Zinc sulfide (ZnS) single crystals and multi-grain ZnS crystals are suitable for many applications. The disclosed method produces ZnS single crystals or multi-grain ZnS crystals. More specifically, ZnS single crystals or multi-grain ZnS crystals of pure or substantially pure hexagonal wurtzite structure with sufficiently high purity and crystalline perfection to be used to fabricate components and devices including but not limited to optical components (useful in the infrared (IR) & visible spectrum range of 0.34-14 μm), photoluminescence devices, cathode luminescence devices, electroluminescence devices, semiconductor devices, and IR laser gain mediums (in the wave length range of 1-5 μm).

1. Field of the Invention
Disclosed herein are zinc sulfide (ZnS) single crystals and multi-grain ZnS crystals that possess physical properties effective for many optical applications. More specifically, the single crystals and multi-grain crystals are of pure or a substantially pure wurtzite structure with a high chemical purity and a high crystalline perfection and possess physical properties superior to commercially existing ZnS crystal materials. The crystals can be used to fabricate components or devices including, but not limited to, optical components (in infrared (IR) & visible spectrum, in the wavelength range of 0.34-14 μm), photoluminescence devices, cathode luminescence devices, electroluminescence devices, semiconductor devices, and laser gain medium for IR lasers (1-5 μm in wavelength). Also disclosed are methods of producing the aforementioned ZnS single crystals or multi-grain ZnS crystals.
2. Description of the Related Art
ZnS is a versatile material that has a variety of applications. Representative of current applications for ZnS are:
(1) High purity ZnS crystals are transparent in the visible and IR spectrum ranges (approximately 0.34-14 μm in wavelength) and can be used to fabricate optical components, such as forward looking infrared (FLIR) windows and other optical components operating in that wavelength range.
(2) ZnS doped with one or more impurities is a photoluminescence material useful as a scintillator or a phosphor for detecting or otherwise imaging (or image intensifying) UV lights, X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrons. Currently, only powder-based or thin-film-based ZnS polycrystalline materials are used for this application.
(3) ZnS doped with one or more impurities is an important cathode-luminescence material that is widely used in phosphor screens in display devices such as cathode ray tubes (CRTs), CRT-type TV sets, field-emission displays, and image intensifiers. Currently, only powder-based or thin-film-based ZnS polycrystalline materials are used for this application.
(4) ZnS doped with one or more impurities is also an important electroluminescence material that is used to fabricate a variety of electroluminescence devices, such as light emitting devices and flat panel displays (including single-color, multi-color, or full-color displays). Presently only thin-film-based polycrystalline ZnS is used for this application.
(5) As a II-VI wide band gap semiconductor material, ZnS, in a form of a single crystal or a multi-grain crystal (with an average crystal grain size larger than 1 mm), by itself or in combination with other II-VI, III-V, IV and other semiconductor materials, can be used to fabricate a variety semiconductor devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes (LDs), high frequency devices, high power devices, UV detectors, solar cells and photoconductive devices.
(6) A ZnS single crystal or a multi-grain ZnS crystal can also be used as a substrate (or template) for epitaxial growth of thin films (<10 μm in thickness) or thick films (10-1000 μm in thickness) of group III-nitride semiconductors, such as GaN, AlN, InN, and their alloys, and II-VI semiconductors, such as ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, or as seeds (or templates) for growth of bulk crystals (larger than 1 mm in thickness in the growth direction) of group III-nitride semiconductors, such as GaN, AlN, InN, and their alloys, and II-VI semiconductors, such as ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, that can be used to fabricate semiconductor devices including blue, UV and white LEDs, blue and UV LDs, UV detectors, high frequency devices, solar cells and photoconductive devices.
(7) A ZnS single crystal of high crystalline quality doped with a transition metal ion dopant (e.g. Co+2, Cr+2, Fe+2) can be used as a laser gain medium for diode-pumped lasers operated in the near IR region (approximately 1-5 μm in wavelength).
Currently, powder-based or thin-film-based ZnS polycrystalline materials are usually used for these applications. A ZnS single crystal or a multi-grain ZnS crystal of pure or substantially pure wurtzite structure, which is not available commercially to date, may have a better performance.
ZnS typically crystallizes in one of two crystal structures: cubic (sphalerite, or zinc blende) and hexagonal (wurtzite). The currently commercially available ZnS materials are polycrystalline ZnS produced via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, and CVD ZnS processed via a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process (such as Cleartran ZnS, Multi-spectral ZnS) of mainly the cubic structure with crystal grain sizes in the range of approximately 3-10 μm for the CVD-ZnS and approximately 100-200 μm for Cleartran ZnS or multi-spectral ZnS materials. (Cleartran is a trademark of Morton International, Inc. Chicago, Ill.).
In addition to the cubic and hexagonal crystal structures, ZnS has many polytypes. Examples of ZnS polytypes are 4H, 6H, 8H, etc., (the hexagonal polytypes), and 12R, 24R, 30R, etc., (the rhombohedral polytypes). The cubic ZnS (also called 3C polytype) and the wurtzite-structure ZnS (also called 2H polytype) crystals are important for practical use. ZnS of different polytypes have different physical properties. For example, the band gap energy of cubic ZnS is about 2.7 eV, and the band gap of wurtzite-structure ZnS is about 2.8 eV. A ZnS crystal containing more than one polytype, i.e. mixed polytypes, may degrade its physical properties. Therefore, for many applications, it is favorable to use a ZnS single crystal of a pure or substantially pure polytype.
A first method to grow ZnS single crystals is melt-growth. ZnS melts congruently at about 1830° C. and can be grown from its melt. Melt-grown ZnS crystals were found to be of wurtzite structure. However, because the vapor pressure of ZnS at its melting point is very high (approximately 3.7 atm), ZnS crystal growth from the melt using a melt growth method, such as a Bridgman technique, has to be carried out at a very high Ar gas pressure (˜50 atm) and the growth process is a safety hazard and difficult to control. Further, due to contaminants, mainly from the crucible material contacting the ZnS melt, melt-grown ZnS crystals were found to contain excessive amounts of undesirable impurities and crystalline defects.
A second growth method is a sublimation physical vapor transport (PVT). A PVT growth is essentially a sublimation and re-condensation process. A source material placed at the high temperature end of a crucible sublimes and the vapor species travel and re-condense onto the other end of the crucible at a lower temperature to form a crystal. Because ZnS sublimes at high temperatures (>1100° C.), ZnS single crystals can be grown via a sublimation PVT technique at a temperature significantly lower than the melting point of ZnS. Because ZnS has an appreciable vapor pressure only at a temperature higher than 1200° C., growth of ZnS single crystals using a PVT technique in the prior art was carried out in a temperature range of 1200-1600° C. During the 1950s and the 1960s, large single crystal grains up to 15 grams in weight were harvested from large multi-grain crystal boules grown at high growth temperatures of about 1400-1550° C. range and the ZnS crystals had a wurtzite structure. But the wurtzite-structure ZnS single crystals produced in this way were impure and of low crystalline perfection. For example, chemical etching revealed that etch-pit densities were in range of 105-108 cm−2. The impurities and defects are believed due to impure ZnS source materials and contaminants from the growth crucibles (containers) made of a mullite tube or a fused silica tube.
More recently, growth of ZnS single crystals of cubic structure has been attempted via a low-temperature (˜1200-1250° C.) PVT growth technique. As a result, ZnS single crystals, up to 30 mm in diameter, of predominantly cubic structure with a small amount (less than 5% by volume) of wurtzite-structure can be produced. At present, predominant cubic-structure ZnS single crystals of about 10×10 mm2 in area are commercially available in small, research quantities, such as from RMT Ltd. of Moscow, Russia. But, the growth rate at these low temperatures is quite low, typically less than 0.1 mm/hr.
Another method to grow ZnS single crystals of cubic structure is a chemical vapor transport using I (iodine) as a transport agent at a temperature of about 800-900° C. The cubic ZnS crystals produced in this way are doped by I (iodine) and therefore have an n-type conduction. Chemical etching revealed that etch-pit densities were in the range of 103-105 cm−2. Semiconductor devices built on such n-type cubic ZnS single crystals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,248, Yokogawa, et al. However, the growth rate in iodine transport technique for ZnS is extremely slow (less than 0.05 mm/hr), which makes this method unfavorable for commercial volume production of ZnS single crystals.
The inventor believes that at present, there are no ZnS single crystals or multi-grain crystals made by any of the aforementioned methods that meet the requirements for many applications, such as optical components (in IR & visible spectrum in the wavelength range of 0.34-14 μm), photoluminescence devices, cathode luminescence devices, electroluminescence devices, and semiconductor devices.
In searching ZnS materials for forward looking infrared (FLIR) optical components operated in the wavelength range of 1-14 μm, researchers, mainly from Raytheon (Lexington, Mass.), produced ZnS polycrystalline materials for IR optical components via a CVD process, in which a Zn vapor and an H2S gas react to form ZnS and then deposit ZnS onto graphite substrates at a temperature of about 630-800° C. The as-grown CVD-ZnS, of essentially a cubic structure polycrystalline ZnS, had a poor transmission in the IR spectrum of 1-10 μm in wavelength, and had to be further processed via HIP to achieve an acceptable IR transmission for FLIR applications. The ZnS materials produced via CVD-HIP process are polycrystalline materials of cubic structure with an average grain size of 100-200 μm. At present, such ZnS materials are being marketed as Cleartran ZnS and Multi-spectrum ZnS. Cleartran ZnS and Multi-spectral ZnS materials still have some level of absorption and scattering likely due to residual structural defects and impurity clusters. Cleartran ZnS and Multi-spectral ZnS have a large bulk absorption coefficient (approximately 0.1-0.3 cm−1) at 10.6 μm, the wavelength at which a high power CO2 laser is operated, while a CVD zinc selenide (ZnSe) with a low bulk absorption coefficient (less than 0.001 cm−1) at 10.6 μm is currently the choice of materials for fabricating optical components for high power CO2 lasers. However, because of the high mechanical strength of ZnS, a ZnS with a low bulk absorption coefficient (less than 0.001 cm−1) is more favorable for fabricating optical components for high power CO2 lasers.
On the other hand, the CVD process for producing ZnS has a slow deposition rate (usually in the range of 0.05-0.1 mm/hr). CVD-ZnS crystals or Cleartran ZnS crystals are polycrystalline materials that cannot be used for applications such as semiconductor devices, laser mediums, substrate materials, etc. In addition, both the CVD process and the HIP process are a safety hazard and a costly process.
For optical applications, particularly IR applications including optics for FLIR and high power CO2 lasers, there exists a need of ZnS single crystals or multi-grain ZnS crystals with a better performance and a less cost to produce. There also exists a need for ZnS single crystals or multi-grain ZnS crystals of pure or substantially pure hexagonal structure for many non-optical applications. There is also a potential use of ZnS crystals of substantially pure wurtzite structure in many applications that have not yet been identified.

Zinc sulfide crystals for optical components


Systems and methods presented herein provide a plugin to REVIT or a similar program that allows for utilizing nested families for related parts and assemblies. Assembly families can include an inheritance tree where an instance of a host family implements child and sub-child families. The child and sub-child families can inherit parameters from the host family. To manage parameter values associated with the nested structure, the plugin can provide a custom dialog that acts as a middle layer between the user and the parameter settings of the computer-aided design program. The custom dialog can associate user selections with permissible values for parameters related to the host family.

AUTODESK REVIT is Building Information Modeling ("BIM") software that allows users to elaborately design three-dimensional structures. REVIT can be used to design complex buildings all the way down to components and assemblies for use in a project. For example, a user can model an entire plumbing oi electrical installation within a building. Related components, such as electrical boxes and fittings, can be grouped together to allow a user to more easily find the right parts and use item in the project.
A component in REVIT can actually be an assembly of several parts, saving the user time in generating the REVIT model. The multiple parts can each be designed into the single assembly, with parameters that impact each of the parts. A REVIT user can design a set of similar assemblies by changing the parameters. For example, an electrical junction box could have different numbers of outlets, different shaped outlets, different outlet locations, different protective covers, and different connective pieces.
Because of the sheer number of combinations that can make up assemblies in a REVIT family, groups of assemblies can be unwieldy. First. REVIT can display a vast number of parameters, many of which are not even valid selections for a particular component or assembly. The user cannot easily determine what the parameters are, and how the selections will impact a particular assembly.
As a result, using REVIT for fabrication-level design is particularly difficult. Because fabricated pans and assemblies can be very detailed, more parameters and values are often required. Because there is no easy way to track all these parameters, documenting the fabrication is particularly difficult. In short, REVIT does not currently integrate fabrication-level content into its workflow.
Therefore, a need exists for a system component that can help a user decipher the relevant parameters in a REVIT family for fabrication-level content.

Managing custom computer-aided design inheritance-based assembly families for manufacturing


A heat shield and heat shield assembly for protecting components exposed to heat are disclosed. The heat shield includes a shroud shaped to cover the component, the shroud having heat reflective layers and a heat insulating layer. The shroud is attached to a clip for removable attachment to the component. A flexible, resilient tab extends from the shroud, the tab providing a means for attaching the heat shield to a wiring harness to form an assembly connectable to the component. The tab is bendable for relative movement of the shroud from a position spaced from the component to a position in which the shroud covers the component upon connection of the wiring harness to the component.

Sensors used in automotive applications, such as engine knock sensors and oxygen sensors, which provide data to control engine operation and performance, are often mounted within the engine compartment of a vehicle or directly on the engine where they are subject to a harsh physical environment, including intense radiant heat. In view of the harsh environment, it is advantageous to cover the relatively delicate sensors with a flexible, protective heat shield which can reflect radiant heat and prevent heat transfer to the component.
While important to ensure protection of the sensors for proper engine operation, the design of the heat shield is often neglected and not properly integrated into the overall design of the vehicle and its sub-assemblies. Component heat shields are typically designed at the last minute and become separate parts that add to the already substantial inventory of parts for a vehicle. As separate parts, the heat shields are handled individually during vehicle assembly, and must be properly positioned over the correct component in the proper sequence, thereby adding to assembly time and cost.
There is clearly a need for a heat shield that is integrated in a vehicle sub-assembly and therefore need not be handled as a separate part by the vehicle manufacturer with respect to inventory and vehicle assembly.

Wiring harness with integrated component heat shield


A lancet cartridge is provided with a skin contact section that is held in the interior of a lancet holder and that includes a second pricking opening. A first pricking opening is formed to a size such that a skin contact section can be accommodated therein. Upon pressing in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of a pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lancet cartridge that is used during collection of body fluids for use in a handy measuring instrument or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact measuring instruments are used for measuring the amount of components, for instance, glucose or cholesterol, in body fluids. A small amount of body fluid is necessary for measurement using these handy measuring instruments. For instance, in order to collect a small amount of a body fluid, a pricking instrument is used wherein a disposable lancet is fitted to a main body having a lancet-ejecting mechanism, after which an end cap is fitted to the leading end of the main body. A pricking opening is provided in the leading end of the end cap. The leading end of the end cap is pressed against the skin of the test subject, and the main body is operated; thereby, the leading end section of the lancet is caused to protrude through the pricking opening, and to prick the skin of the test subject, to collect the body fluid as a result. The following conventional approaches are adopted in order to secure a body fluid amount that is sufficient for measurement, upon collection of a body fluid using such a pricking instrument.
For instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-046612 discloses the feature of preparing multiple end caps having dissimilar sizes, in order to modify the depth of the leading end section of the lancet that penetrates the skin. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-237089 discloses the feature of preparing a plurality of end caps having leading end shapes that conform to the shape of collection sites, to enable appropriate collection of a body fluid at a plurality of dissimilar collection sites, for instance the fingertip, the forearm and the like.
If blood sampling is performed using a pricking instrument that is shared among a plurality of test subjects, problems of hygiene arise in that body fluids become adhered to the leading end of the end cap, and in that the leading end section of the pricking member, with the body fluid adhered thereto, becomes exposed. In order to solve the above problems, for instance, WO 2009/041110 discloses a lancet cartridge in which a lancet is integrally housed in a lancet holder. The lancet holder, having a pricking opening formed at the leading end, has the same function as the aforementioned end cap, but is disposed of together with the lancet, even if a body fluid is adhered to the leading end. Also, the lancet is housed in the lancet holder, except during pricking. Therefore, the leading end section of the lancet having a body fluid adhered thereto does not come into contact with an operator or the like. Therefore, the lancet cartridge is appropriate for preventing contamination and the like.
In such lancet cartridges, the lancet is ordinarily housed in the lancet holder, and hence it is difficult to visually check whether the lancet cartridge is a used one or not. In order to solve this problem, the lancet cartridge disclosed in WO 2009/041110 is configured in such a manner that when fitted to the pricking instrument, a small projection provided in the lancet becomes exposed through a slit that is provided in the lancet holder. It becomes possible thereby to check visually, from outside, whether the lancet cartridge is a used one or not.
However, the abovementioned conventional technology leaves room for improvement as regards the features below.
In a conventional lancet cartridge, first of all, the small protrusion exposed on the side face of the lancet holder is of reduced size, and hence it is not found that it is possible to visually check, from outside and in an easy manner, whether the lancet cartridge is a used one or not. In the conventional lancet cartridge, secondly, the lancet and the lancet holder are formed integrally with each other. Therefore, it is not possible to replace a lancet holder by another lancet holder of dissimilar shape, in order to secure a body fluid amount that is sufficient for measurement, as in the pricking instruments disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-046612 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-237089.


Vapors, typically volatile organic compounds, emitted from a vaporizable liquid, typically oil, that is within a tank, typically a ship's tank, are (i) compressed, and (ii) stored in a reservoir that is closed to the atmosphere. The (i) compression typically transpires in and by a series/parallel array of pumps, rotary or reciprocating compressors, to a storage pressure of 150+ PSIA. The several million cubic feet ullage volume of a typical 200,000 ton oil tanker is typically compressed over a few days during and/or after loading, and stored in a typically spherical gas storage tank of some 10-20 feet in diameter. Stored gases are returned to the ullage spaces during offloading of the oil tanks in a closed system. This emission control by vapor recovery is interoperative with related systems and methods (i) to avoid spillage of oil due to the rupture of a ship's tank, and/or (ii) to make and maintain a mixture of gases and vapors within the tank's ullage space to be non-explosive and non-flammable. The first parallel system creates and dynamically maintains a partial vacuum in the tank's ullage space--even as all gases and vapors that are evacuated in order to do so are processed into the emission control system. The second parallel system injects an inert gas into the ullage spaces above the oil in the tanks--even though some of this inert gas becomes part of the compressed and stored gas and vapor mixture, rendering this compressed mixture itself non-explosive and non-flammable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns systems and methods for controlling the emissions of vapors (particularly volatile organic compounds, or VOC) from a tank (particularly a ship's tank including the tanks of oil tankers) that contains vaporizable liquid(s) (particularly liquid hydrocarbons including oil) during any and all phases of the loading, unloading, or inerting (and, in the case of vessels, transport) of the tank and its ullage space whether the tank is filled, partially filled, or previously filled with the vaporizable liquid.
The present invention particularly concerns systems and methods closed to the atmosphere for the continuous control, and substantial avoidance, of all emissions of VOC from the oil tank(s) of a ship to the atmosphere during all phases of ship operation--including even as, and while, (i) the ullage spaces of the tank(s) are maintained, or dynamically maintained, at less than atmospheric pressures (for the purpose of spill avoidance through incipient ruptures), and/or (ii) the gases and VOC within the ullage spaces of the tank(s) are maintained non-explosive and non-flammable by being virtue of being enhanced in proportion of inert gas (for the. purposes of fire and explosion avoidance).
2. Background of the Invention
Men have filled and drained tanks with oil since before the age of petroleum. The gases, normally atmospheric gases, that are within the ullage spaces of oil-containing tanks are typically vented to the atmosphere when the tanks are filled, and replaced from the atmosphere (at least predominantly) when the tanks are emptied. The atmospheric gases that cycle in and out of the tanks come into typically prolonged contact with the oil that is within the tanks, or the remnants of the oil that are upon the walls of the tanks. The gases become saturated with volatile organic compounds (VOC), or oil vapors, to a level that is typically more dependent on (i) the ambient temperature, and (ii) the volatility of a particular oil or crude oil, than (iii) the time of exposure.
A large crude carrier, or oil tanker, may have a gas volume to the ullage spaces of its empty oil tanks that totals several millions of cubic feet. When gases saturated with VOC are released to the atmosphere from these ullage spaces they present a significant volume, and burden, of air pollution. New (circa 1991) U.S. Governmental regulations hereinafter discussed mandate the control of these VOC emissions, and the abatement of air pollution arising from the oil tanks of ships (particularly including, but not limited to, oil tankers).
Meanwhile, any emission control system or method dealing with VOC emissions from the oil tanks of (particularly) ships cannot operate in isolation upon the oil contents and/or ullage space gases and VOC of such ships' tanks, but must successfully integrate with all other systems and methods also operating, in parallel, upon the liquid, gaseous, and vapor contents of the tanks. This 30 means that VOC emission control must be compatible with all normal loading and offloading of the oil contents of the tanks. Somewhat more subtlety, any emission control must be compatible with systems and methods for controlling the explosiveness and flammability of the gas-vapor mixture that is within the tanks' ullage spaces. Finally, and most subtlety, any emission control would desirably be compatible with any system or method of spill avoidance, that is being employed, or simultaneously employed, on the oil contents of the tanks. This means that if a particular ship has a double hull, or, alternatively, mid-decks isolating upper and lower tank volumes, for the purpose of oil spill avoidance, then its emission control system must operate compatibly with these features of the ship.
The emission control system and method of the present invention will be seen to be particularly compatible, and interoperative, with (i) a particular, relatively new, system for the avoidance of oil spills from a ship's tank(s), and (ii) a particular, also relatively new, system for controlling the explosiveness and flammability of the gas-vapor mixture that is within the ullage space(s) of the ship's tank(s). These two systems are discussed in the next two sections, after which sections the particular new requirements for emission control are summarized.

Closed vapor control system for the ullage spaces of an oil tanker, including during a continuous maintenance of an ullage space underpressure


A radar target with delayed reply means. The radar target contains devices for: (a) receiving a radar signal which has a frequency of from about 0.5 to about 94 gigahertz, (b) phase coherently amplitude modulating a continuous wave light emission with the radar signal with the frequency of from about 1 to about 94 gigahertz, (c) delaying an amplitude modulated light pulse for at least about one radar pulse width, (d) detecting the delayed modulated amplitude modulated light pulse, (e) converting a detected amplitude modulated light pulse into a converted radio frequency pulse, (f) modulating the converted radio frequency pulse, thereby producing a delayed modulated radio frequency pulse, and (g) transmitting the delayed modulated radio frequency pulse.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,734 of Duane G. Fredericks et al. disclosed and claimed an apparatus for producing an electromagnetic signal which contained: (a) means for receiving a radar signal which has frequency of from about 10 to about 94 gigacycles, (b) means for decreasing the frequency of said radar signal by at least about 65 percent, thereby producing a reduced frequency electromagnetic signal with a center frequency of from about 700 to about 1,300 megacycles; (c) delay means for delaying said reduced frequency electromagnetic signal by at least about three radar pulse widths and from about 5 to about 100 microseconds, thereby producing a delayed electromagnetic signal wherein the delay means is comprised of a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit, each of which is substantially non-attenuating and non-dispersive, (d) means for increasing the frequency of said delayed electromagnetic signal to produce a delayed electromagnetic wave with an increased frequency which is substantially identical to the frequency of said radar signal, thereby producing a delayed radar signal of from about 1 to about 94 gigagcycles; (e) means for modulating said delayed radar signal with a frequency of from about 1 to about 94 gigacycles, thereby producing a modulated, delayed radar signal; and (f) means for transmitting said modulated, delayed radar signal. The entire disclosure of this United States patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
However, the device claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,732 was operable only over a relatively narrow bandwidth and, because it utilized down conversion, produced spurious emissions. It is an object of this invention to produce a radar target with delayed reply means that overcomes these limitations.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a radar target with delayed reply means. The radar target comprises: (a) means for receiving a radar signal which has a frequency of from about 0.5 to about 94 gigahertz; (b) means for phase coherently amplitude modulating a continuous wave light emission with said radar signal with said frequency of from about 1 to about 94 gigahertz, thereby producing an phase coherent amplitude modulated light pulse; (c) fiber optic delay means for delaying said amplitude modulated light pulse for at least about one radar pulse width, thereby producing a delayed amplitude modulated light pulse; (d) means for detecting said delayed modulated amplitude modulated light pulse, thereby producing a detected amplitude modulated light pulse; (e) means for converting said detected amplitude modulated light pulse into a converted radio frequency pulse; (f) means for modulating said converted radio frequency pulse, thereby producing a delayed modulated radio frequency pulse, and (g) means for transmitting said delayed modulated radio frequency pulse.

Phase coherent optically delayed radar target


The invention provides an electric motor assembly having an electric motor with a first end and a second end spaced from the first end. The electric motor also includes a motor shaft extending along a first axis between a first tip cantilevered from the second end and a second tip spaced from the first tip along the first axis. The electric motor assembly also includes a worm gear disposed on the motor shaft between the second end and the first tip for rotation with the motor shaft about the first axis. The electric motor assembly also includes a housing having an internal surface with a first portion correspondingly shaped with respect to the first end to locate the electric motor in the housing. The housing also includes a second portion disposed along the first axis spaced from the first tip. The electric motor assembly also includes a first thrust bearing disposed between the first tip and the second portion. The first thrust bearing limits movement of the motor shaft along the first axis in a first axial direction.

Electric motors often include a pair of thrust bearings to limit the movement of a motor shaft in an electric motor. One end of the motor shaft protrudes from the electric motor to communicate motion. The end of the motor shaft opposite the protruding end is often supported by a first thrust bearing that engages a tip of the shaft. The first thrust bearing limits the axial movement of the motor shaft in a first direction. A second thrust bearing often includes a first member fixed to the motor shaft and a second member fixed to a case of the electric motor. The first and second members contact one another when the motor shaft moves some predetermined distance in a second direction opposite the first direction. The first direction is away from the protruding end and the second direction is towards the protruding end. When the first and second members contact one another, the motor shaft is prevented from moving further in the second direction.


One-coating and one-package type coating material in which wall surfaces or the like of a building are finished into natural granite tone are disclosed. A group of flexible resin flakes having more than three kinds of colors and a binder which is turned to be substantially transparent when dried or set are mixed together. The resin flakes have an irregular shape and a random size, the thickness is uneven within one piece and every one piece, having a peripheral end which becomes continuously thin toward the outer edge, and have a color tone similar to the components of granite. Since the peripheral end of the resin flakes is continuously thin toward the outer edge, when coated, there is no unnatural difference in level in the superposed portions of resin flakes. Further, an external appearance and a quality sense extremely close to natural granite are obtained due to the unevenness of thickness of resin flakes. Further, since necessary deformation occurs in resin flakes during coating due to the flexibility, workability is good. The finish without irregularity and uneven color can be obtained by anybody.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a one-coat and one-package type coating material and resin flakes used for finishing concrete surfaces or mortar surfaces of walls and floors of a building, and board surfaces for various architectures into variegated patterns of granite tone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Out of techniques of coating materials used to finish walls, floors and the like, there are about four kinds of techniques for finishing them similar to granite patterns as follows.
According to the first technique, crushed grains of granite or other crushed grains of natural stone themselves having a particle diameter of approximately 3 to 8 mm are mixed with resins which are turned to be almost transparent when dried or set to provide a one-package type (when executed) colorful pattern coating material of natural stone tone. This colorful pattern coating material is mainly finished with one coat using a trowel.
According to the second technique, natural or artificial multi-color aggregates having a wide distribution of particle diameter whose particle diameter is about 5 mm or less are mixed with resins which are turned to be almost transparent when dried or set to provide a one-package type colorful pattern coating material. This colorful pattern coating material is finished with one coat by way of spray coat or trowel coat.
According to the third technique, two colors or three colors which are separated in each package of the colorful pattern coating material as described in the second technique, which is prepared so that color when dried or set is similar to color of a natural granite component, are used. This technique is to form a colorful pattern of granite tone by three to four coats by using a multi-package type coating material for finishing the surfaces of walls into a colorful pattern by the special procedure comprising: first, spraying one color of natural stone base-tone on the whole surface, repeat-spraying (splash) another one color or two colors partly before the first-mentioned one color is dried, and repeat-spraying (return) one color of base-tone partly before these one color or two colors are dried.
According to the fourth technique, the coating materials of two colors or three colors of the coating materials as described in the third technique are simultaneously sprayed using a special sprayer of a double nozzle or a triple nozzle type to thereby form a colorful pattern of natural granite tone.
Among these techniques, the first technique has a long history. If the color of the crushed grains of the natural stone is similar to that of the component of granite, it is possible to obtain a colorful pattern similar to natural granite. The application is simple, and the finish is even and stable. However, since the crushed grains of the natural stone themselves are used as a color pattern material, all the shapes of the color pattern are roundish, independent, and nearly in the form of grains, (Hard aggregates are difficult to be coated unless they are in the form of grains which are all roundish in terms of properties of the trowel-coat operation.), thus failing to obtain irregularity in shape and random in size of a color pattern of the component of natural granite, and a pattern in which color patterns are intertwined.
Further, the trowel-coat material comprised of heavy aggregates and resins of this kind requires both excellent ductility by a trowel and viscosity to the extent that aggregates do not fall. Thus, the thickness of one coat is limited to about 8 mm, and accordingly, the size of aggregates is also limited to about 8 mm (In case of trowel-coat, aggregates having the size exceeding the coating thickness cannot be used.). Accordingly, it is not possible to expect the finish close to the pattern of natural granite having a color pattern of component larger in size than the above.
In the second technique, the size of aggregates is about 5 mm at its maximum in terms of properties of spray coat (When aggregates having the size larger than the above are used, they often drop when the coating material is sprayed, and the film surface is excessively rough.). Accordingly, only in the case of granite in which the color pattern of the component is very small, a colorful pattern of similar granite tone can be finished. However, the small color pattern of component will not be a pattern of granite often used.
In the third technique, if more than two persons extremely highly skilled in spraying art can be simultaneously secured and if application is done at the construction site in favorable conditions such as simpleness of scaffolding and wall surfaces to be applied, the size of the color pattern is considerably free and the finish bears some resemblance to the color pattern of natural granite. However, the colors of component are apt to be excessively mixed together in terms of properties of the repeat-coat, failing to obtain a sharp color pattern peculiar to the natural granite.
Further, in the actual execution site, talented men are limited, and narrowness and unstableness of the scaffolding, complicatedness of the shape of the wall surfaces to be applied are involved. In addition, colors of required coating materials are separated into separate containers, which should be prepared at once and on the same scaffolding nearly at execution time (There is a spray unit which coating material is passed through the hose by pressure, which however, requires a high cost.). Moreover, the application steps require 3 to 4 coats which are complicated. Accordingly, particularly, in the execution for a large area, it is very seldom to provide a uniformly finished pattern without uneven pattern.
The fourth technique is to improve the complicatedness and particularity of the spraying operation carried out in the third technique by devising the sprayer. However, the quality of the finish by the double nozzle type sprayer is inferior to that of the third technique. In the case where the triple nozzle type sprayer is used, the size and shape of the color pattern are generally free to obtain the finish considerably close to the pattern of the natural granite as compared with the first and third techniques but the colors of the component are apt to be excessively mixed together similar to the third technique, failing to obtain a sharp color pattern peculiar to the natural granite.
Moreover, since the colors of the required materials are separated into separate containers, the step of gathering colors in a single sprayer having three nozzles requires a great cost. In addition, the sprayer unavoidably becomes precise and bulky. Accordingly, in adjustment and handling of apparatus and in spraying technique, technicians highly skilled as compared with the third technique are required.
Further, with respect to the stableness and width of the scaffolding and the simpleness of the wall surfaces to be applied, more favorable conditions than the third technique are required. Accordingly, particularly, in large-area and high-story buildings, it is very seldom, as compared with the third technique, to provide an uniform-pattern finish without unevenness in finish.
As the coating finishing technique for forming a colorful pattern, the following techniques can be mentioned unless a finished appearance is limited to granite tone.
According to the fifth technique, a multi-phase coating of suspension type of gelatinous colored grains as defined in JIS K-5667 (multicolor paints) is used. Mainly for the finish of interior wall, a splash pattern of colored grains is formed easily and uniformly without unevenness by way of one spray coat or brush coat.
According to the sixth technique, fiber waste of various colors, cotton, torn paper, perlite, vermiculite, wooden pieces, extremely thin plastic pieces, etc., generally called fiber wall material, are mixed with a binder of cellulose powder which is soluble in water. The resultant mixture is mixed with water when in use. Then, a colorful pattern is formed by way of one trowel coat mainly for interior finish.
According to the seventh technique, a plastic sheet, which has a thickness of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm, is colored with a pigment, is apt to be broken and is even in thickness, is physically crushed to obtain crushed plastic pieces which are irregular in shape of the size less than about 30 mm and random in size. The resultant plastic pieces of a few colors are scattered on the colored adhesive having a concealing force precoated on the surface to be executed in so large amount as to cover more than the whole surface of the adhesive (Even if the crushed plastic pieces are scattered in the large amount, there necessarily occurs a part in which the crushed plastic pieces are not adhered to the adhesive, and therefore, it is necessary for the adhesive to provide with color and the concealing force.).
The excessive crushed pieces not adhered to the adhesive are allowed to naturally drop in case of the wall surfaces and are attracted and removed by a vacuum cleaner after the adhesive has been set in case of the floor surface. The levitated portion in which the crushed plastic pieces are superposed to each other, which necessarily occurs in terms of technique, is scraped off by a scraper. A difference in level between the crushed pieces after being scraped off is smoothed by sand paper, after which a transparent resin is coated. In this technique, at this time, some crushed pieces not sufficiently adhered are again levitated, and re-sanding is applied thereto. Accordingly, a transparent resin is again coated to provide a colorful finish.
However, the coating material used for the fifth technique is of the suspension type in liquid of gelatinous colored grains. Therefore, naturally there is a limitation in the size and shape of the colored grains. The size of the colored grains is about 7 mm at its maximum, and the shape unavoidably results in the roundish shape. This is the best work which rules the time as a mere colorful pattern coating material but cannot be variegated patterns of granite tone as intended by the present invention.
According to the sixth technique, variegated patterns of granite tone according to the present invention cannot be obtained in terms of properties of aggregates used.
Further, the seventh technique is common to the present invention in a single point that the thin pieces are used as a pattern forming material. However, since this technique is a mere technique for forming a colorful pattern, the thin pieces will merely suffice to be ones having various colors, shapes and sizes. Accordingly, a plastic sheet having a uniform thickness colored with a pigment, which can be easily molded by the general plastic molding technique should have breakable properties so that it can be manually crushed into thin peaces of suitable size. Therefore, the plastic peaces have breakable properties to be smaller. This is rather suitable for removing the portion which is the portion where the thin pieces are superposed to each other to which adhesive is not adhered, when the thin pieces are spread on the adhesive, by a scraper or sanding for smoothing a difference in level between the superposed portions.
That is, the thin pieces according to this technique are characterized in that they are breakable, and are of the scattering type to the utmost, which is incompatible with the technical idea of the present invention as being mixed with a binder.
The thickness of the thin pieces according to this technique is uniform, about 0.5 to 1.0 mm, which thickness should not be above or below the just-mentioned thickness for due reason. That is, when the thickness of the thin piece is excessively thin, the thin piece is apt to be broken, and since thin pieces are adhered to the adhesive without being superposed to each other, the thickness of the film is also excessively thin. Conversely, when the thickness is excessively thick, a difference in level between the superposed portions of the thin pieces becomes large, thus requiring a great cost in sanding.
The thickness of a finished film is nearly the thickness of the thin piece itself since only one of the thin pieces is adhered to the adhesive in terms of the technique of the scattering of thin pieces. Therefore, the thickness of a finished film exceeding 1 mm or more is impossible. Since the color of the adhesive need be concealed by the thin pieces, it is necessary to color the thin pieces with a pigment having a concealing force, failing to obtain a color tone of natural granite as intended by the present invention.
Further, this technique poses a disadvantage in that not only the step of execution is complicated but also the indispensable step of operation of the scattering of thin pieces is extremely unsuitable and wasteful for the outdoor execution and the execution relative to the wall surfaces.

Coating material for forming variegated patterns of granite tone and resin flakes


A vehicle power supply device performs highly accurate determination of degradation of the capacitor unit as follows. Internal resistance and capacitance are corrected according to the temperature of capacitor unit during charge or discharge, thereby obtaining a corrected calculated value if capacitance. The corrected calculated value of capacitance is substituted into a degradation determination formula, which is pre-calculated according to the temperature, thereby calculating the standard value corresponding to the temperature detected by temperature sensor. When the standard value is equal to or less than the corrected calculated value of internal resistance, capacitor unit is determined to be degraded.

In recent years, hybrid and electric vehicles have been rapidly developed. In line with this, various suggestions have been made to change the braking system of vehicles from the conventional mechanical hydraulic control to electrohydraulic control.
The electrohydraulic control of vehicles is generally performed using a battery-operated power supply. Therefore, if the power supply from the battery is cut off for some reason, the hydraulic control is shut off, possibly making it impossible to brake the vehicles. To prepare for such an emergency, various vehicle power supply devices have been proposed which include high-capacity capacitors or the like as an auxiliary power supply besides the battery.
Since vehicle power supply devices involve the vehicle braking in an emergency, it is crucial for them to ensure the provision of electricity in an emergency by accurately determining degradation of capacitors, which are their key devices.
In an attempt to achieve this, a conventional vehicle power supply device determines degradation of the capacitors as follows. First, the vehicle power supply device obtains the internal resistance value and the capacitance value of a capacitor unit including a plurality of capacitors. Then, the device makes the temperature sensor disposed near the capacitor unit detect the temperature. Next, the device corrects the internal resistance value and the capacitance value based on the detected temperature. Finally, the device compares these corrected values with the degradation standard value data corresponding to the detected temperature so as to determine the degradation. More specifically, the internal resistance value of the capacitor unit is correlated with the inverse of the capacitance value when sufficient electricity is supplied to the load; however, the correlation changes when the capacitor unit is degraded. This fact is taken advantage of to determine the degradation of the vehicle power supply device as follows. The relation between the internal resistance value and the capacitance value when the capacitor unit is degraded is previously stored in association with each temperature in a ROM connected to a controller (microcomputer). The device is determined to be degraded when the internal resistance value corresponding to the capacitance value that is corrected based on the current temperature reaches the stored degradation standard value of the internal resistance value.
FIG. 7 is a correlation graph between a capacitance value and the degradation standard value of an internal resistance value of the capacitor unit of a conventional vehicle power supply device, using degradation determination formulas corresponding to different temperatures. In other words, the correlation graph shows an example of the degradation standard value data of the internal resistance value corresponding to the capacitance value. In FIG. 7, horizontal axis represents the capacitance, and the vertical axis represents the internal resistance. The correlation between them differs depending on the temperature and is shown at temperatures at 15° C. intervals between −30° C. and 30° C.
When the capacitor unit has a temperature of 0° C., a capacitance of 10 F and an internal resistance of 130 mO, the degradation standard value (limit value) is 230 mO as shown by the circle plot (0° C.) of FIG. 7. Since the current internal resistance (130 mO) has not reached the standard value, the capacitor unit is determined not to be degraded yet.
When the capacitor unit is at 15° C., 11 F and 115 mO, the degradation standard value (limit value) is 180 mO as shown by the square plot (15° C.) of FIG. 7. Since the current internal resistance (115 mO) has not reached the standard value, the capacitor unit is determined not to be degraded yet.
On the other hand, when the capacitor unit is at 30° C., 11 F and 110 mO, the degradation standard value (limit value) is 80 mO as shown by the "X" plot (30° C.) of FIG. 7. Since the current internal resistance (110 mO) has exceeded the standard value, the capacitor unit is determined to be degraded.
One of the prior arts related to the present application is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2005-28908.
It is understood, as described above, that the conventional vehicle power supply device can determine degradation of the capacitor unit and that the determination is accurate because it is performed with respect to each temperature.
However, the degradation standard value data that can be stored in the ROM is limited to the amount corresponding to the plots shown in FIG. 7 due to the storage capacity of the ROM. Therefore, when the plot corresponding to the temperature exists, the degradation can be determined with high accuracy. On the other hand, when the plot corresponding to the temperature does not exist, the capacitance value on the plot corresponding to the closest temperature is used. Since this is not the accurate degradation standard value, the degradation cannot be determined with sufficient accuracy when the plot corresponding to the temperature does not exist.


Systems and methods for providing contextual interaction with connected devices are described. A mobile device having a display that presents a user interface enabling access to functionalities provided by connected devices. The user interface may be updated as various contextually-related data is received. For example, data representing a current position of the mobile device, such as Bluetooth low energy beacon signals, WiFi signals, and the like, may be monitored. In response to determining that the current position is within a threshold proximity of a first location, the user interface may be updated to emphasize a first location interface corresponding to the first location over interfaces corresponding to other locations.

This disclosure relates generally to providing contextual interactions with connected devices via a network. Examples of such connected devices include conventional appliances, entertainment electronics, hazard detectors, lighting devices, components of climate control systems, and other known Internet of Things ("JOT") devices. Users of conventional solutions may interact with such connected devices using pre-defined, static user interfaces presented by client applications running on computing devices. These static user interfaces may not account for external information that impacts a context of the user's interaction with the connected devices. For example, static user interfaces may not account for a user's current location when interacting with the connected devices.

Contextual application interactions with connected devices


A method for secure boot includes, in a processor, retrieving from a memory device a firmware boot code for bootstrapping a firmware of the processor. The firmware boot code is authenticated using an authentication key. In response to failing to authenticate the firmware boot code using the authentication key, an attempt is made to authenticate a recovery firmware code, which has reduced functionality relative to the firmware boot code, using a recovery key. Upon successfully authenticating the recovery firmware code using the recovery key, the firmware boot code is restored from a host, the restored firmware boot code is authenticated by executing the recovery firmware code, and the firmware is bootstrapped using the authenticated firmware boot code.

Malware, short for Malicious Software, uses many sophisticated tools and attack techniques to steal data or inflict damage on computer systems. Some malware types target the firmware that starts up computer systems—the bootstrap code. The bootstrap code firmware is usually stored in read-only or read-mostly devices, such as FLASH, EPROM and EEPROM. Protecting the firmware is challenging because the firmware starts before any software is loaded, including any software which may check for malware; moreover, as it is desirable to allow loading of new firmware for updates and for repair, firmware protection must cover firmware loaded from remote sources.
Numerous methods have been devised to verify the reliability of the firmware and protect it against attacks, for example in "SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CRYPTOGRAPHIC MODULES, Implementation Guidelines", NIST-FIPS 140-2, initially released on Mar. 28, 2003; in "The Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code", FIPS PUB 198-1, July 2008; in "Secure Hash Standard (SHS)," NIST-FIPS 180-4, August, 2015; and in "UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Forum) specifications," version 2.7 (Errata A), August 2017. All four documents are incorporated herein by reference.


In one embodiment, a predecessor version of a client software application may execute a runtime handover to a successor version of the client software application. A client side device 110 may execute a predecessor version 112 of a client software application while installing a successor version 116 of the client software application. The client side device 110 may execute an update handshake between the successor version 116 and the predecessor version 112. The client side device 110 may execute a runtime validation of the successor version 116.

A software developer may often continue to improve a software application after the software application has been released. The software developer may distribute multiple versions of the software application long after the initial version of the software application debuted. With the internet allowing a direct connection between the end user and the software developer, the software application may continually update from an application server maintained by the software developer.

Auto-update while running client interface with handshake


Moving backup data within a storage hierarchy based on a calculated uniqueness of the backup data and on the estimated significance of at least a portion of the backup data. More unique and significant backup data would tend to have higher availability levels. Conversely, less unique and significant backup data would tend to have lower availability levels, or may even cause the backup data to be deleted.

Computing technology relies on ready access to data and instructions. The data and instructions may be present in volatile memory, or in non-volatile storage. Volatile memory tends to have faster access times, but is typically more expensive per byte, and does not survive a power cycle. Non-volatile memory tends to have slower access times, but is less expensive per byte, and does survive power cycles. Most sophisticated computing systems include both volatile memory and non-volatile storage so as to accentuate the advantages of each.
Even within the category of non-volatile storage, there is a storage hierarchy present in every computing system that has storage. The storage hierarchy has multiple levels of availability. In a very simple storage hierarchy, there are only two levels of availability; specifically, either the data is present in the only form of storage that the system has (representing the higher level of availability), or the data is not in the storage at all (representing the lowest level of availability possible). Other computing systems have more than two levels of availability in their storage hierarchy. For instance, an example of a four level storage hierarchy could have an internal high performance SCSI disk drive with 10,000 rotations per minute (rpm) and with RAID as the highest level of availability, a lower performance internal disk drive with only 5400 rpm access speed as the next highest level of availability, a tape drive as the next level of availability, and unavailable storage (or no storage) being the lowest possible level of availability.
Typically, the higher the availability level of the storage, the more expensive the storage per unit byte. In backup environments, in which backups can occupy significant amounts of storage, there can be more backup data to store than there is storage available in the highest level of storage. In that case, care is often taken so that the more useful data is included in the highest level of storage, while the less useful data is relegated to a lower level of storage, or even is perhaps deleted, as appropriate, given the utility of the data.
Given the large amounts of backup data to be stored, it is often difficult for a user to determine what backups should be placed where in the storage hierarchy. A number of conventional mechanisms have been developed to perform automated storage hierarchy management; which are often applied to the backup data management problem. For instance, some storage management systems demote backup data from a higher level of availability to a lower level of availability depending on the age of the data. However, demotion based on the age of the data alone may not serve the user well if the data is accessed often. Other conventional storage management systems may promote or demote data within the storage hierarchy depending on previous access history. More frequently accessed data is kept or promoted to the higher levels of storage, whereas less frequently accessed data is kept or demoted to lower levels of storage, or are even perhaps deleted.
Consider, for example, a backup environment in which multiple computers regularly back up to a single backup server. The available high level storage of the backup server may be quickly exhausted. Accordingly, there may be off-lining policies imposed by the backup server that are based on age. For instance, if a backup from a computing system is more than ninety days old, perhaps the backup is demoted to a lower level of availability, or is even perhaps deleted. However, off-lining policies based exclusively on age or access history may not always off-line optimally.

Promotion or demotion of backup data in a storage hierarchy based on significance and redundancy of the backup data


A composite proton exchange membrane includes first and second outer proton exchange membrane layers each having an exterior peripheral portion. An inner proton exchange membrane layer is interposed between the first and second outer membrane layers. The inner membrane layer has an exterior peripheral portion encompassed within each of the outer membrane layer peripheral portions. A substantially fluid-impermeable edge bonding film is interposed between the first and second outer membrane layers. The edge bonding film circumscribes the inner membrane layer peripheral portion and is disposed within each of the outer membrane layer peripheral portions. The edge bonding film cooperates with the first and second outer membrane layers to encapsulate the inner layer.

Fuel cells are electrochemical cells in which a free energy change resulting from a fuel oxidation reaction is converted into electrical energy. Applications for fuel cells include battery replacement, mini- and microelectronics such as portable electronic devices, sensors such as gas detectors, seismic sensors, and infrared sensors, electromechanical devices, automotive engines and other transportation power generators, power plants, and many others. One advantage of fuel cells is that they are substantially pollution-free.
Electrochemical fuel cells convert fuel and oxidant fluid streams to electricity and reaction product. Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells generally employ a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising a solid polymer electrolyte or ion-exchange membrane disposed between two porous electrically conductive electrode layers. An electrocatalyst is typically disposed at each membrane/electrode layer interface to induce the desired electrochemical reaction.
The electrode substrate typically comprises a sheet of porous, electrically conductive material, such as carbon fiber paper or carbon cloth. The layer of electrocatalyst is typically in the form of finely committed metal, such as platinum, palladium, or ruthenium, and is disposed on the surface of the electrode substrate at the interface with the membrane electrolyte in order to induce the desired electrochemical reaction. In a single cell, the electrodes are electrically coupled to provide a path for conducting electrons between the electrodes through an external load.
The fuel stream directed to the anode by a fuel flow field migrates through the porous anode and is oxidized at the anode electrocatalyst layer. The oxidant stream directed to the cathode by an oxidant flow field migrates through the porous cathode and is reduced at the cathode electrocatalyst layer.
Electrochemical fuel cells can employ gaseous fuels and oxidants, for example, those operating on molecular hydrogen as the fuel and oxygen in air or a carrier gas (or substantially pure oxygen) as the oxidant. In hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen gas is oxidized to form water, with a useful electrical current produced as a byproduct of the oxidation reaction. A solid polymer membrane electrolyte layer can be employed to separate the hydrogen fuel from the oxygen. The anode and cathode are arranged on opposite faces of the membrane. Electron flow along the electrical connection between the anode and the cathode provides electrical power to load(s) interposed in circuit with the electrical connection between the anode and the cathode. The anode and cathode reactions in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells are shown in the following equations:Anode reaction: H2 →2H++2e−Cathode reaction: ½O2+2H++2e−→H2O
The catalyzed reaction at the anode produces hydrogen cations (protons) from the fuel supply. The ion-exchange membrane facilitates the migration of protons from the anode to the cathode. In addition to conducting protons, the membrane isolates the hydrogen-containing gaseous fuel stream from the oxygen-containing gaseous oxidant stream. At the cathode electrocatalyst layer, oxygen reacts with the protons that have crossed the membrane to form water as the reaction product. Hydrogen fuel cells are impractical for many applications, however, because of difficulties related to storing and handling hydrogen gas.
Organic fuel cells can prove useful in many applications as an alternative to hydrogen fuel cells. In an organic fuel cell, an organic fuel such as methanol or formic acid is oxidized to carbon dioxide at an anode, while air or oxygen is simultaneously reduced to water at a cathode. One advantage over hydrogen fuel cells is that organic/air fuel cells can be operated with a liquid organic fuel. This diminishes or eliminates problems associated with hydrogen gas handling and storage. Some organic fuel cells require initial conversion of the organic fuel to hydrogen gas by a reformer. These are referred to as "indirect" fuel cells. The presence of a reformer increases cell size, cost, complexity, and start up time. Other types of organic fuel cells, called "direct," eliminate these disadvantages by directly oxidizing the organic fuel without conversion to hydrogen gas. To date, fuels employed in direct organic fuel cell development methanol and other alcohols, as well as formic acid and other simple acids.
In fuel cells of this type the reaction at the anode produces protons, as in the hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell described above, however the protons (along with carbon dioxide) arise from the oxidation of the organic fuel, such as formic acid. An electrocatalyst promotes the organic fuel oxidation at the anode. The organic fuel can alternatively be supplied to the anode as vapor, but it is generally advantageous to supply the organic fuel to the anode as a liquid, preferably as an aqueous solution. The anode and cathode reactions in a direct formic acid fuel cell are shown in the following equations:Anode reaction: HCOOH+→2H++CO2+2e−Cathode reaction: ½O2+2H++2e−→H2OOverall reaction: HCOOH+½O2→CO2+H2O
The protons formed at the anode electrocatalyst migrate through the ion-exchange membrane from the anode to the cathode, and at the cathode electrocatalyst layer, the oxidant reacts with the protons to form water.
One obstacle to the widespread commercialization of direct fuel cell technology is fuel crossover from the anode to the cathode through the typical proton exchange membranes (such as, for example, perfluorosulfonic acid membranes, of which Nafion® is a commercial brand). Fuel crossover lowers fuel utilization efficiency and also adversely affects the cathode (oxygen-reduction electrode), resulting in poor fuel cell performance. Fuel crossover also reduces the run time for a given amount of fuel and creates excess heat and water on the cathode side of the cells.
Fuel that crosses over avoids reaction at the anode, and thus cannot be exploited for electrical energy. This limits cell efficiency. An additional problem related to crossover is poisoning of the cathode. As fuel crosses over the polymer membrane to the cathode side, it adsorbs onto the cathode catalyst and thereby blocks reaction sites. Efficiency of the cell is thereby reduced. A proposed solution to this problem has been to provide additional catalyst. This adds expense; however, particularly when considering that costly precious and semi-precious metal catalysts such as platinum are often employed.
Because of this high crossover, methanol and other alcohol fuel cells typically operate with a fuel concentration of no more than about 3-8% by weight. The use of those dilute solutions creates additional problems. This low fuel concentration requires relatively large amounts of ultra-pure water, typically provided through recycling systems including pumps and filters. Also, the concentration of the fuel should be closely monitored and controlled, with the result that sensors and controllers may be required. This peripheral equipment adds cost, complexity, weight, and size to direct organic fuel cells. This required peripheral water management equipment substantially limits the usefulness of direct methanol fuel cells for applications where size and weight become important. For portable, miniature, and microelectronics applications, for example, the size, weight, and complexity of the required peripheral equipment make use of direct fuel cells impractical.
Further, the dilute solutions freeze and expand at temperatures potentially encountered in many fuel cell applications, with portable devices for use outside as an example. The expansion can lead to device failure. Conduit et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,528,194 teaches that the freezing can be avoided by circulating heated fluid through the fuel tank when the fuel cell is not operating. However, that wastes power and adds complexity.
Proton exchange membranes with low liquid fuel permeation (or low crossover) can allow the use of liquid fuels with high concentration. The ability to use a fuel in a higher concentration increases the energy density available from a direct fuel cell, which is particularly attractive for portable electronic applications such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, and handheld gaming platforms. The crossover of formic acid has generally been demonstrated to be lower than the crossover of methanol. Nonetheless, the use of formic acid concentrations higher than 10M could also lead to an unacceptable level of fuel loss with typical Nafion® proton-conducting membranes.

Composite polymer electrolyte membranes and electrode assemblies for reducing fuel crossover in direct liquid feed fuel cells


A sheet processing apparatus that performs processing for sheets such as sorting or stapling of the sheets after image formation includes a motor that controls a rotating position of a sheet pushing member. When a leading end of a sheet passes, after the leading end of the sheet reaches a pivoting roller, a rotating position of the sheet pushing member is controlled according to a conveyance condition during the passage of a trailing end of the sheet. The sheet pushing member is rotated and, when the trailing end of the sheet passes, the sheet is conveyed while a charge removing brush is pressed against the sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus and, more particularly, to a sheet processing apparatus having a sheet buffer function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in some image forming apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus is set adjacent to a paper discharge unit of an image forming apparatus main body in order to perform finishing for sheets after image formation such as sorting of the sheets or stapling the sheets.
The sheet processing apparatus has plural means for conveying a sheet, which is conveyed from the image forming apparatus, to a paper discharge tray and discharging the sheet. The means are roughly divided into a conveying path for not performing the finishing and a conveying path for performing the finishing. When the finishing is not performed, the sheet is conveyed through the conveying path for not performing the finishing and directly discharged onto the paper discharge tray. When the finishing is performed, the sheet is conveyed to a processing tray through the conveying path for performing the finishing, which is branched from the conveying path for not performing the finishing, and stacked. When a set number of sheets are stacked, the sheets are aligned on the processing tray and subjected to the finishing.
Conventionally, a sheet finishing apparatus that removes charges from sheets, which are conveyed and discharged, to satisfactorily stack the sheets has been proposed. For example, in some sheet finishing apparatus, a discharge opening as a paper discharge section for finishing is formed between a paper discharge roller and a movable sheet guide and, in a staple mode, because the movable sheet guide pivots, a charge removing brush attached to a distal end of the movable sheet guide does not disturb discharge of sheets through the discharge opening and moves to a position where charge removal for sheets, which are discharged and fall onto a staple tray with own weight thereof, can be performed (JP-A-7-48061).


A remote patient management system comprising a display and a processor. Execution of instructions cause the processor to: determine at least one first boundary value between a safe zone and a warning zone for each of at least one patient vital sign; determine at least one second boundary value between the warning zone and an alert zone for each of the at least one patient vital sign; repeatedly receive the at least one patient vital sign; determine a status value indicating the safe zone, warning zone, or alert zone; calculate a transition risk value; and display a patient status indicator which indicates the status level and the transition risk.

Current telemonitoring systems are designed to manage adverse events and reduce the possibility that chronic patients will have health emergencies. Namely, they are able to detect when the health status of the patient is severely deteriorating to the point of re-admissions, e.g., weight significantly increased to the point of decompensation in heart failure patients. What is actually desired, and called for by the medical community, is an ability keep the patient within a safe zone for that patient, a zone in which patient is feeling optimally well for his chronic condition. In this zone the patient is maintaining his health (as opposed to look out for acute events). This is an approach to acute events prevention rather than acute events management as employed in current telemonitoring solutions. Approach like this would also allow for a progression of the disease to be modified rather than only managed, and the significant positive impact to clinical outcomes.


An electrical connector assembly includes a shroud having side walls forming a receptacle defining a mating axis. A polarizing groove is disposed in one of the side walls extending generally parallel to the mating axis. A latch is disposed in the polarizing groove. A modular connector is insertable into the receptacle along the mating axis and includes a latch projection adapted for moving into the polarizing groove and latchingly engaging the latch of the shroud in the polarizing groove. Therefore, the latch projection on the modular connector cooperates with the polarizing groove and latch on the shroud to perform the dual function of providing a polarizing means and a latch means.

Generally, an electrical connector includes a dielectric housing mounting a plurality of conductive terminals. The housing may be molded of plastic material or the like, and the terminals may be formed of conductive metal material. The connector is adapted for mechanical connection to a complementary connecting device, such as a second mating connector, for electrically interconnecting the terminals of the two connectors.
In some instances, it is desirable to provide a system wherein a plurality of modular connectors of the character described above are mounted in a singular structure, such as an outer shroud, for conjointly mating the plurality of modular connectors with a plurality of complementary connectors of a mating assembly.
Typically, some form of latch means is provided to securely hold the modular connectors within the outer shroud. In addition, it is desirable to provide some form of polarizing means to ensure that the modular connectors are inserted into the shroud in a particular orientation. These various means, along with other latches and mechanisms on the connector, often cause the assemblies to become rather complex and expensive. The various extraneous means on an otherwise simple and inexpensive connector structure also increase the size envelope of the connector module in an industry where miniaturization and high density has become very demanding.
In addition it is desirable to allow the use of a variety of modular connectors at a variety of locations in the shroud after manufacture of the modular connectors and shrouds. The versatility of mixing modular connectors and their locations could result in lower manufacturing costs due to fewer parts being needed. Also a single modular connector was desired which could be easily removed in the field for replacement, repair, or modification while the remaining modular connectors could be reused.
The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a unique system where singular components perform dual functions of both latching and polarizing to, thereby, reduce the overall complexity and size envelope of the connector assembly.


A surgical instrument has a motor which rotates a tubular shaft about an axis. The shaft drives an implement and has an aperture which contains a ball. When the implement is installed, the ball extends through the aperture to engage the implement and lock it in. The tool has an actuation sleeve which is axially movable between locked and released positions for engaging and disengaging the ball to the implement. The actuation sleeve has an axial slot and a safety sleeve located radially outward from the actuation sleeve. The safety sleeve has a pin which extends radially inward and a cylinder extending radially outward. The cylinder contains a ball which is biased inward. The outer surface of the tool has a pair of detents for receiving the ball. The safety sleeve has locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the pin is aligned with the slot and the ball engages the first detent to permit the actuation sleeve to move between the locked and released positions. In the locked position, the safety sleeve is rotated so that the pin is misaligned with the slot and the ball engages the second detent to prevent the actuation sleeve from moving to the released position.

Surgical instruments that utilize high speed rotary motors with shafted implements for the resection of bone and tissue are common in the art. One type of surgical instrument has a quick release mechanism that can engage and disengage the tool implement. When a surgical implement needs to be changed or replaced, an actuating sleeve is moved to a released position to remove the implement. The new implement is then inserted and the actuating sleeve is moved back to a locked position.


A method of coupling logic devices using spares. A first logic device is coupled to a second logic device using a first plurality of spares. The first logic device is coupled to a third logic device using a second plurality of spares. The second logic device is coupled programmatically to the third logic device by coupling programmatically one of the first plurality of spares to one of the second plurality of spares via the first logic device. The coupling of the first logic device to the second logic device and the coupling of the first logic device to the third logic device comprise coupling a total number of spares not exceeding M(N-1), wherein M is a minimum number of spares that must be coupleable between each potential pair of logic devices in a multiplicity of logic devices, and wherein N is a total number of logic devices in the multiplicity of logic devices.

The present invention relates to the connection of spares between multiple programmable devices, and more particularly to the connection of spares between three or more such devices.
Complex signal processing, and other complex processing applications frequently employ multiple complex programmable logic devices on a single printed circuit board. While each of the complex logic devices frequently has one-hundred or more conductive pins to which electrical interconnections can be made, each of which can be programmatically designated for use as an input or an output, or both, the printed circuit board, itself, must be laid out in accordance with the particular functions to be carried out by the complex programmable logic devices.
For example, on a transmit/receive controller used in an Intelsat TDMA earth station, which is employed in large scale satellite communications, ten field programmable gate arrays may be employed in combination on a single printed circuit board in order to format signal bursts, perform forward error correction coding, perform digital signal processing necessary to detect, error correct and route bursts, and other digital transmit and receive functions. While the field programmable gate arrays can be programmed, and reprogrammed, in order to debug, or update their programming, the electrical interconnections provided on the printed circuit board on which the field programmable gate arrays are connected are fixed at the time the printed circuit board is made.
In order to accommodate additional electrical interconnections that may be needed as the programming in the field programmable gate arrays is updated, "spare" electrical interconnections have frequently heretofore been made between each of the field programmable gate arrays on the printed circuit board. Unfortunately, if just five additional interconnect wires are made between each of 10 field programmable gate arrays, this results in an additional 225 electrical interconnections that must be made on the printed circuit board. (In addition to the interconnections already needed to implement whatever functions are to be performed by the field programmable gate arrays). Furthermore, five additional electrical interconnections, problematically, may be too many additional interconnections between some of the field programmable gate arrays, (i.e., may be more than will ultimately be needed once the programming in the field programmable gate arrays is updated) and may be far too few additional interconnections between others of the field programmable gate arrays, (i.e., may be less than will ultimately be needed) depending on the changes in programming that are made in the future to the field programmable gate arrays. Nonetheless, the above approach requires the addition of 225 additional electrical interconnections, and therefore, poses a significant design burden on the printed circuit board designer.
The present invention advantageously addresses the above and other needs.

Connection of spares between multiple programmable devices


A polishing method and a compact apparatus for the method are presented for efficient production of a polished workpiece for manufacturing high technology devices. The polishing method comprises a first and second steps for polishing a work surface. In the first polishing step, the work surface is pressed against an abrading surface of a first polishing tool which is being rotated. In the second step, the work surface is pressed against a rubbing surface of a second polishing tool which is being moved in a planar translation motion relatively to the work surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to polishing methods and apparatuses, and relates in particular to a polishing method and a polishing apparatus for processing substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, glass plates and liquid crystal display panels which require a high cleanliness.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been a remarkable progress in the density of integrated circuit devices which leads to a narrower interline spacing of the wiring, and, in the case of using optical lithography involving less than 0.5 mm line spacing particularly, the shallow depth of focus associated with its optics demands extreme flatness at the focusing plane of the stepper. This trend means also that if a particle of a size larger than the line spacing should remain on the fabricated device, it can cause short circuiting which may lead to device failure. Therefore, it is evident that workpiece processing must produce a flat and clean workpiece. These processing requirements apply equally to other workpiece materials in general, such as glass plates for photo-masking or liquid crystal display panels.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional polishing apparatus comprising: a polishing unit 10; a loading/unloading unit 21; a transfer robot 22, and two cleaning machines 23a, 23b. FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the polishing unit 10 comprising a turntable 12 having a polishing cloth 11 attached thereto; and a top ring 13 for holding a workpiece 1 and pressing the workpiece (wafer) 1 onto the turntable 12.
Polishing is carried out by holding a workpiece 1 at the bottom surface of the top ring 13, and pressing the workpiece by means of a vertically movable cylinder onto the polishing cloth 11 mounted on the top surface of the rotating turntable 12. In the meantime, a polishing solution Q is supplied from a delivery nozzle 14 in such a way to retain the solution Q between the bottom surface of the workpiece 1 and the abrading surface of the polishing cloth 11.
The turntable 12 and the top ring 13 are rotated independently at their individual controlled speed. As shown in FIG. 6, the top ring 13 is positioned in relation to the turntable 12, so that the peripheral edge of the workpiece 1 is located at distances "a" and "b", respectively, from the center and the peripheral edge of the turntable 12 so that the entire surface of the workpiece 1 can be polished uniformly at some high rotational speeds. It indicates that the diameter "D" of the turntable 12 is chosen according to the following relation to be more than twice the diameter d of the workpiece 1:
D=2(d+a+b)
The polished workpiece 1 is processed in the cleaning machines 23a, 23b through several washing and drying steps, and is transferred onto the loading/unloading unit 21 to be stored in a portable workpiece cassette 24. A scrub washing is used which involves the use of brushes made of nylon or mohair, or a sponge made from polyvinylalcohol (PVA).
The conventional polishing apparatus of the type described above is satisfactory from the standpoint of achieving adequate flatness and efficiency owing to large relative displacements between the turntable 12 and the top ring 13 as well as their high relative speeds; however, surface roughness of the polished workpiece tends to be higher than desirable. To produce a polished workpiece of better surface quality, consideration may be given to using two turntables which are operated by varying the abrading qualities of the polishing cloths, rotational speeds and types of polishing solutions. However, as mentioned above, the diameter of the turntable is larger than twice that of the workpiece diameter, and each apparatus takes up a large floor space area which leads to higher facility costs. These problems becomes more ignorable as the industry seeks larger diameter substrates.
While it is possible to use one turntable to produce a superior surface quality by varying the type of polishing solution and lowering the rotational speed, for example, it is obvious that such an approach leads not only to a potential increase in the cost of polishing solution but to inevitable lowering in the production efficiency due to a prolonged operation.
The conventional method also has some problems in the cleaning process when scrubbing follows the use of abrasive particles, not only because of the inherent difficulties of removing small particles in submicron ranges but also because of the ineffective cleaning when there is a strong affinity between the workpiece and the particles.
Therefore, there has long been a need in the semiconductor device manufacturing industry for an efficient polishing method and facility which would enable to produce substrates of high surface qualities, such as flatness, smoothness and cleanliness, in a compact and low cost apparatus.

Method for polishing workpieces and apparatus therefor


A process for extracting and separating silver safely and selectively from a raw material containing slightly soluble silver compounds and recovering silver from the extract in a simple manner without resorting to electrolysis or a special reducing agent, and further recovering high-purity silver, includes mixing the raw material with an organic solvent solution of an organophosphorus compound containing in the molecule sulfur in the form of S.sup.2- ions, thereby extracting silver into an organic phase simultaneously with dissolving the slightly soluble silver compounds, stripping the silver from the organic phase containing the extracted silver with an aqueous solution of alkali sulfite and forming a stripping solution, and reducing the stripping solution to separate silver therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for separating silver for recovery and purification by extraction from solids containing slightly soluble silver compounds which occur during smelting of noble metals or during disposal of wastes of plating solution and developing solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
One typical way of recovering silver from aqueous solutions or solids by hydrometallugical process is by conversion of silver into a slightly water-soluble silver compound such as silver chloride. This process offers the advantage of being able to separate and recover silver from most coexisting metals including noble metals. Unfortunately, the recovered silver compound (in the form of chloride or sulfate) is difficult to purify directly by hydrometallugical process because it is only slightly soluble not only in water but also in acid and alkali.
There are some known processes for separating such slightly soluble silver compounds from coexisting other compounds or solids. They include the ammonia leaching process and thiosulfate leaching process by which silver is dissolved in the form of stable complex compounds. Unfortunately, the ammonia leaching process has the disadvantage that silver ions react with ammonia to give unstable explosive silver compounds such as silver fulminate when the solution is allowed to stand. This prevents the leachate from residing or being recycled in the system. On the other hand, the thiosulfate leaching process tends to precipitate slightly soluble silver sulfide when the leachate is allowed to stand. This tendency is strong when the leachate decreases in pH and increases in temperature. An additional disadvantage is that metallic silver recovered from the leachate by electrolysis or reduction contains much sulfur.
Moreover, the above-mentioned two leaching processes involve a problem in common. The problem is that many other complex-forming elements are leached out together with silver during leaching. Consequently, the silver recovered from the leachate by reduction contains these elements and needs repurification by pyrometallugical process or electrolysis. This object is achieved only by the aid of a strong reducing agent because silver exists in the form of stable complex ions in the leachate. The use of a strong reducing agent leads to an increased production cost and poses a problem with the accumulation of reducing agent or decomposed products thereof in the leachate, which makes it difficult to repeatedly use the stripping solution after the silver recovery. On the other hand, the collection by electrolysis needs additional equipment and increases the residence time for silver. In addition, it prevents the leaching solution from being recycled on account of decomposition by anodic oxidation.
There is another reducing process applicable to the ammonia leachate which employs hydrogen at a high temperature under a high pressure. This process, however, is not of practical use because of the possibility of explosion by hydrogen and the danger of forming explosive silver compounds (such as silver fulminate) as mentioned above.
In the meantime, it is known that an organophosphorus compound containing in the molecule sulfur in the form of S.sup.2- ions extracts silver ions from an aqueous solution of silver. In practical application, it is necessary to dissolve silver (contained in solids) in nitric acid to give an aqueous solution of silver nitrate. Unfortunately, nitric acid, however dilute it might be, easily degrades (by oxidation) the above-mentioned organophosphorus compound. Therefore, this process cannot be used to recover silver from solids an industrial scale.

Process for extracting and recovering silver


A display panel and a display apparatus are disclosed. The display panel comprises: a plurality of signal lines extending in a first direction; at least one first reference voltage bus which extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a plurality of electrostatic discharge units divided into a plurality of electrostatic discharge unit groups, wherein the plurality of electrostatic discharge unit groups are arranged in the second direction and each of the plurality of electrostatic discharge unit groups comprises at least two electrostatic discharge units arranged in the first direction, wherein at least one of the plurality of signal lines is electrically connected to the first reference voltage bus through at least one of the plurality of electrostatic discharge units.

With the development of display technology, users have higher and higher demand for high-pixel-density (pixels per inch (PPI)) displays of display panels. In order to achieve the high-PPI display, not only a space for a pixel in a display area needs to be compressed, but also a space corresponding to a peripheral non-display area needs to be compressed. In addition, in practical use, external electrostatic charges can easily enter the display panel from a space where it is placed, thereby affecting the display effect of the display panel. In order to ensure the display effect of the display panel, how to achieve the electrostatic protection of the display panel in a limited space has become a technical problem to be solved urgently.


An integrated circuit comprises at least one differential input stage. The differential input stage includes an input circuit and a shaping circuit. The input circuit comprises a first portion and a second portion for providing two pairs of differential signals. The propagation times of the first and second circuit portions are preferably substantially identical. The shaping circuit differentiates each of the two pairs of differential signals and combines them to obtain a single binary type of signal.

Differential type serial ports are generally used to establish links between different devices that are at relatively larger distances from one another. The European reference EP-A-0 723 352 describes an example of this type of link. Reference will be made especially to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B and to the part of the description pertaining thereto. As explained in the reference, it is possible to perceive the appearance of an additional common mode voltage due to a difference in loads between the devices using this type of link. This common mode voltage may prompt dysfunctioning if it is outside a range of operation of a differential amplifier.
The European reference proposes an approach including offsetting the differential signals and driving two differential stages, one with the signals offset, and the other with the signals not offset. The differential stages are connected to one another by means of a wired OR connection that gives a pair of differential signals to a differential amplifier.
The device disclosed in the European reference performs relatively well when there is a common mode voltage that is of a static type or a type with low variability. However, if there is a common mode voltage that varies greatly, for example, in the vicinity of a high-frequency transmitter, a phenomenon of phase jitter is seen to appear. This is due to the difference in electrical paths between the offset signals and the signals that are not offset. This phenomenon of phase jitter is particularly troublesome when a transmission frequency in the range of one GHz is used.

Differential input stage for wideband reception with high rejection of common mode