A buffer assembly for use with firearms such as the M-16 rifle, for reducing the cyclic rate of firing in full-automatic operation. The buffer assembly includes a unit of length selected to stop the bolt carrier at the desired full-recoil position, and a mass movable relative to that unit. When the bolt carrier stops at full-recoil, inertia causes the mass to continue moving rearwardly while further compressing the action spring. The action spring then returns that mass forwardly to contact the fixed portion of the buffer assembly, returning the bolt carrier to battery position. The bolt carrier remains at rest in recoil while the moveable weight slides rearwardly and then returns forwardly relative to the bolt carrier, thereby increasing the cycle time of firing and correspondingly reducing the cyclic rate of fire for the firearm.

Firearms capable of full-automatic operation often are not accurate unless fired in short bursts, for example, three rounds. This inaccuracy is caused by the tendency of the barrel to climb upwardly and to the right, with a right-handed shooter, due to the recoil of successive rounds fired at a high cyclic rate.
The M-16 rifle is an example of such a firearm. The M-16 fires at a cyclic rate of 750 rounds per minute (RPM), and that rate combined with the impulse of the 5.56 mm cartridge makes it difficult for a shooter firing full-automatic to produce a controlled pattern of shots.
The cyclic rate of fire for an automatic firearm is determined by various design aspects of the weapon. These aspects include the weight and recoil travel of the bolt assembly, the rate of the action spring required to absorb the recoil force and return the bolt assembly from recoil to battery positions, and other factors known to those skilled in the art. None of those factors is easily modified in an existing firearm. For example, adding weight to the bolt can somewhat lower the cyclic rate, but may lead to short recoils and thus reduce the reliability of the weapon. Changing the spring rate of the action spring in an effort to increase the cycle time may also reduce reliability.
One proposal for decreasing the cyclic rate of the M-16 rifle is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,296. That patent discloses a hydraulic buffer assembly for substitution in place of the conventional buffer of the M-16. That hydraulic buffer does reduce the cyclic rate to an extent, but it is a relatively expensive device to produce. Furthermore, the rate-reducing effect of the hydraulic buffer tends to diminish during prolonged firing, as the hydraulic fluid in the buffer becomes heated.
Increasing the recoil distance (and therefore the recoil time) of the bolt assembly also will reduce the cyclic rate. However, the construction of an existing firearm may not permit any significant increase in travel, without extensive machining or other rebuilding of the receiver or other components. That extent of reworking, in turn, may interfere with the operation of the firearm.


A slide block for slideably and pivotally mounting a window sash to a side member of a window frame having a vertical window jamb channel. The slide block includes a body, the body defining a sash pivot-receiving aperture. A sash pivot retainer spring is integrally formed with the body and is positionable between a first position obstructing removal of a sash pivot when the sash pivot is disposed in the aperture and a second position permitting removal of the sash pivot.

Double-hung, tilt-out type windows have become increasingly popular. Much of this popularity is due to the tilt-out feature, which allows both the inside and outside surfaces of the glazing to be cleaned from the inside and facilitates removal and replacement of a damaged sash.
Various tilt-out windows have been equipped with slide blocks, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,108 to Marshik, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Marshik discloses a double-hung window having a frame with a set of parallel jamb channels on opposite sides of the frame. Within each jamb channel is a slideably mounted block. A spring balance mechanism is attached to a headplate on each block. A connecting pin extends from opposite sides of a sash into an opening in a locking cam member housed within the block. The pivots allow the sash, which holds the glazing, to be rotated or tilted toward the inside of a room. As the pivots rotate, the cam forces serrated ends of a spring into opposite sides of the jamb channel to lock the block to the frame, thereby preventing the spring balance from moving the block and the sash.
The connecting pin can become disconnected from the block when the sash is tilted toward the inside of a room, if the operator inadvertently lifts while tilting the sash. This can cause the sash to disengage from the frame, requiring realignment prior to tilting the sash back into place. Conventional retention features can be difficult to operate and costly to manufacture. See, for example, the Locking Slide Block of U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,783 to Schmidt, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Non-takeout lock for a pivot pin of tilt-type windows


A robot program correcting apparatus, which displays three-dimensional models of a robot and a workpiece simultaneously on the screen of a display apparatus, and corrects an operation program for the robot, includes: a unit retrieving a robot operation program and a working position based on at least either a line or a surface computed from touchup points and on a touchup position or points representing a working position specified on the screen; a difference computing unit computing a difference between at least either the line or surface computed from the touchup points and at least either a line or a surface computed from the plurality of points as position information representing the retrieved working position; and a correcting unit correcting the robot operation program by computing the amount of correction based on the difference, thereby reducing the number of steps required when correcting the robot operation program.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot program correcting apparatus and, more particularly, to a robot program correcting apparatus for correcting a robot operation program, created off-line, to make it match the actual working position in the field.
(2) Description of Related Art
When a robot operation program is created in an off-line robot system and applied in the field, if the off-line-created program is executed without any modification, the robot cannot perform the work, as planned off-line, because there is a discrepancy between the off-line world and the world in the field. Accordingly, correction must be made to address this discrepancy.
In the prior art, teaching has been performed by jogging the robot in the field and a correction made to the off-line created program so as to match the actual position. Jogging the robot means moving the robot in order to teach it the actual working position.
Then, when applying the off-line created program in the field, it has been practiced to operate the robot in the field to touch up the target position on the workpiece that corresponds to the taught position defined on the screen, and to correct the program by shifting the target position by multiplying the target position from the right by a unitary difference matrix of four rows and four columns obtained as the difference between the points representing the target position and the points representing the actually touched position, thereby accomplishing the teaching and correction a position where a displacement has occurred.


A cable management assembly for managing wires having a rack with a plurality of mounted channel members. The channel members each comprise a left, right, and middle member which form a Z-shaped cross section and define first and second receiving areas for holding a plurality of wires. The middle member further includes apertures such that a wire can be received concurrently in both receiving areas. The channel members are mounted on the rack by integrals clips that extend from each channel member and engage mating holes located on the rack. A second embodiment channel member includes a first member and an opposing second member each having integral clips extending therefrom for mounting the channel members on the rack. The channel member further has a middle member connecting the first and second members which form a C-shaped cross-section and define a receiving area for holding a plurality of wires.

Relay racks provide an efficient method of providing structure for a variety of cross-connect applications. The racks are typically used in a termination closet for the management of wiring systems such as telecommunication wiring systems. Employing a channel in conjunction with the relay rack facilitates the handling, routing, and organizing of things such as cable wires and optical fiber.
Current cable management assemblies include channels that are mounted on the sides of the relay rack. The channels hold bundles of wires that are connected to various cross-connect products held within the center of the relay rack. The channels are mounted by using nut and bolt type fasteners to couple the relay rack to the channels. In addition, nut and bolt type fasteners are commonly used to make any attachments to the channels, such as for securing covers over the front compartments of the channels. The requirement of employing nut and bolt type fasteners to secure the channels and the covers increases costs and creates inefficiency in securing and using the channels.
The design of the current channels creates additional problems. For example, more than one mold is required to form the channels thus increasing costs in making the channels. Also, channels are often broken in shipping and storage because they are not sufficiently durable. In addition, the design of the channel hinders loading and accessing wires in the front and rear compartments of the channel. Specifically, to load the wires in the front compartment, the cover and fasteners must be removed, and to load the wires in the rear compartment, the wires must be weaved through gates. Moreover, the covers and gates obstruct access to the wires in the front and rear compartments.
An additional problem is that the current channels fail to provide means for efficiently securing and organizing the numerous wires making it difficult for an operator to access the wires and the cross-connect products on the rack.
Examples of prior art cross-connect products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5,765,698 to Bullivant.


A shipping container formed from three blanks of sheet material (e.g., corrugated fiberboard) is convertible between a full-wall shipping mode and a partial-wall shipping/display mode. A first blank forms a wrap-style tray and the other two form identical convertible sidewall/divider components secured within the tray. In the shipping mode, the convertible sidewall/divider components form opposing sidewall portions of the container covering (preferably completely) the container sides between end walls of the tray. In this mode, the container is well suited for the shipment of empty plastic bottles and like contents to a product manufacturer who will fill the bottles with flowable (e.g., liquid) product and repack them after converting the container to the shipping/display mode. By pressing inwardly on a main panel of each convertible sidewall/divider component, a pivot action of doubled-back pivot panels attaching the main panel to the end walls of the tray converts the container to the shipping/display mode. In this mode, the main panels form reinforcing H-type (or similar) container divider structure and leave largely open container sides. This configuration is well suited for the shipment of filled bottles or the like to a retailer in a stackable display-ready form.

The present invention relates to container constructions and, more particularly, to containers used for both shipping and display at the site of delivery.
The main function of a shipping container is to provide a means of enclosing and protecting goods for shipment in various sized lots. The container must be of sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand stacking and other handling loads without damage to the goods enclosed therein. Vertical loads, which occur as a result of stacking, are a great concern. Also, goods within the container may shift during handling, potentially causing abrasive wear and breakage. A standard container, such as disclosed in Bliss U.S. Pat. No. 1,974,527, reduces these problems by inclusion of a divider structure comprising a pair of separate blanks insertable into the container back-to-back to form an H-type divider. The divider separates the goods and increases the strength and rigidity of the container. Integrally formed H-type container dividers are also known. These are generally similar to the divider of the aforementioned Bliss patent, but with a pair of like divider structures being integrally hinged together instead of separate. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,149 to Fowler et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,999 to Moen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,678 to Jasper; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,893 to Randle.
Retail establishments expend considerable resources in the construction of displays which attract the eye of the consumer and inform consumers of the nature of the goods offered for sale. Therefore, it is advantageous if the retailer can receive goods from the manufacturer in containers that may also serve effectively as a display. To this end, several patents disclose shipping containers convertible into a display mode that allows the containers to be stacked and the goods to be seen within the containers. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,067 to Valenti and U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,299 to Edgerton, Jr. et al. These designs lack an H-type divider, and the inherent strength and stability provided thereby.
A conventional approach to shipping/display convertibility is the use of regular slotted containers (RSC's) provided with perforated tear-out sidewall panels and internal dividers. In a typical application, a bottled product manufacturer receives RSC's loaded with empty plastic bottles from a bottle producer. Upon receipt, the product to manufacturer opens the container, removes the bottles and fills them with the flowable product to be sold. Typically, a worker will manually remove the tear-out panels from the RSC sidewalls and reload filled and capped bottles into the converted display-suitable container, for shipment to a retail establishment. Full-wall panels as provided by the RSC's before conversion are desired for shipment of the empty (capless) bottles to help avoid contamination of the bottle interiors. Also, because capless bottles are typically shipped to the manufacturer upside down (as a further way to avoid contamination), the upside down orientation of the empty bottles renders them prone to falling out of a container with display gaps in the sidewalls. Full-wall panels eliminate this problem.
While tear-out panel type RSC's provide shipping/display convertibility, they do not provide an ideal solution. In particular, manual removal of the tear-out panels is costly and time consuming when large quantities of containers are involved. Moreover, the provision of separate wall panels and divider structures fails to take advantage of the fact that a divider structure is unnecessary when shipping empty (light) containers in the full-wall shipping mode. Substantial savings in material cost could be realized if a configuration was provided allowing effective conversion of a wall panel structure into a divider structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,667 to Beeby (the '667 patent) discloses another type of container convertible between a shipping and display mode. In a shipping mode, four separate scored and foldable U-shaped blanks form the walls of a shipping container comprising a base tray with abbreviated (short) walls. An identical tray is used as a cap. To achieve a display mode, the U-shaped blanks are removed from the trays, reversed in orientation and replaced back-to-back in the base tray to form an H-type divider. A drawback of the container of the '667 patent is that means such as packing tape and the press fit caps are apparently necessary to impart sufficient structural integrity for shipping. Application of packing tape and/or other wrapping materials requires additional expense and effort on the part of the product manufacturer, and, once effected, makes conversion to a display mode more difficult.

Container convertible between shipping and shipping/display modes


A liquid crystal display device includes: first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; a first polarizing plate on an outer surface of the first substrate; a second polarizing plate on an outer surface of the second substrate, the second polarizing plate including an anti-static pressure sensitive adhesive (ASPSA) layer; and a conductive tape electrically connected to the ASPSA layer.

Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, which have been widely used for a television and a monitor because of advantages in displaying moving images and high contrast ratio, use the optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules of a liquid crystal layer to produce an image. Accordingly, an LCD device includes a liquid crystal panel having two substrates spaced apart and facing each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates and a backlight unit supplying light to the liquid crystal panel. An alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field generated between the two substrates and transmittance of the liquid crystal layer is changed according to the alignment direction.
Although twisted nematic (TN) mode LCD devices using a vertical electric field have advantages in resolution and ability of displaying moving images, the TN mode LCD devices using the vertical electric field have disadvantages in a viewing angle. Accordingly, in-plane switching (IPS) mode LCD devices using a horizontal electric field have been the subject of recent research.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid crystal panel of an IPS mode LCD device according to the related art. In FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel of the IPS mode LCD device includes first and second substrate 10 and 20 facing and spaced apart from each other and a liquid crystal layer 30 between the first and second substrates 10 and 20. First and second polarizing plates 40 and 50 are formed on outer surfaces of the first and second substrates 10 and 20, respectively. A transmission axis of the first polarizing plate 40 is orthogonal to a transmission axis of the second polarizing plate 50. A common electrode 12 and a pixel electrode 14 are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 10. A horizontal electric field L is generated between the common electrode 12 and the pixel electrode 14, and liquid crystal molecules 31 in the liquid crystal layer 30 are aligned along the horizontal electric field L to be perpendicular to the common electrode 12 and the pixel electrode 14.
In the liquid crystal panel of the IPS mode LCD device, the common electrode 12 and the pixel electrode 14 are formed on the same substrate, i.e., the first substrate 10, and the horizontal electric field L is generated between the common electrode 12 and the pixel electrode 14. Since the liquid crystal molecules 31 are arranged along the horizontal electric field L parallel to the first and second substrates 10 and 20, the IPS mode LCD device has a relatively wide viewing angle.
When undesired charges causing static electricity are injected into the liquid crystal panel of the IPS mode LCD device, the horizontal electric field L and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 31 may be distorted. As a result, the liquid crystal panel of the IPS mode LCD device may be abnormally operated. Since the second substrate 20 of the liquid crystal panel of the IPS mode LCD device does not have a common electrode on the entire inner surface thereof, a transparent conductive metal layer 60 is formed between the outer surface of the second substrate 20 and the second polarizing plate 50 to prevent the static electricity. The transparent conductive metal layer 60 may be grounded by connection to a supporting means for the liquid crystal panel through a conductive tape (not shown). However, the production cost of the IPS mode LCD device increases due to a high material cost for the transparent conductive metal layer 60 and the fabrication process of the IPS mode LCD device is complicated due to the additional steps for the transparent conductive metal layer 60.

Liquid crystal display device having path of discharging undesired charges and method of fabricating the same


A method of producing a high-purity and high-quality thin film, wherein chlorine trifluoride is used as a cleaning gas for the purpose of lowering temperature at which a cleaning operation is conducted, the cleaning operation is conducted at a temperature in the range of from room temperature to 500.degree. C., a member whose surface is made of silicon carbide is used and a combined content of free silicon and free carbon in the surface region of the member is in the range of 2 wt % or less so that corrosion of the member is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a thin film grown on a semiconductor substrate.
2. Related Art
For example, in a case where a silicon raw material gas is fed in a reaction vessel of a thin film growth apparatus for the purpose of growing a silicon single crystal thin film on a silicon single crystal substrate, silicon is deposited unintentionally on the surface exposed to the atmosphere in the vessel, such as an inner wall of the vessel, a holder for holding a silicon single crystal substrate, a gas nozzle, and the other jigs as well as on a main surface of the substrate.
Part of deposit having the shapes of a particulate or a flake formed in the reaction vessel is frequently peeled during the growth of a thin film and some of the peeled debris comes to attach on a semiconductor substrate. The debris on the substrate causes anomalous part in the thin film, such as stacking faults or protruding defects. A cleaning operation, therefore, has been required regularly to remove the deposit in the vessel.
As a function for eliminating the deposit, an aqueous solution of a strong acid or a strong base has been used to eliminate the deposit in the reaction vessel of a thin film growth apparatus through the etching action. In the case of silicon as the deposit, for example, a strong acid such as an aqueous mixture solution of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid is used. Such an etching method by using the aqueous solution requires an operation for dismantling a reaction vessel, a holder for a substrate, a gas nozzle and the other jigs from the thin film growth apparatus to clean them, since the method is carried out in a wet condition. The wet etching method cannot be frequently applied for eliminating the deposit in the reaction vessel, since it consumes much time in such operations as dismantling, assembling, and restarting up the apparatus after adjusting the operative condition.
Another method for elimination of the deposit in the reaction vessel widely known is to introduce hydrogen chloride gas into the reaction vessel kept at a temperature near 1200.degree. C. in order to etching off the deposit after unloading a semiconductor substrate on which a thin film has been grown.
In the case where hydrogen chloride gas is introduced into the reaction vessel at such a high temperature, however, members in the vessel suffers from damages and the reaction area is contaminated by metals carried on the hydrogen chloride gas stream.
When a thin film growth apparatus of cold-wall type is used, there are also problems that various kinds of contaminants present in non-heated regions, such as the wall, of relatively low temperature in the reaction vessel, are difficult to be removed by the use of hydrogen chloride gas, and contaminants once etched off at high temperature regions come to be again deposited on the non-heated regions and mixed into growing thin films by revaporization, which will result in crystal quality degradation of the thin film.
In light of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional methods, new cleaning gases were proposed. In this case, gases of high reactivity are used at low temperature to clean the interior of the reaction vessel of the thin film growth apparatus, wherein a gas including at least one of the group consisting of ClF, ClF.sub.3, and ClF.sub.5 is used to eliminate deposit in the thin film growth apparatus, said deposit being a metal or compounds thereof (see published Japanese patent No. Sho 64-17857).
When a cleaning gas, C1F.sub.3 (chlorine trifluoride) is used for cleaning the interior of the reaction vessel containing a substrate holder made of graphite coated with SiC (silicon carbide), however, there happens a problem that the surface of the substrate holder is corroded by chlorine trifluoride, and in succession, the graphite in the holder is vigorously attacked and corroded to generate particulate. Consequently, the method for cleaning the interior of a reaction vessel by the use of ClF.sub.3 has not been put into practical use.
Silicon carbide has been used was black in color and non-transparent even though it is obtained as a simple substance in the market. It means imbalanced stoichiometry in composition between carbon and silicon, thus either silicon or carbon is partly segregated in the solid not being sited at the lattice. It is believed by the inventors that the segregated silicon or carbon is preferably attacked by chlorine trifluoride used as a cleaning gas.


A communication device of the present invention includes channel compensations, an adaptive processor, a MAC and a controller. The channel compensations weight each of signals received by a plurality of antennas based on an SN ratio of the received signals so as to control the antennas to operate as combining diversity systems. The adaptive processor weights each of the signals received by the plurality of antennas so as to suppress the interference signal and to control the antennas to operate as adaptive array antennas. The MAC detects frequency hopping information of the received signals. The controller changes between the operation of the combining diversity systems and the operation of the adaptive array antennas, based on the frequency hopping information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device, a communication method, a communication system and a program.
2. Description of the Rated Art
In the past, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No, 2005-33414 discloses a wireless communication device in a frequency hopping system using a plurality of slots. This wireless communication device selects a plurality of frequencies used in the same frame, in a combination having low correlation with fading characteristics of a wireless propagation and spectral width of another device using the same frequency band, thereby enhancing the effect of the frequency diversity system.
JP-A No. 2000-353998 discloses a diversity sender device that switches a plurality of antennas at predetermined switching frequencies when sequentially switching the antennas so as to demodulate a received signal(s), thereby attaining the diversity effect.
JP-A No. 6-61894discloses a power inversion adaptive array system (adaptive array antenna) that implements an inverse phase combination of the interference signals between the diversity branches, in order to eliminate the broadband interference signal
[Patent Document 1] JP-A 2005-33414
[Patent Document 2] JP-A 2000-353998
[Patent Document 3] JP-A 6-61894

Communication device, communication method, communication system and program


An oil feeding propeller of a scroll compressor for preventing deterioration of oil feeding generated when a rotation shaft is rotated in reverse is disclosed. The propeller is tightly fitted into the lower side of the oil passage of the rotation shaft, sucks oil into the shell due to rotation shaft of shaft to raise oil to a compression part of the scroll compressor. The propeller includes a plate without operative direction for feeding oil in a predetermined direction so as to raise a predetermined quantity of oil regardless of the rotation direction shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scroll compressor, and more particularly, to an oil feeding propeller of a scroll compressor for preventing deterioration of the oil feed performance generated when a rotation shaft is rotated in reverse.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a scroll compressor is a high-efficiency-and-low-noise compressor widely employed in the air conditioning field. In the scroll compressor, a plurality of compression chambers formed between two scrolls when the scrolls are rotated and the compression chambers move toward the centers of the scrolls so that volumes of the compression chambers are decreased and the scrolls are spaced apart from each other again and refrigerant gas is sucked into the scroll compressor.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a conventional scroll compressor.
As shown in the drawing, the conventional scroll compressor includes a rotation shaft 400 rotatably supported in a shell 100 by a main frame 200 and a sub-frame 300 and having an oil passage 401 formed in the axial direction, a compression part 500 installed at the upper sides of the main frame 200 and having an orbiting scroll 501 coupled with the rotation shaft 400 and a non-orbiting scroll 502 coupled with the orbiting scroll 501, a driving part 600 for driving the rotation shaft 400, and an oil feeding propeller 700 tightly fitted into the lower end of the oil passage 401 and serving to feed oil reserved in the shell 100 to the compression part 500 through the oil passage 401.
In the scroll compressor, when the rotation shaft 400 is rotated by the driving part 600, the orbiting scroll 501 is orbited, and refrigerant gas is sucked into a space between the orbiting scroll 501 and the non-orbiting scroll 502 coupled with the orbiting scroll 501 so that the refrigerant gas is compressed due to the orbiting operation of the orbiting scroll 501 and is discharged out of the scroll compressor.
At that time, oil reserved in the lower side of the shell 100 ascends along the oil passage 401 due to the rotation of the oil feeding propeller 700 rotated together with the rotation shaft 400 and is fed toward the inner surface of the orbiting scroll 501 orbiting while being coupled with the non-orbiting scroll 502. Therefore, paces where the orbiting scroll 501 is coupled with the non-orbiting scroll 502 are sealed and slide.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of main parts of the conventional scroll compressor in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an oil feeding propeller of the conventional scroll compressor depicted in FIG. 2.
As shown in the drawings, the oil feeding propeller 700 tightly fitted into the oil passage 401 formed in the lower side of the rotation shaft 400 includes a plate coupling part 701 and bending parts 702 connected to the lower side of the coupling part 701 and bent in opposite directions so as to feed oil in a predetermined direction.
The oil feeding propeller 700 is rotated together with the rotation shaft 400 in the oil passage 401 and raises oil in the oil passage 401 to the bending parts when the rotation shaft 400 is rotated.
Thus, the bending parts 702 have a directional structure for feeding oil in the predetermined direction so that the bending parts 702 are rotated together with the rotation shaft 400 to raise oil.
However, the oil feeding propeller of the conventional scroll compressor has the following shortcomings.
Since the oil feeding propeller of the conventional scroll compressor is formed to have the directional structure for feeding oil in the predetermined direction, i.e. upwards, oil is fed in the reverse direction, i.e. downwards, when the rotation shaft is rotated in reverse due to improper connection or wrong installation of power supply of the driving part and operational malfunction. Thus, the oil feeding propeller cannot raise oil normally and causes the counter result of lowering oil already fed to the compression part.
Moreover, since oil cannot be fed sufficiently to the compression part when the rotation shaft is rotated in reverse, the compression part is damaged and reliability of the conventional scroll compressor is remarkably deteriorated.

Oil feeding propeller of scroll compressor


A first and second side plate are hingedly mounted together, with the first side plate including first and second end plates hingedly mounted to the first side plate, to each include at least one end plate slot to receive lug portions of the second side plate. The apparatus is arranged for interfolding relative to the plate structure for securement to a portable container to permit ease of transport and storage of the organization.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to foot rest structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved portable footrest apparatus wherein the same is arranged for ease of interfolding for storage and transport thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Footrest apparatus of various types have been available in the prior art and exemplified by such patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,991,908; 3,770,316; 4,708,308; 4,462,363; and 4,013,318.
The instant invention addresses deficiencies of the prior art by providing a footrest structure arranged for ease of transport and mounting to a portable attache case and the like and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


Components of swimming pools, such as rims and base plates, are addressed herein. The rims and plates are adapted for positive interlock to prevent movement of one relative to the other, and the rims typically include dual flanges of differing heights. Among base plates contemplated hereby are ones containing a slot formed by their two vertical walls and which provide guidance at their edges for positioning their associated rims.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,087 to Schall, et al. describes and illustrates an exemplary above-ground, essentially oval swimming pool. Made of multiple panels of extruded aluminum, the pool is designed to be built "without the necessity of a large top and bottom rail and, theoretically, without a top and bottom rail at all." As stated in the Schall, et al. patent, construction of the pool allows use of a lower guide rail "solely for the purpose of shaping" the pool. The guide rail can be removed after pool wall construction is completed or need not be used in the first place in the event that the shape of the outer pool wall has already been marked out.
Because temporary, the guide rail is not subject to forces caused by water as it fills the pool and accordingly has a simple, unslotted "L"-shaped cross section. No base plate, furthermore, is utilized in pools constructed according to the disclosure of the Schall, et al. patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,593 to Wall, by contrast, details an above-ground swimming pool in which flat base plates and "bottom rail members" are employed. Described therein is the structure of a bottom rail member, which includes a web portion having a pair of spaced apart vertical flanges integrally formed therewith and projecting upwardly therefrom. One of the vertical flanges has an inturned flange integrally formed therewith which terminates in a terminal flange. The other vertical flange projects upwardly beyond the inturned flange.
(Numerals omitted.) Defined between the inner vertical flange and the inturned flange is a slot, in which is received the lower edge of a continuous side wall preferably formed of corrugated sheet metal. No mechanism for guiding the sheet metal appears provided by the bottom rail member, however, and no positive locking means is furnished as part of the rail member itself.
Additionally described in the Wall patent is the structure of a base plate included as a part of a vertical leg support of the completed pool. Intended to be substantially flat, the base plate nonetheless has an upturned inner flange terminating in an inwardly curved upper end. A portion of the inner flange "is also struck inwardly to define a locking element . . . which is adapted to coact with the bottom rails for releasably locking the rails to the base plate." Spaced vertical guide elements of the base plate purportedly define guide ways for pairs of bottom rail members, with the inwardly curved upper end of the inner flange overlying the inner vertical flange of each bottom rail. The "inwardly struck locking element" of the base plate also "serves as a stop to limit inward movement of each pair of bottom rail members which are interconnected with each base plate." Again, however, no positive interlocking mechanism with the bottom rail members is provided, and the base plate lacks any slot for supporting a received upright or vertical leg.


A prefabricated shelter is provided which consists of an arched framework having open opposite ends, a structure for securing the framework to the ground and a roof assembly mounted to the top of the arched framework, so as to protect and cover anything positioned under the roof assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to protective enclosures and more specifically it relates to a prefabricated shelter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous protective enclosures have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,716 to Colby, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,138 to Roy, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,810 to Wilken; U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,621 to Merdich; U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,168 to Russell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,492 to Schliemann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,602 to Pohl et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,838 to Sabec; U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,423 to Marsh; U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,584 to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,690 to Wallace Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,297 to Bernard and U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,833 to Porter all are illustrative of such prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,716: This patent has a rounded arch while the instant invention is different in design. The method of fastening the arches to the base is entirely different. The arches are also made out of different materials. The base rails and anchoring systems are entirely different. There is no similarity.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,138: This patent has a rounded arch and bears no similarity in design or materials to the instant invention. The complicated system of pulleys, springs and anchoring systems are totally different.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,810: This patent contains a system for concaving roofing materials, so that the roofing material itself becomes the framing. It has no detail of or similarity to the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,621: This carport bears no resemblance to the instant invention either in materials or design. The arches are totally different in design and are constructed of different materials. The anchoring systems are totally different. This design has a guiding system, which the instant invention does not have. The roofing materials are different and the sides and end enclosures are also different.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,168: This shelter is designed to be connected in sections and is different from the instant invention. The arches are rounded with the arch design and construction totally different. Anchoring of the arches is complicated, while end design and construction is different. The door and vest is not used in the instant invention and there is no nuts or bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,492: This rounded arch structure bears no resemblance in design, materials or structure to the instant invention. The vault like design in sheeting is different as well as the design and materials of the ribs. The base design is also different.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,602: This unit is a garage with ends and doors. The framing is of flat materials with many cuts, fastened with screws or at angles that may be welded. The instant invention does not contain any of this. The base as well as the method of fastening the ribs to the base is different. The unit has support posts, while the instant invention does not need them. Roofing materials and design are different.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,838: This is a protective cover for a work vehicle, while uses rib construction and an unique frame configuration. It bears no resemblance in design, materials or usage to the instant invention. This is a protective cover over a work vehicle to protect the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,423: This unit is a greenhouse with a wood base, plastic pipes, totally enclosed with a door and bears no resemblance to the instant invention in materials or design.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,584: This is a skeletal building frame made of lightweight polyvinyl tubing and bears no resemblance to the instant invention in materials or design. The base, the tubing, the supports, and the sheathing applications are different.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,690: This complicated system of pipe, plates, fasteners, nuts, bolts, braces and rectangular tubular construction bears no resemblance to the easy construction of the instant invention. Securing of the base and the leg design of the arch is totally different.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,297: This is an enclosed building with arches reinforced with welded braces. It is totally different from the one piece arch of the instant invention. Peak fasteners and rounded edges are complicated items of unique bends, fasteners, nuts and bolts; none of which the instant invention has. The covering materials are also different.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,833: This square tubular frame is cut, welded and bolted together in parts. It has no resemblance in material or design to the instant invention. It method of fastening to a base is entirely different. Application of roofing material is also different.
While these units ma be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a xe2x80x9clean-burnxe2x80x9d internal combustion engine in cooperation with an exhaust gas purification system having an emissions control device capable of alternatively storing and releasing NOx when exposed to exhaust gases that are lean and rich of stoichiometry, respectively, determines a performance impact, such as a fuel-economy benefit, of operating the engine at a selected lean operating condition, with due consideration of the periodic rich operating condition necessary to release stored NOx from the device. The method and apparatus further determine a measure representative of the instantaneous NOx-storing efficiency of the device. The method and apparatus enable the selected lean operating condition as long as the determined performance impact and the determined device efficiency are each above respective predetermined minimum levels.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of xe2x80x9clean-burnxe2x80x9d internal combustion engines used in motor vehicles to obtain improved engine and/or vehicle performance, such as improved vehicle fuel economy or reduced overall vehicle emissions.
2. Background Art
The exhaust gas generated by a typical internal combustion engine, as may be found in motor vehicles, includes a variety of constituent gases, including hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx ) and oxygen (O2). The respective rates at which an engine generates these constituent gases are typically dependent upon a variety of factors, including such operating parameters as air-fuel ratio (xcex), engine speed and load, engine temperature, ambient humidity, ignition timing (xe2x80x9csparkxe2x80x9d), and percentage exhaust gas recirculation (xe2x80x9cEGRxe2x80x9d). The prior art often maps values for instantaneous engine-generated or xe2x80x9cfeedgasxe2x80x9d constituents, such as HC, CO and NOx, based, for example, on detected values for instantaneous engine speed and engine load.
To limit the amount of feedgas constituents that are exhausted through the vehicle""s tailpipe to the atmosphere as xe2x80x9cemissions,xe2x80x9d motor vehicles typically include an exhaust purification system having an upstream and a downstream three-way catalyst. The downstream three-way catalyst is often referred to as a NOx xe2x80x9ctrapxe2x80x9d. Both the upstream and downstream catalyst store NOX when the exhaust gases are xe2x80x9cleanxe2x80x9d of stoichiometry and release previously stored NOx for reduction to harmless gases when the exhaust gases are xe2x80x9crichxe2x80x9d of stoichiometry.
Significantly, each purge event is characterized by a fuel xe2x80x9cpenaltyxe2x80x9d consisting generally of an amount of fuel required to release both the oxygen stored in the three-way catalyst, and the oxygen and NOx stored in the trap. Moreover, the trap""s NOx-storage capacity is known to decline in a generally-reversible manner over time due to sulfur poisoning or xe2x80x9csulfurization,xe2x80x9d and in a generally-irreversible manner over time due, for example, to component xe2x80x9cagingxe2x80x9d from thermal effects and xe2x80x9cdeep-diffusionxe2x80x9d/xe2x80x9cpermanentxe2x80x9d sulfurization. As the trap""s capacity drops, the trap is xe2x80x9cfilledxe2x80x9d more quickly, and trap purge events are scheduled with ever-increasing frequency. This, in turn, increases the overall fuel penalty associated with lean engine operation, thereby further reducing the overall fuel economy benefit of xe2x80x9crunning lean.xe2x80x9d
In order to restore trap capacity, a trap desulfurization event is ultimately scheduled, during which additional fuel is used to heat the trap to a relatively-elevated temperature, whereupon a slightly-rich air-fuel mixture is provided for a relatively-extended period of time to release much of the stored sulfur and rejuvenate the trap. As with each purge event, each desulfurization event typically includes the further xe2x80x9cfuel penaltyxe2x80x9d associated with the initial release of oxygen previously stored in the three-way catalyst and the trap. Accordingly, the prior art teaches scheduling a desulfurization event only when the trap""s NOx-storage capacity falls below a critical level, thereby minimizing the frequency at which such further fuel economy xe2x80x9cpenaltiesxe2x80x9d are incurred.
Unfortunately, as a further impact of trap sulfurization, empirical data suggests that a trap""s instantaneous NOx-storage efficiency, i.e., its instantaneous ability to incrementally store NOx, is increasingly affected by trap sulfurization as the trap begins to fill with NOx. Specifically, while a trap""s instantaneous efficiency immediately after a trap purge event is believed to remain generally unaffected by trap sulfurization, the instantaneous efficiency begins to fall more quickly, and earlier in the fill event, with increasing trap sulfurization. Such reduced trap efficiency leads to increased instantaneous NOx emissions, even when the trap is not yet xe2x80x9cfilledxe2x80x9d with NOx.
Accordingly, it is possible for the condition of a lean NOx trap deteriorate such that continued lean-burn operation either reduces overall vehicle fuel economy or increased overall vehicle emissions. What is needed, then, is a method and apparatus for controlling a lean-burn engine that prohibits lean engine operation when lean-burn operation is likely to have such a negative performance impact.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a lean-burn internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle to prohibit lean engine operation when such lean engine operation is likely to generate a negative performance impact, such as a reduced overall vehicle fuel economy or increase overall vehicle emissions.
In accordance with the invention, a method and apparatus is provided for controlling a lean-burn engine which prohibits lean-burn operation when a measure representing a performance impact, such as a determined measure of fuel economy benefit relative to stoichiometric engine operation, and a measure of trap NOx-storage efficiency, sampled once per trap fill/purge cycle at end of fill cycle, fall below respective calibratable threshold values. Preferably, the determination of the performance impact includes determining a relative cost due to periodically purging the trap of stored NOx, as well as the determination of the performance improvement likely to be obtained upon initiating a trap decontamination event, such as desulfurization of the trap.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for controlling lean-burn engine based upon predicted performance impact and trap efficiency


A reconfigurable analog-to-digital (A/D) converter that produces an N bit output in a first operating mode and an (N+1) bit output in a second operating mode. The reconfigurable A/D converter is especially well-suited for use in a read channel device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A/D converters, in general, operate according to a particular set of specifications. The most important of these are the resolution (number of bits) and the sampling frequency. For example, an 8 bit, 400 MHz A/D converter has a resolution of 8 bits and can produce 400 Million digital outputs in one second. Flash architecture is one well known method of implementing a high speed A/D converter. An example of flash architecture is disclosed in an article entitled "A 400 MHz input flash converter with error correction", IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 184-191, Feb. 1990 (C. Mangelsdorf). Flash architecture requires 2.sup.N comparators for N bit resolution. Thus, a major drawback of flash architecture is that the size of the converter essentially doubles if the resolution is increased by one bit. As a consequence the power dissipation also roughly doubles, making it almost impractical to use this architecture for more than 10-bits of resolution.
To address the above-mentioned problem attempts have been made to modify basic flash architecture. One such modification is sub-ranging, two-stage, A/D converter architecture as taught by A. G. F. Dingwall and V. Zazzu in "An 8 MHz CMOS Subranging 8-bit A/D Converter", IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-20, No. 6, pp. 1138-1143, 1985. In this architecture, the final A/D converter resolution is obtained by a two step process in which two sequential "passes" are made through a low-resolution flash A/D converter. Although this architecture consumes less space than a standard flash A/D converter (a one-step A/D converter), it suffers from reduced speed since two passes, one after the other, are required to obtain the final conversion. Each of the two stages has the same resolution, and the final A/D output is derived by cascading the outputs of the two stages. For example, if the first stage has 4-bit resolution the second stage will also have 4-bit resolution, with the final word being given by concatenation of the two words in the same order. Conceptually one could use this as a reconfigurable A/D converter by using only the first four bits in certain situations and all eight bits in other situations, but it would be very inefficient because the second pass would still need to be made, even though the information from the pass would be unused.
Many practical variations of this two-stage architecture exist. For example, the operation of the two stages can be pipelined so that the speed of conversion is the same as the conversion time of one stage, and the number of stages can be extended to be more than two. Such multi-step A/D converters are called pipelined multi-step A/D converters, an example of which is shown in an article entitled "A Pipelined 5 MHz Sample/9-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter", IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-22, No. 6, pp. 954-961, Dec. 1987 (Stephen H. Levis and Paul R. Gray). Although the conversion rate is improved in these converters because of the pipelining, there is latency through the A/D converter that is equal to the sum of the delay through all of the stages. Such delay is unacceptable in many applications such as, for example, where the A/D converter is used in a feedback loop (such as in a read channel IC). All of the above-described architectures are attempts to reduce basic problems inherent in flash architecture. However, the concept of reconfigurability of these, and other, types of A/D converters is not addressed by these architectures.
Another well known solution is an interpolating A/D converter as taught by J. Van Valbourg and R. J. Van de Plassche in "An 8b 650 MHz Folding ADC", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-27, No. 12, pp. 1662-1666, Dec. 1992. Although this architecture results in a smaller size than a flash A/D converter with comparable speed and resolution, there is no way known to the Applicant herein to reconfigure an interpolating A/D converter to obtain a different resolution (number of bits) or a different speed.
Another solution is the use of a parallel A/D convertor using 2.sup.(n-1) comparators as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,103. As with prior solutions, while there is a smaller-sized A/D converter produced, there has been heretofore no way known to the Applicant to reconfigure such a convertor to obtain a different resolution or a different speed.
One application in which it would be desirable to be able to switch between a low resolution, high speed A/D convertor and a high resolution, low speed A/D convertor is in a magnetic mass storage device. Magnetic mass storage devices, such as disk drives, are used to store large amounts of data, especially in computer systems. Disk drives include a plurality of magnetized disks and a spindle motor to rotate the disks. Data is stored on concentric data tracks on the surfaces of the magnetized rotating disks. A sensor (usually referred to as a read/write head) positioned proximate the rotating disk and moveable in a radial direction is used to detect (i.e., read) information, in the form of analog signals, from the disks. An important aspect of the operation of the disk drive is the positioning or location of the read/write head with respect to the magnetized tracks on the rotating disk. A servo mechanism is used to determine and control the exact position of the read/write head with respect to the disk, so that data can be read from or written onto a specific sector and track on a specific disk.
Generally, two types of data or information are stored on the disk drive. The first type is user data and this data is read during a user mode. The second type is servo data which is the data used by the servo mechanism to determine the position of the read/write head with respect to a specific sector on a specific track of the disk. The servo data is read in a servo mode.
The electronics that are used for these two read modes vary widely from one manufacturer to another since there are no standards as to how these two processes should be implemented. Typically when reading data in both the user mode and the servo mode, an analog signal detected by the read head is first input into a very low-noise pre-amplifier which amplifies the signal. The amplified signal is then input into a read channel circuit. The read channel circuit is typically a single integrated circuit (IC) which directs the amplified signal to either the read path which processes the user data, or the servo path which processes servo data. In either cases the front end of the read channel, consisting of a voltage gain amplifier (VGA) and a continuous-time filter (CTF), is common to both the servo and read signal processing.
The processing circuitry for the user data is self-contained within the read channel IC (mostly analog). However, only part of the servo processing is done within the read channel IC. The majority of the servo processing, such as DSP operations and voice coil motor driving, is performed by separate circuits using one or more ICs. Essential to the servo processing is an A/D converter for digitizing the analog servo signals. In some disk-drive electronics, this A/D converter is part of the read channel IC, and in others it is embedded in a different chip.
Advances in digital signal processing have led to the need to convert most of the analog signal processing in the user data path into a digital signal processing path. Accordingly, A/D converters are utilized in the user data circuit. However, the servo signal processing, despite sharing most of the analog signal pre-processing with the user data path, continues to use a different A/D converter (either internal or external to the read channel IC) because in processing user data, high speed is more important than high resolution. For servo signal processing high resolution is more important than high speed. The additional circuitry needed to process both types of data results in increased cost for such systems. The current invention pertains to merging these two A/D converters into a single reconfigurable A/D converter with minimal increase in size and cost.


A dust collection cover may be made from resin for achieving a reduction in its typical weight. In such a configuration, a disk-shaped grinding stone for grinding a steel material is preferably not attachable due to interference of an attachment-restricting portion. It is preferred that only a cup-shaped diamond wheel for work that generally does not produce heated iron powder or the like is attachable.

A hand-held type disk grinder includes a configuration in which a spindle with a grinding tool attached thereto is rotated at a high speed by an electric motor disposed within a tool main body. Different types of grinding tools may be attached to the spindle depending on the substance of the work. For example, when debarring work for a steel material or a bead cutting work for a welded surface is performed, a disk-shaped grinding stone may be attached. When work for grinding concrete mating surfaces or chamfering a stone material is performed, a cup-shaped diamond wheel may be attached.
When a disk-shaped grinding tool is attached to perform grinding work on a steel plate or the like, only the front tip is pressed in a circumferential direction against the subject being worked on. A dust collection cover substantially covering about half the circumference on the rear side of the grinding tool may be attached. Meanwhile, when grinding work is performed using a cup-shaped diamond wheel, generally the entire circumference may be pressed against a surface to be ground. In such a situation, it is preferable that a dust collection cover having a shape substantially covering the entire circumference of the diamond wheel is preferably attached. In addition, a dust collection bag may be attached to the dust collection cover. In other embodiments, a dust collector may be connected to the dust collection cover via a hose in order to collect dust more completely.


A low-noise amplifier capable of operation in two or more frequency bands of a personal communication services (PCS) receiver or other wireless communication system terminal. An exemplary embodiment of the amplifier includes a single bipolar junction transistor amplification stage. Input and output matching networks for the transistor each include a first series capacitor, a shunt inductor coupled to ground potential, a second series capacitor and a second inductor coupled to a supply voltage. These four elements are used to provide narrowband input or output matches in two distinct frequency bands, such as 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz. The first series capacitors in the input and output matching networks may also be used to provide DC input and output isolation, respectively, and the second inductors of the input and output matching networks may be used to supply DC bias to the base and collector, respectively, of the amplifier transistor. The matching networks may be configured using only lumped inductive and capacitive elements, with values limited to less than about 10 nH and 10 pF, respectively. The amplifier may be configured to provide a minimum gain of 15 dB and a maximum noise figure of 2 dB over 100 MHz-wide bands centered at 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz.

Demand for cellular telephones and other wireless communications services is continually increasing. As a result, many wireless systems are now configured to operate in more than one frequency band. For example, a cellular system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,734, which issued Oct. 10, 1995 to Eryaman et al. and is entitled "Multi-Band Cellular Radiotelephone System Architecture" is capable of simultaneous operation in two distinct frequency bands centered at 800 MHz and 1.5 GHz. In addition, personal communication services (PCS) wireless systems have recently been configured using a first band centered at 900 MHz and a second band centered at 1.8 GHz. These and other multiple-band wireless communication systems have created a demand for handsets and other types of portable communication terminals that are capable of operating in two or more distinct frequency bands.
In order to minimize the cost and complexity of the front end radio-frequency (RF) circuitry in these multi-band portable terminals, it would be highly desirable to provide a single low-noise amplifier at the front end that can, for example, amplify both the 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz frequency bands. Such an amplifier should have both a low noise figure and a high gain to reduce the effects of noise in subsequent amplifying stages. Unfortunately, conventional low-noise amplifiers are unable to provide acceptable noise and gain performance in multiple wireless bands without unduly increasing the amplifier cost and complexity. For example, application of conventional matching techniques to a low-noise amplifier would generally require that both an input and an output matching network utilize a separate set of at least two or three elements for each of the frequency bands to be matched. A separate set of elements is therefore used to provide a narrowband input or output match for each of the frequency bands. Other conventional approaches may attempt to use a single set of elements to provide a broadband input or output match, but such techniques are very difficult to implement and often unable to meet the performance requirements of multiple frequency bands. As a result of these and other deficiencies of the prior art, it may be necessary for a given handset to include separate amplifiers for each of the frequency bands, or a single, multi-stage amplifier which is both complex and expensive. In either case, the size, cost and power consumption of the handset is unduly increased.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists for a simple and inexpensive low-noise amplifier which can operate in at least two distinct frequency bands, such that the amplifier may be used in a handset or other portable communication terminal of a multi-band wireless system without unduly increasing the size, cost and power consumption of the portable terminal.

Single-stage dual-band low-noise amplifier for use in a wireless communication system receiver


A system and method for evaluating a patient status from sampled physiometry for use in heart failure assessment is presented. Physiological measures are stored, including at least one of direct measures regularly recorded on a substantially continuous basis by an implantable medical device for a patient and measures derived from the direct measures. At least one of those of the physiological measures, which each relate to a same type of physiometry, and those of the physiological measures, which each relate to a different type of physiometry are sampled. A status for the patient is determined through analysis of the sampled physiological measures assembled from a plurality of recordation points. The sampled physiological measures are evaluated. Trends that are indicated by the patient status, which might affect cardiac performance of the patient, are identified. Each trend is compared to worsening heart failure indications to generate a notification of parameter violations.

Implantable pulse generators (IPGs) are medical devices commonly used to treat irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias. There are two basic types. Cardiac pacemakers are used to manage bradycardia, an abnormally slow or irregular heartbeat. Left untreated, bradycardia can cause symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, and fainting. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are used to treat tachycardia, heart rhythms that are abnormally fast and life threatening. Tachycardia can result in sudden cardiac death (SCD).
Pacemakers and ICDs are increasingly being equipped with an on-board, volatile memory in which telemetered signals can be stored for later retrieval and analysis. Typically, the telemetered signals provide patient device information regarding atrial electrical activity, ventricular electrical activity, time of day, activity level, cardiac output, oxygen level, cardiovascular pressure measures, pulmonary measures, and any interventions made on a per heartbeat or binned average basis. In addition, a growing class of cardiac medical devices, including implantable heart failure monitors, implantable event monitors, cardiovascular monitors, and therapy devices, are being used to provide similar stored device information. These devices are able to store approximately thirty minutes of per heartbeat data. Telemetered signals are also stored in a broader class of monitors and therapeutic devices for other areas of medicine, including metabolism, endocrinology, hematology, neurology, muscular, gastrointestinal, genital-urology, ocular, auditory, and the like.
Presently, stored device information is retrieved using a proprietary interrogator or programmer, often during a clinic visit or following a device event. The volume of data retrieved from a single device interrogation "snapshot" can be large and proper interpretation and analysis can require significant physician time and detailed subspecialty knowledge, particularly by cardiologists and cardiac electrophysiologists. The sequential logging and analysis of regularly scheduled interrogations can create an opportunity for recognizing subtle and incremental changes in patient condition otherwise undetectable by inspection of a single "snapshot." However, present approaches to data interpretation and understanding and practical limitations on time and physician availability make such analysis impracticable.
A prior art system for collecting and analyzing pacemaker and ICD telemetered signals in a clinical or office setting is the Model 9790 Programmer, manufactured by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. This programmer can be used to retrieve data, such as patient electrocardiogram and any measured physiological conditions, collected by the IPG for recordation, display and printing. The retrieved data is displayed in chronological order and analyzed by a physician. Comparable prior art systems are available from other IPG manufacturers, such as the Model 2901 Programmer Recorder Monitor, manufactured by Guidant Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., which includes a removable floppy diskette mechanism for patient data storage. These prior art systems lack remote communications facilities and must be operated with the patient present. These systems present a limited analysis of the collected data based on a single device interrogation and lack the capability to recognize trends in the data spanning multiple episodes over time or relative to a disease specific peer group.
A prior art system for locating and communicating with a remote medical device implanted in an ambulatory patient is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,976 ('976). The implanted device includes a telemetry transceiver for communicating data and operating instructions between the implanted device and an external patient communications device. The communications device includes a communication link to a remote medical support network, a global positioning satellite receiver, and a patient activated link for permitting patient initiated communication with the medical support network.
Related prior art systems for remotely communicating with and receiving telemetered signals from a medical device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,869 ('869) and 5,336,245 ('245). In the '869 patent, an implanted AECG monitor can be automatically interrogated at preset times of day to telemeter out accumulated data to a telephonic communicator or a full disclosure recorder. The communicator can be automatically triggered to establish a telephonic communication link and transmit the accumulated data to an office or clinic through a modem. In the '245 patent, telemetered data is downloaded to a larger capacity, external data recorder and is forwarded to a clinic using an auto-dialer and fax modem operating in a personal computer-based programmer/interrogator. However, the '976 telemetry transceiver, '869 communicator, and '245 programmer/interrogator are limited to facilitating communication and transferal of downloaded patient data and do not include an ability to automatically track, recognize, and analyze trends in the data itself.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for providing continuous retrieval, transferal, and automated analysis of retrieved implantable medical device information, such as telemetered signals, retrieved in general from a broad class of implantable medical devices and, in particular, from IPGs and cardiovascular monitors. Preferably, the automated analysis would include recognizing a trend and determining whether medical intervention is necessary.
There is a further need for a system and method that would allow consideration of sets of collected measures, both actual and derived, from multiple device interrogations. These collected measures sets could then be compared and analyzed against short and long term periods of observation.
There is a further need for a system and method that would enable the measures sets for an individual patient to be self-referenced and cross-referenced to similar or dissimilar patients and to the general patient population. Preferably, the historical collected measures sets of an individual patient could be compared and analyzed against those of other patients in general or of a disease specific peer group in particular.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for evaluating a patient status for use in heart failure assessment


Systems and methods for receiving used asphalt materials, heating the materials, dynamically tumbling the materials into a recycled granulized form, and selectively providing the recycled asphalt for use. An asphalt recycling system is used that is configured to receive used asphalt materials, including RAP and asphalt chunks. Inside the system, the asphalt materials are heated in a heating chamber, such as by natural gas, propane, or another heat source. The heating chamber warms the metal in the chute, and material in the chute can be exposed to exhaust gas, which preheats the asphalt material. The material is then delivered through the chute and onto a conveyer belt, which drops down into a rotating drum. The drum includes a material classifier ring and a plurality of paddles that are used to tumble the heated asphalt material until it becomes generally granularized. The drum can be manipulated (e.g., tilted, etc.) so that the material can be maintained in the drum until the asphalt material is ready to be reused.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recycling asphalt. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for receiving used asphalt materials, including recycled asphalt pavement ("RAP") and asphalt chunks, heating the materials, dynamically tumbling the materials into a recycled granulized form, and selectively providing the recycled asphalt for use.
2. Background and Related Art
Asphalt has proven to be a valuable material for use in a variety of applications. For example, one such application that utilizes asphalt is road construction. Once a road has been constructed, the natural climate and use of the roads requires ongoing maintenance. The road maintenance can be particularly difficult when it is being performed in remote locations, at odd hours and/or during cold weather.
Thus, while techniques currently exist that provide asphalt for use in a particular application, such as road construction, challenges still exist. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.

Systems and methods for recycling asphalt


An improved refrigerator door-locking device is provided for locking a refrigerator door to a refrigerator body which may preferably be manufactured substantially of molded plastic parts. The locking device has an elongated first mountable casing which has an elongated opening, and a plunger member which has a projecting rod end and slotted outer rod end slidably fits within the opening. A bayonet connector is located at the projecting rod end of the plunger and a spring biases the plunger toward the projecting rod end. A bayonet receiver is located in a second mountable casing and interacts with the projecting rod end bayonet connector. The locking device provides a visual indication of when it is locked or unlocked.

Locks for locking a refrigerator or freezer door are old in the art, and generally involve a locking member attached to the open end of the door and a lock receiving member attached to the refrigerator/freezer body and aligned with the locking member. The locking member is typically a hook and the receiving member is typically a bar to which the hook interacts. Typically means such as a spring are included to extract a key which might be inadvertently left in the lock.
General Electric upright freezer model no. CA21DPC utilizes a freezer door lock including a locking member located inside the outer edge of the open side of the refrigerator door and a receiving member located within the body of the door in alignment with the locking member. The locking member has a rotatable latch which interacts with a bar located in the refrigerator body in the receiving member. The locking member has a input stem with a external spline surrounded by a outwardly spring biasing member. A key utilizing an internal spline is matingly engaged with the input stem. The key interacts with the spring biasing member of the locking member which ejects the key from the lock if it is inadvertently left in the lock.
The above refrigerator door locks do not adequately prevent a child from being inadvertently locked into the freezer.
The above refrigerator door locks are also subject to damage if the door is closed when the lock is left in an open position.
Prior art refrigerator door locks are prone to damage when an attempt is made to open the door when the door is unknowingly locked.
Further, the above refrigerator door locks do not provide an accommodation for the door and the body of the freezer when the resiliency of the plastic door seal varies with temperature.
Also, the above refrigerator door locks do not encompass a sufficient locking action to properly pull the door toward the body of the refrigerator.
Prior art refrigerator door locks are constructed internally to the door and the body of the freezer and as such are not suitable for retrofit or repair of an existing refrigerator lock.
Prior art refrigerator door locks have keys made of a soft ductile material with an internal spline which keys may prematurely wear.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.


An aircraft windshield assembly includes at least one window pane, a frame against which the pane bears, at least one flange for clamping the pane against the frame, and at least one cavity delimited between the pane, the frame and the flange. A member of profiled cross-section substantially fills the cavity and over at least part of its periphery has formations in relief in the form of flutes which with a facing surface define seal-forming baffles.

Aircrafts are generally provided with cockpit windshield assemblies of which the window panes or transparent members are flat, which gives the windshield assembly a convex shape with multiple flat facets which are joined with the front part of the fuselage. This technical solution enables transparent members of limited cost to be used for the window panes and simple window pane frames. However, this type of windshield assembly locally gives rise to a high aerodynamic drag.
To reduce the aerodynamic drag of the aircraft in the region of the windshield assembly, it is known to use window panes for that assembly which have dual curvature. This horizontally and laterally curved shape of the window panes joins perfectly with the shape of the fuselage and enables significant reductions in aerodynamic drag.
Numerous aircraft windshield assemblies possess six window panes (two in a front position, two in a side position and two in a rear position, relative to the pilots) of which the two front window panes are mounted and fastened with flanges from outside the aircraft. This is because the presence of the navigation screens of the cockpit does not enable mounting of the front window panes from inside the aircraft.
This embodiment for mounting the front window panes enables fast replacement of the window panes, without constraint on the utilization of the machine. The recourse to mechanical ways of mounting the window panes with sealant-free joints makes it possible to avoid the use of sealing mastics of which the curing may exceed 24 hours and which lead to relatively complex demounting and cleaning of the structures.
For the other four window panes, (lateral and rear), when not prevented by any item of equipment inside the cockpit, the mounting is preferably carried out from inside the cockpit since the pressure which is ambient inside the cabin in cruising conditions promotes the sealing and the safety of this part of the windshield assembly. This solution for mounting the window panes from inside the cockpit is also advantageous for minimizing the mass of the elements for joining the window panes with the structure of the windshield assembly.
However, the mounting of literal and rear window panes with dual curvature from inside the cockpit generates a large cavity between the structure and the transparent member.
In case of bird strikes on the windshield assembly of the cockpit, the birds are transformed into liquid and gas which the cavity or cavities become charged with. The deformations of the window panes and of the framing structure which result therefrom may have a damaging effect on the windshield assembly.
Numerous civil and military aircraft, of small size, which generally have no cabin pressurization, have windshield assemblies with a dual curvature, but the technical solutions for connecting the transparent members with the structure do not have cavities liable to weaken those zones when bird strikes occur.


A method of forming a superjunction device includes forming at least one trench in a first surface of a first semiconductor layer of a first doping type, and a semiconductor mesa region adjoining the at least one trench. A second semiconductor layer is formed at least on sidewalls and a bottom of the at least one trench. The second semiconductor layer is etched by filling the at least one trench with an etchant, and applying a voltage between the first semiconductor layer and the etchant such that a space charge region expands in the second semiconductor layer and in the first semiconductor layer. The voltage is adjusted such that there is a first region in the semiconductor mesa region that is free of the space charge region when the voltage is applied.

A superjunction semiconductor device, such as a superjunction MOSFET, includes a plurality of transistor cells each including a drift region of a first doping type, and a compensation region of a second doping type complementary to the first doping type. The compensation region adjoins the drift region so that there is a pn junction between the drift region and the compensation region. This pn junction is substantially perpendicular to a current flow direction of the semiconductor device. In a MOSFET, another pn junction is formed between the drift region and a body region, and the compensation region is usually coupled to the body region. When the pn junction between the body region and the drift region is reverse biased, which is when the MOSFET is in an off-state, the pn junction between the drift region and the compensation region is also reverse biased. Thus, an electric field in the drift region has substantially two components, namely a first component resulting from the voltage that reverse biases the pn junction between the body region and the drift region, and a second component resulting from the voltage that reverse biases the pn junction between the compensation region and the drift region.
The compensation region has a first end facing away from the pn junction between the body region and the drift region. In order to increase a dynamic robustness it is desirable to design the drift region and the compensation region such that a maximum electric field occurs in the drift region at a position between the first end of the compensation region and the pn junction between the body region and the drift region. For example, this position can be adjusted through an adapted vertical resolved doping profile of the compensation region.
A conventional process for producing a drift region and an adjoining compensation region includes producing a layer stack with a plurality of epitaxially grown layers of a first doping type, wherein dopant atoms of a second doping type are introduced into each of these layers at positions that are located one above the other in the layer stack. After these layers have been produced, an annealing process causes the implanted dopant atoms to diffuse in the individual layers, thereby forming pile shaped compensation regions of the second doping type in the layer stack. Those regions of the epitaxial layers that keep the basic doping of the first doping type form the drift region. In this process, a doping concentration of the compensation region can be adjusted through a dopant dose that is introduced into the individual epitaxial layers. A fine adjustment of the doping concentration is, in particular, possible when thin epitaxial layers are produced. However, this increases the number of epitaxial layers to be produced. Further, in a device where a plurality of transistor cells are formed, the diffusion of the dopants into the epitaxial layers makes it difficult to reduce a distance (often referred to as "pitch") between neighboring transistor cells without taking the risk that the compensation regions of two neighboring cells eliminate the drift region between them.

Superjunction semiconductor device and method for producing thereof


A navigation apparatus and method of displaying a map are provided for scrolling and displaying the map covering the vicinity of a present position such that a relationship with the present position can be constantly recognized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the display of maps and information about a present position on the map on a navigation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle may be used to guide a user in traveling from one location to another. A display may be used to present a map of an area and a mark indicating the present position of the vehicle. The navigation apparatus may also include guidance technology that allows a user to set a designation and will in turn set a guidance route to the accepted destination, and guide the user along the set guidance route.
Other technology, known as altering (or scrolling), may also be used in displaying a map in a navigation apparatus. Various user operations, such as moving the cursor, or scrolling the map, or the like, may use altering. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2000-292194 and 2002-81942 Publications, a map of the area covering the present position may displayed while allowing for scrolling of the range or area of the map displayed in accordance with the user operations. Such altering technology of the map range displayed may be used to allow the user to scroll the displayed map range until an area covering a desired location is entirely displayed, thus allowing the user to set the destination.
A map depicting the present position and its surroundings often needs to be recognized in details over a little wider range than the range being currently displayed. For example, a user may wish to locate the exact position of a facility on a map when he/she reaches the vicinity of the facility, even though the user may only vaguely remember the exact position of the facility. Alternatively, a user may be searching for a convenience store. In such cases, if a map display scale is rendered small, a map covering a wider range of the vicinity of the present position can be displayed. This, however, results in degradation of the degrees of detail of the map or of visibility thereof, so that the map cannot be recognized in more detail.
In these situations, application of conventional scrolling technology for scrolling the map range displayed allows for movement of the map display range with a display scale kept large. Movement of the map, however, causes the map display range to be moved to an area that does not include the present position while the user is scrolling the map range. As a result, a positional relationship between the map display range being currently displayed and the present position is missed by the user.

Method and apparatus for displaying a map

Abstract: When a request for a surrounding scroll starting operation is accepted from a user, a display range is moved upward until the present position is located in the center of a lower hem of the display range of the map, that is, until an upper half of a present position mark is positioned in the center of a bottom of the display range. Then, the display range is moved in stages, i.e. in such a manner that the present position is moved to a lower left edge thereof, to an upper left edge thereof, to an upper right edge thereof, and to a lower right edge thereof, in this order. Thereafter, the display range is gradually moved rightward until the present position is located in the center of the lower hem of the display range. Finally, the display range is gradually moved downward until the present position returns to the original position located before starting the first surrounding scroll process.


To provide a rotatable joint assembly in which connection is made so as to enable a click motion, a process for manufacturing such a rotatable joint assembly by molding as a unitary structure, a movable body including such a rotatable joint assembly, and a process for manufacturing such a movable body by molding as a unitary structure. A movable body 360 is formed by molding from a first synthetic resin material A in a first molding step a trunk 303 having a shoulder joint portion 305 having an outer surface on which fine protrusions are defined sequently almost its entire periphery, and a lower arm 311 having an elbow joint portion 313 having an outer surface on which fine protrusions are defined sequently almost its entire periphery, by molding from a second synthetic resin material B in a second molding step an upper arm 321 having a shoulder enclosing portion 323 enclosing the shoulder joint portion 305 of the trunk 303 as molded by the first molding step and an elbow enclosing portion 325 enclosing the elbow joint portion 313 of the lower arm 311 so as to form a unitary structure, and by molding from a third synthetic resin material C in a third molding step a covering member 361 covering the trunk and lower arms 303 and 313 as molded by the first molding step and the upper arm 321 as molded by the second molding step so as to form a unitary structure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a joint assembly joined capable of a click motion and a process for manufacturing the same by molding integrally, as well as to a movable body including such joint assembly and a process for manufacturing the same by molding integrally.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known joint assembly which is capable of a click motion is described in Japanese Utility Model Application KOKAI (Laid Open) No. Sho 51-47397. It comprises a core member for the thigh, a core member for a lower leg, a rivet joining the two core members rotatably, and a leg made of soft synthetic resin for covering these parts.
The known joint assembly as described above has its core member for the thigh molded in one mold, and its core member for a lower leg molded in another mold. The core members for the thigh and a lower leg have rugged parts formed at their knee ends and enabling a click motion. The core members for the thigh and a lower leg are joined together by the rivet to form a unit in which their rugged parts engage each other. The core members for the thigh and a lower leg are placed in still another mold and a soft synthetic resin material is injected for insert molding.
There is also known a joint assembly of the type including a spherical joint, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application KOKAI No. Sho 50-113587. It comprises a spherical joint portion formed at the elbow (or knee) end of an upper arm (or leg), and a spherical shell portion formed at the elbow (or knee) end of a lower arm (or leg) for fitting the spherical joint portion therein.
The known joint assembly of the type including a spherical joint enables the upper and lower arms (or legs) to stay in a flexed position owing to the tight contact between the spherical joint portion on the upper arm (or leg) and the spherical shell portion on the lower arm (or leg), as the spherical joint portion is closely fitted in the spherical shell portion by virtue of the elasticity of the material of which they are made.
It has been a drawback of the known joint assembly as described before that two expensive molds have to be made for forming the two core members for the thigh and a lower leg, respectively, in two molds. The two molds have been very difficult to make, since the rugged parts enabling a click motion have to be molded in the two molds, and since no click motion is possible unless the rugged parts molded in the two molds fit each other completely.
It has also been a drawback of the known joint assembly that it is difficult to assemble, since the core members for the thigh and a lower leg have to be joined together into a unit with the rivet, and that labor is required, and its cost of manufacture is increased, since it calls for a very difficult molding process including placing the core members for the thigh and a lower leg as joined together in still another mold, and insert molding with a soft synthetic resin material.
It has been a drawback of the joint assembly of the type including a spherical joint that it is very unstable, since the upper and lower arms (or legs) which are kept in a flexed position by the tight contact between the spherical joint and shell potions, as stated before, return to their original positions immediately if their contact become less tight. In order to overcome this drawback, attempts have been made to join the spherical joint and shell portions together in a way enabling a click motion, but it has been impossible to form a rugged part in the spherical inner surface of a spherical shell portion, and even if it may be possible, it has been impossible to fit a spherical joint portion in the spherical shell portion.

Joint assembly and a process for manufacturing the same and a movable body and process for manufacturing the same


A backflow preventing plug, a container, and a pouring device in which a container body and a plug member are provided separately in a simple shape, and tight-contact property between the plug member and a resilient member is enhanced to improve a backflow preventing function are provided.

Currently, food products, cosmetics, or drugs are generally manufactured with adding antioxidants or antiseptic agents for preventing oxidation or multiplication of bacteria in the products in order to maintain quality of the products as long as possible. Manufacturing products with the antioxidants or the antiseptic agents added therein is one of effective measures for increasing life of the products, enhancing value of the products, and hence contributing to industrial growth. However, in recent years, there is an increasing demand for using food products or the like in a state as natural as possible without the antioxidants or the antiseptic agents therein.
In order to restrain oxidation of the food products or multiplication of bacteria without adding the antioxidants or the antiseptic agents, measures such as manufacturing a container capable of preventing outside air from entering into the container and encapsulating the food products or the like in such a container for use may be taken. Examples of such measures in the related art are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-2755 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,631 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2).
In Patent Document 1, a container "including a container body having resiliency and being formed with a discharging port at one end, an inner plug provided for closing the discharging port, an inner plug projection provided at a center of the inner plug and projecting outwardly from the discharging port, a through-hole provided in the inner plug for communicating the inside and the outside of the container body, and a nozzle member having resiliency and coming into tight contact with the peripheral edge of the discharging port and the side surface of the inner plug projection" is disclosed.
In Patent Document 2, a container having a reservoir for storing contents, and a head for discharging a predetermined amount of liquid from at least one outlet port is disclosed.
However, in the container of Patent Document 1, since the inner plug projection and the resilient nozzle member are simply in line contact with each other in the discharging direction, tight contact between the nozzle member and the inner plug projection is insufficient, and hence sufficient backflow preventing function cannot be achieved.
In the container according to Patent Document 2, since the head and the reservoir are formed integrally, the shape is complex, and hence it is difficult to manufacture.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a backflow preventing plug for a container, the container, and a pouring device in which a container body and a plug member are separately formed in simple shapes and tight contact between the plug member and a resilient member is enhanced to improve the backflow preventing function.

Reverse-flow prevention plug for container, the container, and pouring device

Abstract: A backflow-preventing plug includes a resilient membrane formed of a thin film for defining a flow path having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a ball-shaped plug member retained in the flow path of the resilient membrane and formed with a spherical sealing surface for restricting fluid flow by coming into tight resilient contact with a middle portion of the resilient membrane. In a container, the backflow preventing plug is attached to a container opening of a container body accommodating contents. A pouring device includes, for example, a container holder accommodating and holding the container and allowing the container body to be pressurized from the container opening side to be contractingly deformed.