. The resonant switching power supply converter system generally used an isolation transformer that included primary and secondary windings. A capacitor was connected in series with the primary winding so that the capacitance and the inductance of the inductor formed a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency. The isolation transformer was formed so that there was a loose inductive coupling between the primary and secondary windings which resulted in a low coupling coefficient between the primary and secondary windings. This loose inductive coupling formed a parasitic inductor in series with the primary winding inductance which was often referred to as a leakage inductance that represented the coupling between the secondary and primary windings. A rectifier diode, such as a Schottky diode, usually was coupled in series with the secondary winding in order to form an output voltage from the currents induced into the secondary winding.
In some embodiments, a synchronous rectifier transistor was coupled in parallel with the rectifier diode in order to increase the efficiency of the power supply system. The synchronous rectifier transistor usually was controlled responsively to the current through the rectifier diode that was in the secondary. A secondary side control circuit usually was configured to control the synchronous rectifier. These secondary side control circuit usually were designed to turn the synchronous rectifier on when the secondary current increased to a value that was just above zero and was designed to turn the synchronous rectifier off when the current through the rectifier diode decreased to a value that was zero. One problem with such configurations was that the efficiency of the series resonant switching power supply system decreased as the switching frequency of the transistors on the primary side increased to a value that was equal to or greater than the resonant frequency formed by the capacitor and the leakage inductance of the transformer. This type of operation also increased electromagnetic interference.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a series resonant switching power supply system that can operate near above the Series resonant frequency with a high efficiency and with a low electromagnetic inference.
For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. As used herein current carrying electrode means an element of a device that carries current through the device such as a source or a drain of an MOS transistor or an emitter or a collector of a bipolar transistor or a cathode or anode of a diode, and a control electrode means an element of the device that controls current through the device such as a gate of an MOS transistor or a base of a bipolar transistor. Although the devices are explained herein as certain N-channel or P-Channel devices, or certain N-type or P-type doped regions, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that complementary devices are also possible in accordance with the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the words during, while, and when as used herein relating to circuit operation are not exact terms that mean an action takes place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but reasonable delay, such as a propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action. The use of the word approximately or substantially means that a value of an element has a parameter that is expected to be very close to a stated value or position. However, as is well known in the art there are always minor variances that prevent the values or positions from being exactly as stated. It is well established in the art that variances of up to at least ten per cent (10%) (and up to twenty per cent (20%) for semiconductor doping concentrations) are reasonable variances from the ideal goal of exactly as described.

Method of forming a series resonant switching power supply control circuit and structure therefor

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC