A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provided with a pair of static magnetic field uniformity controlling members 30A and 30B which are disposed adjacent to respective pair of magnetic plates 25A and 25B and of which cross sections configured so as to further enhance static magnetic field uniformity in static magnetic field region 21 and a pair of flat plate shaped eddy current suppressing members 29A and 29B which are disposed adjacent to respective pair of gradient magnetic field coils 28A and 28B and shield influences of gradient magnetic field generated by the gradient magnetic field coils 28A and 28B on the static magnetic field uniformity controlling members 30A and 30B of pole pieces. The eddy current suppressing members 29A and 29B are easily manufactured from a flat plate member simply by cutting the same while following the shape of the gradient magnetic field coils 28A and 28B. Further, with the provision of the eddy current suppressing members 29A and 29B influences due to eddy current and residual magnetism induced by the gradient magnetic field coils 28A and 28B on the static magnetic field uniformity controlling members 30A and 30B are suppressed and uniformity in the uniform static magnetic field region is enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (hereinbelow will be called as MRI apparatus) which reconstructs images of tissue of a living inspection body and, in particular, relates to a magnet device of the MRI apparatus which is provided with an improved magnetic field correcting means, in that a pole piece, for enhancing static magnetic field uniformity in a magnetic field region where image photographing of the living inspection body is performed.
2. Conventional Art
In some of MRI apparatuses which reconstruct images of tissue of a living inspection body, the static magnetic field is generated by making use of superconducting coils. FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of conventional MRI apparatus in which superconducting coils are used. FIG. 1A is a schematic outlook of the MRI apparatus, and FIG. 1B is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1A seen from arrow A in FIG. 1A. In this MRI apparatus, static magnetic field is generated by means of a pair of superconducting coils 13A and 13B which are opposingly disposed invertical direction. The superconducting coils 13A and 13B are supported by magnetic plates 15A and 15B disposed opposingly in vertical direction. The magnetic plates 15A and 15B are mechanically supported by post shaped yokes 16A through 16D disposed therebetween. Inside the superconducting coils 13A and 13B, pole pieces 14A and 14B made of iron and for providing a desirable static magnetic field uniformity are provided, and are supported by the magnetic plates 15A and 15B together with the superconducting coils 13A and 13B. The pole pieces 14A and 14B operate to enhance the static magnetic field uniformity in a uniform static magnetic field region 11. The magnetic plates 15A and 15B and the post shaped yokes 16A through 16D serve as magnetic passages for magnetic fluxes generated by the superconducting coils 13A.
In the thus constituted MRI apparatus, a magnetic circuit is formed which is constituted by the superconducting coils 13B, the pole piece 14B, the uniform static magnetic field region 11, the pole piece 14A, the superconducting coil 13A, the magnetic plate 15A, the post shaped yokes 16A through 16D and the magnetic plate 15B, thereby, uniform static magnetic field in vertical direction is generated in the uniform static magnetic field region 11. Photographing of magnetic resonance images is performed in this uniform static magnetic field region 11. Gradient magnetic field coils 18A and 18B used in the magnetic circuit are configured in generally flat plate shapes as shown in FIG. 1B and are opposingly disposed in vertical direction while interposing the uniform static magnetic field region 11 therebetween. The gradient magnetic field coils 18A and 18B are respectively received within the recessed portions of the pole pieces 14A and 14B.
It is well known that through activation of the gradient magnetic field coils 18A and 18B, eddy current is induced on conducting portions such as the pole pieces 14A and 14B and the superconducting coils 13A and 13B, and residual magnetism is also induced on ferromagnetic bodies such as the pole pieces 14A and 14B due to their hysteresis, all of which greatly affect adversely on the images to be reconstructed. In order to prevent generation of such eddy current and residual magnetism, it has been conventionally known to dispose eddy current suppressing members 19A and 19B such as a high magnetic permeability material having eddy current limiting property on the inner face of the recessed portions of the pole pieces 14A and 14B. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,897 discloses a provision of eddy current limiting member of high magnetic permeability material on the inner surface of the recessed portions of pole pieces. Further, JP-A-9-117431 (1997) discloses a provision of a plurality of blocks formed by laminating and integrating silicon steel sheets on the inner surface of the recessed portions of the pole pieces. Still further, JP-A-1-86954 (1989) discloses to constitute the inner surface of the recessed portions of the pole pieces by a magnetic material having high magnetic permeability and a compound magnetic material in such a manner that the magnetic material having high magnetic permeability locates next to the space of the static magnetic field region.
Although, all of the above conventional art discloses the provision of a low eddy current material or a high magnetic permeability material on the inner surface of the recessed portions of the pole pieces, none of the conventional art suggests working of the inner surface of the recessed portion of the pole pieces, in order to regulate static magnetic field uniformity in the uniform static magnetic field region. This is because mechanical working of such as the high permeability material having eddy current limiting property provided on the inner surface of the recessed portions of the pole pieces is generally difficult which prevents high precision working, and if working is possible which requires high cost. For this reason, with the conventional art it was difficult to sufficiently enhance the uniformity of the static magnetic field.
An object of the present invention is to provide an MRI apparatus having a magnet device with a pole piece which enhances uniformity of the static magnetic field region thereof as well as suppresses adverse effect by eddy current and residual magnetism induced on the pole piece by the gradient magnetic field coils.
An MRI apparatus of the present invention is provided with a pair of static magnetic field generating means which are disposed in opposing manner and cause to generate static magnetic field in the space region therebetween; a pair of static magnetic field correction means which enhance uniformity of the static magnetic field in the static magnetic field region; a pair of gradient magnetic field generating means which cause to generate gradient magnetic field in the static magnetic field region; and a pair of magnetic plate means which hold the static magnetic field generating means, the static magnetic field correction means and the gradient magnetic field generating means, wherein the static magnetic field corrections means is provided with a pair of static magnetic field uniformity controlling means of which cross sectional shapes are configured so as to enhance the uniformity of static magnetic field in the static magnetic field region and which are disposed adjacent to the respective magnetic plate means and a pair of flat plate shaped suppressing means which shield adverse effect of the gradient magnetic field generated by the gradient magnetic field generating means on the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means and which are disposed adjacent to the gradient magnetic field generating means. Wherein the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means is, for example, constituted by iron which is easily worked into a desired cross sectional shape which enhances uniformity of static magnetic field in the static magnetic field region, and the suppressing means, which is for preventing adverse effect on the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means of the pole pieces caused by the gradient magnetic field generated from the gradient magnetic field generating means, is worked and manufactured easily only by cutting out a flat plate of high magnetic permeability material having eddy current limiting property such as silicon steel sheet and soft ferrite into a simple disk while following the shape of the gradient magnetic field generating means.
In other words, in the present invention, a function of suppressing eddy current and residual magnetism induced on the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means by the gradient magnetic field from the gradient magnetic field coils added thereto is separated, and the portion functioning as suppressing the eddy current and residual magnetism which requires a low eddy current and high magnetic permeability material unsuited for precision working is constituted only by cutting out a flat plate of such material into a simple disk while following the shape of the adjacent gradient magnetic field generating means, and on the other hand, the portion of the original uniform static magnetic control function which requires a complex cross sectional shape is constituted by working an easily workable material, for example, soft iron, into a desired cross sectional shape with a high precision.
Further, the MRI apparatus of the present invention is further provided with a spacer means in a space between the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means and the suppressing means. Through the provision of the spacer means the suppressing means is fixed firmly and precisely.
Still further, the MRI apparatus of the present invention is further provided with a reinforcing means between the suppressing means and the spacer means for reinforcing the suppressing means. Since the suppressing means is constituted by adhering small pieces of such as silicon steel sheets and soft ferrite in a plane configuration and in multi-layers, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient mechanical strength. Therefore, through the provision of the spacer means and the reinforcing means between the static magnetic field uniformity controlling means and the suppressing means, the mechanical strength of the suppressing means is sufficiently enhanced.


A cover provides a facade for the base of a Christmas tree on a stand, house plant, or other domestic object. The cover includes a board that is creased and folded into a plurality of interlocking panels. The cover is formed by interlocking panels to form an open structure having a top, two sides, a front, an open back, and an open bottom. The top is notched for embracing the base. The cover thus formed can be set with the notched top embracing the base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to covers for Christmas tree stands, house plants, or other domestic objects, and to methods for forming such covers.
2. Description of Related Art
Christmas trees are held in stands that typically have a number of support legs. The structure of this stand is not in keeping with the overall appearance and symbolism of the tree. Accordingly, people will cover the stand with blankets of various types to hide the stand. A disadvantage with such a blanket is its tendency to dip into a watering bowl underlying the tree trunk and empty the bowl by a wicking action.
Also, the inventor has modified boxes originally built with five or six sides by cutting them into a four-sided box with a notched top and an open back and bottom. Such an approach has the commercial disadvantage of requiring a consumer to purchase a bulky, preassembled box with glued seams and then cut away waste portions. Such a procedure tends to be laborious and wasteful of resources.
Known boxes have been assembled by end users from a flat cardboard cutout having a number of flaps that can fold under to form a double walled construction. Some of these boxes have interlocking double walls employing a mortise and tenon joint. Several disadvantages have been found with these existing boxes. Foremost, these lack a structure open on at least two sides to form a cover suitable for providing a facade for a Christmas tree stand or the like. Secondly, these known boxes often have unsightly corners, because the mortise and tenon joint may be externally visible. It is preferable to present instead a clean front cornice for a cover for a Christmas tree stand or the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple cover that can be easily formed without unsightly joints to cover the base of a Christmas tree, house plant or other domestic objects.

Base covering for christmas tree stand, or other domestic objects


An electrical component having a base body includes a layer stack of mutually overlapping, electrically conductive electrode layers that are separated from one another by electrically conductive ceramic layers. The electrically conductive ceramic layers are composed of a ceramic whose specific electrical resistance exhibits a negative temperature coefficient. The electrically conductive ceramic layers are produced of ceramic green films that are sintered in common with the electrode layers, and outside electrodes that are electrically conductively connected to the electrode layers are arranged at two opposite outside surfaces of the base body. A method for the manufacture of the component and to the employment of the component is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical component having a base body and two outside electrodes, whereby the base body contains a ceramic having a prescribed, specific resistance. The invention is also directed to a method for the manufacture of the electrical component. Over and above this, the invention is directed to the employment of the electrical component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical components of the type described above are known wherein the specific resistance of the ceramic exhibits a negative temperature coefficient and that, consequently, are employed as an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) resistor. Low values of resistance between 50 and 500 Ohms are demanded for the components for specific applications of the NTC resistors, for example in heating technology, industrial electronics or motor vehicle electronics. The resistance of an NTC component is usually recited at 25° Celsius.
Ceramics that comprise a low specific resistance are available for realizing components having the desired, low values of resistance. These ceramics are based on mixed crystals having a spinel structure that are composed of four cations of the group manganese, nickel, cobalt and copper. The cations are mixed with one another in an atomic ratio Mn/Ni/Co/Cu that lies between 65/19/9/7 and 56/16/8/20. The specific resistance of these ceramics lies between 100 and 0.1 Ωcm.
These ceramics have the disadvantage that their resistance is subject to great variation. Further, these ceramics have the disadvantage that their electrical properties, particularly their electrical resistance, are not stable over the long term. The long-term stability of the components is recited as the change in the resistance after storing the components at, for example, a temperature of 70° Celsius over a time span of 10,000 hours. The time-conditioned change in the resistance under these conditions is greater than 2% given the components produced with low-impedance ceramics.
The known components also have the disadvantage that their resistance—due to the simple design (ceramic block or wafer with two outer contact electrodes)—is exclusively dependent on the specific resistance of the ceramic and is therefore subject to corresponding fluctuations in the composition of the ceramic material. The manufacture-conditioned deviation of the actual resistance from the rated resistance can amount to 5% or more.
The German Patent publication DE 2321478 discloses an NTC resistor (thermistor) that comprises a multi-layer structure, whereby electrode layers are separated from one another by ceramic layers. The ceramic layers are thereby printed on the electrode layers with silk-screening as thick-film layers. As a result of the silk-screening process that is employed, the ceramic layers exhibit high variation with respect to their layer thickness, so that the thermistors disclosed by the publication can only be manufactured with exactly prescribed values of resistance with considerable difficulty. The known thermistors thus exhibit wide tolerances with respect to the electrical resistance.
Due to these wide variation in values and the low long-term stability, the known low-impedance NTC resistors are only suited for applications wherein low demands are made of the component tolerances and component stability. For example, the manufacture of making current limiters is one such application.
Further, the combination of a high B-value and low R-value cannot be physically realized.

Electric component, method for the production thereof and use of the same


A lifting mechanism has a continuously variable lifting mechanism valve, with a multi-position valve, by way of which a lifting cylinder can be made to communicate with a pump or a tank. In the flow path of the pressure fluid from the multi-position valve to a pressure chamber, effective in the “carrying” direction, of the lifting cylinder, there is a relief pressure limiting valve, by way of which a relief pressure can be proportionally set. During relief pressure regulation, a metering aperture, which is predetermined by the proportionally variable multi-position valve, is opened, so that the volumetric flow of pressure fluid to the tank is minimized via the pressure limiting valve.

The present invention relates to a lifting mechanism and to a method for triggering a lifting mechanism.
Modern tractors, besides their conventional task as a pulling machine, also take on the tasks of supplying energy to and controlling attachments that are suspended from or semimounted on a lifting mechanism. This last function is accomplished on the one hand by a power takeoff shaft of the tractor or by the work hydraulics. In tractors of the medium and upper power categories, electrically triggerable multi-position valves for controlling the work functions of the attachments are being used more and more. The control of these hydraulic functions is typically effected via a compact control block, in which the control is combined in a single unit with all the essential multi-position valves and regulating valves. One such control block, intended for so-called electrohydraulic lifting mechanism regulation (EHR), is described for instance in the data sheet RD 66 125/09.04 (EHR-Ventile [EHR Valves]) published by Bosch Rexroth AG.
In German Patent Application DE 10 2005 005 314 A1, a double-action lifting mechanism is described, with which an attachment can be triggered actively in the "lifting" (carrying) direction or in the "pressing" (lowering) direction. The working range for "carrying" occurs for instance in plowing or cultivating. The working range for "pressing" is set for instance in active plow retraction or in a packer. In a load-free intermediate position, in which the lifting mechanism is not subjected to a force, the work unit rests on the ground by its own weight. This intermediate position is set in a floating position of the lifting mechanism valve.
The pressure that is operative in the "pressing" direction is limited, in the known version, via a proportionally variable pressure limiting valve on the basis of the setting by the driver and the operating state of the EHR.
In some applications, such as mowing, it is desirable to adapt the force with which of the work unit rests on the ground. For instance, a mowing mechanism should rest on the ground with only a very slight load, since then the turf is not damaged, and fuel economy is made possible as well.
For regulating this kind of relief pressure, it is proposed in German Patent Disclosures DE 36 28 427 A1 and DE 195 41 190 A1 that the pressure operative in the "carrying" direction be limited via a proportionally variable pressure limiting valve, so that the relief pressure cannot exceed the preset maximum pressure. It is a disadvantage of this version is that in this relief pressure regulator, a large volumetric flow of pressure fluid flows away to the tank, via the opened metering aperture of the lifting mechanism valve and via the pressure limiting valve, and thus on the one hand, pressure fluid becomes heated, and on the other, hydraulic energy is wasted. In the first of these two references, the problem is that the snow plow cannot move lower and hence is unable to follow the contour of the ground.
Versions are also known in which relief pressure regulation is done by activating two hydraulic reservoirs as a function of the signal of a pressure sensor. In alternative versions, it is proposed that the work unit, such as a mowing mechanism, be relieved via a spring assembly. Such versions are quite complex and expensive and require considerable space. A further disadvantage of spring relief is that during the work process, no variation of the forces operative in the "carrying" direction is possible, and thus these systems lack the flexibility desired for high-quality tractors.

Lifting mechanism, and method for triggering a lifting mechanism


According to one embodiment, a heating apparatus includes, a heating chamber, a fan provided in the heating chamber, the fan blowing atmosphere upward, a heater provided in the heating chamber and above the fan, the heater heating the atmosphere blown by the fan, a plurality of first straightening vanes arranged in a substantially horizontal direction so as to be spaced apart from one another in the heating chamber and above the heater, a plurality of second straightening vanes arranged in a substantially horizontal direction so as to be spaced apart from one another in the heating chamber and above the first straightening vanes, each of the plurality of second straightening vanes overlapping both of its adjacent first straightening vanes, and a transfer unit which transfers a board, at least part of the transfer unit being provided in the heating chamber and located above the second straightening vanes.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a heating apparatus for use in mounting an electronic component on a printed board.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to mount an electronic component with leads on a printed board, through holes are provided in the printed board. The leads of the electronic component are inserted into the through holes, and then, soldering is performed. The soldering has been performed manually or the like without using a reflow apparatus.
However, for the purpose of increasing production efficiency, it is desirable to solder an electronic component with leads by using a reflow apparatus. However, if an electronic component with leads is soldered by using a reflow apparatus, the viscosity of a solder paste applied onto a printed board decreases before the leads of the electronic component are inserted into through holes, and as a result, the solder paste drops down through the through holes.
The solder paste having dropped down contaminates a heater of the reflow apparatus, thereby decreasing heating efficiency. Due to a decrease in heating efficiency, soldering defects may occur. The occurrence of soldering defects may reduce production efficiency.
There is disclosed a technique in which a silica glass substrate is provided between an infrared heater and a printed board to prevent the heater from being contaminated by soldering (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-27955).


Detected temperature TMs of warm water thermistor 28a, presence of any or no wire break in nozzle unit 12, attachment completion data by attachment state sensor 17, continuous in-use data by timer 16 and data related to other cleansing function parts and units are read (step S52). If there any abnormal temperatures and wire breaks, these data and other detection data in various conditions are stored in backup RAM while unnecessary data (data at tests in production processes) which are considered as not contributing to investigation of causes of troubles are reset according to function part data, such as attachment completion data and continuous in-use data (step S62). This modification eliminates utilization of data obtained at tests in production process, not during continuous use, as data for investigation into causes when trouble occurs and thus enhances reliability of data.

A toilet seat apparatus conventionally known of this type is such as an apparatus comprising a shower nozzle which is driven by a motor to advance and retreat and performing posterior part cleansing, genital part cleansing and other functions by spouting warm water from spouting opening after transferring the shower nozzle to an advanced position at cleansing time. In recent years, addition of diverse functions besides posterior part cleansing and genital part cleansing has been proposed. The diverse functions are, for example, a massage cleansing function to stimulate the posterior parts rhythmically to accelerate smooth defecation through varying the water spouting force approximately every one second during posterior part cleansing, a movable cleansing function to enhance the effect with rocking the shower nozzle back and forth, a cleansing position adjustment function to transfer the shower nozzle back and forth minutely and temperature setting function to select the temperatures of the cleansing water. To exercise these functions, various operating conditions are prescribed pertaining to advancement and retreat of the shower nozzle, valve operation for spouting of warm water, and so on.
Since the operating conditions concerning the shower nozzle, valves and other parts range a wide variety, varied inventions have been made to cope with malfunctioning caused by their abnormal operating conditions, such as ineffective adjustment of spouting water temperatures. For example, since abnormal operating conditions are found in the shower nozzle or the valves when a trouble occurs in such functions as a nozzle apparatus and a spouting water temperature control apparatus, a function to urge repairing it with blinking of an indicator lamp to notify the information.
Provision of a number of indicator lamps, however, to notify warning on the abnormalities is difficult in the aspect of both functions and costs and notification of some information does not demand urgency. Another problem is that it takes long to be repaired when an abnormality occurs since it is difficult to find out the condition of occurrence of the abnormality. Although the above-described toilet seat apparatus exercises diverse functions in response to settings of a user, it is not convenient to use since the settings of the functions are lost at the time of electric power failure and thus data cannot be utilized to analyzes the causes of the troubles.
The object of the present invention pertaining to the toilet seat apparatus equipped with diverse functions and resolving the problems of the prior art is to provide a toilet seat apparatus which allows accurate investigation into causes of the troubles therein.


An embodiment comprises: a housing; a bobbin disposed in the housing; a first coil disposed on the bobbin; a magnet disposed on the housing; a first sensing coil, disposed on the housing, for generating a first induced voltage by interacting with the first coil; a first circuit board connected to the first coil and the first sensing coil; and a first amplifier, disposed on the first circuit board, for amplifying the first induced voltage of the first sensing coil and outputting a first amplified signal.

Since it is difficult to apply technology of a voice coil motor (VCM) used in a general camera module to a subminiature camera module for low-power consumption, research related thereto has been actively conducted.
In the case of a camera module mounted in a small electronic apparatus such as a smartphone, the camera module may be frequently impacted during use or may be slightly shaken due to hand tremor during photographing. Considering this, in recent years, technology for additionally providing a handshake inhibition unit to a camera module has been developed.

Lens moving apparatus, and camera module and optical device comprising same


The current invention relates to HCV envelope proteins or parts thereof which are the product of expression in eukaryotic cells. More particularly said HCV envelope proteins are characterized in that on average up to 80% of their N-glycosylation sites are core-glycosylated. Of these N-glycosylated sites more than 70% are glycosylated with an oligomannose having a structure defined by Man(8 to 10)-GlcNAc(2). Furthermore, the ratio of the oligomannose with structure Man(7)-GlcNAc(2) over the oligomannose with structure Man(8)-GlcNAc(2) is less than or equal to 0.45. Less than 10% of the oligomannoses is terminated with an α1,3 linked mannose. The HCV envelope proteins of the invention are particularly suited for diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. A suitable eukaryotic cell for production of the HCV envelope proteins of the invention is a Hansenula cell.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in both developed and developing countries. It is estimated that about 1 to 5% of the world population is affected by the virus. HCV infection appears to be the most important cause of transfusion-associated hepatitis and frequently progresses to chronic liver damage. Moreover, evidence exists implicating HCV in induction of hepatocellular carcinoma. Consequently, the demand for reliable diagnostic methods and effective therapeutic agents is high. Also sensitive and specific screening methods of HCV-contaminated blood-products and improved methods to culture HCV are needed.
HCV is a positive stranded RNA virus of approximately 9,600 bases which encode a single polyprotein precursor of about 3000 amino acids. Proteolytic cleavage of the precursor coupled to co- and posttranslational modifications has been shown to result in at least three structural and six non-structural proteins. Based on sequence homology, the structural proteins have been functionally assigned as one single core protein and two envelope glycoproteins: E1 and E2. The E1 protein consists of 192 amino acids and contains 4 to 5 N-glycosylation sites, depending on the HCV genotype. The E2 protein consists of 363 to 370 amino acids and contains 9 to 11 N-glycosylation sites, depending on the HCV genotype (for reviews see: Major and Feinstone, 1997; Maertens and Stuyver, 1997). The E1 protein contains various variable domains (Maertens and Stuyver, 1997). The E2 protein contains three hypervariable domains, of which the major domain is located at the N-terminus of the protein (Maertens and Stuyver, 1997). The HCV glycoproteins localize predominantly in the ER where they are modified and assembled into oligomeric complexes.
In eukaryotes, sugar residues are commonly linked to four different amino acid residues. These amino acid residues are classified as O-linked (serine, threonine, and hydroxylysine) and N-linked (asparagine). The O-linked sugars are synthesized in the Golgi or rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) from nucleotide sugars. The N-linked sugars are synthesized from a common precursor, and subsequently processed. It is believed that HCV envelope proteins are N-glycosylated. It is known in the art that addition of N-linked carbohydrate chains is important for stabilization of folding intermediates and thus for efficient folding, prevention of malfolding and degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum, oligomerization, biological activity, and transport of glycoproteins (see reviews by Rose et al., 1988; Doms et al., 1993; Helenius, 1994). The tripeptide sequences Asn-X-Ser and Asn-X-Thr (in which X can be any amino acid) on polypeptides are the consensus sites for binding N-linked oligosaccharides. After addition of the N-linked oligosaccharide to the polypeptide, the oligosaccharide is further processed into the complex type (containing N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, fucose, galactose and sialic acid) or the high-mannose type (containing N-acetylglucosamine and mannose). HCV envelope proteins are believed to be of the high-mannose type. N-linked oligosaccharide processing in yeast is very different from mammalian Golgi processing. In yeast the oligosaccharide chains are elongated in the Golgi through stepwise addition of mannose, leading to elaborate high mannose structures, referred to as hyperglycosylation. In contrast therewith, proteins expressed in prokaryotes are never glycosylated.
Patterns of high mannose-type glycosylation of proteins or peptides have been determined for a variety of eukaryotic cells. In mammalian cells, an average of 5 to 9 mannose units is linked to two N-acetylglucosamine moieties in a core-glycosylation-type oligosaccharide (the structure represented in short as Man(5-9)GlcNAc(2)). Core-glycosylation refers to a structure similar to the boxed structure in FIG. 3 of Herscovics and Orleans (1993).
The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris was reported to attach an average of 8 to 14 mannose units, i.e. Man(8-14)GlcNAc(2) per glycosylation site (Tschopp in EP0256421) and approximately 85% of the N-linked oligosaccharides are in the size range Man(8-14)GlcNAc(2) (Grinna and Tschopp 1989). Other researchers have published slightly different oligosaccharide structures attached to heterologous proteins expressed in P. pastoris: Man(8-9)GlcNAc(2) (Montesino et al. 1998), Man(9-14)GlcNAc(2) or Man(9-15)GlcNAc(2) (Kalidas et al. 2001), and Man(8-18)GlcNAc(2) with a preponderence of Man(9-12)GlcNAc(2) and with the major overall oligosaccharide being Man(10)GlcNAc(2) (Miele et al. 1998). Trimble et al. (1991) reported an equal distribution of Man(8)GlcNAc(2) and Man(9)GlcNAc(2) in about 75% of the N-linked oligosaccharides with additionally 17% of the N-glycosylation sites being occupied by Man(10)GlcNAc(2) and the remaining 8% of the sites by Man(11)GlcNAc(2). Hyperglycosylation of a P. pastoris-expressed protein has been reported occasionally (Scorer et al. 1993).
Aspergillus niger is adding Man(5-10)GlcNAc(2) to N-glycosylation sites (Panchal and Wodzinski 1998).
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae glycosylation deficient mutant mnn9 differs from wild-type S. cerevisiae in that mnn9 cells produce glycosylated proteins with a modified oligosaccharide consisting of Man(9-13)GlcNAc(2) instead of hyperglycosylated proteins (Mackay et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,854 and Kniskern et al. in WO94/01132). Another S. cerevisiae mutant, och1mnn9, was reported to add Man(8)GlcNAc(2) to N-glycosylation sites in proteins (Yoshifumi et al. JP06277086).
Characteristic for S. cerevisiae (wild-type and mnn9 mutant) core oligosaccharides is the presence of terminal α1,3-linked mannose residues (Montesino et al. 1998). Oligosaccharides attached to N-glycosylation sites of proteins expressed in P. pastoris or S. cerevisiae och1mnn1 are devoid of such terminal α1,3-linked mannoses (Gellissen et al. 2000). Terminal α1,3-linked mannoses are considered to be allergenic (Jenkins et al. 1996). Therefor, proteins carrying on their oligosaccharides terminal α1,3-linked mannose residues are not suitable for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
The glycosylation pattern on proteins expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha have, despite the use of this yeast for production of a considerable number of heterologous proteins (see Table 3 in Gellissen et al. 2000), not been studied in great detail. From the experiments of Janowicz et al. (1991) and Diminsky et al. (1997), it seems that H. polymorpha is not or only poorly glycosylating the large or small hepatitis B viral surface antigen (HBsAg). Most likely this is due to the fact that the HBsAg was expressed without signal peptide, thus preventing the produced HBsAg to enter the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and glycosylation. Limited addition of mono- or dihexoses to G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) produced in H. polymorpha was reported (Fischer et al. in WO00/40727). At the other hand, hyperglycosylation was observed of a heterologous α-galactosidase expressed in H. polymorpha cells (Fellinger et al. 1991).
To date, vaccination against disease has been proven to be the most cost effective and efficient method for controlling diseases. Despite promising results, efforts to develop an efficacious HCV vaccine, however, have been plagued with difficulties. A condition sine qua non for vaccines is the induction of an immune response in patients. Consequently, HCV antigenic determinants should be identified, and administered to patients in a proper setting. Antigenic determinants can be divided in at least two forms, i.e. lineair and conformational epitopes. Conformational epitopes result from the folding of a molecule in a three-dimensional space, including co- and posttranslational modifications, such as glycosylation. In general, it is believed that conformational epitopes will realize the most efficacious vaccines, since they represent epitopes which resemble native-like HCV epitopes, and which may be better conserved than the actual linear amino acid sequence. Hence, the eventual degree of glycosylation of the HCV envelope proteins is of the utmost importance for generating native-like HCV antigenic determinants. However, there are seemingly insurmountable problems with culturing HCV, that result in only minute amounts of virions. In addition, there are vast problems with the expression and purification of recombinant proteins, that result in either low amounts of proteins, hyperglycosylated proteins, or proteins that are not glycosylated.
The HCV envelope proteins have been produced by recombinant techniques in Escherichia coli, insect cells, yeast cells and mammalian cells. However, expression in higher eukaryotes has been characterised by the difficulty of obtaining large amounts of antigens for eventual vaccine production. Expression in prokaryotes, such as E. coli results in HCV envelope proteins that are not glycosylated. Expression of HCV envelope proteins in yeast resulted in hyperglycosylation. As already demonstrated by Maertens et al. in WO 96/04385, the expression of HCV envelope protein E2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae leads to proteins which are heavily glycosylated. This hyperglycosylation leads to shielding of protein epitopes. Although Mustilli et al. (1999) claims that expression of HCV E2 in S. cerevisiae results in core-glycosylation, the results of the intracellularly expressed material demonstrate that part of it is at least hyperglycosylated, while the correct processing of the remainder of this material has not been shown. Moreover, the hyperglycosylation observed by Mustilli et al. (1999) could only be prevented in the presence of tunicamycin, an inhibitor of glycosylation, and this does thus not reflect glycosylation occurring under normal, natural growth conditions. The need for HCV envelope proteins derived from an intracellular source is well accepted (Maertens et al. in WO 96/04385, Heile et al., 2000). This need is further exemplified by the poor reactivity of the secreted yeast derived E2 with sera of chimpanzee immunized with mammalian cell culture derived E2 proteins as evidenced in FIG. 5 of Mustilli et al (1999). This is further documented by Rosa et al (1996) who show that immunization with yeast derived HCV envelope proteins fails to protect from challenge.
Consequently, there is a need for efficient expression systems resulting in large and cost-effective amounts of proteins that at the same time have a native-like glycosylation pattern devoid of terminal α1,3-linked mannoses. In particular, such systems are needed for production of HCV envelope proteins.


An operations panel is disclosed that comprises plural operations blocks attached to a main body of an electronic apparatus; a selection information output unit that outputs a selection information item indicating a selection item selected in the operations block; a display operations block that is removably attachable to the main body, including a display unit that shows display selection items used for selecting operational functions, a selection detecting unit that detects the selected display selection item, and a display control unit that causes the display unit to show the selection items corresponding to the operations blocks together with the display selection item when the display operations block is removed from the main body; and a selection information retrieving unit that retrieves, as the selection information item, a selection result detected by the selection detecting unit of the display operations block removed from the main body.

Electronic apparatuses, such as copying machines, fax machines, printers, and multifunction machines, include operations sections as user interfaces, which are configured such that users can easily use many functions. Most of the operations sections are fixed to main bodies of the electronic apparatuses. The users use the operations sections according to operating procedures shown on the operations sections or display sections of control panels or the like.
In recent years, in order to facilitate use by wheelchair users or in order to avoid reflection of ceiling light and the like, there have been proposed operations sections that have complex mechanisms, such as tilt mechanisms, to allow angle adjustment and changing of the position thereof, and operations sections that can be removed from the apparatus bodies and be used as remote controllers.
Patent Document 1 discloses an operations panel that includes at least one removable operations block replaceable by another operations block. According to Patent Document 1, if the position of the removable operations block is not convenient for a desired operation, the removable operations block can be replaced with another operations block, thereby eliminating the need for replacing the operations panel itself.
Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus that includes a remote operations section that is removably attached to the apparatus body and can be used as a remote controller. Since this image forming apparatus can be remotely controlled by the remote operations section removed from the apparatus body when needed, various types of users can easily use the image forming apparatus.
<Patent Document 1> Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-149528
<Patent Document 2> Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-101836
However, in both cases, when the operations section is removed from the apparatus body and used as a remote controller, the image forming apparatus can be operated by only the user with the removed operations section but not other users. Such a configuration is not suitable for an apparatus used by many users. Moreover, if the removable operations section only has a part of the operational functions, the functions that can be used from the removed operations section are limited. This makes it difficult to improve operability of the operations panel. Providing the removable operations section with all the operational functions may be a solution. However, the removable operations sections having all the operational functions would be large in size.

Operations panel and image forming apparatus


A communication apparatus includes: a controller that controls processing to perform facsimile; a first controlling unit that controls a voltage between lines that perform facsimile in accordance with control by the controller; a detector that detects a voltage change between the lines; and second controlling unit that discharges electric charge accumulated in between the lines so as to enable the detector to detect a voltage change between the lines when the first controlling unit is turned off. The controller determining whether connection to the lines is made based on the voltage change detected by detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a method for determining connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
ErP Directive Lot 6 as an energy-saving standard in Europe has been revised. When a network line including a facsimile (FAX) and a device become a non-communication state, no job comes from a network or a FAX line, and a multifunction peripheral (MFP) or the like having communication functionality is not used until a user directly operates and uses the device such as copying or scanning next time. For this reason, the standard has been revised so as to make the device an off-mode state when the network line including a FAX is in a non-communication state.
In a FAX public line, a voltage is applied across lines by station power supply from a telephone station, and whether the FAX public line and the device are connected to each other can be determined by causing a FAX line control device that controls the FAX line to detect a voltage value between the lines.
However, recently, as a result of seeking a further energy-saving effect, even the FAX line control device turns off electric power. A technique is known that provides a ringing detection circuit to detect an incoming call (a ringing signal) from the FAX line and polarity inversion during energy-saving, monitors a voltage between the lines, detects the incoming call and the polarity inversion, and also detects line disconnection by this circuit.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2013-225840 discloses a communication terminal that is connected to a public line and includes facsimile functionality, the communication terminal including a mechanical relay that switches between a disconnected state in which an external telephone connected to the communication terminal is disconnected from the public line and a connected state in which the external telephone is connected to the public line, a polarity inversion detection circuit that detects whether the polarity of a signal from the public line has been inverted, and a line controller that is set with non-ringing receiving functionality that allows reception without ringing the external telephone in response to ringing from the public line and controls the mechanical relay so as to switch from the connected state to the disconnected state when inversion of the polarity of the signal from the public line is detected.
However, the conventional ringing detection circuit includes a capacitor mounted in between the lines to detect ringing. Electric charge is charged to this capacitor by the station power supply, and even when line disconnection occurs, the state in which the electric charge is charged to the capacitor continues for a while, and the voltage between the lines remains to be maintained. The electric charge of the capacitor then escapes through natural discharge. The ringing detection circuit includes a photo coupler and ringing and polarity inversion can be detected from a value of current flowing through the photo coupler. However, the ringing detection circuit has a problem in that, from a value of current flowing through the photo coupler caused by a voltage decrease caused by natural discharge, the voltage decrease cannot be detected due to the characteristics of the photo coupler, and consequently, line disconnection cannot be detected.
In view of the above, there is a need to provide a communication apparatus and a method for determining connection that can detect line disconnection when a line is in a non-communication state.

Communication apparatus and method for determining connection


In a liquid crystal display apparatus including a gate electrode formed on an insulating layer a gate insulating layer formed on the gate electrode, and a semiconductor active layer formed on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the semiconductor active layer, and have a double structure including a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer formed on the first conductive layer. Also, a pixel electrode is formed on an insulating layer and is connected to the second conductive layer of the drain electrode via a contact hole perforated in the insulating layer. The pixel electrode is made of the same material as that of the second conductive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, and more particularly, an improvement of the drain/source electrodes of a thin film transistor (TFT).
2. Description of the Related Art
Active matrix-type LCD apparatuses are so thin and light that they are often used in various display apparatuses. Also, since the active matrix-type LCD apparatuses can be of a large size and fine screen with a high quality and a low power dissipation, cathode ray tubes (CRTs) have been replaced with the active matrix-type LCD apparatuses.
In an active matrix-type LCD apparatus, one TFT is provided as a switching element for each pixel. The TFT is constructed by a gate electrode, a semiconductor active layer made of amorphous silicon opposing the gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode connected to a transparent pixel electrode. Also, the gate electrode is connected to one gate bus line, and the source electrode is connected to one source bus line.
In a first prior art LCD apparatus, the source bus line and the transparent pixel electrode are formed on the same surface of a gate insulating layer. This will be explained later in detail.
In the first prior art LCD apparatus, however, since the space between the source bus line and the transparent pixel electrode needs to be 10 .mu.m or more, in order to avoid a short-circuit, the numerical aperture is reduced.
In a second prior art LCD apparatus (see JP-A-2-208636), the source bus line is formed on the gate insulating layer, while the transparent pixel electrode is formed on another insulating layer. In this case, the transparent pixel electrode is connected via a contact hole perforated in the insulating layer to the drain electrode. Therefore, since the source bus line is electrically isolated from the transparent pixel electrode by the insulating layer, the space between the source bus line and the transparent pixel electrode can be reduced to thereby increase the numerical aperture. This will be also explained later in detail.
In the second prior art LCD apparatus, however, a resistance between the transparent pixel electrode and the drain electrode becomes unstable which deteriorates the characteristics of the TFT. A dry etching process as well as the formation of a photoresist pattern for forming the contact hole invites the contamination of the surface of the drain electrode. Further, if the transparent pixel electrode is formed by a sputtering process, the surface of the drain electrode is also in an oxidation state. In addition, the surface of the drain electrode is oxidized by oxygen included in the transparent pixel electrode.
In a third prior art LCD apparatus (see JP-A-5-188397), in order to obtain good coverage characteristics of the transparent pixel electrode to the drain electrode without a dry etching process, a wet etching process is carried out twice to form a contact hole in the insulating layer between the transparent pixel electrode and the drain electrode.
The double wet etching processes prevent the surface of the drain electrode from being contaminated, so that the resistance between the transparent pixel electrode and the drain electrode becomes stable. This will be explained later in detail.
In the third prior art LCD apparatus, however, it is impossible to completely avoid the disconnection of the transparent pixel electrode around the edges of the contact hole. In addition, the double wet etching processes associated with two photolithography processes increase the manufacturing cost and reduce the manufacturing yield.
In a fourth prior art LCD apparatus, after the above-mentioned contact hole is formed, a sputter-etching process is performed upon the drain electrode to remove the contamination of the surface thereof. Then, the transparent pixel electrode is formed.
In the fourth prior art LCD apparatus, however, even during a step for depositing the transparent pixel electrode, the surface of the drain electrode is oxidized. In addition, a large scale sputter-etching apparatus is required which increases the manufacturing cost.

Liquid crystal display apparatus with source/drain electrodes and pixel electrode formed by the same material


The present invention provides a shield case comprising a frame body having an interior divided by partition plates and housing electronic components therein and a closure for providing electric shield by covering an opening portion of the frame body, and having a slit piece integrally formed with the closure by cutting out a part of the closure along a periphery except for a base portion to a raised form, the slit piece for coming into contact with an end of the partition plate, the slit piece being formed in a gutter shape from the base portion to the other end. Furthermore, the slit piece has the gutter shape which becomes greater in curvature radius from the base portion to the other end.

High-frequency devices such as front end modules of video devices and communications devices utilize high-frequency circuits to obtain circuit characteristics. An upper surface of a circuit board 4 provided within a frame body 5 is divided by a plurality of partition plates 3, as shown in FIG. 4, and an opening of the frame body 5 is covered with a closure (not shown) to provide electric shield, for preventing detrimental effect resulting from the leakage of a local oscillation signal to the other circuits, or for not affecting the high-frequency circuit due to a signal transmitted by the other device.
The closure has a plurality of slit pieces 2 integrally formed therewith by cutting out a part of the closure to a raised form as shown in FIG. 5. Each of the slit pieces 2 is cut out from the closure 1 along a periphery except for a base portion and inclines toward the interior of the frame body 5. An outer end of the slit piece 2 comes into contact with an end of the partition plate 3, as shown in FIG. 6. Accordingly the closure 1 is grounded, thereby suppressing the transmission, to the other circuits, of a local oscillation signal produced from a local oscillator (not shown) disposed on the circuit board 4.
According to the prior art described, whereas the outer end of each split piece should reliably contact with the end of the partition plate for grounding, the contact pressure thereof may drop depending on dimensional tolerance of the partition plate or on that of the slit piece, or the closure is pressed due to problem involved in handling the device to drop cut-out inclination angle of the piece, deteriorating the contact pressure. This gives rise to the problem that the closure is not reliably grounded. It is, therefore, necessary to make such a contrivance as to select a metallic material having a high elasticity as a material for use in the closure integrally formed with the slit piece, and as to allow the slit piece to have a sufficient spring force by extending the slit piece as long as possible.
However, limiting the material of the closure increases the cost of the device, and extending the slit piece hampers the high-frequency device from obtaining desired characteristics because the high-frequency device needs to be grounded in the shortest distance, and further from making the device compact.
An object of the present invention is to provide improving technique for ensuring and stabilizing the contact between the slit piece and the partition plate, and providing reliable grounding.

Abstract: This enables the shield case of the high-frequency device of the present invention to strengthen the contact between the slit piece formed with the closure for providing grounding and the partition plates provided within the frame body, whereby the reliable high-frequency device can be provided.


An automatic engine shutdown apparatus for automatically shutting down an engine under a predetermined running or operating condition. The apparatus includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, a throttle sensor for detecting a throttle opening, a travel history memory for storing a travel history of a vehicle, and an engine shutdown controller for automatically shutting down the engine depending on the vehicle speed, the throttle opening, and the travel history. The engine shutdown controller shuts down the engine after elapse of a standby time depending on the travel history since a predetermined engine shutdown condition has been satisfied. As a result, the automatic engine shutdown time is optimized depending on predetermined running or operating conditions of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic engine shutdown apparatus, and more particularly to an automatic engine shutdown apparatus for automatically shutting down an engine in view of the travel history of a vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
Electric vehicles having a motor as a power source are environment-friendly and have good acceleration and deceleration responses. However, they have disadvantages in that their cruising distance is presently short due to a limited battery capacity and the unit cost of energy per traveled distance is high, making the electric vehicles less economic. Hybrid vehicles carrying a motor and an engine are put to practical use as eliminating the disadvantages and taking the advantages of the electric vehicles.
Generally known hybrid vehicles are classified into the series hybrid type, wherein only a motor is used as a power source of the vehicle and an engine is used as a drive source for a generator for charging a battery; the parallel hybrid type, wherein a motor and an engine are used as power sources of the vehicle and selectively operated depending on running conditions, etc.; and the series parallel type wherein the above two types are selectively used depending on running conditions.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-115908 discloses a hybrid vehicle technology for shutting down the engine when the accelerator pedal is not depressed, the vehicle speed is of a predetermined value or less, and the remaining charged capacity of the battery is sufficient, in order to reduce wasteful fuel consumption while the hybrid vehicle is at rest and also to reduce the emission of exhaust gases.
According to the related art described above, if engine shutdown conditions are satisfied based on the accelerator pedal state and the vehicle speed, the engine is automatically shut down unless remaining charged capacity of the battery is insufficient. In the related art described above, the travel history of the vehicle is not taken into account in shutting down the engine. When the hybrid vehicle runs on a jammed street, the engine tends to be repeatedly automatically shut down and restarted. If a standby time after an automatic engine shutdown condition is satisfied until the engine is actually shut down is set to a long period depending on the travel on the jammed street, then when the hybrid vehicle stops at a traffic signal, or the like, while running on a street with less traffic, the engine is not immediately shut down.


A cassette holder includes a housing having a front flange and an insert slidably engaged in the housing for receiving a disc. A knob is pivotally coupled to the insert and has a latch for engaging with the flange and for securing the insert in the housing. A spring device may bias the latch to engage with the flange and another spring device is engaged with the insert and the housing for biasing the insert outward of the housing when the knob is depressed to disengage the latch from the flange.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cassette holder, and more particularly to a cassette holder having an easily removable insert for allowing the cassette to be easily removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical cassette holders are provided for receiving cassettes. When a number of cassette holders are stacked or superposed with each other, the cassette received in a middle one of the cassette holders may not be easily removed from the cassette holder.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional cassette holders.

Cassette holder having easily removable insert


An electromagnetic actuator is disclosed. The actuator has a coil arrangement which can be excited electrically, and has an armature. The armature is mounted such that it can move axially in the coil arrangement, is composed of soft magnetic material, and is moved in the axial direction when the coil arrangement is excited. A guide sleeve is fixed in the coil arrangement and guides the armature in the axial direction. The guide sleeve is produced from a soft magnetic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The field relates to an electromagnetic actuator, in particular for valve arrangements, having a coil arrangement which can be excited electrically, having an armature which is mounted such that it can move axially in the coil arrangement, being composed of soft magnetic material and is moved in the axial direction when the coil arrangement is excited, and having a guide sleeve, which is fixed in the coil arrangement and guides the armature in the axial direction.
Furthermore, the field relates to an operating arrangement for operation of a valve arrangement, having a valve control element which can be moved with a linear actuator in an axial direction between a first actuating position and a second actuating position, in particular with an electromagnetic actuator as described above.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electromagnetic actuator of the type described above is in general also referred to as a switching magnet and is disclosed, for example, in "Kraftfahrtechnisches Taschenbuch" [Automotive Handbook], BOSCH, 25th Edition, 2003, pages 142, 143.
In electromagnetic actuators such as these, a working air gap is formed between the armature and a core (which may be part of a magnetic return-path device). When the coil arrangement is excited, a force is exerted on the armature, depending on the length of the working air gap. The characteristic force/distance characteristic generally behaves in accordance with a square law over the actuating movement.
The armature is in general guided by a separate guide sleeve, which is designed to be non-magnetic, within the coil arrangement. The gap which is generally in the form of an annular gap between the armature and the magnetic return path device also has a significant influence on the effectiveness or the efficiency of the switching magnet. If a non-magnetic guide sleeve is arranged in the clearance air gap, the magnetic characteristics become worse.
In the case of operating arrangements for operation of a valve arrangement, it is on the one hand possible to directly couple a valve control element to a valve slide.
However, valve arrangements also exist in which a valve control lever can be pivoted between a first valve position (first sealing position) and a second valve position (second sealing position).
During operation of valve arrangements such as these, it is particularly difficult to match the actuating movement of the linear actuator that is used to move the lever between the first and the second valve position.
Furthermore, one situation that frequently arises with valve arrangements such as these is that sealing elements for the valve control lever are plastically deformed over time by the valve seat. This results in the sealing effect deteriorating over the course of time.

Electromagnetic actuator and operating arrangement for operation of a valve arrangement


A semiconductor laser that includes a feedback laser section and an amplifier section. The feedback laser section generates a laser beam that has a maximum intensity at a first wavelength. The amplifier section amplifies the laser beam into a high powered beam. The amplifier section is constructed to have a peak optical gain located at a second wavelength that is offset from the first wavelength. Offsetting the wavelength generated in the feedback laser section from the peak gain wavelength of the amplifier section will result in an output beam that has a much broader linewidth that the feedback section alone. The broader linewidth is relatively stable even when part of the light reflects back into the semiconductor laser.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to the field of semiconductor lasers.
2. Background Information
Semiconductor lasers are used in a variety of system applications. For example, semiconductor lasers are used as a light source in fiber optic communication systems. It is generally desirable to provide a semiconductor laser that has a high power output. High power output reduces the number of repeaters and amplifiers required for the optical system.
High powered semiconductor lasers such as laser diodes generate laser beams with a relatively low quality when operated at powers of 0.5 watts (W) or more. Low quality beams are generally difficult to couple into single mode fiber optic cables.
There have been developed laser diodes that can produce high quality beams beyond 1 W. Such high powered laser diodes typically include a feedback section which generates the laser beam and a separate amplification section that amplifies the beam. It has been found that some of the light generated by these high powered laser diodes will reflect back into the device. Because of the high coherence and narrow linewidth of the laser beam the reflected light will create feedback that destabilizes the laser. This undesirable feedback can be minimized or reduced by optical isolators. Isolators add to the complexity and cost of producing the optical system.

De-tuned distributed feedback laser diode


The present lift lock includes a slide having feet and a slot between the feet, where such slide further includes an interior generally full length wall for acting as a stop, and where such slide further includes gripping ribs that increase in width from the front end of the slide to the rear end of the slide.

A residential home barrier is a structure that may be placed at a location in a home or about an exterior of the home to restrict access to certain areas. For example, a residential home barrier may be placed at the top of a set of stairs to prevent a toddler from falling down the set of stairs. Or a residential home barrier may be placed in a fence about a swimming pool. Or a residential home barrier may be placed between a dining room and a kitchen to permit a caretaker to move freely in the kitchen without a dog underneath his or her feet.
It is preferable that a residential home barrier may be opened and closed easily by an older child, teenager, or adult, but not by a toddler, even one possessing extraordinary effort and talent. To a toddler, it is preferred that the residential home barrier presents an extreme challenge.
It is preferably that two or even three step operations must be performed prior to the step of swinging open a gate in a residential home barrier. At the same time, such two or three step operation cannot be unduly burdensome to the older child, teenager, or adult.


Method and device of storage capacity evaluation based on a CDN application are provided. The method includes: for any cache server corresponding to a target service, using files stored before a preset time node as old files in the cache server; determining a proportion of the old files in all files stored by the cache server and a visiting rate of the old files within a preset visit time range; determining an adjustment type of a storage capacity of the cache server according to the proportion of the old files and the visiting rate of the old files, where the adjustment type at least includes capacity to-be-expanded, capacity to-be-reduced and capacity unchanged; and determining an adjustment type of a storage capacity of the target service according to adjustment types of storage capacities of all cache servers corresponding to the target service.

Service operators may provide services such as on-demand, live broadcast and download to users through the CDN system, and the services may be implemented by a plurality of cache servers in the CDN system. The cache servers may locally cache data resources provided by a service source station. When the data resources are needed to be acquired, the users may not need to visit the service source station and may directly acquire the corresponding data resources through the cache servers.
In order to reduce operating costs and improve user visit efficiency, the storage capacities of the cache servers may be evaluated. Generally, the usage of the storage capacities may be used as an evaluation criterion to determine whether the storage capacities are full or still have available space, then the storage capacities of the cache servers may be expanded or reduced. On the one hand, the existing evaluation method may only consider the storage capacities of the cache servers and may not distinguish service types running on the cache servers. However, different services have different cache requirements. For example, the live broadcast service only require that the cache servers may store certain data in a short period of time and the capacities may not be expanded even if the storage capacities of the cache servers are full. However, the download service may have a relatively high demand for long-term data caching and may require the cache servers to store a large amount of data for a long term. Therefore, when the storage capacities are full, the storage capacities of the cache servers should be expanded in time to reduce back-to-source processing after the data are deleted. On the other hand, increasing the storage capacities of the cache servers may result in a corresponding increase in storage costs, while decreasing the storage capacities of the cache servers may increase the amount of back-to-source data, which may increase bandwidth costs. Evaluating the storage capacities of the cache servers based only on current storage capacities may have a high probability of causing a significant increase in the total costs. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive storage capacity evaluation method which may balance the storage costs and the bandwidth costs for different services and reduce total operating costs.

Storage capacity evaluation method based on content delivery network application and device thereof


An apparatus and method for image analysis utilizing an optical-electronic hybrid device. A light source generates light through an alternating series of lenses and electronically addressable spatial light modulators to an optical correlation plane. A first modulator introduces an input image and a second modulator introduces a Fourier transformed reference image into the device. The device correlates the input image and the reference image in the optical correlation plane. The optical correlation plane feeds back information through a processor to the second modulator which varies a parameter of the reference image. The second modulator varies parameters to determine the greatest correlation between the input image and the reference image. The parameters at the point of greatest correlation are used together with the reference image to identify the input image.

The present invention relates to a technique for image analysis using an optical-electronic, hybrid device.
The instant invention utilizes the advantages gained by the parallel (global) operational capabilities of optics and the flexibility of electronics. It has been estimated that such a hybrid device would offer at least a factor of ten improvement in computational speed over an equivalent electronic device. Potential applications include final target identification, aim point selection for interceptors, target identification and classification for surveillance systems and robotics vision systems.
In general, most prior art systems use some form of look-up table procedure for recognizing input images. The look-up procedure is essentially an exhaustive search of a set of all possible fixed filters that describe an input image. As this search must include the basic image as well as all of the possible rotations, both in and out of plane, and image scale changes, the search must necessarily be very large.

Optical image analyzer using optical correlation and opto-electronic feedback


A catalyic process is disclosed for producing CF.sub.3 CHClF from CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 F by chlorination at elevated temperature. Suitable catalysts for the process include carbon catalysts and catalysts wherein halides of certain metals (La, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ru, Rh, and/or Pt) are supported on carbon.

British Patent Specification 1,225,956 discloses a process for the production of a chlorofluoroethane of the general formula CH.sub.3-n Cl.sub.n CClF.sub.2 where n is 0 to 3 comprising the photochemical chlorination of 1,1-difluoroethane, which may contain less than 2% HF.
There has been considerable interest in processes for the chlorination of aliphatic hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons which avoid using expensive actinic light to effect such chlorination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,534 discloses a process for the preparation of 3-chloro-5-trifluoromethylpyridine derivatives comprising reacting a 5-trifluoromethylpyridine having a hydrogen atom at the 3-position with chlorine in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of activated carbon and a chloride of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, antimony, copper and zinc.
Many processes have been disclosed for the preparation 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (i.e., HCFC-124 or CF.sub.3 CHClF) and of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane
(i.e., HFC-134a or CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 F) which are useful refrigerants, propellants, and starting materials for producing various other halogenated hydrocarbons. 2,2-Dichloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (i.e., CFC-114a or CCl.sub.2 FCF.sub.3) is a chlorofluorocarbon which has been used as an intermediate for the preparation of HCFC-124 and HFC-134a. More particularly, CFC-114a can be converted to HFC-134a as the major product and HCFC-124 as a minor product, by catalytic hydrogenolysis. HCFC-124 has also been prepared by the addition of HF to halogenated olefins and by the reaction of 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane with HF. HCFC-124 is also useful as a heat pump working fluid and as a blowing agent. There is interest in developing efficient methods of producing CF.sub.3 CHClF.

Catalytic process for producing CF.sub.3 CHClF


A variety of scenarios for generating mock data based on original data are described. Characteristics of the original data can be reflected in the mock data without having access to the actual original data. Instead, statistical artifacts representing the original data can be used to instantiate reconstructed database tables. In relational database scenarios, foreign key relationships can be preserved even if the actual values are not known. The reconstructed database tables can be used as mock data in a variety of circumstances, including testing, and is especially useful to recreate characteristics of the original data when the original data cannot be made available for size, confidentiality, or privacy reasons.

Software providers commonly develop software applications that deal with large amounts of data stored in databases, such as relational databases, graph databases, object-oriented databases, etc. While the software applications may have been rigorously verified and validated by the software providers using standard or proprietary test data, such test data may not be representative of realistic data collected by users of the software applications. Even if the test data is representative of the realistic data, users of the software application may handle the data in non-standard manners that deviate from standard data-handling procedures that have been tested during software development. As a result, users of the software applications may encounter technical problems when using the software applications to manage or process realistic data that are specific to the users' domain. To help diagnose and/or resolve the technical problems experienced by the users, software providers often need to replicate such problems. However, it may not be feasible for the software providers to access the user's data for a variety of reasons, e.g., the volume of the data is too large, the user's data are confidential, the user's data are protected by statutory privacy regulations, and so on. Thus, there remains a need for intelligent generation of realistic mock data that can accurately simulate the realistic data encountered by the users.


In one embodiment, a method is provided for reducing soft-start delay and ensuring soft recovery from a short circuit or brown out condition in a power converter. The method includes: providing a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage of the power system at a first input terminal of an error amplifier; providing a soft-start reference voltage at a second input terminal of the error amplifier; comparing the feedback signal against the soft-start reference voltage to generate a control signal for regulating an output voltage of the power converter; sourcing current for pre-charging a soft-start capacitor associated with the soft-start reference voltage, thereby reducing soft-start delay; and sinking current for discharging the soft-start capacitor in the event of a short circuit or brown out condition, thereby providing soft recovery after short circuit or brown out events.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to power conversion, and more particularly, to reducing soft start delay and providing soft recovery in power system controllers.
2. Description of Related Art
Power converters are essential for many modern electronic devices. Among other capabilities, a power converter can adjust voltage level downward (buck converter and its derivatives) or adjust voltage level upward (boost converter and its derivatives). A power converter may also convert from alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power, or vice versa. A power converter may also function to provide an output at a regulated level (e.g., 5.0V). Power converters are typically implemented using one or more switching devices, such as transistors, which are turned on and off to deliver power to the output of the converter. Control circuitry is provided to regulate the turning on and off of the switching devices, and thus, these converters are known as "switching regulators" or "switching converters." Such a power converter may be incorporated into or used to implement a power supply—i.e., a switching mode power supply (SMPS). The power converters may also include one or more capacitors or inductors for alternately storing and outputting energy.
Some power converters may employ a soft-start circuit in order to begin operation after power on. The soft-start circuit may have a soft-start capacitor which must be charged to a predetermined voltage before the power converter delivers any power to a load. If the charging of the soft-start capacitor is slow, then power delivery is delayed.
Also, some power converters may employ a closed-loop feedback with an error amplifier to regulate output voltage. The closed loop operation maintains the error amplifier of the power converter in its linear operating mode to actively control the output voltage of the power converter to follow a reference voltage VREF at the non-inverting input of the error amplifier. A short circuit or brown-out condition may cause a significant drop in the value of the output voltage. If the error amplifier reference voltage VREF is independent from the feedback voltage, recovery after a short circuit or brown-out condition is usually followed by significant overshoot in the output voltage since the error amplifier is railed during these events and need to recover. Such overshoot in the output voltage is an undesired phenomenon in power supplies.

Reducing soft start delay and providing soft recovery in power system controllers


An apparatus for attaching a guide rail to a girder in an elevator shaft wall provides for vertical displacement of the guide rail relative to the walls of the elevator shaft. The apparatus includes a U-shaped intermediate plate of corrosion-proof metal positioned between the side surfaces of the flange of the guide rail and a U-shaped support bracket. The support bracket, the intermediate plate and the guide rail flange are held against the girder by a longer leg of a U-shaped rail clamp having a shorter leg attached to the girder. The friction coefficient between the side surfaces of the flange of the guide rail and the U-shaped intermediate plate is greater than the friction coefficient between the intermediate plate and the support bracket, so that when the guide rail is displaced vertically, the support bracket will slide on the intermediate plate.

The invention relates to elevators generally and, in particular, to an apparatus for the attachment of guide rails to the walls of elevator shafts.
When attaching guide rails for elevators to elevator shaft walls, it must be borne in mind that in buildings, in particular new construction, contractions occur as the masonry subsides and lowers the building height. The guide rails attached to the masonry by means of girders are not subject to such contractions, so that deformations can occur between the clamped parts, which cause a rough running or operation of the elevator car and the counterweight. In the worst case, such contractions can lead to jamming or damage which make the elevator installation unserviceable. The previously described effects also can occur in high-rise buildings due to large temperatures variations, strong wind gusts and seismic forces. Precautions must be taken, therefore, which permit a longitudinal displacement between the guide rails and the masonry of the elevator shaft. For this purpose, attachment devices currently are being used which make possible a displacement of the guide rails in a longitudinal direction and prevent such displacement in a transverse or cross direction.
A device is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 1,925,867 which is supposed to fulfill the above stated requirements. Iron rail clamps formed of spring steel are bent in a U-shape and have one shorter leg and one longer leg. The shorter leg is solidly bolted to a girder with a spacer sleeve, which girder is attached to the wall of an elevator shaft. The opposite side surfaces of the flange of the guide rail are enveloped by a U-shaped support bracket and which bracket and the flange are pressed against the girder by the longer leg of the rail clamp. The spacer sleeve protrudes through a bore hole in the longer leg such that the longer leg can move freely and apply pressure to the bracket and the guide rail. The U-shaped support brackets, which are held positively by the rail clamps in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, reduce friction when the guide rail moves relative to the wall of the elevator shaft in a vertical direction.
The device described above has the disadvantage that due to progressive corrosion, the deteriorating surface of the guide rail becomes rough and the free sliding movement in the U-shaped support bracket is rendered difficult or is completely prevented. In order to avoid this, the solidly rusted parts have to be separated from each other and the guide rails be made smooth and lubricated, whereby the upkeep of the elevator installation is made more expensive.
In a mounting of the guide rails shown in the German patent document DE-A 26 46 762, both sides of the flange of the guide rail are enveloped by a single appropriately shaped intermediate plate. Further intermediate plates are provided on the rail clamps and on the mounting plates which are attached in the elevator shaft. The guide rails are held on the mounting plates by the rail clamps while the intermediate plates are pressed on by the sides of the flange. In order to assure a satisfactory shifting or displacement of the guide rails in a vertical direction, a material which exhibits low adhesive and friction coefficients, such as for example Teflon material, is proposed for at least one of the intermediate plates. This solution is expensive with regard to the material and design. Furthermore, Teflon material exhibits creep, so that the intermediate plates deform and have to be replaced frequently, which again raises the maintenance cost of the installation.

Apparatus for attaching elevator guide rails to elevator shaft walls


A method and system divides a media space, such as found in a hard drive or other mass storage device, into a portion directly accessible by all software and a portion inaccessible by all software except host Basic Input Output System (BIOS) code. A special procedure to access media space may include a special instruction or instruction set with or without a password to allow hard drive support for READ ONLY partitions, READ ONLY CD-ROM emulation, and other READ ONLY hard drive access requirements. The special procedure may user an expanded ATA command set, an expanded BIOS command set with System Management Mode, or code to temporarily unprotect at least a portion of the portion normally inaccessible by the software other than host BIOS code.

Host BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the software embedded on a chip that is a component of an information handling system and is located on the information handling system's motherboard (i.e., system board). After an information handling system is started (i.e., power is applied or a system has been reset), host BIOS becomes the software entity that has initial system control. The host BIOS executes routines that test and initialize the system components and ultimately loads (boots) an OS (operating system). Loading (or booting) an OS is an example of host BIOS passing system control to another software entity (the OS). After boot, a host BIOS may relinquish complete system control but continue to provide run-time software services which provide software support for various devices and features. After relinquishing complete system control, host BIOS may regain system control by invocation of host BIOS runtime services by other software. However, BIOS control during execution of normal runtime services can be pre-empted by other software. Invocation of special runtime service provided via a special SMI command will allow host BIOS to regain complete system control.
Currently, computer users have to store and retrieve physical diskettes or CD-ROMs to install various software applications programs, such as restoration programs and device drivers, and files required by the programs and drivers. The diskettes tend to become lost. The use of diskettes increases maintenance and development because of the time and effort spent in storing, retrieving, installing, and uninstalling the physical diskettes. Portability is also reduced since the physical diskettes must be moved along with the computer system.
Placing restoration files, drivers, and similar software applications programs on the hard drive is a possible solution. These files cannot be placed in a hard disk area that is accessible to write operations by general software entities because of possible data corruption. It may be possible to store these files in a password protected area of the mass storage device through a password only known to host BIOS (basic input output system) or other software that initially has control after a software reset. However, any method that allows the BIOS to provide password information to an application, an operating system (OS), or another software entity, may compromise the security of the password protected area making it vulnerable to viruses and other alterations.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a secure method for allowing read only access to a hard drive or other mass storage device.

Method and system for changing software access level within or outside a host protected area


A method of determining a size of an error generated in a servo sector, a write control method of controlling whether to write data to data sectors successive to a servo sector according to the size of the error generated in the servo sector therein, a HDD using the write control method, and a recording media storing computer programs for executing the methods. A method of determining a size of an error generated in a servo sector of a HDD includes: reading servo information from the servo sector in which the error was generated; and determining the size of the error by the number of corresponding bits that differ from each other between the read servo information and a normal servo information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a write control method for a hard disc drive (HDD), and more particularly, to a method of determining a size of an error generated in a servo sector, a write control method of controlling whether to write data to data sectors successive to the servo sector according to the size of the error generated in the servo sector, a HDD using the method of determining the error size and the write control method, and a recording media for storing computer programs for executing the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disc drive (HDD) includes a plurality of magnetic heads respectively associated with rotating discs. Each head writes information by magnetizing a disc surface or reads information by detecting a magnetic field from the disc surface.
Each head is typically assembled with a flexure beam to form an assembly called a head gimbal assembly (HGA). The HGA is assembled with an actuator arm having a voice coil assembled with a magnet assembly. The voice coil and the magnet assembly form a voice coil motor (VCM) that moves the head across the disc by activating the actuator arm.
Information is typically stored on tracks concentrically formed on the disc. The VCM moves the head from a certain track to another track in order to access data stored on the disc surface. Each track contains a plurality of sectors, each sector having at least a servo sector and a data sector.
A servo device of the HDD controls the VCM so that the head follows a desired track. The servo device controls the VCM by calculating a track address and a necessary amount of an offset.
Servo information including a gray code, servo burst signals, etc., is written on the disc by a servo writer and a self-servo writing process when manufacturing the HDD.
As a storage capacity of HDDs has increased, not only a track pitch has become narrower, but also a flying height of the head has become lower. Due to the decrease of the flying height of the head, a margin between the head and the disk has become smaller and thereby a possibility of a scratch to occur on the disc has increased. In the meantime, if polishing of surfaces of the disc is bad or contaminated particles, which are introduced from the outside or produced during operations of the HDD, are placed on the disc, a possibility of a Thermal Asperity (TA), which is caused by contact of the head with protruded particles or contaminated particles, becomes higher.
When the scratch and the TA are generated in the area in which the gray code of the servo information is written, an exact track address cannot be obtained. If a target track and a target sector cannot be followed exactly in a write operation of the HDD, the HDD prohibits data from being written to prevent erasure of adjacent tracks in the first step, performs a write retry, which is a operation to search the target track again or to correct an error while the disc is rotating. Not until the target track and the target sector were searched or the error was corrected, the HDD writes data. If the target track and the target sector are not possible to follow or the error cannot be corrected, the HDD arranges the target track and the target sector to be processed as defected ones, write data on a spare data sector.
FIG. 1 shows servo sectors written on the disc. In a sectored servo manner, servo sectors 102 are disposed on the disc in a radial manner and data sectors 104 disposed between successive servo sectors in a track direction.
FIG. 2 shows a format of servo information written in the servo sector 102. According to the sectored servo manner, generally, servo information includes a servo synchronization signal (SYNC or preamble), a servo index mark (SIM)/a servo address mark (SAM), a gray code, bursts etc.
Among them, the servo synchronization signal has constant amplitude and a constant frequency and serves for providing a clock signal and a gain to be used in reading the servo information. A preamplifier (not shown) sets a clock frequency and an amplifying gain to read the servo information according to the frequency and the amplitude of the servo synchronization signal. The SIM is used to mark the first servo sector among sectors written in a track and the SAM is used to notify a start position of a servo sector. The gray code is used to notify a track address and is set to contribute to increase a writing capacity by minimizing changes in bits between adjacent tracks. For instance, there is only 1 bit difference between gray codes of adjacent tracks. Generally, bursts are used to determine a degree of deviation of the head from a centerline of a track and there are 4 kinds of bursts generally.
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a conventional write control method that controls whether to write data on a data sector successive to a target servo sector. Referring to FIG. 3, when a write command is issued, in operation s302 a write retry counter write_retry_cnt is initialized to 0.
In operation s304, it is checked whether an error is generated.
When an error is generated as indicated in operation s304, in operation s306 it is checked if the error is FGRAY (Fault of GRAY), which is an error impossible to correct by an error correction code and related to a gray code.
If the error is not the FGRAY, a write operation of data to a data sector successive to the servo sector (i.e., following the servo sector in an uninterrupted sequence) is allowed.
Otherwise in operation s310 it is checked that the write retry counter write_retry_cnt is less than or equal to a maximum write count max_write_rty_cnt after increasing the write retry counter write_retry_cnt by one in operation s308. If the write retry counter write_retry_cnt is less than or equal to the maximum write count max_write_rty_cnt, in operation s314 a write retry is performed and the process returns to the operation s304. Then, in operation s304, it is checked again whether the FGRAY was generated.
When, it is determined in operation s310 that the write retry counter write_retry_cnt is greater than a maximum write count max_write_rty_cnt that is, the FGRAY cannot be corrected. In operation s312, the target data sector is reassigned, that is, the target data sector is replaced with a spare data sector and data is written to a replaced spare data sector.
In the conventional write control method shown in FIG. 3, if a gray code of the target servo sector is damaged due to a scratch, a TA, etc., the FGRAY can not be corrected, however, the write retry may be repeated. Accordingly, data sectors between a servo sector that has a gray code damaged due to a scratch, a TA, etc., and a successive servo sector are defect-processed. As a result of the defect process, a writing capacity of the disc is reduced by an amount of the defect-processed data sectors, and the spare capacity of the disc is reduced as well.

Method of determining size of error and write control method for hard disc drive, hard disc drive using the write control method, and media storing computer programs for executing the methods


A stamping head includes a stamping portion and a connection portion connected to the stamping portion. The stamping portion includes a top surface and four side surfaces. The stamping head defines a jag extending from a junction between a specific one of the side surfaces and the top surface toward a centre of the top surface. The jag passes through the specific side surface. When the stamping head presses a ACF onto a ceramic substrate, a residual air between the ACF and the ceramic substrate flows outside through the jag.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to stamping heads and, particularly, to a stamping head used for pressing an anisotropic conductive film onto a ceramic substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical image sensor package includes a ceramic substrate, an anisotropic conductive film and an image sensor. The image sensor is supported on and electrically connected to the ceramic substrate through the anisotropic conductive film. In assembly, the anisotropic conductive film first needs to be joined with the ceramic substrate, in a high temperature and high humidity condition. However, high temperature will cause higher air pressure than the force of adhesion of the anisotropic conductive film, this causes electrical connection between the image sensor and the ceramic substrate to be unstable.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a stamping head used for pressing an anisotropic conductive film onto a ceramic substrate which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.

Stamping head used for pressing anisotropic conductive film onto ceramic substrate

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.