A medical system includes: an image signal acquiring portion for acquiring a signal to generate an image corresponding to a picture of a subject; an image generating portion for generating a real-time image of an inside of the test subject based on the acquired signal; a detecting portion for outputting a position and an orientation of an image position and orientation detecting element as a detection value; a reference image data storage portion for storing reference image data made up of anatomical images of the test subject; a guide image generating portion for generating a guide image to provide guide information about at least one of an anatomical position and orientation within the test subject of the real-time image, based on the detection value and the reference image data; and a detection state notification information generating portion for generating information to notify a detection state of the detection value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical system and a method for generating a medical guide image, and in particular to a medical system capable of acquiring information relating to an anatomical position and/or orientation of a medical image and the medical guide image generating method used in the medical system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Body cavity probes such as endoscopes capable of acquiring optical images of a test subject and ultrasound endoscopes capable of acquiring a tomographic image of the test subject are configured to allow insertion into body cavities such as the alimentary tract, the bronchia, the pancreas and bile ducts and blood vessels. Conventionally, such endoscopes have been widely used in the observation of the body cavities, diagnosis of disease, and the like.
When it is difficult to deliver the body cavity probe to a desired site in the body cavity using only the information contained in the optical image and the tomographic image, a guide image is sometimes used to allow the distal end portion of the body cavity probe to be guided easily to the desired site.
Guide images are also used as means to help an operator estimate an anatomical position of an ultrasound tomographic image obtained by the ultrasound endoscope or an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which forms ultrasound tomographic images by passing an ultrasound probe over the body surface.
An example of apparatus including a function for generating a guide image of the above-described type is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-149481.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-149481 describes an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus capable of generating a guide image for showing an anatomical position and/or orientation in an ultrasound tomographic image based on the ultrasound tomographic image and reference images stored in advance as anatomical image data.

Medical system and method for generating medical guide image


The present invention discloses a plenum module with compartmentalized interior that is subdivided, and partitioned into separate chambers by a set of wall panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plenums and, more particularly, to an integrated self-contained plenum module used for zoning or economizer systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional plenums for control of flow of air are well known and have been in use for a number of years. A conventional zoning or economizer plenum is generally used for zoning and or recycling of return air control and is comprised of an empty rectangular or cube box with a single ingress hole for flow of air into the plenum and two or more egress holes with corresponding number of associated dampers that enable control of flow of air out of the respective egress holes of plenum. Regrettably, most conventional plenums are complicated and in particular, use complex damper system for control of the flow of air.
Accordingly, in light of the current state of the art and the drawbacks to current conventional zoning or return air systems, a need exists for a plenum that would be simple to manufacture, install, and use for a decentralized, granulated flow control, thereby substantially reducing material, cost, and labor for zoning or economizer systems.


A molding material for package includes a matte-coating layer having excellent formability, chemical resistance, solvent resistance, electrolytic solution resistance and printing property. The molding material for package includes an outer base material layer including a heat-resistant resin; an inner sealant layer including a thermoplastic resin; a metal foil layer disposed between the outer base material layer and the inner sealant layer; and a matte-coating layer formed on a side opposite to the metal foil layer of the outer base material layer, wherein the matte-coating layer is a multilayer including a bottom layer including a resin composition including a main agent resin including a phenoxy resin and a urethane resin, a curing agent, and solid fine particles; and an upper layer including a resin composition including a fluorine-containing resin.

As the molding material for package, package materials are known that are obtained by placing a metal foil layer, which is a barrier layer between an outer layer comprising a heat-resistant resin and an inner layer comprising a thermoplastic resin, and integrally laminating them (see Patent Documents 1 to 5).
In a package material described in Patent Document 2 and 3, the outer layer is subjected to a matting treatment or a matte-coating layer is provided on the outer layer to improve formability and durability. They also describe that an appearance quality of the package material is improved and the adhesion between the package materials is prevented to make the handling easier by the formation of the matte-coating layer.
Patent Document 4 describes that the matte-coating layer exhibits a delustering effect and decreases defective formation in a forming step, a sliding property can be controlled by controlling the amount of a lubricant added, and the delustering effect can be controlled by controlling the particle size and the addition amount of a matting agent.
Patent Document 5 describes that an epoxy resin is used for the matte-coating layer to prevent whitening of a base material layer and occurrence of poor appearance due to resin cracks during the formation.
The matte-coating layer comprises a resin composition in which solid fine particles are dispersed in a resin, and the resin may include an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, an alkyd resin, a fluorine-containing resin, and the like, and the solid fine particles may include silica, kaolin, and the like.


An electronic device (100) includes a network interface controller (102) and an input/output controller (110, 202) having a link layer. A portion of the input/output controller is configured to be powered off during a lower power mode of the electronic device, where the first portion contains the link layer. Wakeup logic (108) separate from the input/output controller receives a wake indication from the network interface controller in response to the physical layer receiving a wake message on the network while the electronic device is in the lower power mode. The wakeup logic activates an indication to awaken the electronic device from the lower power mode in response to the wake indication from the network interface controller.

Electronic devices, such as computers, electronic appliances, gaming modules, personal digital assistants, and so forth, have various internal electronic components. When an electronic device is idle, it is desirable to place the electronic device into a lower power mode by powering off certain internal electronic components to reduce power consumption. When activity resumes, the electronic device is awakened from its lower power mode.

Providing wakeup logic to awaken an electronic device from a lower power mode

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A pinch grip type bottle-shaped container (10) has opposed finger-receiving recesses (11) at sidewall regions of a container main body part, respectively, to thereby form a grip part (G) of the container (10), by the entire region including the recesses and a back surface region of the body part between the recesses. The container according to the invention is provided, at bottom surfaces of the recesses that can be touched and held (11), with multiple projections (14) projecting inwardly or outwardly of the container, thereby improving mold-releasability after the molding process.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a bottle-shaped container, i.e., a so-called pinch grip type bottle-shaped container wherein the body part of the container main body is dividedly formed with finger-receiving recesses that can be used as a grip part for gripping the container.
2. Related Art
Synthetic resin containers as represented by PET bottles are light in weight, easy to handle, and have transparency to exhibit a refined appearances comparable to glass containers, besides that they can be manufactured at low cost. Thus, such containers are widely used as containers for filling therein foods, beverages, cosmetics, medicines or the like.
There is a recent tendency to demand for reduction of the resin amount to be used per one container, from the standpoint of effective utilization of resources and reduction in amount of wastes. To cope with such a demand, there are used pinch grip type bottle-shaped containers wherein the body part of the container itself is gripped for pouring the contents. Particularly, pinch grip type bottle-shaped containers have been widely used in case of large-sized containers with a filling volume of 2.7 liters or more for containing therein Japanese "sake", soy sauce, edible oil, Japanese "shochu" (distilled spirit), and whisky.
It is conventional practice to mold a bottle-shaped container made of synthetic resin, by blow molding process, and particularly by biaxial-stretching blow molding process. However, in the case of a pinch grip type bottle-shaped container, the container is provided, at its sidewall regions of the container main body part, with opposed recesses that can be touched and held by fingers or fingertips for enabling users to readily grip the body part of the container. As such, there are instances wherein the container after the molding process cannot be readily released from the mold such recesses. Therefore, it would be desirable to further improve the pinch grip type bottle-shaped containers such that they can be manufactured with higher productivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and device for regulating and/or controlling a glass forming machine is described. A central controller transmits parameterization data and/or synchronization data and/or motion information and/or motion path information using at least one integrated bus system. The central controller also permits centralized management of the cams of the glass forming machine.

The present invention relates, in general, to a device and a method for controlling a glass forming machine.
A glass for machine can be used to automatically form glass containers during glass fabrication. One type of glass forming machine is referred to as Individual Section Machine (IS-Machine). An exemplary machine of this type includes, for example, the following sections:                a globule feeder with a plunger,        a shear,        a globule distributor, and        individual sections for forming the glass.
The globule feeder and/or the shear can also be associated with a feed unit for the IS-machine.
A controller is employed to control the shear and/or the synchronization with the globule feeder or the globule distributor. The sections of the IS machine are controlled by a controller that is separate from the feed unit. The control of a conventional IS machine includes various control components, with each component typically including at least one processor for the corresponding control functions. In addition, each sector can be associated with one processor. The control functionality has to be able to manage a complex program flow with complex timing of all components of the IS machine. To manage the complex program flow, a plurality of interconnected computer units having, for example, individual processors and linked by a clock signal are conventionally used. The clock signal, i.e., the clock pulses, are typically generated by the globule feeder. The clock signal is transmitted to the controller(s) of the sections as a binary machine clock signal, for example, in the form of a voltage edge that either rises or falls, e.g., from 0 V to 24 V, or from 0 V to 12 V, or vice versa.
Accordingly, in conventional machines, complex and expensive special multi-processor solutions are required for controlling a cam control device of the complexity found in a glass forming machine. Each section has its own cam functionality. The special multi-processor solutions for controlling an IS glass forming machine, in the following referred to simply as glass forming machine, typically include a main processor and several autonomous dedicated processors, with one processor for each section, which are synchronized across the entire machine by a binary clock signal which is generated by the feed unit, i.e. in particular by the globule feeder (with plunger), employing one pulse per step. In addition to the connection for transmission of clock data, additional bus connections exist for parameterization, parameter exchange and transmission of additional data.
Such special multiprocessor solution represents a complex solution requiring an external binary bit that ensures a rapid reaction to the clock pulse of the plunger for executing cam functions of the sections, or for starting the cam for a pulse of virtual 360°, as is the case here with an electronic cam.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved method and device for simplifying the operation and/or configuration of glass forming machines, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to specifically employ a central controller for synchronizing the operation of the various machine sections.

Device and method for controlling a glass forming machine


An inkjet printer includes a recording head, a conveyance mechanism, a shutter, a storage portion, and a moving mechanism. The recording head includes an ejection surface in which an ejection port for ejecting ink is defined. The conveyance mechanism conveys a printing medium while the printing medium is facing the ejection surface. The shutter covers the ejection surface. The storage portion stores the shutter. The moving mechanism moves the shutter from the storage portion to a facing position while the shutter is separate from the ejection surface. The shutter faces and covers the ejection surface at the facing position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer for ejecting ink from nozzles of a recording head onto a printing medium so as to form an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, inkjet printers that execute printing by ejecting very small ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles provided in a recording head are classified into so-called serial head type printers and so-called line head type printers. Each of the serial head type printers executes printing by the combination of a main-scanning-direction moving operation for ejecting ink while moving a recording head in a main scanning direction (paper width direction) and a sub-scanning-direction moving operation for moving paper in a sub-scanning direction. On the other hand, each of the line head type printers includes a line head having a printable width corresponding to the paper width of paper as a printing medium. In the line head type printer, printing is performed while moving the line head and the paper relatively to each other. Particularly in the line head type printer, it is unnecessary to move the recording head in the main scanning direction of the paper. Thus, the print speed can be increased in comparison with that in the serial head type printer.
In each of the serial head type printer and the line head type printer in the related art, ink ejection from minute nozzles provided in the recording head must be kept good in order to obtain a high quality image. Therefore, in inkjet printers, so-called capping, purging and flushing are performed. Capping is an operation of sealing ink ejection ports (nozzle outlets) of the recording head with a cap. Purging is an operation of sucking ink in the nozzles from the ejection port side or discharging compressed ink forcibly from the ink ejection ports to thereby eject the ink from nozzles. Flushing is an operation of ejecting a small amount of ink at the time of printing. Capping can prevent the viscosity of ink in the nozzles from increasing, and prevent foreign matters or the like from being mixed into the ink.
JP-A-2001-293874 (pages 5 to 6; and FIG. 8) discloses an inkjet printer including a movable shutter having a cap. According to the technique disclosed in JP-A-2001-293874, the shutter is moved to cap ink ejection ports when a recording head is not in use.


Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for determining availability of a user on a plurality of communication devices includes collecting usage data of the user. An algorithm generates a predictive availability model of a user having a plurality of devices based on previous availability data collected, using a program executable by a processor of a computer. An algorithm prioritizes the devices of the user along with their respective messaging systems, to route a message from a sender to the user based on the predictive availability model, using the program. Routing logic is configured to route the message from the sender to the user based on the prioritization algorithm.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to managing electronic conversations across multiple devices and messaging systems.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Messaging applications such as instant messaging (IM), text messaging, and group messaging are common on computing devices, and becoming even more prevalent. At the same time, the use of multiple clients, i.e., computing devices (for example, computers, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, netbooks, car communication systems, etc.) for communicating via messaging is also multiplying.
Current systems may recognize that users can use multiple devices, and may provide availability description capabilities that distinguish between desktop and mobile devices. However, these typical availability descriptions only provide a coarse view or high level information, that is, mobile device vs. desktop computer. Further, automatic availability updates based on activity on a device do not accurately reflect the user's preferences for receiving messages on one or more devices. In addition, when IM use expands beyond desktops and laptops, a user's actual availability may vary more than the options provided by typical IM systems (for example, available, away, in a meeting, offline, etc.). Current systems can support receiving messages simultaneously across multiple devices that are connected to the system, for example, accessing email from multiple devices.

Managing conversations, awareness and availability on multi-device messaging systems based on modeling device usage over time

International Business Machines Corporation


Converters and method for intermittent forces energy conversion into electric power and damping excessive forces are presented. The converters employ various exemplified electromagnetic controllable transducers comprising multi-magnets inductors and multi-teeth armature, transforming sea wave's and wind's motion into electricity; base, impelling, and control means. The transducers are combinable with means translating the motion into linear, revolving, swinging movements. Transducer's cooling subsystems are exemplified. The base means are described, including fixed, floatable, and containing virtual vessels of variable parameters and expandable extensions. The impellers include floatable, fixed, adjustable. The control means include sensors measuring wave's and converter's parameters; control units adaptively regulating electric power production, and absorbing the excessively powerful waves' energy, depending on their changing parameters. Stabilizer-generators for base means are disclosed, comprising chambers fillable with rotating water pumped in during storms, then recuperating the rotational energy into electricity through MHD-generators. Some converters include electrolyzer hydrogen production and storage means.

For the last several years, the importance of non-traditional renewable and pollution free energy sources is constantly increasing. The global warming effect with its possible relations to people's industrial activities, the rapidly rising demand in oil products in conjunction with the depletion of natural oil resources, environment pollutions caused by burning coal and other hydrocarbon fuels in power stations and in engines of transportation means, and, on the other hand, by highly radioactive waists produced by nuclear reactors, environment alterations caused by many traditional dam hydro-electrical power stations, all together result in acceleration of research and development of solar, wind, thermal, tidal, sea wave and other renewable, clean, and environment friendly energy sources.
Besides, the "oil addictiveness" of industrial and some developing countries leads to political tensions between and inside nations and religions, often being a major contribution in initiating wars, war conflicts, and terrorism. Therefore, it makes the wide use of renewable energy sources (all based on unequal heating of different parts of the earth by the sun's radiation) even more important and desirable. Accordingly, there are many engineering solutions dedicated to development of these sources.
The potential of these energy sources is tremendous. Particularly, as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,266, the size of ocean wave energy only along the coasts of the European Union is estimated to be 219 Gigawatts. Wave energy converters (WECs) with installed capacities of one Megawatt and greater are developed. That patent differentiates three categories of WECs, depending on their location in the sea: "on-shore", "near shore", "offshore". It generally proposes a system of at least two devices: a float and a submerged body adapted to move relative to one another in response to passing waves in the body of liquid, and this relative movement may be harnessed by the linkages between the at least two devices. The system also has a capability to entrap volumes of the surrounding liquid thereby changing hydrodynamic balance associated with a so-called "added mass". The linkages are adapted to operate a typically hydraulic power take off system driving an electric alternator.
Meanwhile, it mentions a British patent GB 1587344, which presented an idea "to force the phase of a heaving float to follow that of the waves, which had a significantly lower natural frequency (longer period). In this way greatly amplified motions and correspondingly larger power levels were achieved. They disclose the holding of the heaving body at the top or bottom of its cycle by a hydraulically operated latching mechanism (functioning as a parking brake), locking the heaving float to a long rod attached to the bottom of the wave channel. It was then released so that it would resume motion in direction and in phase with the wave. Further theoretical analysis has been completed by various researchers. Two forms of such 'phase control' are now recognised, i.e. latching as described and continuous control which may be applied throughout the cycle and may involve power being returned to the heaving device."
According to the same U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,266, "the apparatus may additionally comprise latching and/or phase control means adapted to assist and optimise the oscillation, amplitude and relative motion of linked devices in varying or heavy sea conditions. This may be effected by using hydraulics or air springs to freeze or temporarily dampen the movements of the devices and or to return power to the apparatus at certain stages in the cycle. The apparatus may also include mooring systems that maintain the complete apparatus in a position that is consistent with statutory requirements and not significantly inhibit its efficient operation. In addition to the aforementioned power take-off linkages, linked devices may also have elastic links or chains or shock absorbers or similar adaptations to absorb excessive relative movements in heave or surge or pitch that may be caused by breaking seas in storm conditions; such elastic links or chains would normally be slack and may be weighted."
It thus becomes possible to adapt the movement of the float to resemble the wave motion, and to more effectively convert the wave energy into mechanical energy of the float by means of deceleration (braking) and acceleration (releasing) of its movement at predetermined moments of the cycle (phase) with predetermined forces. Both patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,266 and GB 1587344 are herein entirely incorporated by reference.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,588, hereby also entirely incorporated by reference, describes a WEC selectively adjustable in length, utilizing a downward gravitational force to discharge fluid from a piston assembly connected to a floatation device, which fluid drives a hydraulic power generator that can be used to produce electric energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,217 describes a WEC comprising a tube vertically movable relative to an anchored float, which tube is reciprocating in response to overpassing waves and driving a transducer for energy generation. The WEC also comprises a motion translator for reducing the transducer's stroke length and magnifying the force transmitted to the transducer, an energy buffer system for limiting the travel of the tube in response to excessively large surface waves, means for adjusting buoyancy in response to changing conditions, a pressure relief valve for automatically reducing excessive tube driving pressures. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,217 is also entirely incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,833,631 teaches a vertically extended floating inner member linearly movable relative to an outer member. The relative movement is associated with a relative motion of coils and magnets to generate electrical current, which supplies electrical power for deep-water hydrogen generators in which water is electrolyzed to generate compressed hydrogen gas. This patent disclosure is entirely incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,423 discloses a magnetohydrodynamic electric generator for direct energy conversion of saline water kinetic energy flowing through a magnetic field and a sea platform containing a multitude of electricity generators to maximize such conversion. This patent is also incorporated by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,375 teaches an adaptive wave motion electrical generator comprising wire coil and magnet structure movable relatively to each other and generating electric current. The generator is capable to measure dynamic parameters (relative acceleration, velocity and displacement between the structures) as well as magnitudes of the current and voltage across the coil structure, and the amount of the current is controlled based on the dynamic parameters. The description of U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,375 is hereby entirely incorporated by reference.
There are other several known solutions related to the problems that the present invention concerns with. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,132 to Konotchick describes "a linear motion electric power generator for generating electric current from work done by an intermittent force. A moving magnet is confined so that it can move with bidirectional linear, or approximately linear, motion through each of at least two coils. The coils are spaced apart from each other and connected electrically so that the current produced in a first coil as a result of movement of the moving magnet is substantially in phase with current produced in said second coil." So, a major feature of Konotchick's invention is the movement of magnet(s) inside at least two coils producing, as taught, electric current more efficiently, due to a special distance between the coils and a special way of the coils connection.
Another example of a linear generator based on movement of magnets inside of an inner space of conductive coils is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,090 to Cheung et al. Its major difference from Konotchick is that it arranges two neighboring moving magnets in opposite polarity, which, according to Cheung, allows intensifying the magnetic flux density in the proximity of the coils. Thus, both inventions utilize the well-known principle of electromagnetic induction resulting in an electric current being inducted in a conductive coil enclosing inside permanent magnets moving relatively to the coil. The faster the magnets move, the greater the electric current is.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,983 teaches an electric generation device comprising a free flowing magnet and wire coils that capture electrons as the magnet is moved, and transmit the electrons to a diode bridge. The device allows to convert the natural turbulence of a free body of water into AC or DC electric power. According to that patent, it is possible to use a plurality of such generators to form a larger power generating grid.
Analyzing Konotchick in another U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,060 to Goldner et al, hereby entirely incorporated by reference, its authors noticed, that "the reported mechanical and electrical energy conversion for the total generator unit were relatively low, ranging from 2.7 to 4.8%." Further, Goldner teaches an electric generator and regenerative electromagnetic shock absorber which converts variable frequency repetitive intermittent linear displacement motion to useful electrical power. It provides for superposition of radial components of the magnetic flux density from a plurality of adjacent magnets to produce a maximum average radial magnetic flux density within a coil winding array. It also states that "due to the limitations of current linear motion energy generator devices, it would be advantageous to provide an efficient, variable frequency, regenerative, linear electromagnetic generator with high power generating capacity and high energy conversion efficiency." It is believed that this statement is still actual.
While the structural arrangements of the above described and many other devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the present invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior art devices and methods.

Intermittent force powered electromagnetic converters especially for sea waves


Encapsulation molding equipment includes individual mold bases each having an elongated shallow recess which receives strip-like carriers supporting semi-conductor chips and like objects for encapsulation. Cavity inserts having various numbers of cavities of different size and dimension individual to carriers having like numbers of chips of a range of size and dimension fit over the strips with each cavity on an insert surrounding the chip to be encapsulated. Gate and vent passages are formed on the surface of the insert spaced away from the mold base member for supply of resin from a central resin receptacle. The mold is completed by an upper mold insert plate which closes the mold and effects a seal between the mold parts and provides for delivery of encapsulating resin to the cavities in the cavity inserts. Each mold base has a plurality of recesses, each of which receives a carrier strip and a cavity insert.

Encapsulation molding equipment of the general kind referred to is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,168 dated Jan. 11, 1983. As disclosed in this patent, in the process manufacturing semi-conductor chips, elongated strips, usually made of copper or other conductive metal, and commonly called lead frames are provided. The strips of conductive metal are fabricated by stamping to form support platforms for the chips and electrical leads extending from each platform in predetermined pattern to the strip boundaries or to narrow cross pieces according to the design of the particular chips to be mounted on the support platforms. As a final step in the manufacturing process, the leads are eventually severed from the cross pieces and the boundaries after the chips are formed on the platforms, encapsulated and ready for testing and shipment.
In encapsulating the chips, an extreme degree of care must be taken to avoid handling. In the case of modern semi-conductor chips, the static electricity passing through the delicate microcircuitry on account of touching the unprotected chip, as well as the transfer of contaminants from the fingers of workers, may render it nonfunctional. In order to avoid this, considerable care must be taken to eliminate physical handling. This has been accomplished in the past by relatively expensive and complicated molds which have a large number of parts which are difficult to operate and to clean following use and are subject to undue wear and damage. In addition, known molding equipment is adaptable to encapsulation molding on only one size chip requiring there to be separate and rather complicated molds for each size chip or for each size of lead frame strip.
The molds of the invention are intended to be used in conjunction with readily available mold presses of the type manufactured, for example, by the Hull Corp. of Hatboro, Pa., U.S.A. Mold presses of the type described have relatively moveable upper and lower platen members. The upper platen member is provided with a vertical extending cylindrical passageway into which a charge of encapsulating material, such as an epoxy resin, is adapted to be placed. The resin in solid form is heated in a preheating oven prior to its deposit in the passageway so that it is already relatively soft in consistency. The resin is then placed within the cylindrical passageway where it is heated by heating elements extending around the passageway and becomes highly liquid within a relatively short period of time. A piston forces the liquified resin to flow from the bottom of the passageway outwardly through a series of runners to mold cavities for encapsulating objects as is known in the art.


Dynamic configuration of backups of production volumes based on desired recovery objectives is provided. A system may obtain a recovery point objective (“RPO”) for a particular production volume. The system may initially back up data, written to the production volume, to a storage volume with certain performance parameters. However, if the write operations to the production volume occur at a high enough rate and/or affect a large enough amount of data, there may be a lag in writing that data to the backup volume. The system may monitor the lag with respect to the specified RPO for backup of the production volume. If the lag approaches the RPO, then the system may dynamically change the configuration of the backup volume to better satisfy the RPO.

Cloud computing, in general, is an approach to providing access to information technology resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. In cloud computing, elasticity refers to network-delivered computing resources that can be scaled up and down by the cloud service provider to adapt to changing requirements of users. The elasticity of these resources can be in terms of processing power, storage, bandwidth, etc. Elastic computing resources may be delivered automatically and on-demand, dynamically adapting to the changes in resource requirement on or within a given user's system. For example, a user can use a cloud service to host a large online streaming service, setup with elastic resources so that the number of webservers streaming content to users scale up to meet bandwidth requirements during peak viewing hours, and then scale back down when system usage is lighter.
A user typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to resources through the cloud, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software to provide access to these resources. This provides a number of benefits, including allowing users to quickly reconfigure their available computing resources in response to the changing demands of their enterprise, and enabling the cloud service provider to automatically scale provided computing service resources based on usage, traffic, or other operational needs. This dynamic nature of network-based computing services, in contrast to a relatively static infrastructure of on-premises computing environments, requires a system architecture that can reliably re-allocate its hardware according to the changing needs of its user base.
When computing resources are used by or at the direction of a user, data may be loaded, generated, modified, or the like. To ensure that data remains available in the event of a loss of computing resources (e.g., computer failure, storage failure, etc.), the data may be backed up to a separate storage volume where it may later be accessed.

Dynamic recovery-objective-based configuration of backup volumes


A V-type internal combustion engine includes cylinder heads having respective compressed-air supply channels extending therein for providing fluid communication between an air compressor and charge injectors. Formation of condensation in the compressed-air supply channels is prevented. Charge injectors are provided in the respective cylinder heads, for directly injecting charges of fuel-air mixture into combustion chambers in cylinders. Compressed-air supply channels extend from an air compressor to the respective charge injectors, including a shared channel provided in a crankcase, and branched supply channels provided in each of the respective cylinder blocks. The compressed-air supply channels are internal conduits formed by attaching the cylinder blocks to the crankcase. In addition, cooling of the compressed air in the compressed-air supply channels is prevented during engine operation, so that formation of condensation within the compressed-air supply channels is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-cylinder V-type internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-cylinder V-type internal combustion engine provided with charge injectors which directly inject a fuel-air mixture into combustion chambers of the cylinders, in which routing passages are provided to route compressed air to the charge injectors.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is well known to provide an internal combustion engine, used as a power source for a vehicle such as a motorcycle, with charge injectors which directly inject fuel-air mixture into combustion chambers in cylinders. Such an internal combustion engine is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-301113.
In such internal combustion engines, the opening and closing of the charge injectors are controlled in accordance with the cycle of combustion operation of the internal combustion engine, and the charge injectors mix fuel and compressed air supplied from an air compressor, and inject the mixture into the combustion chambers to allow the internal combustion engine to operate. The charge injectors make it possible to achieve improved fuel efficiency during operation of the internal combustion engine.
In addition, a V-type internal combustion engine is a well known type of internal combustion engine in which a plurality of cylinders are provided on a crankcase such that the plurality of cylinders spaced apart from each other in a V-shaped configuration. The V-type internal combustion engine is advantageous since it is possible to make the internal combustion engine more compact, and to reduce vibration accompanying the operation of the internal combustion engine, for example. In particular, for vehicles such as motorcycles in which the mounting space for the internal combustion engine is limited, use of the V-type internal combustion engine is considered to be an appropriate choice.
The charge injectors are provided in a cylinder head portion of the internal combustion engine. Placement of the charge injectors in this location creates the problem of determining how to provide compressed-air supply channels which extend from the air compressor, annexed to the internal combustion engine, to the charge injectors.
Specifically, there has been a problem with regard to V-type internal combustion engines, since compressed air has to be supplied from the air compressor to respective head portions of the cylinders which are spaced apart from each other due to the V-shape. As a result, the assembly structure of the internal combustion engine becomes complicated due to the design of the compressed-air supply channels unless the disposition, branching or the like of the compressed-air supply channels is contrived.
In particular, with regard to the V-type internal combustion engines, there has been a problem that the compressed-air pressures become uneven between respective head portions of the cylinders, and the fuel mixing ratios in the charge injectors therefore become uneven unless the lengths of the compressed-air supply channels extending from the air compressor to the head portions (the charge injectors) of the respective cylinders are made even.
In addition, when the compressed-air supply channels are excessively cooled as the vehicle travels, the moisture contained in the compressed air condenses to form dew in the compressed-air supply channel. This is problematic since this dew can cause a malfunction of the charge injectors and operational failure of the internal combustion engine.
Meanwhile, although the compressed-air supply channels should not to be excessively cooled, the air compressor annexed to the internal combustion engine is required to be easily cooled as the vehicle travels in order to increase the air compression efficiency. Accordingly, the realization of a V-type internal combustion engine which satisfies the above conflicting demands and can solve the above problems is desirable.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above current circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a V-type internal combustion engine having a structure that can be easily assembled even if the compressed-air supply channels extend from the air compressor, which is annexed to the internal combustion engine, to the charge injectors in a contrived manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide, in the same way, a V-type internal combustion engine in which respective lengths of the compressed-air supply channels extending from the air compressor to the charge injectors are made even.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide, in the same way, a V-type internal combustion engine of which the compressed-air supply channels are not excessively cooled even when the internal combustion engine is cooled as the vehicle travels, and which thus makes it possible to prevent condensation in the compressed-air supply channels from occurring.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide, in the same way, a V-type internal combustion engine, including the air compressor annexed thereto, that is cooled as the vehicle travels, and which thus makes it possible to increase the air compression efficiency of the air compressor.

Internal combustion engine having compressed air supply passages therein for routing compressed air to charge injectors


A speed control device and counter for a motor vehicle includes an auxiliary accelerator member and a plurality of counters for analyzing the driving habits of an individual. The auxiliary accelerator member is moveable between an operational and an inactive position and is adapted to engage the calf, knee or thigh of a driver in its operational position. The speed control device may also incorporate a drive-by-wire principal of operation.

Auxiliary accelerator controls for motor vehicles are known. For example, a U.S. Patent of Allen (U.S. Pat. No. 2,084,932) discloses an auxiliary accelerator control for automotive vehicles that allows a driver of a vehicle to use their left foot in the operation of the accelerator at times to reduce the fatigue of constantly driving the vehicle with the right foot. A knee control for acceleration is disclosed in the U.S. Patent of Taylor (U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,274). As disclosed therein, a knee control may be operatively connected with the foot control of a conventional accelerator in which the knee control is so designed as to permit knee or foot operation. As disclosed, the knee control is shiftable to inoperative position in additional to embodying adjustment to satisfy the needs of a particular driver.
It is presently believed that there may be a commercial demand for an improved speed control device and counter for a motor vehicle in accordance with the present invention. Such devices are operatively connected to a fuel control for increasing and decreasing the flow of fuel to thereby increase or decrease the speed of the vehicle. The devices also provide for foot, calf, knee or thigh operation to control the flow of fuel to reduce the fatigue from driving long distances with the right foot in a relatively stationary position. In addition, the devices in accordance with the present invention also overcome the reluctance of many drivers to use a conventional speed control device because of an apparent lack of direct control of the vehicle speed.
Additional advantages of the device in accordance with the present invention reside in the foot activated mechanism for bringing a first speed control member into contact with a drivers calf, knee or thigh which allows a driver to engage the speed control member without removing their hands from the steering wheel.
A still further advantage of the invention resides in the use of one or more counters to indicate the number of times the speed of the vehicle is increased. A second and third counter may also be provided to indicate the number of times the speed of the vehicle is increased by a conventional accelerator pedal and a number of times the brake pedal is depressed. These counters can then be used to diagnose and overcome poor driving habits such as pumping the gas pedal or auxiliary fuel control as opposed to a smooth, even or more economic supply of fuel to the engine and overuse of the brake pedal. The counters may also be used as an indicator of when to rotate and replace tires and brake pads.
In addition to the above, it is presently believed that the device in accordance with the present invention can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost, can be readily installed, are durable and readily serviceable.

Speed control device and counter for a motor vehicle


A method for reducing load and providing yaw alignment in a wind turbine includes measuring displacements or moments resulting from asymmetric loads on the wind turbine. These measured displacements or moments are used to determine a pitch for each rotor blade to reduce or counter asymmetric rotor loading and a favorable yaw orientation to reduce pitch activity. Yaw alignment of the wind turbine is adjusted in accordance with the favorable yaw orientation and the pitch of each rotor blade is adjusted in accordance with the determined pitch to reduce or counter asymmetric rotor loading.

This invention relates generally to wind turbines, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for efficiently reducing load in wind turbines.
Recently, wind turbines have received increased attention as an environmentally safe and relatively inexpensive alternative energy source. With this growing interest, considerable efforts have been made to develop wind turbines that are reliable and efficient.
Generally, a wind turbine includes a rotor having multiple blades. The rotor is mounted within a housing or nacelle, which is positioned on top of a truss or tubular tower. Utility grade wind turbines (i.e., wind turbines designed to provide electrical power to a utility grid) can have large rotors (e.g., 30 or more meters in diameter). Blades on these rotors transform wind energy into a rotational torque or force that drives one or more generators, rotationally coupled to the rotor through a gearbox. The gearbox may be used to step up the inherently low rotational speed of the turbine rotor for the generator to efficiently convert mechanical energy to electrical energy, which is fed into a utility grid. Some turbines utilize generators that are directly coupled to the rotor without using a gearbox.
Asymmetric loading across wind turbine rotor occurs due to vertical and horizontal wind shears, yaw misalignment, and turbulence. Horizontal wind shears, yaw misalignment, and natural turbulence are among the primary drivers of asymmetric loads on a wind turbine rotor. These loads, along with the loads from vertical and/or horizontal wind shears, are contributors to extreme loads and the number of fatigue cycles accumulated by a wind turbine system. Asymmetric load control can be used to reduce the effects the extreme loads and fatigue cycles, but a considerable increase in pitch system activity is required for this type of control relative to standard collective pitch control alone.

Methods and apparatus for reduction of asymmetric rotor loads in wind turbines


A CMOS device includes a first conductive type channel MOSFET having first side-wall spacers on side surfaces and having a source and drain region of an LDD structure, and a second conductive type channel MOSFET having second side-wall spacers on side surfaces and having a source and drain region of a single drain structure, wherein a width of the first side-wall spacers is larger than that of the second side-wall spacers, restraining the short channel effect and hot carrier effect as well.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (hereinafter, referred to as CMOS) device having an n-channel and a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (or n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs) and manufacturing method of the same, more particularly to a CMOS device and manufacturing method thereof capable of restraining short channel effect of the n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs without increasing the number of photolithography processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, when a gate length of a device is made short by critical dimension of the device, a threshold voltage may decrease or a short channel effect may remarkably arise. In one of the methods for restraining the short channel effect, there has been known that a source and drain region should be made shallow. However, in case of making the source and drain region shallow, there arise problems such that the process margin of device becomes narrow when forming a contact on the source and drain region. Further, it is difficult to make the silicide regions, and the source and drain regions are usually formed as an LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structure, that is, the regions are formed by a low impurity concentration region having a shallow junction and a high impurity concentration region having a relatively deep junction.
This improves a short channel effect by the low impurity concentration region having the shallow junction and also permits the silicide formation and makes contact easy by means of the high impurity concentration region having the relatively deep junction. However, in order of forming both an n-channel MOSFET (hereinafter, referred to as nMOSFET) and a p-channel MOSFET (hereinafter, referred to as pMOSFET) as an LDD structure by an ordinary manufacturing method, a well region opposite to a substrate should be coated by a mask at each of the processes such as (1) form of n-type low concentration region, (2) form of p-type low concentration region, (3) form of n-type high concentration region and (4) form of p-type high concentration region, thus, the photolithography process must be carried out four times repeatedly to form a source and drain region, requiring a large number of process steps. Therefore, a method has been proposed that a pMOSFET should be fabricated with a single drain structure from which the short channel effects are not significant, and in which a source and drain region is formed only by two photolithography processes such a system is described with reference to the drawings below.
FIGS. 3(a) to 3(f) are sectional views of a device showing a manufacturing processes. As shown in FIG. 3(a), a field oxidation film 102 is formed on a p-type Si (Silicon) substrate 101 to form an n-type well region 103 and a p-type well region 104.
Thereafter, a gate oxidation film 105 is formed on the p-type Si substrate 101, as shown in FIG. 3(b), a gate electrode 106 of an nMOSFET and a gate electrode 107 of a pMOSFET both made of polysilicon are then formed.
Thereafter, As.sup.+ (arsenic ion) 108 is ion-implanted onto an nMOSFET forming region and a pMOSFET forming region in low concentration (ex. 2 to 5.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2 in dose) to form n-type low concentration regions 109 and 110 in both the nMOSFET forming region and the pMOSFET forming region as shown in FIG. 3(c).
As shown in FIG. 3(d), after forming an SiO.sub.2 layer on the p-type Si substrate 101 by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, the anisotropic etching process is applied thereto to form side-wall spacers 111 and 112 composed of SiO.sub.2 on the side surfaces of gate electrodes 106 and 107 of nMOSFET and pMOSFET, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 3(e), after the nMOSFET is coated by a first mask layer 113 as a photoresist, B.sup.+ (boron ion) 114 is ion-implanted onto the pMOSFET forming region in high concentration to thereby form a p-type high concentration source and drain region 115. At this time, the n-type low concentration region 110 is contained in the p-type high concentration source and drain region 115 to be inverted to a p-type region. After removing the first mask layer 113, as shown in FIG. 3(f), the pMOSFET region is coated by a second mask layer 117 as a photoresist, and As.sup.+ 118 is ion-implanted onto the nMOSFET region in high concentration to form an n-type high concentration region 119. The second mask layer 117 is then removed, completing the manufacturing processes of a CMOSFET.
In addition, other CMOS devices and manufacturing methods have proposed such that an nMOSFET should only be made into the LDD structure while both an nMOSFET and a pMOSFET should be made into the LDD structure.
That is, The document of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei3-41763 discloses the following process: a gate electrode is formed on an nMOSFET forming region and a pMOSFET forming region and n.sup.- -type region is formed in the nMOSFET forming region with a resist film coated on the pMOSFET forming region; side-wall spacers are formed on the side surfaces of gate electrode for the nMOSFET and an n-type impurity is doped into the nMOSFET forming region in high concentration to form an n.sup.+ -type region with a resist film coated on the pMOSFET forming region; and other side-wall spacers, width of which is wider than that of nMOSFET, are formed on the side surfaces of gate electrode of the pMOSFET forming region and a p-type impurity is doped into the pMOSFET forming region in high concentration to form a p.sup.+ -type source and drain region with a resist film coated on the nMOSFET forming region.
While the document of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei5-145030 discloses the following process: a gate electrode is formed on an nMOSFET forming region and a pMOSFET forming region, an n-type impurity is doped into both the regions in low concentration to form an n-type region on both the regions, and side-wall spacers are formed on the side surfaces of both the gate electrodes; a p-type impurity is ion-implanted onto the pMOSFET forming region in high concentration with a resist film coated on the nMOSFET to form a p.sup.+ -type region on the pMOSFET forming region; subsequently, the p-type impurity is ion-implanted thereon in an inclined direction to thereby invert the n.sup.- -type region to a p.sup.- -type region; and the n-type impurity is doped into the nMOSFET forming region in high concentration with a resist film coated on the pMOSFET to form an n.sup.+ -type region.
According to the examples described above, the nMOSFET is formed of the LDD structure while the pMOSFET is formed of the single drain structure as shown in FIG. 3 (f). However, since the short channel effect depends on a junction depth of the source and drain regions located close to the channel region in general, in the examples described above, the nMOSFET region is controlled by the short channel characteristic depending on a junction depth of the n-type low concentration region 109 and the pMOSFET region is controlled by that characteristic depending on a junction depth of the p-type high concentration source and drain region 115. Therefore, since the n-type low concentration region 109 should remain to a certain extent in the nMOSFET forming region, it is desirable that the side-wall spacers 111, which become masks in the ion-implantation of As.sup.+ shown in FIG. 3(f), are formed thick in consideration of the width in a lateral direction of the n-type high concentration region 119. However, since the pMOSFET side is used by the process to be inverted by the ion-implantation of B.sup.+ as shown in FIG. 3(e) after forming a conductive type of the n-type low concentration region as side-wall spacers, the p-type high concentration source and drain region should be formed to some extent of depth in case of forming the side-wall spacers in thick. To this end, the junction depth of the p-type high concentration source and drain region in the pMOSFET region becomes deeper than that of the n-type high concentration source and drain region in the nMOSFET region. As a result, the short channel effect of the pMOSFET becomes remarkable, so that the critical dimension of the gate length for the pMOSFET is limited.

Semiconductor device having different sidewall widths and different source/drain depths for NMOS & PMOS structures


An embedded packaging device is provided, including a leadframe, a first semiconductor component, a second semiconductor component, a passive component, and a first dielectric layer. The leadframe forms a counterbore. The first semiconductor component is disposed on the leadframe. The second semiconductor component is disposed on the leadframe and electrically connected with the first semiconductor component through the leadframe. The passive component is disposed on the leadframe and has a different thickness from the first semiconductor component, wherein the passive component or the first semiconductor component is disposed in the counterbore of the leadframe, such that a top surface of the passive component has the same height as that of the first semiconductor component. The first dielectric layer is formed on the leadframe and covers the first semiconductor component, the second semiconductor component, and the passive component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to an embedded packaging device, and more particularly to an embedded packaging device including at least two electronic components, each with a different thickness.
2. Description of the Related Art
Embedded electronic packaging technologies have been significant growth due to their ability to reduce the size and cost of devices and enable higher levels of integration for various electronic products.
However, there is still a challenge in packaging a plurality of electronic components with different thickness. For example, a dielectric layer with a larger thickness is required for covering and insulating the electronic components, such that the miniaturization of an embedded packaging device is adversely affected. Additionally, the internal wiring layer formation also becomes more complicated because of the different thickness of the electronic components. Furthermore, the traditional embedded packaging device usually has poor heat dissipation ability.


A valve seat portion has fuel flow passages arranged between guide portions at predetermined intervals along an outer circumference of a valve body. In addition, a fuel jet adjusting plate has nozzle holes arranged along a circle coaxial with the outer circumference of the valve body, the nozzle holes corresponding to the guide portions. Therefore, even if the valve body rotates circumferentially relative to the valve seat portion, no alteration in the pressure applied to fuel flowing through the nozzle holes occurs. By suitably setting relative locations between the respective nozzle holes and the guide portions and the numbers thereof, the pressure applied to fuel injected from the respective nozzle holes is adjusted, whereby the fuel injected from the respective nozzle holes is optimally atomized.

A fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 is conventionally known. This conventional fuel injection valve includes a thin fuel jet adjusting plate having orifices (nozzle holes), a valve body having fuel flow passages for allowing fuel to flow therethrough, and a valve seat portion for slidably guiding a valve body in axial directions. FIG. 7 is a partial sectional side view of the fuel jet adjusting plate, the valve body and the valve seat portion of the conventional fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine. FIG. 8 illustrates only the fuel jet adjusting plate and the valve seat portion viewed as indicated by an arrow VII in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX--IX in FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the valve seat portion is denoted by reference character 101, the fuel flow passages by 102, guide portions by 103, a guide surface by 104, the fuel jet adjusting plate by 105, the orifices (nozzle holes) by 106, the valve body by 107, and sliding surfaces by 108. The valve seat portion 101 includes the guide surface 104 which slidably guides the valve body 107. In this case, the sliding surface 108 of the valve body 107 is closely fitted to the guide surface 104 of the valve seat portion 101. Thus, the valve body 7 can move in top-to-bottom directions in FIG. 7 and assume either an open position or a closed position. Furthermore, the valve body 107 has the fuel flow passages 102 formed among the respective sliding surfaces 108. Thus, while the valve body 107 is securely guided with its sliding surfaces 108 closely fitted to the guide surface 104 of the valve seat portion 101, fuel can flow through the fuel flow passages 102 from top to bottom in FIG. 7. Thus, when the valve body 107 assumes the open position, fuel flowing through the fuel flow passages 102 is injected from the orifices 106 formed in the fuel jet adjusting plate 105. This type of fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine is disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 7-127550.
In the case of the aforementioned fuel injection valve, however, the guide surface 104 and the sliding surfaces 108 allow the valve body 107 to slide relative to the valve seat portion 101. Thereby, the valve body 107 may not only move relative to the valve seat portion 101 in top-to-bottom directions in FIG. 7 but may also rotate circumferentially relative to the valve seat portion 101 (as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 9). If the valve body 107 rotates relative to the valve seat portion 101, the fuel flow passages 102 attached to the valve body 107 also rotate circumferentially relative to the orifices 106 formed in the fuel jet adjusting plate 105 attached to the valve seat portion 101. This change in relative location between the fuel flow passages 102 and the orifices 106 causes alterations in pressures applied to fuel flowing through the respective orifices 6, flow rates of the fuel injected therefrom and the state of atomization of the fuel thus injected. As a result, the performance of an internal combustion engine on which the fuel injection valve is mounted is adversely affected.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, according to another known fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine, it is not a valve body but a valve seat portion that is equipped with fuel flow passages. FIG. 10 is a top view illustrating only a fuel jet adjusting plate and the valve seat portion of this known fuel injection valve having a valve seat portion equipped with fuel flow passages. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the fuel injection valve taken along line XI--XI in FIG. 10, with a valve body mounted on the fuel injection valve. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the valve seat portion is denoted by reference character 201, the fuel flow passages by 202, a guide portion by 203, a guide surface by 204, the fuel jet adjusting plate by 205, orifices (nozzle holes) by 206, the valve body by 207, and a sliding surface by 208. The fuel injection valve as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is different from the aforementioned fuel injection valve in that it is not the valve body 207 but the valve seat portion 201 that is equipped with the fuel flow passages 202. Thus, even if the valve body 207 rotates circumferentially relative to the valve seat portion 201, the orifices 206 do not rotate relative to the fuel flow passages. Thus, rotation of the valve body 207 does not cause any alteration in the pressure applied to fuel flowing through the respective orifices 206, flow rates of the fuel injected therefrom, and a state of atomization of the fuel thus injected. As a result, the performance of an internal combustion engine on which the fuel injection valve is mounted is not adversely affected.
Although the fuel flow passages 202 do not move relative to the orifices 206 in the aforementioned fuel injection valve, a relationship between the fuel flow passages 202 and the orifices 206 such as circumferential location of the orifices 206 relative to the fuel flow passages 202 and the number of the orifices 206 is not determined to obtain optimal atomization of injected fuel. For example, the pressure applied to the fuel flowing downstream of the fuel flow passages 202 is higher than that applied to the fuel flowing downstream of the guide portions 3. Thus, in the case where the orifices 206 located downstream of the fuel flow passages 202 and the orifices 206 located downstream of the guide portions 203 are arranged along the same circle, there is a difference in the state of atomization between the fuel injected from the orifices 206 located downstream of the fuel flow passages 202 and the fuel injected from the orifices 206 located downstream of the guide portions 203. Therefore, the state of atomization of fuel injected from the fuel injection valve depends on how the fuel injection valve is mounted on the internal combustion engine and depends more particularly on a circumferential rotation of the fuel injection valve. Nevertheless, the aforementioned fuel injection valve does not take this into account. In other words, since this fuel injection valve does not consider respective circumferential locations of the orifices 206 relative to the fuel flow passages 202 and the guide portions 203, the number of orifices 206 and so forth, a difference arises between the state of atomization in the respective orifices 206. In the aforementioned fuel injection valve, the respective orifices 206 are not arranged such that the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is uniformly atomized. Hence, the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is not uniformly atomized around a circumference thereof. Consequently, the state of atomization of injected fuel is not optimized.

Fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine


A device is provided for positioning an IC having a plurality of leads arranged in array along side surfaces of an IC body. The IC positioning device in an IC socket comprises a locator for pressing an outer side surface of a lead located on an extreme arraying end of the lead array group. The locator is moved while pressing side surfaces of leads which are displaced in an array direction, so that the lead array group and the IC body are moved to predetermined positions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC positioning device capable of shifting the leads of an IC loaded in a socket to a correct location suitable for physical contact.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
An IC shown in FIG. 1 has leads arranged in array along the side surfaces of an IC body 1 and projecting outwardly therefrom.
FIG. 2 shows a socket having a plurality of contacts 3 which can contact the IC placed in the socket. The socket has an IC receiving portion 5 formed in a center portion on an upper surface of a socket body 4. The contacts 3 are arranged in array along the opposite two or four sides of the IC receiving portion 5.
A cover 6, which is movable upwardly and downwardly, overlies an upper part of the socket body 4. When the cover 6 is lowered, the contacts 3 are caused to be displaced backwardly against their resiliency to move the contacts out of physical contact with the IC leads 2. When the contacts 3 are displaced forwardly by their own restoring force, the contacts 3 are brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the IC leads 2 under pressure.
As means for transforming the lowering motion of the cover 6 to the displacing motion of the contacts 3, there is employed a turnable lever 7 capable of contacting the contacts 3. Instead of providing the turnable lever 7, the contacts 3 may be displaced backwardly by a lowering force of the cover 6 acting on pressure receiving portions which are integral with the contacts 3, respectively.
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the above exemplified socket, the lower surfaces of the leads 2 are supported on a seat surface 8, and outer side surfaces of the leads on the extreme ends 2a of each array group of leads 2 are restricted by positioning walls 9 which project from opposite ends of the seat surface 8, so that the leads 2 are all correctly positioned.
However, recently, the arrangement pitches of the IC leads 2 were reduced to 0.3 mm or 0.4 mm, and with the progress of this tendency, the width of each lead was also miniaturized.
In this way, in case the IC leads are arranged at very small pitches and miniaturized, it is very difficult to correctly position the contacts with respect to the IC leads by use of the positioning walls 9 which are fixedly arranged in place as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As a consequence, the centers of the IC leads and the contacts 3 are overly displaced as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This problem is aggravated by manufacturing tolerances of the positioning walls 9 and the leads 2.
The present invention has been accomplished in order to obviate the above problem.


An air filter secured to the air inlet grid of a hand held hair blow dryer to prohibit the entry of airborne debris. The filter composed of a disc approximately one eighth this is removably fastened to the air inlet grid by means of transverse strips of double coated polyester film applied to the fastening surface of the filter disc. The exposed surface of the transverse strips are coated with a permanent rubber based adhesive which in turn is covered by a release liner to protect the adhesive surface during shipping and handling. The filter is fastened to the air inlet grid of the hand held blow dryer by removing the release liner and pressing the filter to the grid surface.

1. Field of the Invention
Hand held hair blow dryers with an air intake grid in the case have a tendency to accumulate airborne debris in the intake grid. An object of the instant invention is to removably attach an air filter over the intake screen to filter out such debris.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,542 issued in 1989, titled Computer Air Filter Device, describes a filter panel to be adhesively attached to the outside of a computer and disc drive housing to cover the air intake grids used to draw air into the housing by a draft by a cooling fan in the housing.


A dental orthosis is provided for use in the treatment of snoring. The upper portion of the device defines a trough for receiving some of the upper teeth of the patient. The rear wall of the trough is truncated so that the device can accommodate both narrow and wide dental arches so that one size of the device can accommodate substantially all users. Once inserted into the mouth the device snugly engages the upper teeth, particularly the front teeth, and remains positioned independent of natural motions of the lower jaw. The lower portion of the device is formed into a ramp structure whereby natural jaw motions result in the engagement of the lower teeth with the ramp, which will cam the lower jaw into a more forward position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for reducing or preventing snoring and, in particular, to an anti-snoring device which can be easily fit to patients having either a wide or a narrow dental arch.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snoring is normally the result of vibration of the uvula, soft palate, and adjacent structures during sleep and signals partial obstruction due to the narrowing of the upper airway at that site. In most cases, breathing is normal or only minimally impaired, and symptoms primarily concern sleep disturbance and the social consequences of snoring. In other cases, snoring is associated with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a serious condition characterized by intermittent upper airway obstructions that require arousal for relief.
Various devices are known in the art for placement in the oral cavity and intended for to reduce snoring. Some investigators have provided devices which are arranged to seal the lips of the wearer, one to another, thus blocking air passage through the mouth. Others have recognized that portions of the uvula, soft palate, and adjacent structures vibrate during sleep, in response to the passage of air past these tissues, and attempt to minimize such vibrations by providing devices which sharply reduce the volume of air passing through the mouth, without necessarily completely blocking the mouth. However, if the nose is blocked, or partially blocked, this reduction of the airway increases the velocity of the air passing those tissues and snoring can actually increase.
Yet another type of prior art device is exemplified by the device of U.S. Pat. No. 1,674,336 to King. King intends that his device will maintain a plentiful supply of oxygen to the blood of a user during sleep, and even reduce snoring. His structure comprises an upper channel and a lower channel to receive the upper and lower teeth, respectively. The two channels are spaced apart vertically to prop the upper and lower front teeth apart and to define an air passage therebetween. Thus, in use, the device props the teeth of a user apart in a fixed position, which King claims opens the posterior airway to facilitate the passage of air to and from the throat and lungs. As the device receives the top and bottom teeth and fixes their relative position, natural mouth motions, including motion of the lower jaw, are prevented.
A device which effectively alleviates or prevents snoring is disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,346 for a Dental Orthosis for Alleviation of Snoring, marketed under the name Snore Guard.RTM., the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by this reference. That structure includes an upper portion in the form of pair of parallel and substantially coextensive walls defining a trough corresponding in shape to the curvature of the patient's upper dental arch, for receiving the upper teeth of the patient. Once properly fitted, the device will snugly receive the front teeth and the premolars and remain positioned independent of natural motions of the lower jaw.
The lower portion of the '346 patent device is formed into a ramp structure whereby natural jaw motions result in the engagement of the lower teeth against the ramp, which will cam the lower jaw into a more forward position. An aperture in the device between the upper and lower portions facilitates the passage of air for mouth breathing and attracts the tongue forward. By inducing the lower jaw and tongue to a more forward position, the device induces a more open posterior airway in the patient, resulting in a significant reduction in snoring.
In contradistinction to the teachings of King, the structure of the '346 patent device does not fix the position of the upper and lower jaw and tongue. Instead, by an adroit arrangement of the structure, the device snugly attaches to the upper teeth and jaw, while allowing natural mouth movements including motions of the lower jaw and teeth, and tongue. That device is further distinguished in providing the ramp to engage the lower anterior teeth and induce forward movement of the lower jaw, resulting in the opening of the posterior airway.


An engine control system for an internal combustion engine of a type having a stratified combustion mode and a homogeneous combustion mode comprises a controller for controlling an EGR flow in the engine with an EGR control valve. The controller effects a changeover of an EGR control mode of the EGR control valve from a first EGR mode to a second EGR mode immediately in response to a changeover request signal before an actual changeover of a combustion control mode from the stratified combustion mode to the homogeneous combustion mode. In the case of a changeover from the homogeneous mode to the stratified mode, the controller effects a changeover of the EGR control mode from the second EGR mode to the first EGR mode in response to an actual changeover of the combustion control mode, with a delay after the changeover request signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for an internal combustion engine, and more specifically to a control system for controlling an EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system of an engine of a type having a stratified charge combustion mode and a homogeneous charge combustion mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, the technique of in-cylinder direct fuel injection in a spark ignition engine such as gasoline engine is under development to improve the fuel efficiency and emission performance by using stratified charge combustion and homogeneous charge combustion.
In a low and medium load region, a control system for such a type operates an engine in a stratified combustion mode by injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber during the compression stroke so as to produce a stratified combustible mixture only around the spark plug. The thus-achieved stratified combustion enables stable combustion with an ultra lean mixture, and hence significant improvement in the fuel efficiency and emission performance of the engine.
In a high load region over a predetermined engine load, the engine is operated in a homogeneous combustion mode to meet a demand for higher output torque. In the homogeneous combustion mode, fuel is injected during the intake stroke so as to produce a homogeneous air fuel mixture. (In some examples, a fuel injection valve is provided separately in an intake port.)
The control system changes over the combustion control mode between the stratified combustion mode and the homogeneous combustion in accordance with one or more engine operating conditions.
To reduce NOx emission, an engine for a vehicle is generally equipped with an EGR system for recirculating part of the exhaust gases from the exhaust system to the intake system. A desired target EGR rate is not equal between stratified combustion and homogeneous combustion. Therefore, there is a need for switching the target EGR rate in accordance with a changeover of the combustion.
Japanese Patent Provisional (Kokai) Publication No. 7(1995)-269416 shows an EGR control system for an engine having stratified combustion and homogeneous combustion. In the stratified combustion, this system determines the target EGR rate in accordance with the engine speed and engine load. When the combustion is changed to the homogeneous combustion, this control system reduces the target EGR rate to zero and thereby cut off EGR by closing an EGR valve.


Image navigation of an input image by edge registration proceeds by generating a reference image kernel in which edges of a reference image are embraced by borders. Image intensities of the reference image kernel internal to the borders increase with decreasing distance from the edges. A registration score is computed by cross-correlating the image intensities of the reference image kernel with image intensities in the input image. A feature exists in the input image when the registration score meets a registration criterion.

Various remote sensing applications generate imagery of the earth and determining the geographic location of each pixel in the imagery increases the usefulness of the data. The accurate location and pointing of each pixel is a two-part process. The first part, image navigation, determines the location of a pixel within an image relative to an earth-referenced latitude and longitude. The second part, image registration, entails maintaining the location of the pixels within an image and repeated images to their earth-referenced latitude and longitude. This unique process, image navigation and registration (INR), yields imaging data on a precisely located, fixed-earth coordinate grid.
One INR approach, "landmark registration," matches landmasses in the image against landmass truth data. Landmasses are separated by bodies of water such as oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers; a "shoreline" or, alternatively "coastline," is defined as the boundary between landmasses and water. Shorelines are often prominently visible features in remote sensing imagery and "shoreline registration" uses these land/water boundaries as image features to accomplish accurate landmark registration.
Landmark registration techniques are separated into two general classes—image-based registration and shoreline-based registration. Image-base landmark registration correlates the collected image with earlier collected reference images whose landmarks have been earth-referenced. Image-based correlation techniques are impacted by changes in lighting angle between images as well as scenic changes over different seasons. Additionally, image-based registration methods have difficulties with day-to-night land/water inversion that occurs in infrared imagery.
Shoreline-based registration uses any of the several available shoreline vector truth databases and compares the location of shoreline edges in the collected image with shoreline truth positions in the database. Shoreline-based techniques are insensitive to many of the shortcomings of the image-based landmark registration, such as dependence on lighting conditions. However, the existing vector-based INR techniques have several shortcomings including the use of cloud detection and mitigation algorithms, inaccuracies from resolution differences between collected imagery and the vector database, and plotted shoreline vector truth image do not accurately represent edge characteristics in collected imagery.
One inherent challenge to landmark navigation is that at any point in time the Earth is 70% covered in clouds that occlude part or all of a landmark being used for navigation. In order to mitigate this issue, cloud detection algorithms discount landmarks that are impacted by clouds. Most of the current state-of-the-art landmark navigation algorithms perform landmark registration by extracting landmark neighborhood sub-images, masking pixels containing clouds, retrieving pertinent coastline truth data from a landmark library, registering the sub-image to the coastline truth data using various methods, and computing a quality metric to assess the landmarks registration reliability.
One of the significant problems in landmark registration occurs when cloudy pixels have not been masked appropriately. The sole purpose of cloud detection in landmark navigation is to prevent errors caused by processing landmark regions that are obscured by clouds. The best published algorithms for cloud detection report an accuracy rate between 70% and 87% depending on day vs. night and land vs. ocean. An operational system using cloud detection based on these techniques could find itself using invalid data in computing landmark registration in at least ten percent of the cases, affecting scene navigation accuracy. Such systems require further algorithms to determine the validity of landmark navigation measurements, which in themselves may be in error.
One example of a cloud masking landmark registration method is the AutoLandmark utility that is used for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) weather imagery. In the AutoLandmark algorithm, coastline edges are detected in the scene image with a Sobel operator using an absolute value norm. Cloud detection is used to mask off regions of clouds in the image. Then, a similarity measure is calculated for a set of offset positions by summing the edge image at the locations of the vector coastline. This effectively correlates the coastline vector with the edge image without including data from masked cloud regions. A triangular interpolation is used to calculate the effective edge location response at each coastline vector point.
Another weakness of landmark registration algorithms is that there is no mechanism to actively reduce the registration quality score when a portion of the image landmark does not match the shape of the landmark truth data. The lesser ability to differentiate between landmarks having similar shapes increases the probability of erroneously matching to the wrong landmark.
Lewis Fry Richardson was first to recognize that the length of a coastline is dependent on the unit measure being applied to the measurement. His work later led Mandelbrot to the notion of fractal dimension. This feature of coastlines is also important when imaging coastlines at various imaging resolution. At a high resolution, fine-edge features that are represented at lower resolution contribute to edge blur. This property is important in landmark registration where the truth data is available as a series of line segments at a given resolution and is used to plot an edge image at the required scale and perspective for correlation against remote-sensing imagery. Not taking this property into account contributes to registration error in landmark registration.
This same factor applies for algorithms that plot the shoreline vector truth data into an image for correlation with the edge image of the collected image. The standard plotting algorithms for generating line plots of vector data have been designed for providing a pleasing graphic of data, not to simulate the appearance of edges contained in an image. Plot images generated by these routine will giving the improper relative importance of sections of the shoreline over other sections leading to correlation location inaccuracies.

Cloud resilient algorithm for coastline registration


A temperature management indictor having simple structure is provided, which, not containing a hazardous metal, especially mercury among others, is safe and excellently durable, especially durable against light and repetition of heating and cooling cycle, is capable of indicating specific temperature ranges by means of reversible color changes, and also is able, as need be, to indicate an arrival at a specific temperature by means of an irreversible color change. A temperature management indicator 10 comprises; a reversible temperature indicating member 14 including reversible temperature indicating pigment particles devoid of mercury, which reversibly undergoes color changes at a predetermined temperature, wherein in the reversible temperature indicating member 14, the reversible temperature indicating pigment particles contain an iron-containing complex compound and are dispensed to be dispersed in a resin thereof.

There have been temperature indicators that indicate particular temperature ranges without a use of a temperature measurement mechanical device or a mercury thermometer or the like for the purpose of temperature management of machines, installations or constant temperature preservation products. As such temperature indicators, there are known temperature indicators which indicate color tones corresponding to the temperatures by means of a temperature indicating member utilizing a temperature indicating pigment which undergoes reversible color changes. These temperature indicators are used for the purposes of temperature management of a mechanical installation and burn prevention and the like, for the reason that it is possible to monitor the real-time temperature with ease through observation of the reversible variation in color tone. In the former time, a mercury-containing halogen complex compound was commonly adopted as the temperature indicating material used in such temperature indicating members. However, in recent years this use has been progressively abandoned from the viewpoint of protection of human health and environment against mercury.
As a reversible temperature indicator not including mercury, there have been known, for example, ones making use of electron-donating organic compound or such organic pigment which reversibly exhibit colors in response to temperatures and ones making use of organic paints contained in microcapsules; such examples are described in Patent Documents 1 through 4 listed below. However, generally speaking, organic compounds have a tendency to decompose with time, so that the indicators making use of temperature indicating materials made of the organic compounds, or ones making use of microcapsules containing the organic compounds, and ones carrying organic compounds coated with polyester film are apt to be unsatisfactory in terms of durability, especially light stability.
Also, as a reversible temperature indicator not including mercury, there have been known, for example, a temperature indicating member containing cobalt compounds which reversibly exhibit colors in response to temperatures, as described in Patent Documents 5 and 6. Compared with the temperature indicating members containing mercury-containing halogen complex compound, the temperature indicating members containing such cobalt compounds are designed with more consideration for the protection of human body and environment, and as such they are safe and useful up to a certain level, but from the fact that cobalt compounds are themselves environmentally hazardous substances. Therefore, there has been a concern that their use would not sustain ecological safety and environmental protection. For example, in EU's Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), cobalt(II) chloride, which is a cobalt compound, is included in "Candidate List of Substance of Very High Concern for authorization" published by European Chemical Agency, which enumerates items to which industries are required to impart special management (ref. Nikkei Ecology, September Edition, 2008). Furthermore, a cobalt (II) triazole complex compound, in which ligand is tirazole and the central metal to which triazole is coordinated is cobalt, also performs thermochromism to reversibly change its hue in response to temperatures, as described in below-listed non-Patent Document 1, but since it also contains cobalt metal there is a possibility that it receives some sort of regulation in future.
Now, in publications such as below-listed non-Patent Documents 2 and 3, it is described that an iron triazole complex compound, which is an iron-containing complex compound, undergoes reversible color change at particular temperatures. However, powdery iron triazole complex compound is poor in durability and does not make a practical temperature indicating pigment for temperature indicating member. Also, as a functional film device utilizing an iron triazole complex compound there is described in below-listed Patent Document 7, for example, an electrooptically functional film device, which contains an iron triazole complex compound and is made into a film form. This functional film is synthesized by emulsion polymerization method so that it is necessary to control the particle diameter responsive to the applications and thus requires extra time and cost. Furthermore, with this functional film device, its portion that contains iron complex is of a discontinued semi-spherical shape, so that it incurs limitation to the design-ability of the temperature indicator material as well as cost increase. Also, as an example of an application of using an iron triazole complex compound, there is disclosed in below-listed Patent Document 8, for example, an iron triazole complex compound having a ligand of a particular highly integrated structure, which is used as a storage element and the like rather than as a temperature indicating member. And in Patent Document 9, there is disclosed an optical element having a layer containing a liquid crystal gel, which is formed by a gelled composition including a triazole metal complex and a liquid crystal compound.

Temperature management indicator and structure having the same attached


An antenna element is provided that includes a frequency selective surface (FSS) portion on its primary radiating/receiving surface. The antenna element is conductively or capacitively coupled to an RF feed structure that can also include an FSS portion. In a preferred embodiment, the FSS antenna portion is located at least partially within the radiation pattern of a second antenna that operates in a frequency range for which the FSS is substantially transparent. In this way, signals being transferred to or from the second antenna through space can travel through the FSS antenna portion with little attenuation and/or reflection.

Applications involving the transmission of radio frequency (RF) energy (such as, for example, microwave or millimeter wave energy) through free space are abundant. For example, radar systems, satellite communications systems, aircraft altimeter and guidance systems, and ground reconnaissance mapping systems all involve the transmission of RF energy through space. To implement such systems, antennas must be provided for radiating and/or receiving the RF energy to/from free space. In this regard, the antenna acts as a transition between a wave guiding structure (i.e., a transmission line) internal to the system and free space. Many different types of antennas exist, each having its own advantages and disadvantages.
In many systems, both commercial and military, multiple applications involving the transmission of RF energy are practiced. For example, commercial aircraft generally include both weather radar units and ground communications systems. In such systems, at least one antenna is required to perform each application. A problem arises when limited surface space (i.e, real estate) is available for the antennas, such as is generally the case with aircraft. In general, it is difficult to implement multiple antennas in close proximity to one another because of interference and crosstalk concerns.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for implementing multiple antennas within a limited space without incurring negative interference effects. Also, a need exists for a method and apparatus for increasing the number of antennas that may be implemented within a given space.

Antenna system utilizing a frequency selective surface


Provided is a wire-to-board connector including a plug attached to a wire, and a receptacle mounted on a circuit board. The plug and the receptacle are formed of metal. The plug is fitted into the receptacle to electrically connect the wire to the circuit board. The receptacle has an accommodating portion formed in a tubular shape. The plug has an inserted portion to be inserted into the accommodating portion of the receptacle. The inserted portion includes a body plate and an elastic piece elastically supported in a cantilevered manner by the body plate. The elastic piece of the inserted portion has a free end. The accommodating portion has an engaged portion. When the inserted portion is inserted into the accommodating portion, the free end engages with the engaged portion along with an elastic deformation of the elastic piece, thereby allowing the plug to be fitted into the receptacle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire-to-board connector.
2. Description of Related Art
As a technique of this type, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-186663 discloses a structure in which a wire-side fast-on tab terminal 103 with a wire 102 is connected to a low-height type surface mounting fast-on tab terminal 101 which is mounted on the surface of a circuit board 100 as shown in FIG. 21 of the present invention.

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Ltd.