An apparatus for supporting an axial load between first and second planes with an axial dimension therebetween includes first, second, and third members. The first member has a planar face on one end engaging the first plane and has a spherical face on the other end. The second member has a spiraling face on one end and has a spherical face on another end. The spherical face engaging the spherical face of the first member so that the first and second spherical faces maintain substantial contact for transferring the axial load between the first and second planes whether the planes are parallel or non-parallel. The third member has a spiraling face on one end and has a planar face on another end. The planar face engages the second plane. The spiraling face engages the spiraling face of the second member. The axial dimension of the second and third members can be adjusted when at least one is rotated.

Various types of machinery support systems have been around for years. Examples of some of prior art machinery support systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,082 "Adjustable Apparatus for Supporting Machinery or Other Load" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,338 "Method for Adjusting the Vertical Position of a Frame on a Foundation."
FIG. 1A shows the frame 12 of a machine 10 anchored to and supported by a foundation 14, which is typically constructed from concrete or steel. Anchoring is done by anchor bolts 22. The frame 12 may initially rest on jacking bolts 24 or on hydraulic jacks. Of course, the goal in anchoring the frame 12 is ultimately to have the weight of the machine 10 borne directly by the foundation 14, if the foundation is steel, or intermediately by grout which is poured above and onto the foundation 14, as is typically seen with concrete foundations. In this prior art system for supporting the machine 10, a base chock 26 rests on placement bolts 28, which in turn rest on or are anchored to the foundation 14. For stability purposes, the base chock 26 may include suitable threaded openings to receive the placement bolts 28.
One type of prior art support system is a tapered wedge support 30, such as shown in FIG. 1B. The tapered wedge support 30 uses a flat surface to support the machine (not shown), which may or may not match the same exact plane as the base (not shown) of the machine or equipment support. Matching the plane can be important to properly support the machine and provide good vertical and horizontal restraint for the machine base being supported. One example of a commercially available tapered wedge support is the Rowan Lock Chock™ from Robt. L. Rowan & Associates, Inc.
Another type of prior art support system is a screw jack support 50, such as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. The screw jack support 50 has threaded portions 52 and 54 and a top portion 56. The threaded portions 52 and 54 thread together and provide vertical adjustment. Threaded portion 54 and the top portion 56 have convex/concave spherical surfaces to compensate for the foundation and the machine base being out-of-plane. The screw jack support 50 is similar to a double spherical washer, which is often used under the top nut of a machine anchor bolt to compensate for any difference between the machine boss of the equipment base and the plane of the bottom of a typical hex anchor bolt nut. The main problem with the screw jack support 50 is that the load capacity is limited by the shear strength of the screw threads 55 that provide the vertical alignment for the support 50. Consequently, screw jack supports 50 have large diameters to provide enough cross-sectional area at the base of the threads to resist the weight of the machine being supported, the preload from the anchor bolt, and the shaking forces from operating the machine or from other external forces, such as wind loads and seismic loads. One example of a commercially available screw jack support is the Vibracon™ SM Element from Machine Support B. V.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Adjustable support apparatus for machinery


The methods and systems described provide for an in-situ endpoint detection for material removal processes such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) performed on a workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, an optical detection system is used to detect endpoint during the removal of planar conductive layers using CMP. An optically transparent polishing belt provides endpoint detection through any spot on the polishing belt. Once endpoint is detected, a signal can be used to terminate or alter a CMP process that has been previously initiated.

Conventional semiconductor devices generally include a semiconductor substrate, usually a silicon substrate, and a plurality of sequentially formed dielectric interlayers such as silicon dioxide and conductive paths or interconnects made of conductive materials. Copper and copper alloys have recently received considerable attention as interconnect materials because of their superior electromigration and low resistivity characteristics. Interconnects are usually formed by filling copper in features or cavities etched into the dielectric interlayers by a metallization process. The preferred method of copper metallization process is electroplating. In an integrated circuit, multiple levels of interconnect networks laterally extend with respect to the substrate surface. Interconnects formed in sequential layers can be electrically connected using vias or contacts. In a typical process, first an insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Patterning and etching processes are performed to form features such as trenches and vias in the insulating layer. After coating features on the surface with a barrier and then a seed layer, copper is electroplated to fill the features. However, the plating process, in addition to the filling the features, also results in a copper layer on the top surface of the substrate. This excess copper is called overburden and it should be removed before the subsequent process steps.
FIG. 1A shows an exemplary portion 8 of such plated substrate 9, for example a silicon wafer. It should be noted that the substrate 9 may include devices or other metallic and semiconductor sections, which are not shown in FIG. 1A for the purpose of clarification. As shown in FIG. 1A, features such as a via 10, and a trench 12 are formed in an insulation layer 14, such as a silicon dioxide layer, that is formed on the substrate 9. The via and the trench 12 as well as top surface 15 of the insulation layer 14 are covered and filled with a deposited copper layer 16 through an electroplating process. Conventionally, after patterning and etching, the insulation layer 14 is first coated with a barrier layer 18, typically, a Ta or Ta/TaN composite layer. The barrier layer 18 coats the via and the trench as well as the surface 15 of the insulation layer to ensure good adhesion and acts as a barrier material to prevent diffusion of the copper into the semiconductor devices and into the insulation layer. Next a seed layer (not shown), which is often a copper layer, is deposited on the barrier layer. The seed layer forms a conductive material base for copper film growth during the subsequent copper deposition. As the copper film is electroplated, the deposited copper layer 16 quickly fills the via 10 but coats the wide trench 12 and the top surface 15 in a conformal manner. When the deposition process is continued to ensure that the trench is also filled, a copper layer or overburden is formed on the substrate 9. Conventionally, after the copper plating, various material removal processes, for example, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), etching or electroetching, can be used to remove the unwanted overburden layer.
The CMP process conventionally involves pressing a semiconductor wafer or other such substrate against a moving polishing surface that is wetted with a polishing slurry. The slurries may be basic, neutral or acidic and generally contain alumina, ceria, silica or other hard abrasive ceramic particles. The polishing surface is typically a planar pad made of polymeric materials well known in the art of CMP. Some polishing pads contain abrasive particles (fixed abrasive pads). These pads may be used in conjunction with CMP solutions that may not contain any abrasive particles. The polishing slurry or solution may be delivered to the surface of the pad or may be flowed through the pad to its surface if the pad is porous. During a CMP process a wafer carrier holds a wafer to be processed and places the wafer surface on a CMP pad and presses the wafer against the pad with controlled pressure while the pad is rotated. The pad may also be configured as a linear polishing belt that can be moved laterally as a linear belt. The process is performed by moving the wafer against the pad, moving the pad against the wafer or both as polishing slurry is supplied to the interface between the pad and the wafer surface.
As shown in FIG. 1B, CMP is first applied to reduce the thickness of the copper layer down to the barrier layer 18 that covers the top surface 15 of the insulation layer 14. Subsequently, the barrier layer 18 on the top surface is removed to confine the copper and the remaining barrier in the vias 10, 12 and trenches 13. However, during these processes, determining the polishing endpoint, whether the copper layer is polished down to the barrier layer or the barrier layer is polished down to the insulation layer, is one of the important problems in the industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,760 describes a polishing pad that is made of solid uniform polymer sheet. The polymer sheet is transparent to light at a specified wavelength range. The surface of the polymer sheet does not contain any abrasive material and does not have any intrinsic ability to absorb or transport slurry particles.
More recently, endpoint detection systems have been implemented with rotating pad or linear belt systems having a window or windows in them. In such cases as the pad or the belt moves, it passes over an in-situ monitor that takes reflectance measurements from the wafer surface. Changes in the reflection indicate the endpoint of the polishing process. However, windows opened in the polishing pad can complicate the polishing process and may disturb the homogeneity of the pad or the belt. Additionally, such windows may cause accumulation of polishing byproducts and slurry.
Therefore, a continuing need exists for a method and apparatus which accurately and effectively detects an endpoint on a substrate when the substrate is polished using the CMP processes.
As shown in FIG. 1B, CMP is first applied to reduce the thickness of the copper layer down to the barrier layer 18 that covers the top surface 15 of the insulation layer 14. Subsequently, the barrier layer 18 on the top surface is removed to confine the copper and the remaining barrier in the via 10 and trench 12. However, during these processes, uniform reduction of the thickness of the polished copper layer is one of the important problems in the industry. The thickness uniformity of the metal layer must be maintained while it is processed so that the overpolish after copper endpoint is minimized and the substrate is not over-polished, since overpolishing may cause excessive dishing, erosion and other defects. Further, underpolishing of the copper layer and barrier layers may cause electrical shorts or other defects. The non-uniformity during the polishing process may be due to either a non-uniform polishing process or a non-uniform thickness of the metal layers on the substrate or both.
A uniform polishing process will significantly reduce CMP cost while increasing process throughput. As the wafer sizes become larger, e.g., 300 mm and beyond, a planar reduction of thickness in a uniform manner becomes more difficult due to the larger surface area of the wafer.
Consequently, there is need for an improved method and apparatus for monitoring and maintaining the uniformity of the polished layer when the substrate is polished using CMP processes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Advanced chemical mechanical polishing system with smart endpoint detection


A paint implement cleaning system consists of a basic container having at least three water pressure nozzles located therein. There is at least one at the bottom of the container and others are located midway within the container and diametrically opposite from each other. The basic container has a closure cap therein which suspends cleaning implements therefrom. One implement can be a paint laden paint brush which is cleaning by way of the nozzles located within the container. A paint roller can be rotatably supported on a threaded spindle which in turn is suspended from the closure cap. A jet pipe is located adjacent to the paint roller and has a multiple of nozzles thereon which direct pressurized water streams tangentially against the circumference of the paint roller to cause the paint roller to spin while being cleaned.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,280 shows a paint roller cleaner wherein the roller is suspended in a cylindrical container together with the roller handle and a tubular member has spray holes imparted therein that will spray water at the outer circumference of the paint roller at a tangent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,785 illustrates a paint roller cleaner wherein two separate paint rollers are suspended in a container together with their handles which are used while painting. There are shown at least two rollers and they are of different diameters. Jet means are carried by an assembly on the container and the jets are directed against the periphery of each one of the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,152 discloses a cleaning device for a paint roller. In this device a paint roller is shoved over an existing roller holder and jet streams direct water against the periphery of the roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,722 illustrates a paint roller cleaner which is suspended within a container and water pressure is directed to the surface of the roller by a coiled tube that surrounds the roller and the cleaning water is applied through a multiple of orifices inside the coiled tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797 discloses a paint brush cleaner wherein a multiple of brushes can be supported so that they are in contact with a rotating cleaner roller including high water pressure directed toward the brushes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,877 shows a brush cleaning device wherein a brush holder is moved transversely back and forth to agitate the brushes while they are in cleaning fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,459 discloses a paint roller cleaning apparatus which is a tubular container having the paint roller handle clamped therein and lateral jets impinge on the outer circumference of the paint roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,925 discloses a paint brush cleaner including a housing with an open top. A pair of rotatable radial brush brackets support the paint brushes in a central space. A number of upwardly spaced nozzles are directed toward the paint brushes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,535 simple discloses a paint brush cleaning device in the form of a nozzle with a jet stream of cleaning fluid directed to an interior of the brush bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. D349,327 shows paint roller cleaner being placed in a container wherein jet streams are forced against the longitudinal length of the paint roller.


A method is provided for extending the service life of a used metallic compressor wheel having a damaged surface. The method generally comprises the steps of inspecting the used compressor wheel for material discontinuities such as fatigue cracks and, if fatigue cracks exceeding a predetermined length are not present, renewing the used compressor wheel such as by peening. The inspection process comprises conducting a non-destructive examination of the used compressor wheel to detect cracks larger than those which would fall generally within the compressive stress zone that is generated by peening.

The use of turbochargers to increase engine performance is well known. Simply put, turbochargers increase the mass of air supplied to an engine, resulting in improved engine performance.
A typical turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel connected to a compressor wheel by a rotatable shaft. Hot engine exhaust gas powers (rotates) the turbine wheel which drives the compressor wheel. The compressor wheel draws in relatively cool ambient air and compresses it before it enters the engine intake manifold.
Compressor wheels operate at very high speeds, often up to 90,000 RPM in large turbochargers used in some heavy duty vehicles and up to 250,000 RPM in automobiles. Over time the compressor wheel can become subject to fatigue failure due to the high speeds or a high cycle (on-off) rate. Replacing the compressor wheel with a new compressor wheel is expensive.
It is known in the industry that shot peening improves the service life of metal components. For example, shot peening of fatigue damaged aluminum parts to extend service life has been practiced in the aerospace industry.
What was not heretofore known was a method of extending the service life of used compressor wheels comprising an inspection step and a renewing step, wherein the inspection step comprises conducting a non-destructive examination of the used compressor wheel to detect cracks larger than those which would fall generally within the compressive stress zone that is generated with peening to identify used compressor wheels that are candidates for renewal, and the renewing step comprises peening to impart compressive residual stresses in those surface regions of the compressor wheel subject to the highest fatigue loadings.

Method of extending the service life of used turbocharger compressor wheels


An apparatus and method for preventing decubitus ulcerations including a frame having a pair of frame supports spaced from each other. A mattress is supported on the frame between the frame supports. A pliable support material extends between the supports. The material is adapted to support an individual thereon in a generally recumbent position. A lift mechanism is disposed on the frame and operably connected to the support material. The lift mechanism adjusts the tension of the material so that the support has a first position resting on the mattress and a second position wherein the support is raised above the mattress.

Individuals who are bed bound or confined to a wheel chair for long periods of time are at risk for developing decubitus ulcers, commonly referred to as bed sores or pressure sores. The ulcers typically appear and develop at the location of a bony prominence on a patient's body and the immediate area of such bony prominence, especially at or around the buttocks, coccyx, spine, hips, elbows and heels. Such ulcers are caused by direct contact pressure by an object (such as furniture, e.g., a bed; wheel chair; etc.) with the bony prominence and its immediate area. The ulcers are areas of damaged skin and tissue that develop when sustained pressure cuts off circulation to these vulnerable parts of the body. Without adequate blood flow, the affected tissue dies.
Decubitus ulcers can range from a very mild pink coloration of the skin, which disappears in a few hours after pressure is relieved on the area, to a very deep wound extending to and sometimes through a bone into internal organs. These ulcers are classified in stages according to severity.
The ulcers can develop quickly and progress rapidly. For example, in unconscious patients or those who have had injury to the spinal cord, a large pressure sore can develop as soon as twelve hours after onset of a disability or the injury. The ulcers are often difficult to heal. Once developed, they can lead to infection and seriously impact the health of the patient.
The sacral area of the back is most prone to such ulcers due to the proximity of the bones to the skin's surface and the amount of weight bearing on this area. An ulcer on the sacral area may even develop from a patient's position on the operating table during an extended operation. Manually shifting the position of the patient during surgery can be disruptive to the ongoing procedure.
Since the ulcers are difficult to treat, it is important that attention is given to prevent them from forming. The classic procedure for prevention is for a caregiver to rotate a patient every two hours so that pressure can be relieved and no single area of the body is under prolonged periods of pressure. While effective, this procedure requires a significant amount of staffing and strict adherence to schedules for the procedure to be effective.
Various systems exist, such as elaborate hospital beds, for alleviating areas of pressure exerted on a bed bound individual. However, such beds are expensive and impractical for large institutions treating many such individuals.
Accordingly it would be desirable to provide an economical device for changing the position of an individual to alleviate areas of localized pressure.

Support apparatus for preventing and/or inhibiting decubitus ulcers


Methods, systems, and computer programs that enable procurement risk to be efficiently and effectively managed and evaluated are described. In one aspect, inputs specifying one or more forward contracts in a sourcing portfolio for procuring a resource from one or more suppliers are received. Inputs specifying one or more aspects of a target sourcing strategy for procuring the resource also are received. A procurement risk evaluation report comparing the sourcing portfolio and the target sourcing strategy is presented.

Asset managers of large manufacturing enterprises, for example, computer manufacturers, electronics manufacturers and auto manufacturers, must determine the inventory levels of components and finished products that are needed to meet target end customer service levels (i.e., the fraction of customer orders that should be received by the requested delivery dates). For such manufacturing enterprises, the delivery of a finished product to an end customer typically involves a complex network of suppliers, fabrication sites, assembly locations, distribution centers and customer locations through which components and products flow. This network may be modeled as a supply chain that includes all significant entities participating in the transformation of raw materials or basic components into the finished products that ultimately are delivered to the end customer.
Manufacturing enterprises must arrange for the delivery of component parts and other resources that are needed to produce the finished products to be delivered to end customers. In general, manufacturing enterprises may purchase component parts on the market at the market rate or they may enter into forward supply contracts in which settlement takes place in the future at a currently agreed upon price or a pre-defined price mechanism such as a price indexed to other external or internal prices. In a forward supply contract, the contract details are agreed upon at the outset, but no resources are exchanged until the settlement (delivery) date. Money is also typically not exchanged until the settlement, though the agreement may include upfront option payments or loans to the supplier. In commodity resource markets, commodity suppliers typically observe large discrepancies between forecasted demand and actual demand and, therefore, are unable to accurately schedule plant capacity and reduce inventory risk. In these situations, commodity suppliers may be willing to accept lower future prices in exchange for large future purchasing commitments because these future purchasing commitments increase the proportion of forecasted demand that will be realized, reducing inventory or capacity utilization risk. Manufacturers may benefit if the future contract cost is lower than the future market price. In addition, manufacturers may also benefit from the increased price predictability provided by future supply contracts, if fixed price or price cap agreements help protect the manufacturers' margin from possible component price increases. Finally, manufacturers may benefit from the assurance of supply provided by the contract agreements that help prevent costly shortages. When assurance of supply is important and supplier flexibility is costly, manufacturers may even structure contract terms to pay upfront option payments or higher unit prices for the rights to purchase flexible quantities above and beyond the committed quantities.
Uncertainties in demand, market price, and market availability make valuing contract options difficult, especially when a number of contract options are considered together as a sourcing portfolio. These uncertainties also may create substantial liabilities for manufacturers when entering into future supply contracts, since demand may be less than the committed quantity, or market price may decline to less than the contract price.
Production planning organizations, such as sales, marketing, and finance, often have the most knowledge of the risks and uncertainties associated with the supply chain. Thus, such organizations are best positioned to manage procurement risks and uncertainties. Hitherto, effective methodologies for communicating a procurement strategy from production planning organizations to the procurement organization tasked with implementing the procurement strategy have not been developed. As a result, production planners have not had the metrics needed for evaluating a current sourcing portfolio and, therefore, could not effectively manage procurement risks and uncertainties.

Managing and evaluating procurement risk

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Method for constructing an integrated rock physics model that simulates both shale anisotropy and stress-induced anisotropy of clastic rocks. In the model, the total pore volume is divided into three parts according to the estimated shale volume and effective stress: (1) clay-related pores, (2) sand-related pores, and (3) microcracks (mainly in the sand component). The pore space is then partitioned into the clay-related and sand-related pores using a scheme first disclosed by Xu and White in 1995. The model simulates shale anisotropy via the preferred orientation of clay-related pores and stress-induced anisotropy via the preferred orientation of microcracks, which is controlled by the differential stresses. Laboratory measurements or well logs are needed to establish a relationship between crack density and the effective stress.

Rock physics modeling plays a critical role in seismic inversion and interpretation by providing a critical link between petrophysical properties (e.g., porosity, shale volume, water saturation, etc.) and seismic properties (e.g., P- and S-wave velocities, attenuation and frequency content). It is, therefore, extremely important to build an accurate and robust rock physics model that represents the combined effect of the key controlling factors, such as porosity, pore geometry, pore connectivity, fluid type (or water saturation), clay content, mineralogy, stress, temperature and anisotropy.
It is well known that sedimentary rocks (the type of rock where petroleum can often be found) are anisotropic in nature. That is, their elastic properties vary with direction. Recent published literature shows that seismic anisotropy is a primary factor controlling the amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) behavior. In a CMP (common-middle point) gather, the amplitude of a seismic reflection from a particular interface varies with offset or incident angle. The behavior of the amplitude change with offset can be linked to fluid content in the rock. For example, typical gas sands overlain by shale are often characterized by a "Class III" type AVO, i.e., negative polarity at the interface and increasing amplitude with offset. Oil sands may display Class II type AVO, i.e., very weak amplitude at the near offset and strong amplitude at the far offset. The present inventors have found that the anisotropy effect is particularly important for high-impedance sands (the acoustic impedance of the sands is higher than the acoustic impedance of their surrounding shale). FIG. 1 shows P-wave reflectivity over a single interface as a function of incident angle using both isotropic 11 and anisotropic 12 earth models. It clearly demonstrates that anisotropy is an important factor for AVO modeling. This is particularly true for incident angles larger than 30 degrees. The results also demonstrate that a theoretical rock physics model with anisotropic capabilities is highly desirable.
There are two important types of anisotropy in clastic sedimentary rocks: (1) shale anisotropy and (2) stress-induced anisotropy. Shale anisotropy is common in clastic rocks. Shale anisotropy is the most common anisotropy in sedimentary rock. This is simply because over 70% of sedimentary rocks are shale. Shale anisotropy is caused by the preferred orientation of the pore space between the clay particles. Stress-induced anisotropy is caused by the differential stresses in the earth crust. In general, the three principal stresses are often different from each other due to the tectonic movement of the earth crust and overburden effect. In a typical relaxed sedimentary basin, assuming negligible tectonic movement, the vertical stress is often much higher than the two horizontal stresses. In the major principal stress direction, the rock is compressed more in comparison with the compression at the other two directions. This differential compaction will result in a differential closure of soft pore, or cracks, in the rock. Cracks aligned perpendicular to the major principal stress have a higher tendency of being closed than cracks aligned in other directions. Consequently, the compressional wave will travel faster in the major principal stress direction.
In general, shale anisotropy is strong (higher than 10%). Seismic anisotropy is typically measured using Thomsen parameters, ε, γ and δ, which are defined as follows:
      ɛ    =                            C          11                -                  C          33                            2                                                            C          33                          γ    =                            C          66                -                  C          44                            2                                                            C          44                          δ    =                                        (                                          C                13                            +                              C                44                                      )                    2                -                              (                                          C                33                            -                              C                44                                      )                    2                            2                                                                        C            33                                          (                                          C                33                            -                              C                44                                      )                              Here, Cij is the elastic tensor of the anisotropic rock. The quantity ε approximately measures the P-wave anisotropy, i.e. the relative change between P-wave velocity in the fast direction and that in slow direction. Similarly, γ measures shear-wave anisotropy. δ controls the P-wave and SV-wave velocity profiles at intermediate angles between the fast and slow direction. Typically, ε or δ is used to quantify seismic anisotropy. A characterization of 20% anisotropy thus means that the P- or S-wave velocity in the fast direction is about 20% faster than that in the slow direction.
Because shale anisotropy is strong, it has a larger effect than stress-induced anisotropy on AVO modeling. Stress-induced anisotropy is commonly seen in shallow unconsolidated sands where the vertical effective stress can be significantly higher than the horizontal effective stresses. In cases where there is little tectonic movement, stress-induced anisotropy cannot be measured using cross-dipole logs since the two horizontal stresses are more or less the same. In areas where the tectonic movement is large, azimuthal anisotropy exists and can be measured using cross-dipole logs. Unlike shale anisotropy, stress-induced anisotropy is more difficult to predict because the principal stresses are controlled by many factors including overburden, tectonic, local structures, fault systems and rock properties.
Various theories called effective medium theories have been proposed to simulate shale or stress-induced anisotropy in rocks. Some of these are briefly discussed below. Most of these theories ignore the mechanical interaction between the pores/cracks. These effective medium theories are therefore valid only for dilute concentration of pores. This limitation makes the first-order theories of little practical use. The problem can be resolved using the differential effective medium (DEM) scheme or the self-consistent (SC) scheme. DEM is discussed by Nishizawa in Journal of Physical Earth 30, 331-347 (1982) and by Hornby, et al. in Geophysics 59, 1570-1583 (1994). SC is discussed by Hill in Journal of Mechanics and Physics of Solids 13, 213-222 (1965) and by Willis in J. Mech. Phys. Solids 25, 185-202. (1977). However, either scheme drastically slows down the numerical computation. It would be desirable, to speed up the calculations while maintaining the accuracy of the method. Furthermore, there is no model that can handle both shale anisotropy and stress-induced anisotropy simultaneously. The present invention satisfies both of these needs.
Empirical rock physics models are widely used in the industry due to their simplicity. These empirical models typically assume a linear relationship between P-wave (or S-wave) velocity, porosity and/or shale volume. Despite some limited success of such models, there are increasing concerns about their applicability to seismic inversion (i.e., solving for petrophysical properties using seismic data) since they are data-driven. Without a large amount of data to calibrate these empirical models, they often provide incorrect, sometimes even misleading, results. In many exploration and/or development circumstances, one often does not have the data needed for the calibration. Another major drawback with the empirical models is that they provide little physical insight. For example, one may find a simple relationship between permeability and velocity and conclude that permeability is a major controlling factor for velocity when, in fact, the velocity change is largely caused by porosity. A good correlation between porosity and permeability makes permeability look like a controlling factor for velocity. Permeability matters, but usually has a secondary effect on velocity. Finally, an empirical model can only handle a very limited number of factors, typically fewer than three. For comprehensive rock physics modeling, one needs to consider the combined effect of porosity, pore type, shale volume, fluid content (water saturation), fluid communication, pressure, temperature and frequency.
There are a limited number of theoretical rock physics models in the literature. For example, M. A. Biot, "Theory of propagation of elastic waves in a fluid saturated porous solid," Journal of Acoustic Society of America 28, 168-191 (1956); G. T. Kuster and M. N. Toksoz, "Velocity and attenuation of seismic waves in two-phase media, Part 1: Theoretical formulation," Geophysics 39, 587-606 (1974). In general, these models can be used to explain the elastic behavior observed in the laboratory. However, it is often difficult to apply these models to real cases (e.g., well logs). Xu and White developed a practical model that simulates the combined effect of a number of factors on P- and S-wave velocities. ("A new velocity model for clay-sand mixtures," Geophysical Prospecting 43, 91-118 (1995); and "A physical model for shear-wave velocity prediction," Geophysical Prospecting 44, 687-717 (1996)) But the model does not handle the anisotropy effect. Hornby, et al. propose an effective medium model to simulate shale anisotropy (Geophysics 59, 1570-1583 (1994)). But, their model is limited to pure shales only, not applicable to sandy shales or shaly sands. This greatly limits the applicability of their model since sedimentary rocks are made of not only shales but also other rock types, such as sandstone, siltstone, limestone, etc. Also, Hornby's approach is valid for high frequencies only and it is, therefore, always Gassmann-inconsistent. Gassmann's theory has been widely used in the oil industry for fluid substitution (hypothetically substituting pore fluid in reservoir rocks from one type to another, e.g., from water to oil). One key assumption in Gassmann's theory is that the frequency of the seismic wave is low enough so that pore pressure has ample time to be equilibrated. Therefore, any model which gives the low frequency response or equalized pore pressure is called Gassmann-consistent.
Keys and Xu (Geophysics 67, 1406-1414 (2002)) propose a dry rock approximation method, which dramatically speeds up the numerical calculation of the differential effective medium scheme while maintaining its accuracy. Unfortunately, the proposed method does not work for the anisotropic case.
Fluid substitution is an important topic for seismic identification of reservoir fluid. Traditionally, different fluid phases, e.g. gas and brine, are mixed using the Wood Suspension law before they are put into the rock using Gassmann (1951) equations. This approach puts fluid mixtures uniformly into all the pore space, regardless of the pore size, wettability and permeability of the rock. Laboratory measurements demonstrate that the approach is probably applicable to rocks with relatively high permeability and at relatively high effective stresses where micro-cracks are closed. It is highly questionable if the approach is valid in shaly sands, in which micro-pores tend to be water-wet due to the capillary effect.
Thus, there is a need for developing an anisotropic rock physics model, which has a fundamental physical basis. The model should be Gassmann-consistent and correctly treat the capillary effect on different fluid phase distribution at pore scale. The model should be accurate and efficient enough to be applied to well log analysis and/or seismic inversion. In particular, the model should be able to handle different kinds of anisotropy (e.g., shale and stress-induced anisotropy). The present invention fills this need.

Integrated anisotropic rock physics model


A simple planetary gearset and four transfer gear pairs are combined to provide five forward speed ratios and two reverse speed ratios in a power transmission. Three selectively engageable clutches controlling three of the transfer gear pairs are engaged in combination with two selectively engageable friction devices controlling the simple planetary gearset to establish four of the forward speed ratios and the two reverse ratios. A fourth selectively engageable clutch, controlling the fourth transfer gear pair establishes a forward ratio numerically central of the aforementioned four forward ratios.

Multi-speed power transmissions are utilized with motor vehicles to extend the useful operating range of an internal combustion engine. Each of the speed ranges permits the engine to operate through approximately the entire power range thereby permitting the vehicle to be driven at output speeds from an idle condition to a maximum forward speed or to a maximum reverse speed. The gear ratios and engine power range permit overlapping of the power transmission such that the engine need not be fully extended prior to changing to the next speed up or down from the current operating position.
The power transmissions currently in use are generally either countershaft transmissions or planetary transmissions. The countershaft transmission can have the various speed ratios controlled by synchronizer type clutches or by fluid actuated type clutches. The planetary gear arrangements utilize selectively engageable friction devices, such as clutches and brakes, to establish as many speed ratios a planetary gear arrangement is capable of attaining.
There are also some combinations of planetary and transfer gear or countershaft gearing assemblies. These assemblies generally utilize a compound planetary gearset or a plurality of interconnected planetary gearsets.


A double spiral conveyor includes two spiral chutes, each chute being positioned diametrically opposite the other in a helical relationship about a central axis of a central tubular support. The spiral chutes begin in the same upper horizontal plane and terminate in the same lower horizontal plane. The spiral conveyor further includes a rotatable discharge pan that receives the transported product as it is discharged from the two spiral chutes and directs the product to a predetermined location.

Single and double spiral chutes for transfer of coal, packages, food products, etc., are known in the prior art. Indeed, the inventor of the present invention, Donald M. Winchester, has received U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,565,226 and 3,566,501 for single spiral chutes, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Double spiral chutes for transferring coal and packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 826,613 and 728,626; and in Great Britain Patent No. 970,136.
The present invention is specially designed for the vertical transportation of breakable food products such as potato chips, corn chips, pretzels, and the like. Such food products are susceptible to breakage if they are dropped from one processing station to another. The use of spiral conveyors has been found to be desirable for preventing breakage as such products are transported vertically from one processing station to another.
The present invention is an improvement over the prior art single spiral conveyors of Winchester disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,565,226 and 3,566,501. In food processing facilities logistical constraints may dictate that a certain volume of product must be moved vertically from one processing station to another. In some instances the vertical distance between the processing stations is constrained such that a single spiral conveyor will not handle the desired throughput volume. The present invention substantially increases the throughput volume over that of a single spiral conveyor while minimizing product breakage and preventing clogging of the conveyor. The spiral conveyor of the present invention is characterized by a lack of buckling and distortion of the sliding surface and is fabricated without twisting the flat metal sheets used in its construction.
The present invention comprises two spiral chutes beginning in the same horizontal plane, each of the chutes having an inner wall attached to a central tubular support in a helical relationship. A slide attaches along the outer edge of the inner wall and an outer wall is attached along the outer edge of the slide. The double spiral chutes terminate in the same horizontal plane. The double spiral conveyor further includes a positionable discharge pan that receives the product as it is discharged from the two spiral chutes and directs the product as desired.


A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.

In the semiconductor industry, it is desirable to obtain temperature uniformity in the substrate during temperature cycling of substrate. Temperature uniformity provides uniform process variables on the substrate (e.g. layer thickness, resistivity, etch depth) for temperature activated steps such as film deposition, oxide growth and etching. In addition, temperature uniformity in the substrate is necessary to prevent thermal stress-induced wafer damage such as warpage, defect generation and slip.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a prior art flood type rapid thermal heating apparatus in which a wafer 11 disposed in chamber 12 is heated by radiation from a plurality of lamps 13. This type of heating apparatus does not provide adequate spatial control of temperature. The primary difficulty is that different areas on the wafer may have different energy absorption or emissivity characteristics. For example, if a flood heating source (assuming uniform illumination across the wafer) is used to heat a wafer during a rapid thermal processing cycle in which the thermally-isolated wafer may be ramped in temperature on the order of 10.degree.-300.degree. C./sec, the edge will maintain, a different temperature than the middle because the edge can accept radiant energy from or emit radiant energy to a wider field of view. FIG. 2 shows the temperature at the center and edges of a wafer as a function of time for a flood type heating source During the temperature ramp-up portions of the heating cycle the edges will be hotter than the center while during the steady state and ramped-down portions the edges will be cooler than the center. These edge to center temperature differences create radial stresses in a wafer which if large enough, can damage the wafer, and are not tolerable in many processes, especially high temperature processes in which the mechanical strength of the wafer is substantially reduced. For example, at 1150.degree. C. the center to edge temperature difference on a four inch silicon wafer of approximately 5.degree. C. can induce dislocation formation and slip. Some conventional flood heating sources, such as a bank of tungsten-halogen lamps or a single arc lamp, can be modified to compensate for center-to-edge temperature differences of one sign, for example, during the temperature ramp up. Shading or reflectors can be used to provide more light energy to the center of the wafer as compared to the edge, but it is impossible for such a heating source to provide temperature uniformity during all parts of the thermal cycle.
Temperature gradients can also be induced by other sources. For example, a wafer may have non-uniform emissivity because of spatial modifications to surface areas or volumes of the wafer. These modifications could include films which have been patterned by photo lithography or locally doped regions such as buried layers for bipolar transistors. In addition, the temperature gradients can be induced by localized gas cooling or heating effects, as well as non-uniform endothermic or exothermic reactions which may occur on the substrate surface during processing.

Rapid thermal heating apparatus and method


The present invention provides a method for producing a granular metallic iron in which an adhesion inhibitor leveler, an agglomerate leveler, a discharger, and the physical state of materials present on the hearth are optimized to thereby enable agglomerate to be spread in a single layer. The agglomerate hence is evenly heat-treated to enable high-quality granular metallic iron to be produced in satisfactory yield.

Known hitherto as moving-bed type hearth furnaces are a rotary-hearth furnace, which is equipped with an outer circumferential wall, an inner circumferential wall, and an annular rotary hearth disposed between these walls, and a linear-hearth furnace, which is equipped with two side walls and a linear hearth disposed between these walls.
In general, the rotary hearth comprises an annular furnace body frame, a hearth heat insulator disposed on the furnace body frame, and a refractory disposed on the hearth heat insulator.
The rotary-hearth furnace having such a structure has conventionally been used, for example, for the heat treatment of metals, e.g., steel billets, or the incineration treatment of combustible wastes. In recent years, however, a method for producing reduced iron from agglomerate including a carbonaceous reducing material and an iron oxide-containing material using the rotary-hearth furnace is coming to be put to practical use. Furthermore, a method for producing high-purity granular metallic iron by heating agglomerate including a carbonaceous reducing material and an iron oxide-containing material in a reducing melting furnace, e.g., a rotary-hearth furnace, to reduce the iron oxide contained in the feed material while keeping the iron oxide in a solid state, thereafter further heating the yielded metallic iron to melt them, and aggregating the iron while separating the iron from the slag components, has recently been developed.
In the method for producing reduced iron or producing granular metallic iron using a rotary-hearth furnace, it has been necessary that, for evenly heating the fed agglomerate, the agglomerate should be dispersed and leveled over the whole hearth without fail. There also has been a problem that the powder or the like generated from the agglomerate sinters on the hearth and adheres thereto, resulting in damage to the screw type discharger, etc.
Prior-art techniques for overcoming such problems are explained below by reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a view illustrating one example of methods for adding an adhesion inhibitor to agglomerate, according to Patent Literature 1.
First, Patent Literature 1 relates to a method for operating a rotary hearth type reducing furnace 21 in which agglomerate P including a powdery metal oxide and a powdery carbonaceous material is heated to reduce the metal oxide and thereby produce reduced iron. In this method, an adhesion inhibitor Q is added to the agglomerate P before the adhesion inhibitor Q is added into the furnace 21.
In Patent Literature 1, however, in the case where the adhesion inhibitor Q is not evenly laid when the adhesion inhibitor Q is added beforehand to the agglomerate P, the quantity of heat transferred to the agglomerate P from an upper part of the hearth 22 is uneven due to differences in surface level in the width direction and circumferential direction of the hearth 22. As a result, even and high-quality granular metallic iron is not obtained, resulting in a decrease in product yield. In the case where agglomerate P is laid on an adhesion inhibitor Q with the state that the adhesion inhibitor Q has differences in surface level in the circumferential direction and width direction of the hearth 22, this method has a problem that when the reduced iron obtained by reducing the agglomerate P is scraped out, the reduced iron gets under the adhesion inhibitor Q, resulting in a large amount of reduced iron remaining unscraped. In addition, the problem that molten iron accumulates to inhibit the production still remains unsolved.
Next, Patent Literature 2 relates to a method for leveling a feed material for granular reduced iron, in which a leveling member is lowered so as to reduce the gap between the hearth and the spiral blade of the leveling member in response to fluctuations in the amount of the feed material introduced. In this method, the leveling member is raised or lowered so that the rate at which the gap between the hearth and the spiral blade is increased or reduced in accordance with the rate at which the feed amount increases or decreases or with the rate at which the average particle diameter fluctuates is adjusted.
However, in Patent Literature 2, there is no description concerning influences of differences in the property of feed material on the rotation speed of the leveling member and on a relationship between the blade and the shaft. When the rotation speed of the leveler and the relationship between the blade and the shaft are not suited for the material to be leveled, this leads to a trouble that the feed material pass through or are scattered.

Method for producing granular metallic iron

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a granular metallic iron, which comprises leveling an adhesion inhibitor fed to the hearth of a moving-bed type hearth reducing melting furnace, feeding an agglomerate including an iron oxide-containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent onto the adhesion inhibitor, leveling the agglomerate fed onto the adhesion inhibitor, subsequently heating the agglomerate to reduce and melt the iron oxide contained in the agglomerate to produce a granular metallic iron, and discharging the produced granular metallic iron using a screw type discharger, wherein the adhesion inhibitor fed to the hearth is evenly leveled using a screw type adhesion inhibitor leveler so that the leveled adhesion inhibitor has a flatness of 40% or less of an average particle diameter of the agglomerate, and the agglomerate fed onto the adhesion inhibitor is evenly laid using a screw type agglomerate leveler so that the agglomerate forms a single layer.


An apparatus for controlling a releasing action of a lock-up clutch in a power transmitting system of a motor vehicle wherein the lock-up clutch is disposed between a pump impeller connected to an engine, and a turbine impeller operatively connected to a drive wheel of the motor vehicle, the lock-up clutch being engaged for direct connection of the pump impeller and the turbine impeller, the apparatus including a lock-up clutch switching device for effecting a releasing action of the lock-up clutch from a fully engaged state thereof to a fully released state thereof, and an engine output reducing device for temporarily reducing an output of the engine upon the releasing action of the lock-up clutch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a lock-up clutch used in a power transmitting system of a motor vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a motor vehicle having a fluid-filled power transmitting device equipped with a lock-up clutch such as a torque converter or fluid coupling incorporating such a lock-up clutch, there is proposed an apparatus for controlling the lock-up clutch, such that the lock-up clutch is fully engaged when a running condition of the vehicle falls in a predetermined fully engaging area, for the purpose of improving the fuel economy of the vehicle while minimizing the power loss. The running condition of the vehicle is represented in a two-dimensional coordinate system wherein a load of an engine of the vehicle is taken along one axis while a running speed of the vehicle is taken along another axis. The fully engaging area indicated above is suitably located within the two-dimensional coordinate system. An example of such a lock-up clutch control apparatus is disclosed in JP-A-62-274157 (published in 1987).
In the known lock-up clutch control apparatus of the type indicated above, the lock-up clutch may be switched from a fully engaged state into a fully released state when the vehicle running condition has changed to be outside the predetermined fully engaging area. That is, a pump impeller and a turbine impeller of the fluid-filled power transmitting device which have been directly connected to each other are rapidly disconnected or released from each other. Consequently, the torque transmitted from the engine to an automatic transmission through the lock-up clutch is temporarily rapidly reduced with a result of a change of the transmitted torque, irrespective of a manipulation of the vehicle by the operator of the vehicle. Such a torque change may cause a "releasing shock" of the vehicle, with which the vehicle operator is uncomfortable.

Apparatus for controlling vehicle lock-up clutch, wherein engine output is reduced upon releasing action of lock-up clutch


An apparatus for moving elevator equipment, particularly an elevator car when stuck in a shaft, comprises a suspension point which is connected to the elevator equipment by an adjustable-height connection. Contrary to the prior art, the suspension point includes a length-adjustable assembly configured for engagement with opposing walls of the shaft or opposing guide rails within the shaft at any chosen location along the shaft. The invention thus provides a localized solution that can be used conveniently at any position within the shaft and is therefore independent of the position, and indeed the presence, of any lifting hooks within the shaft.

Occasionally, an elevator car can become stuck within a shaft and it is necessary to release the car before the elevator can be returned to normal operation. Such a situation can occur if safety gear mounted on the car has been released to frictionally engage with the guide rails so as to bring the car to an abrupt emergency stop. The energy dissipated through this frictional engagement can in some instances cause the safety gear (and thereby the car) to stick to the guide rails. The common practice to effect the release of the car is to suspend it from a lifting hook located at a position above the car within the hoistway by a rope or cable and to then hoist the rope or cable so as to raise and thereby release the car. This procedure becomes cumbersome and time consuming if the nearest lifting hook is not within easy reach of the car roof.


The present invention is directed to a piezoelectric ink jet head wherein contacts for the electrical connection of the upper and lower electrodes that sandwich the piezoelectric element on the upper and lower sides are disposed in a solid region of the substrate where any of recess to make the pressure cavity, common feed path, feed port, nozzle passage or nozzle is not formed, in order to surely prevent the vibration characteristic of individual drive regions or individual piezoelectric element from varying.

For a piezoelectric ink jet head that uses the electrostrictive effect of a piezoelectric element as the drive power source and is employed in an on-demand type ink jet printer, one having such a constitution is widely employed that comprises a plurality of pressure chambers to be filled with an ink disposed on one side of a plate-shaped substrate along the surface, with a nozzle for discharging the ink provided to communicate with each of the pressure chambers and a drive section including the piezoelectric element provided for each of the pressure chambers, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-H-05-318731-A2 (1993).
In the piezoelectric ink jet head described above, a drive voltage is individually applied to one or more of the piezoelectric elements each corresponding to each of the pressure chambers so as to deform, thereby decreasing the volume of the pressure chamber that corresponds to the piezoelectric element, so that the ink contained in the pressure chamber is discharged from the nozzle that communicates therewith in the form of ink droplet and a dot is formed on a sheet of paper.
More specifically, a drive section comprising the piezoelectric element and an oscillator plate that supports the piezoelectric element transmits a force generated by the piezoelectric element as a pressure to the ink contained in the pressure chamber, thereby to function as a drive power source that discharges ink droplets through the nozzles that communicate with the pressure chambers. That is, the drive section causes the piezoelectric element to deform due to the drive voltage applied thereto, so that the oscillator plate is caused to deflect and protrude toward the pressure chamber, thereby decreasing the volume of the pressure chamber and pressurizing the ink in the pressure chamber, so that an ink droplet is discharged from the tip of the nozzle.
At the same time, since the oscillator plate is caused by the pressure of the ink contained in the pressure chamber to deflect in a direction opposite to that described above, the drive section also acts as an elastic body with respect to the vibration of the ink in the head.
When a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element so as to generate a force, the ink contained in the head undergoes vibration under the pressure transmitted via the oscillator plate from the drive section. This vibration is generated as the drive section and the pressure chamber act as the elasticity against the inertia of a feeder port that feeds the ink to the pressure chamber, a nozzle passage that communicates with the pressure chamber and the nozzle, and the nozzle. Natural period of vibration of volumetric velocity of the ink contained in the head during this vibration is determined by the dimensions of the components described above, physical properties of the ink and dimensions and physical properties of the drive section.
In the piezoelectric ink jet head, an ink droplet is discharged by utilizing the vibration of ink meniscus in the nozzle due to the vibration of the ink described above, thereby forming a dot on the paper surface.
In order to achieve a higher resolution of the piezoelectric ink jet head while decreasing the size of the piezoelectric ink jet head, pitch of arranging the nozzles must be made as small as possible. When resolution of the piezoelectric ink jet head becomes higher and the number of nozzles increases, however, it becomes difficult to dispose the independent piezoelectric elements individually in correspondence to the pressure chambers. For this reason, it has recently become a prevailing practice to employ a piezoelectric ink jet head having a piezoelectric element made in a thin plate of transverse vibration mode that is formed integrally with an electrode (common electrode), lower (oscillator plate side) one of a pair of electrodes that are disposed to sandwich the piezoelectric element for applying the drive voltage to the piezoelectric element, and the oscillator plate, in such a size that covers the plurality of pressure chambers (hereinafter referred to as a "common element type"). Of the pair of electrodes, the electrode that is disposed over the piezoelectric element (individual electrode) is separately formed in a predetermined shape that corresponds to each pressure chamber for applying drive voltage individually to each piezoelectric element.
In the piezoelectric ink jet head of common element type, when an electric field is generated by applying the drive voltage from the individual electrode to the region sandwiched by the individual electrode and the common electrode in the plane of the piezoelectric element (hereafter referred to as a "drive region"), the drive region can be driven like an independent piezoelectric element thereby pressurizing the ink in the corresponding pressure chamber.
In order to individually apply drive voltages to the individual electrodes and ground the common electrode in the piezoelectric ink jet head of common element type described above, electrical connection must be established for the electrodes by soldering leads or using crimp terminals.
As taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-H11-34323-A2 (1999), making electrical connection within the area of the pressure chamber leads to a problem of variability in vibration characteristic of the piezoelectric element among the drive regions, due to the variability in rigidity and/or weight of the solder in the case of soldering, and due to the variability in crimping force in the case of using crimp terminals. For this reason, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-H11-34323-A2 proposes to make electrical connection of the electrodes outside of the area of the pressure chamber.
The present inventors studied the possibility of improving the vibration characteristic of individual drive regions of the piezoelectric ink jet head of common element type, and improving the vibration characteristic of the individual piezoelectric elements of the conventional piezoelectric ink jet head having the piezoelectric elements separately formed for the individual pressure chambers (hereafter referred to as a "separate element type"), by making the oscillator plate thinner than that of the prior art, specifically setting the ratio t1/t2 of the thickness of the piezoelectric element t1 to thickness of the oscillator plate t2 in a range from 1/1 to 1/4.
In such a piezoelectric ink jet head having thinner oscillator plate, however, it was found that it is not sufficient to make electrical connection of the electrodes outside of the area of the pressure chamber, and the possibility of vibration characteristic differing among the vibration regions or among the individual piezoelectric elements remains.


The present invention involves a novel crystal form of 17β-hydroxy-7α-(5′-methyl-2′-furyl)-pregna-4,9(11)-dien-3-one-21-carboxylic acid, γ-lactone, having the formula

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a novel crystal form of 17β-hydroxy-7α-(5′-methyl-2′-furyl)-pregna-4,9(11)-dien-3-one-21-carboxylic acid, γ-lactone.
The present invention includes a process for the transformation of a 3-enol ether Δ3,5-steroid to the corresponding Δ4,6-3-ketal steroid (I-P).
The present invention includes a process for the transformation of a Δ4,6-3-keto steroid or ketal thereof (I), to the corresponding Δ4-3-ketosteroid-7α-carboxylic acid (VI).
The present invention also includes a novel processes and novel intermediates to produce the pharmaceutically useful compound eplerenone.
Further, the invention includes processes for transformation of 11α-hydroxy-17-lactone (CI) or 11α-hydroxy steroids (CIV) to the corresponding Δ9(11)-17-lactone (CII) or Δ9(11)-steroids (CV) using a N-fluoroalkylamine reagents (CVI).
2. Description of the Related Art
There is no reliable method to predict the existence of a crystal form of a pharmaceutical. Further, if a material is crystalline there is no reliable method to predict its physical properties. Therefore, patents to novel crystal forms are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,924 discloses and claims 25-hydroxycocalciferol (25-HCC) which is a non-crysalline solid. Later a novel crystal form, 25-HCC hemihydrate was patented, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,622. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,431 discloses crystal forms 1 and 2 of ranitidine hydrochloride. U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,657 claims "crystalline 7-[D-.alpha.-(p-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3-methyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid monohydrate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,007 B1 claims the "S" and "T" crystal forms of 1-[5-methanesulfonamidoindolyl-2-carbonyl]4-[3-(1-methylethylamino)-2-pyridinyl]piperazine. U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,813 B2 claims a novel crystal form of a known antibacterial agent, linezolid.
International Publications WO01/41535 and WO01/42272 disclose crystal forms of pharmaceutical agent eplerenone.

Abstract: which is an intermediate useful in preparation of an important pharmaceutical, eplerenone.


A data processing system includes a plurality of functional units that selectively execute instructions. A register file includes a plurality of registers that store data corresponding to the instructions. A reorder buffer communicates with the register file and stores the data, includes at least one bypassable buffer location, and includes at least one non-bypassable buffer location.

Many microprocessors execute instructions in pipeline stages. Typically, to issue an instruction for execution, operands for the instruction are retrieved from general purpose registers located in a register file and forwarded to an execution unit. Results from the execution unit are stored back in the register file to be used by subsequent instructions. Generally, instructions are issued for execution "in-order," i.e., in the order the instructions are fetched. If the instruction is simple, an execution unit may use one cycle to execute an instruction. As such, simple instructions can be issued and executed in the same order.
However, complex instructions may need different numbers of cycles to complete. For example, a multiply and accumulate (MAC) instruction may require three cycles to complete, whereas a simple instruction, such as an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) instruction, may only require one cycle to complete. Therefore, if a MAC instruction requiring three cycles is issued followed by an ALU instruction requiring one cycle, the ALU instruction will complete execution prior to the MAC instruction. In this manner, instructions are executed and completed "out-of-order."
Executing instructions out-of-order cause microprocessors to deal with a number of complexities that affect processing performance. For instance, if an operand needed for a current instruction depends on a result from a previously executed instruction that has not been stored back in the register file, a data dependency hazard condition exists. Under these circumstances, if the register file is accessed without the desired result being previously stored in the register file, the current instruction will use an incorrect operand and the instruction will be improperly executed. Different schemes have been implemented to handle data dependency hazards when executing instructions "out-of order."
One scheme uses a reorder buffer ("ROB") that allows instructions to be executed out-of-order. A ROB contains a plurality of locations containing entries allocated for each issued instruction. Each entry contains a field to hold the result from an executed instruction prior to being retired to the register file. A result is retired if it is a valid result for an executed instruction and it is in the process of being stored or is stored in the register file. The location of its entry is then allocated for a new result for subsequent executed instructions. Entries in the ROB maintain the order of instructions being issued, however, results from executed instructions can be stored in corresponding entries of the ROB upon completion. In this manner, using a ROB allows results to be stored as soon as they are generated, which allows for out-of-order execution of instructions. Consequently, as the results for instructions are retired, new entries are allocated in the ROB for additional issued instructions.
To handle a data dependency hazard, a microprocessor with a ROB can read an operand from either the register file directly if the operand is stored in the register file or from the ROB if the operand was generated but not retired to the register file, thereby "bypassing" the register file. For example, if a second ALU instruction requires the result of a previously executed first ALU instruction and that result is in the ROB, the microprocessor can obtain the result for the second ALU instruction directly from the ROB (assuming the result of the first ALU instruction is stored in the ROB) instead of waiting for it to be stored in the register file first. In other words, the microprocessor can bypass the register file to obtain the result for the second ALU instruction if stored in the ROB. As a result, waiting for data to be available in the register file can be avoided. Consequently, in this process, a check is required to determine if each entry in the ROB contains a result that can be used as an operand for the current instruction.
Prior microprocessor systems that use a ROB to perform out-of-order execution require a large ROB, e.g., having 32 to 64 entries. There are disadvantages to using such a large ROB for a microprocessor. In particular, if a ROB contains a large number of entries, processing overhead is extensive for instructions that are dependent on a result from a previous instruction. This is because the microprocessor must provide a data bypass for each entry in the large ROB. Furthermore, access to a large ROB for reading and writing data requires an extensive amount of power. For many electronic devices that can process complex instructions, e.g., cellular phones or hand-held computing devices, minimizing power use is an important factor for extending battery life. In addition, executing instructions out-of-order becomes even more complex if more than one instruction is issued and executed at a time.
There exists, therefore, a need for a simpler and more efficient data processing system that executes instructions "out-of-order," without using a large ROB.

Data processing system with partial bypass reorder buffer and combined load/store arithmetic logic unit and processing method thereof


Resin compositions, methods of forming such resin compositions, methods of using such resin compositions and substrates treated with such resin compositions are disclosed. One of such resin compositions contains no formaldehyde and is useful as a binder. Such resin composition comprises the reaction product of:                a—melamine,        b—at least one aldehyde of formula (1) as defined in the specification,        c—a cross linking agent, wherein the cross linking agent is glyoxylic acid, and        d—at least one polyol having 2 or more than 2 hydroxyl groups.The resin composition of the present invention can provide performance characteristics to which they are applied.

The present disclosure is directed generally to resins and, in particular, to aminoplast resins and their use as binders.
Among other aminoplast resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins find wide industrial application. Owing to their characteristic tensile strength and water repellence, their use is noted as binders for cellulosic, fiberglass, and polymeric materials as well as composite blends thereof. Resins without formaldehyde used for substitution of phenolic or aminoplast resins are desired due to regulatory and health concerns. In response, the industry has attempted to put forward aminoplast resins matching the functional benefits of formaldehyde-containing resins.
There exists a continuing need for thermosetting compositions without formaldehyde which perform in many applications like melamine-formaldehyde resins and exhibit for example, tensile strength compared to conventional resins.


Method and apparatus for processing data stored in a memory shared among a plurality of processors is described. In an example, a semaphore is provided that is associated with a first portion of the memory. Tasks are stored in the first portion of the memory, the tasks being respectively related to data segments stored in a second portion of the memory. A state of the semaphore is determined. Access among the plurality of processors to the first portion of the memory is controlled in response to the state of the semaphore. A task is executed to process a data segment of the data segments in response to a processor of the plurality of processors gaining access to the first portion of the memory.

In a data processing system, if more than one process or "thread" requires access to shared data, a synchronization mechanism is used to coordinate access to the shared data among different threads. The synchronization mechanism is necessary to prevent one thread from modifying the shared data before another thread has finished working with the shared data, such as a read-after write hazard among other types of shared data conditions to avoid. In some multi-threaded systems, a "task scheduling program" is used to control execution of the multiple threads and access to shared data among the multiple threads. A task scheduling program is typically executed by an operating system that runs on the data processing system.
Synchronization of shared data becomes more complex if multiple threads run on physically distinct processors in a multiprocessor system that accesses the shared data from a shared memory. For example, the processors may be executing threads independent from one another, such that each of the processors is unaware of the specific thread or threads being executed by the other processors. In addition, there may be no operating system present to control operation of the multiple processors. Since each of the processors is executing independent code, a task scheduler may not be extendable across all processor platforms. Without a task scheduler, such as a task scheduling program, the processors may interfere with one another while attempting to modify data stored in the shared memory.
Accordingly, it would be both desirable and useful to process data stored in a memory shared among a plurality of processors that execute independent threads.


A process for the preparation of photoconductive imaging members which comprises coating a supporting substrate with a photogenerator layer comprised of photogenerating pigments, and subsequently applying to the photogenerating layer a mixture comprised of charge transport molecules and cyclic oligomers, and wherein said mixture is heated to obtain polycarbonate resin binder from said cyclic oligomers.

The present invention is directed generally to photoresponsive, or photoconductive imaging members, and more specifically to photoconductive imaging members comprised of certain polycarbonate resin binders. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to an imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer in contact therewith, and a charge, especially hole, transport layer thereover, and wherein the transport layer and/or photogenerating pigment is dispersed in polycarbonates obtained from cyclic oligomers. The present invention also relates to processes for the preparation of imaging members without solvents in embodiments, wherein the polycarbonate resin binder is formed simultaneously with the charge transport and/or photogenerating layer. Imaging members of the present Invention can be sensitive to wavelengths of from about 400 to about 800 nanometers, that is from the visible region to the near infrared wavelength region of the light spectrum. Moreover, in embodiments thereof the imaging members of the present invention possess low dark decay characteristics as illustrated herein and enable developed images, both line and solid areas, of high resolution, that is with substantially no background deposits. The imaging members of the present invention can be selected for electrophotographic, especially xerographic imaging and printing systems.
Layered photoconductive imaging members with certain polycarbonate resin binders are known. One layered photoresponsive device has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Photoresponsive materials containing a hole injecting layer overcoated with a hole transport layer, followed by an overcoating of a photogenerating layer, and a top coating of an insulating organic resin, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,612, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Examples of photogenerating layers disclosed in these patents include trigonal selenium and phthalocyanines, while examples of transport layers include certain aryl diamines as illustrated therein- These imaging members are usually prepared by first providing on a supporting substrate a photogenerating layer of, for example, trigonal selenium and thereafter solution coating thereover from a solvent mixture a charge transport layer and a polycarbonate resin, such as MAKROLON.RTM.. Thus the polycarbonate resin binder is in the form of a polymer when selected for the preparation of the imaging member. With the invention of the present invention, in embodiments there is selected a monomer and this monomer is converted into a polymer simultaneously with the coating of the charge transport layer. Advantages of the aforementioned include, for example, the use of solvents like toluene or tetrahydrofuran, rather than the toxic and environmentally damaging chlorinated, such as methylene chloride, organic solvents to form a coating. Since solution viscosity is proportional to molecular weight, and it is the coating solution viscosity that determines the concentration for any given coating technique, the use of higher solid loadings in the coating solution is readily achievable as the cyclic oligomer precursor to the polycarbonate polymer possesses a much lower by, for example, orders, such as 10, of magnitude solution viscosity than the polymer itself, thus higher solid loadings are desirable to reduce volatile organic concentrations emitted during the coating process. The processes of the present invention and imaging members thereof allow the transport binder to be optionally crosslinked to provide tougher and more solvent resistant coatings. Also provided in embodiments are higher, 100,000 to 300,000 vs about 40,000, for spray coating molecular weight polycarbonate films formed using spray or dip coating techniques than can be achieved with a polymer solution. The use of a solvent for forming a photoreceptor film may be avoided entirely with the present Invention in embodiments by coating the cyclic oligomers and transport molecule mixture as a melt or a powder before curing the cyclic oligomers to provide a high molecular weight polymer. Additionally, by using mixtures of different structured cyclic oligomers high molecular copolymers of exact stoichiometry can be obtained that are not readily obtained by either the known interfacial or melt transesterification processes for producing polycarbonates.
Documents illustrating layered organic electrophotographic photoconductor elements with azo, bisazo, and related compound, and in some instances charge transport layers dispersed in certain polycarbonates, and wherein the charge transport layer can be applied to the photogenerating layer by solution coating include U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,611, U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,404, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,754, Japanese Patent 60-4354, U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,455, U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,608, U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,168, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,896, U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,015, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,522, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,519, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,667, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,845, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,800, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,611, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,133, U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,628, U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,753, U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,264, U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,513, U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,084, U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,944, U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,602, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,084, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference.

Imaging member with polycarbonate obtained from cyclic oligomers


It is an object of the present invention to approximate of life of each resin double helical gear of a gearing resin double helical gear pair to each other by effectively increasing the strength of the tooth of the resin double helical gear with the higher rotational speed; and to lengthen life of the gearing resin double helical gear pair by effectively increasing the strength of the tooth of the resin double helical gear that comes to the end of its life earlier due to stress concentration out of the gearing resin double helical gear pair. A resin double helical gear pair includes a first resin double helical gear and a second resin double helical gear with the larger diameter gearing into the first double helical gear. The first double helical gear is formed so that at least an addendum modification coefficient of a peak of a chevron tooth is larger than addendum modification coefficients of other sections. The second double helical gear is formed so that a sum of the addendum modification coefficient of the first double helical gear and an addendum modification coefficient of the second double helical gear in a gearing position of the first double helical gear and the second double, helical gear is a constant value along a tooth width direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin double helical gear pair composing part of a gear train for power transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a gearing resin double helical gear pair has been used as part of a gear train for power transmission, in order to quiet down the operating sound and deaden the vibrations in power transmission (refer to Patent Literature 1).
However, in the gearing resin double helical gear pair, a larger stress acts on a dedendum of a peak located in the center in the full tooth width direction of a chevron tooth, compared to a stress on a dedendum of sections other than the vicinity of the peak of the tooth. Therefore, the gearing resin double helical gear pair firstly comes to the end of its life due to the resultant stress difference.
Therefore, engineers taking charge of mechanical structure design have demanded a technology by which the stress value of the dedendum of the peak located in the center in the full tooth width direction of the resin double helical gear can be reduced, and by which the strength of the tooth of the resin double helical gear can be increased.
Specially, in the case that the rotational speed of one resin double helical gear is different from that of the other resin double helical gear in a resin double helical gear pair (in the case of deceleration or acceleration), the resin double helical gear with the higher rotational speed comes to the end of its life earlier than the resin double helical gear with the lower rotational speed.
For example, when a double helical gear with the smaller diameter and a double helical gear with the larger diameter are combined in a gearing resin double helical gear pair, a large stress acts on the dedendum of the vicinity of the peak of the tooth in the double helical gear with the smaller diameter and the higher rotational speed, and thus the double helical gear with the smaller diameter comes to the end of its life first.
Therefore, engineers taking charge of mechanical structure design have demanded that the tooth of the resin double helical gear with the higher rotational speed is reinforced, and thereby the life of the resin double helical gear with the higher rotational speed and the life of the resin double helical gear with the lower rotational speed are approximated to each other.
Further, experience shows the following fact. That is, even when 2 double helical gears with the identical diameter gear into each other in a gearing resin double helical gear pair, the dedendum of the vicinity of the peak of a tooth of the double helical gear on the drive side comes to the end of its life earlier than the dedendum of the vicinity of the peak of a tooth of the double helical gear on the driven side.
As a method to solve the forgoing problem, it is conceivable that the tooth thickness of the dedendum of a tooth is thickened by addendum modification, and thereby the dedendum strength is increased (refer to Nonpatent Literature 1).
A technology to change the addendum modification coefficient of a tooth of a spur gear from one end side to the other end side in the tooth width direction has been already developed (refer to Patent Literature 2).
However, in the existing technology disclosed in Nonpatent Literature 1, the entire tooth is provided with positive addendum modification. Therefore, when such a technology is applied to the resin double helical gear, the tooth thickness of the dedendum of the tooth is thickened uniformly in the entire region in the tooth width direction, and thus it is not possible to effectively reinforce only the dedendum of the vicinity of the peak of the tooth necessary for reinforcement. In result, the entire resin amount is increased, and thus the entire weight becomes excessively heavy. Further, the gearing ratio is decreased, and thus the noise is increased.
Further, the existing technology disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is intended to adjust backlash of a gearing section to inhibit generation of abnormal sound resulting from the backlash. In such a technology, the addendum modification coefficient is changed from one end side to the other end side in the tooth width direction. Therefore, it is not possible to thicken the tooth thickness of the dedendum in the section on which a stress is concentrated more than the thickness of the dedendum in the other sections and to effectively increase the strength of the dedendum.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-69458 (refer to paragraph No. 0007 and FIG. 4)
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-250182 (refer to paragraph No. 0020 and FIG. 3)
Nonpatent Literature 1: "Machine design: design of mechanical components and system," Shigeka Yoshimoto et al., First edition, Rikogaku Co., May 20, 2006, p. 208.


In positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, PET imaging data (22) having TOF localization is reconstructed. TOF image reconstruction (30) is performed on the PET imaging data to produce a TOF reconstructed image (32). The TOF image reconstruction utilizes the TOF localization of the PET imaging data. Non-TOF image reconstruction (40) is also performed on the PET imaging data to produce a non-TOF reconstructed image (42). The non-TOF image reconstruction does not utilize the TOF localization of the PET imaging data. A comparison image (50) is computed which is indicative of differences between the TOF reconstructed image and the non TOF reconstructed image. An adjustment (54) is determined for the TOF image reconstruction based on the comparison image, such as alignment correction of an attenuation map (18), and the TOF image reconstruction is repeated on the PET imaging data with the determined adjustment to produce an adjusted TOF reconstructed image.

In positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, a radiopharmaceutical is administered to a patient, e.g. by intravascular infusion. The radiopharmaceutical may, for example, be a glucose-containing pharmaceutical agent such as fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in which the glucose molecules are tagged with a positron-emitting radioisotope such as fluorine-18 (18F). The 18F-tagged glucose preferentially concentrates in high-metabolism tissue, so that the resulting PET image is a functional image representing a metabolic distribution. Each radioactive decay event detected in PET is produced by a sequence in which an emitted positron rapidly annihilates with an electron yielding two oppositely directed 511 keV gamma rays. The two 511 keV gamma rays are detected by two different PET detectors as substantially simultaneous events defining a line of response (LOR) connecting the two detections.
In conventional PET, the two 511 keV detection events are deemed to be simultaneous if they both occur within a specified narrow time window, and the counts which are reconstructed are detection counts along different LORs defined by various detector pairs. The resulting PET imaging data are reconstructed using an image reconstruction algorithm such as maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM), ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM), or the like. Various improvements on the base reconstruction are typically employed, most commonly including the use of an attenuation map, e.g. generated from a corresponding transmission computed tomography (CT) image, to compensate for absorption of some 511 keV rays in the imaged subject. Other known improvements include various scatter correction approaches, and/or the use of regularization via a prior to introduce a priori information into the reconstruction, and/or the use of a smoothing filter or the like.
In a variant approach, referred to as time-of-flight (TOF) PET, the location of the positron (or, more precisely, the positron-electron annihilation) producing each event is further localized along the LOR based on the small but finite time difference (or lack thereof) between the two detections. Intuitively, if the annihilation occurs midway between the two detectors then the time difference will be zero since both 511 keV gamma rays travel the same distance to the respective detectors. By contrast, if the annihilation occurs closer to one detector than the other, than the travel distances are different and the detector closest to the annihilation event will detect its 511 keV event first, followed very shortly thereafter (on the order of a nanosecond or less) by the second detection.
TOF PET requires radiation detectors with sufficiently high speed to resolve time differences on the order of a few hundred picoseconds, providing spatial localization along the LOR on the order of 10-20 centimeters or less. The TOF image reconstruction can employ the same improvements as conventional PET image reconstruction (e.g. using an attenuation map, scatter correction, et cetera) and the better spatial localization of the detected counts via TOF localization reduces noise and other artifacts. Consequently, if a PET imaging data acquisition system has sufficiently fast radiation detectors, it is usually used to acquire PET imaging data having TOF localization, and a TOF image reconstruction is employed to generate the reconstructed image.
The following discloses a new and improved systems and methods.

Using time-of-flight to detect and correct misalignment in PET/CT imaging