Disclosed is a wall mounted microwave oven and a control method therefor including a body forming a cooking cavity for accommodating food to be cooked, a magnetron for generating electromagnetic waves to be provided into the cooking cavity, a casing surrounding the body and forming therein a hood duct having an inlet port positioned at the bottom portion of the casing and an outlet port positioned in the upper portion thereof, and a hood fan installed in the hood duct. The wall mounted microwave oven includes a switch for selecting one out of a low-level voltage and a normal voltage supplied to said magnetron and a controller for controlling the switch in such a manner that the low-level voltage is supplied to the magnetron when the hood fan operates during the magnetron operates with the normal voltage, and simultaneously extending remaining cooking time by a predetermined rate. Accordingly, the wall mounted microwave oven changes the normal voltage supplied to the magnetron into the low-level voltage and extends cooking time, to thereby efficiently cook the food, in the case that the hood fan and the hood electric lamp operates simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wall mounted microwave oven and a control method therefor, and more particularly, to a wall mounted microwave oven comprising a body forming therein a cooking cavity for accommodating food to be cooked, a magnetron for generating electromagnetic waves to be provided into the cooking cavity, a casing surrounding the body and forming therein a hood duct having an inlet port positioned at the bottom portion of the casing and an outlet port positioned in the upper portion thereof, and a hood fan installed in the hood duct
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a wall mounted microwave oven is mounted on a wall above a gas range 50, and has a function of inhaling vapor and fumes generated when food are cooked in the gas range 50, in order for the microwave oven to serve as a hood. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wall mounted microwave oven is comprised of a body 3 having a cooking cavity 4 in which the food to be cooked are accommodated, and a casing surrounding the body 3. A magnetron 30 which supplies high frequency electromagnetic waves into the cooking cavity 4 is mounted in the body 3. The magnetron 30 receives a high-tension current via a high-voltage transformer (not shown) and a high-voltage capacitor (not shown).
Meanwhile, the casing 6 includes an upper casing 6a surrounding the upper portion and both the side surfaces of the body 3, and a lower casing 6b combined with the lower portion of the body 3. Hood duct 15 as a path for exhausting vapor and fumes is formed in the space between the casing 6 and the body 3. To do so, an inlet port 8 for inhaling vapor and fumes into the hood duct 15 is formed on the lower casing 6b and an outlet port 9 is formed on the upper surface of the upper casing 6a. An exhaust pipe 11 is connected with the outlet port 9. The exhaust pipe 11 is connected with an exhaust path 17 penetrating the wall and communicating with the air. Hood fan 13 is installed in the upper portion of the body 3 in the vicinity of the outlet port 9, in order to exhaust the vapor and fumes inhaled into the hood duct 15 via the inlet port 8 to the air via the outlet port 9. Meanwhile, a hood electric lamp 55 for illuminating the gas range 50 is installed on the bottom of the lower casing 6b.
In the case that the magnetron 30 having a consumption power of above 1 KW and the hood electric lamp 55 having a consumption power of 80 W, or the magnetron 30 having a consumption power of above 1 KW and the hood fan 13 having a consumption power of 150 W-200 W operate simultaneously, the microwave oven may be overloaded, a fuse in a distribution panel may be melted and thus electric power may be cut off.
Accordingly, the wall mounted microwave oven adopts the function capable of supplying the magnetron 30 with a voltage lower than a normal voltage in order to avoid being overload.
When the magnetron 30 operates together with the hood electric lamp 55 or the hood fan 13, electric power to be supplied to the magnetron 30 may be changed from the normal voltage to the low-level voltage. However, since a predetermined cooking time is not changed even in the case that the electric power supplied to the magnetron 30 is changed into the low-level voltage, the cooking cannot be appropriately performed.

Wall mounted microwave oven and control method therefor


This invention provides a novel method, system, and apparatus allowing an authorized user access to controlled assets when a passcode method malfunctions, such as when a user forgets a password, a token malfunction, or a biometric mismatch. The invention allows temporary access to an access control system without knowing the password and without sending the user the password or a new random password. The user is able to set a new password without knowing the previous password. Furthermore, stored encrypted data is preserved and made accessible once again via the new passcode. This invention works for many authentication methods such as restoring access when a password, token, access card, or biometric sample is used.

The protection of valuable assets is vital for government, private entities and individuals. Valuable assets are commonly protected by various access control systems to ensure that access to the assets are limited to only authorized persons. This includes protecting physical assets such as research labs with expensive equipment and file cabinets containing sensitive private information stored in the human resource department of a corporate office. Applications also include protecting electronic assets in the form of electronic data stored in computer and electronic systems. Access control systems use various authentication methods to control access to the physical and electronic assets. Typical authentication methods include passwords, tokens, access cards, biometrics, or other passcodes that ensure only authorized persons have access to the valuable assets.
Several problems arise when the authentication process malfunctions, such as when a user forgets a password, a token fails to work, or biometric match failure. Furthermore with respect to electronic data, stored and encrypted data will be lost, when a security system uses the passcode as an input for a data encryption algorithm or other secure transformation function. Users are encumbered with security features that require users to remember passwords, carry tokens, or utilize biometric features, so it is inevitable that such authentication methods regularly malfunction.
Existing authentication methods are vulnerable to misuse when a user attempts to recover a passcode after the authentication method fails to function, such as when the user forgets a password, has a malfunctioning token, or experiences a biometric match failure. For example, to reset a password the access control system must keep a record of the password in a database and send a copy to the user upon request. Alternatively, the access control system may establish a new random password and send a copy to the user. In both cases, the access control system knows the user's password. The password is thus vulnerable to disclosure to unauthorized users by means of attacks on the server, database, or the copy sent to the user. The password is also vulnerable to disclosure by unauthorized users from insider threats that lookup or reset the password from within the access control system. Furthermore, stored encrypted data will be permanently lost if the security system used the password as an input to the encryption algorithm and the original password was not stored in backup, or the user's stored encrypted data is susceptible to decryption by an unauthorized user with access to the stored password in backup.
This invention provides a novel method allowing an authorized user access to controlled assets when a passcode method malfunctions, such as when a user forgets a password, a token malfunction, or a biometric mismatch. For example, the invention allows temporary access to an access control system without knowing the password and without sending the user the password or a new random password. The user is able to set a new password without knowing the previous password. Furthermore, stored encrypted data is preserved and made accessible once again via the new password. This invention works for many authentication methods such as restoring access when a password, token, access card, or biometric method is used.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present disclosure refers to a gas fuel admission system for a gas fired engine. A gas pressure regulating unit includes a gas pressure regulating unit inlet and a gas pressure regulating unit outlet. The gas pressure regulating unit is configured to receive gas and to discharge the gas at an injection pressure. An engine gas inlet is configured to direct gas into the at least one combustion chamber. A gas admission valve is configured to admit the gas having an injection pressure at a predetermined time for a predetermined duration into the engine gas inlet. A gas pressure relief device is fluidly connected to the gas conduit and it is configured to relieve overpressure of the gas in the gas supply conduit, if a pressure differential between the injection gas pressure and the intake air pressure is above a predetermined threshold. A specific engine control module is configured to control the gas admission valve in response to inputs from various sensing devices.

Gas fired engines as, e.g., natural gas fired engines, may use gas admission valves to admit the natural gas into the intake channel in spark ignited internal combustion engines. These days in particular solenoid operated gas admission valves (SOGAVs) are used. A SOGAV may be an electrically actuated, high response gas admission valve for in-manifold or port fuel admission. The SOGAV may be designed for use on four-cycle, turbocharged, natural gas or dual-fuel engines. Normally, one SOGAV is required for each cylinder of the engine.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,908 A a compressed natural gas injection system for gaseous fuel engines includes an electronic control unit controlling injection timing to inject compressed gas into cylinders as each piston nears its top dead center position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,907 discloses a liquid propane fuel storage and delivery system for motor vehicle internal combustion engines. This known system includes fuel delivery conduits for communicating propane fuel between a storage tank and engine fuel injectors, and an electric fuel pump.
A vent system for gaseous fuel vehicles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,616 A. Here, a ventilation system for gas fueled vehicles has a pressure regulator and a relief valve coupled to a fuel line and a vent line, such that gas fuel is coupled to vent line upon an operation of the regulator or the valve.
DE 10 2004 060 905 A1 discloses an internal combustion engine, e.g. a gas line engine and a control method for a vehicle. The control method involves reducing high pressure of fuel at gaseous state up to lowest pressure by a pressure reducer, and controlling lowest pressure by a signal from a control device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,354 B1 discloses a compressed gaseous fuel system for an internal combustion engine. When the pressure in the fuel rail is higher than desired, fuel is withdrawn from the fuel rail, recompressed, and injected into the fuel system for the control regulator. The fuel is withdrawn from the fuel rail by means of a pump. The use of a pump may be likely to result in an inappropriately long response time.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,406,950 B2 refers to a fuel supply apparatus pressure feeding a liquid fuel which tends to be evaporated in comparison with a gasoline in a liquid state to an injector from a fuel tank so as to supply to an engine. Here, a return-less type engine fuel supply apparatus comprises an electronic control unit drive controlling a fuel pipe and injectors and pressurizing a liquefied gas fuel stored in a fuel tank by a fuel pump so as to feed it to the injector through the fuel supply pipe line and supply it to the engine. An electronic control unit feedback controls the operation of the fuel pump on the basis of the detected fuel pressure in such a manner that the fuel injection pressure maintains a predetermined target pressure.
A system for detecting failure of a fuel pressure sensor in an internal combustion engine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,714 A. In this system, an index indicative of a ratio of the fuel pressure fluctuation relative to the manifold of the absolute fluctuation is compared to reference values which define a range. Sensor failure is discriminated when the index is found to have remained outside of the range for the predetermined maximum time. This system enables rapid and accurate detection of fuel pressure sensor abnormality or failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,121 refers to a fuel pressure release system for a dual fuel engine including at least one gas use fuel admission valve positioned between a gaseous fuel inlet region and an air intake region. The system includes a first pressure sensor positioned in the gaseous fuel inlet region and a second pressure sensor positioned in the air intake region. An electronic controller is connected to the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor. A gaseous fuel vent path extends between the gas use fuel inlet region and a portion of an air intake path of the engine. A vent valve is positioned along the gaseous fuel vent path and is connected to the electronic control of a control thereby. When the differential pressure across the gaseous fuel admission valve exceeds a predetermined level the fuel vent valve is opened to relieve the pressure. This known system is configured to operate in a dual fuel mode. Furthermore, if no dual fuel mode is desired, the vent valve is closed. In dual fuel mode the check of the differential pressure might not provide a solution for a problem as mentioned below.
A problem which may arise in gas fired engines supplied with gas fuel via a gas fuel admission system comprising a gas fuel admission device arranged in relation to a combustion chamber of the engine is that, as a result of an instantaneous load change, where the engine runs at relatively high load and then suddenly under a low load, the engine may over-speed and, consequently, the engine may completely shut down due to an inability to resume fuel injection.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of prior gas fired engines using gas admission devices, e.g. SOGAVs. In particular, the present disclosure may be directed to avoid engine shutdowns of a gas fired engine as a consequence of possible load rejection events.

Gas fuel admission system for a gas fired engine


A network security monitoring and correlation system for providing a three-dimensional visualization of network traffic overlaid with security alerts and other relevant discrete data. The system may comprise an application server communicably linked to a client. The server functions to retrieve network traffic metadata and relevant discrete data associated with individual computer hosts and connections in the monitored network, process the network traffic data by building a graph data structure, and then embedding within the graph data structure one or more layers of additional information about the individual computer hosts and connections derived from the discrete data. The client functions to produce a three-dimensional visualization of the network environment by parsing the graph data structure received from the server and then spawning computer hosts and connections in the 3-D environment. The client will then add the overlay information to the appropriate hosts or connections, with the overlay information preferably being represented within the 3-D environment as a particular color, shape, size, position, or a changing dynamic value.

Networked computers connected via the Internet are subject to intrusion attempts on a regular basis. Due to the exponential increase in network connections, intrusion attempts via automated attack tools, and other network events that share exponential growth characteristics as computer networks grow in size and complexity, current network monitoring systems and methods are limited in their ability to present enough information concurrently to human analysts. This limiting factor in computer security analysis results in several negative performance impacts.
First, existing security monitoring systems typically present information to analysts in two-dimensional data visualizations, primarily in spreadsheet format. Due to the vast number of alerts and data present in any network of considerable size, and the relatively small display area available to present information, analysts can only see a very small amount of data at a time when performing a security analysis.
Second, existing security monitoring systems are significantly limited in presenting a correlation of security event data between multiple systems and over periods of time. Analysts are required to mentally visualize multiple events in order to properly assess the larger security state. For example, security threats can oftentimes come in the form of unauthorized access of multiple computers by multiple users. However, due to the limitations of existing security monitoring systems, the onus is on the human analyst to visualize the security event and understand the environment and context within which it occurred.
Third, in order to properly prioritize and respond to computer security events, human analysts must have both experience in information security and knowledge of the computer network environment. As intrusion attempts and the complexity of networks escalate, the job qualifications of security analysts correspondingly increase, resulting in a shortage of qualified analysts in the workforce.

Network security monitoring and correlation system and method of using same


Disclosed is a surgical apparatus which provides multidimensional views of the internal area of a biological specimen. The apparatus includes an endoscope connected to an operating microscope. The endoscope can be a sleeve formed by a series of collar elements or a rigid rod. The endoscope contains a guide or lens means for transmitting an optical image and an illuminating means for the transmission of light. A moveable prism is positioned on the end of each of the guide or lens means and serves to enlarge the apparatuses field of view as well as enhance stereoscopic imaging.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscopic system and, more particularly, is directed to an apparatus utilizing an endoscope in conjunction with an operating microscope to provide multidimensional views of the internal area of a biological specimen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endoscopes are widely used for observing the internal organs of humans and other large biological specimens. The use of this instrument permits investigation of organs without the need for invasive and traumatizing surgical procedures. Endoscopes are used for diagnostic, research, and surgical purposes.
In use, a doctor holds the endoscope while inserting one end into the specimen's body via an incision or opening in either the respiratory system or gastrointestinal tract. Once through the incision or opening, the end of the endoscope is maneuvered into a passageway leading to the specific area to be observed. Generally, the surgeon holds the endoscope in one hand while performing the desired surgical procedure with the other hand.
The area to be observed can be viewed by direct visual observation or magnification using, for example, television relay systems. Exemplary imaging systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,332, 4,862,873 and 4,890,159. Although fiber optic systems are capable of providing images, such systems suffer from the limitation that they provide only a two-dimensional view of the object or surface being investigated. As a result, surface topography and spacial orientations are not clearly discernable. The inability of the image to provide depth perception limits the usefulness of endoscopes.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a stereoscopic endoscope which provides high resolution images with depth perception and permits a doctor to have substantially free movement of both hands during surgical procedures.


A leaning vehicle includes an actuator, a left steerable front wheel, a right steerable front wheel, a steering mechanism and a leaning mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a first center steering shaft, a second center steering shaft disposed at the front side of the first center steering shaft, and a center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism that interlocks rotation of the first center steering shaft with rotation of the second center steering shaft. The actuator is provided between a left end and a right end of a link member of the leaning mechanism in the left-right direction. At least one part of the actuator is provided at a position that overlaps with a movable range of the center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism as viewed from the up direction or the down direction.

A vehicle equipped with a vehicle body capable of leaning leftward and the rightward of the vehicle, that is, a leaning vehicle, is known. In a leaning vehicle, a left front wheel and a right front wheel are steerable wheels that can be steered. A leaning vehicle includes a leaning mechanism that causes the vehicle body and the left steerable front wheel and right steerable front wheel to lean leftward and rightward of the vehicle. By this means, when the vehicle turns left, the vehicle body, the left steerable front wheel and the right steerable front wheel lean leftward of the vehicle. Further, when the vehicle turns right, the vehicle body, the left steerable front wheel and the right steerable front wheel lean rightward of the vehicle. A leaning vehicle includes a steering mechanism that steers the left steerable front wheel and the right steerable front wheel. In addition, a leaning vehicle is known that is equipped with an actuator that applies a steering force to the left steerable front wheel and the right steerable front wheel (Patent Literature 1, identified further on; in particular, see FIG. 11). According to the aforementioned kind of leaning vehicle, it is possible to assist steering that is performed by an occupant.


Measurement circuit components are included in an integrated circuit fabricated on a semiconductor substrate. These measurement circuits include registers that are connected to a voltage regulation circuit that provides the integrated circuit voltage source and to a power management circuit. These measurement circuits provide signals to control the voltage regulation circuit for adjusting the voltage output to the integrated circuit based upon a measurement values obtained on the semiconductor device. These measurements include temperature, IR drop at locations on the semiconductor substrate, along with the frequency response of integrated circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for regulating voltage to an integrated circuit contained on a semiconductor substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for regulating voltage to an integrated circuit in response to digitally measured physical conditions of the integrated circuit while providing data to and receiving inputs from programmable control.
2. Description of the Related Art
The performance of integrated circuits varies during the manufacturing process. Traditionally, these integrated circuits, which are manufactured on semiconductor substrate wafers, are tested and graded upon manufacture completion to determine their performance. Upon being graded, the semiconductor substrates are packaged and sold based on this measure performance. This grading details predicted performance for a specified single voltage to be provided to the integrated circuit for all operating conditions.
The integrated circuit that marginally fails to meet the performance criteria is typically discarded, even though it is fully functional without any defect. This results in yield loss. One way to marginally increase the performance of an integrated circuit is to increase the nominal operating voltage applied to it. So to ensure minimum yield loss due to underperforming integrated circuit samples, they are packaged with a higher than nominal voltage specification marked on the package itself. However, this test for performance is done at a single operating point, i.e. at a fixed temperature and given process, a measurement is made to find out what is the voltage required to attain the minimum performance criteria. In a system though, the temperature and voltages are not constant, so to guard against these variations, a voltage even higher than that needed to achieve minimum performance criteria is actually stamped on the package as the nominal voltage.
Also, calibration of individual integrated samples takes up more test time that increases cost. In such a static test method, since the power supply voltage is set at wafer based on single operating point, the opportunity to reduce power dynamically is lost.
Therefore, there is no provision made for responding to changing operating system conditions of the integrated circuit after it has been graded and packaged.

International Business Machines Corporation


An exemplary one-piece backlight module (200) includes a brightness enhancement unit (240); and a light emitting unit (260) including a first electrode layer (261), a second electrode layer (264), and a light emitting layer (262) between the first and second electrode layers. The brightness enhancement unit and the light emitting unit are stacked one above the other. A liquid crystal display device using the backlight module is also provided.

LCD devices are commonly used as displays for compact electronic apparatuses. This is because they not only provide good quality images with little power consumption, but they are also very thin. The liquid crystal material in an LCD device does not emit any light itself. The liquid crystal material has to be lit by a light source so as to clearly and sharply display text and images. Thus, a backlight module is generally needed for an LCD device.
Referring to FIG. 9, a conventional LCD device 10 includes an upper polarizing film 101, a liquid crystal panel 100, a lower polarizing film 105, and a backlight module 120. The upper polarizing film 101 and the lower polarizing film 105 are attached on surfaces of two opposite sides of the liquid crystal panel 100, respectively. The backlight module 120 provides light beams to illuminate the liquid crystal panel 100. The liquid crystal panel 100 includes an upper substrate 102, a lower substrate 104, and a liquid crystal layer 103 between the upper and lower substrates 102, 104.
The backlight module 120 includes an upper brightness enhancement film (BEF) 121, a lower BEF 122, a diffusing film 124, a light guide plate (LGP) 126, a reflective film 128, and a light source 127. The LGP 126 has a light incident surface 1261, a top light emitting surface 1262 adjacent to the light incident surface 1261, and a bottom surface 1263 adjacent to the light incident surface 1261. The upper BEF 121, the lower BEF 122, and the diffusing film 124 are arranged in that order from top to bottom above the light emitting surface 1262. The reflective film 128 is arranged at the bottom surface 1263. The light source 127 is adjacent to the light incident surface 1261. The backlight module 120 is a side-edge type backlight unit, and the light source 127 may be a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL).
The upper BEF 121 includes a main body 1211, and a plurality of linear prism structures 1212 formed at a top of the main body 1211. The lower BEF 122 is similar to the upper BEF 121. However, linear prism structures (not labeled) of the lower BEF 122 are perpendicular to the prism structures 1212 of the upper BEF 121.
Referring to FIG. 10, the lower polarizing film 105 includes an adhesive layer 110, a protective film 112, a polarizing base 114, and a supporting plate 116, stacked in that order from top to bottom. The adhesive layer 110 is attached on the lower substrate 104 of the liquid crystal panel 100. The supporting plate 116 is used to support the polarizing base 114, and the protective film 112 is used to protect the polarizing base 114. The upper polarizing film 101 has a structure substantially the same as that of the lower polarizing film 105.
The backlight module 120 is a side-edge type backlight unit. Therefore the LGP 126 converts linear light beams emitted by the light source 127 into planar light beams. However, the conversion may be imperfect or incomplete, with the planar light beams being non-uniform. Furthermore, the upper BEF 121, the lower BEF 122, the diffusing film 124, the LGP 126, the reflective film 128, and the light source 127 are all separate components of the backlight module 120. This makes the process of assembly of the backlight module 120 rather complicated, and increases the rate of defects occurring in mass production of the backlight module 120.
What is needed, therefore, is a backlight module that can overcome the above-described deficiencies. What is also needed is an LCD device employing such a backlight module.

One-piece backlight module and liquid crystal display device using same


A pianoforte instrument, in particular a piano, has a base. Several bearings serve to support the pianoforte instrument on a floor. A height adjuster is also provided, which permits a height adjustment of the slide element relative to the base and/or a console. A device that facilitates transport is preferably provided on each of the bearings. The device that facilitates transport has a slide element, which permits sliding on the floor.

The invention relates to a pianoforte instrument, in particular a piano, with a base and with several bearings for support on a floor.
Pianoforte instruments, in particular pianos, in addition to the primary elements for producing sound, such as, for instance, the keyboard, the strings, and the soundboard, also have a housing with bottom frame and top frame, in which these elements are arranged or to which they are attached.
Particularly for pianos, such a housing with bottom frame and top frame, in which the soundboard and the strings are arranged, rests on a base with a baseboard. Placed on the top frame is the keyboard with a keybed, a lock rail, and a fallboard. The user must be able to operate the keyboard. It therefore projects forward from the body or the bottom frame. In front of the bottom frame below the keyboard is a free space, in which the knees and lower legs of the pianist are situated when the piano is played, while the hands of the pianist move on and over the keys of the keyboard also when the piano is played.
The keyboard is additionally supported on either side of the pianist. Provided for this purpose are consoles, each of which is supported on a foot. The feet are joined to the baseboard.
An aspect of pianoforte instruments that has received too little attention lies in the problem posed by an uneven underlying surface. In the case of grand pianos, this aspect is addressed in that grand pianos stand on three bearings, thereby permitting a three-point bearing, which is stable even for uneven floors.
A similar solution is proposed, for instance, in US 2009/0120264 A1, which describes a pianolike electronic musical instrument, in which, quite intentionally, besides two front bearing legs, a third rearward bearing leg, turned away from the player, is provided so as, in turn, to create a stable three-point bearing.
However, similar concepts are also known already from older publications, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,354, where, in order to provide a solution for stability and for compensation for uneven floors, the entire piano is constructed on a platelike base, which, in turn, rests once again with three bearings on the floor.
For pianos and comparable pianoforte instruments, which predominantly rest with four bearing points on the floor, generally in practice makeshift washers are placed underneath one of the bearings so as to prevent by eye at least a tilting of the piano.
This problem is all the more aggravating when the piano is to be placed at changing locations or even when only a change in position within a room or a hall is to be undertaken, in which case, owing to the inevitably existing slight differences in floor unevenness, a potential compensation found in one case is certainly inappropriate and has to be reselected and readjusted.
This is further complicated by the fact that, when the problem posed is subject to closer expert examination, preventing a tilting of the piano is not the concern or not the sole concern. It should be considered that quite substantial forces act in a piano, these forces arising not only due to the weight of the components, but also due to the fact that, owing to their tension, tensioned strings exert substantial forces on their fixing points and the soundboard. The tensile forces that can act in the instrument owing to the set of strings can amount to around 20 tons.
A nonuniform load on the different bearing points is accordingly transmitted to the strings, leading to a change in sound therein. This is an effect that is undesirable, especially for a pianoforte instrument. This effect also arises when the piano rests in place even without so-called tilting, but the bearings are subject to quite differing loads.

Pianoforte instrument, in particular a piano, with a housing on bearing points

SCHIMMEL-VERWALTUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG


A burst address sequence generator generates a sequence comprised of 2.sup.n addresses (where n is an integer greater than 1) which are compatible with an INTEL 80486 CPU burst order. A first embodiment of the burst address sequence generator latches an initial address, and uses a binary up counter and exclusive or (XOR) logic to generate the sequence of addresses. A second embodiment of the burst address sequence generator requires a shorter delay time to generate the addresses, and is comprised of a delay unit, an inverter, a counter, and a programmable logic device, such as a PAL or a PLD. Both embodiments are adaptable for use with a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The design of each embodiment is readily applicable to generate the sequence of addresses necessary to transmit 2.sup.n data units of 2.sup.m bytes per unit, where both m and n are integers greater than 1.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer memory addressing, and particularly to a burst address sequence generator for producing a sequence of memory addresses that are compatible with a memory burst cycle of a microprocessor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The pulse train burst address sequence of a central processing unit (CPU) of the INTEL 80486 is determined by the starting address. The customary technique involves using a clocked state machine to determine the burst address sequence based on the value of the starting address. To generate 2.sup.n pulse train addresses, at least (2.sup.n)+1 states and n outputs are required. If the state machine is implemented in the form of a programmable array logic (PAL) or a programmable logic device (PLD), then (n+1)+n register outputs are required to hold the (2.sup.n)+1, states in the state machine and the n bits of pulse train addresses.
When n=2, the four pulse train burst cycles will require at least 2+1+2=5 register outputs. Or, when n=3 (as in the case of write back cache of the INTEL apogee module), the eight pulse train burst cycles will require at least 3+1+3=7 register outputs. In this situation, there are generally only eight signals that need be input to the state machine, so a single
or PLD (with 20 or 24 pins) can accomplish the task.
When n=4 (not currently used in INTEL microprocessors), however, system design may make it possible to divide a 128-bit pulse train into two 64-bit pulse trains. Thus, eight 128-bit pulse train burst cycles will become 16 pulse train burst cycles. This would require a minimum of 4+1+4=9 register outputs. In this case, the design can only be completed by adding an additional PAL or PLD.
In conclusion, for each increment of 1 in n, the required number of register outputs must be increased by at least two. With this approach, the following problems will exist: (1) the number of required PALs or PLDs must be increased as n increases; (2) because this method of implementation is not easily expandable, the state machine must be completely redesigned as n increases; (3) debugging of the new state machine design must be repeated for every increase in n.
An object of the present invention is to provide a pulse train address sequence generator which can be randomly expanded. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pulse train address sequence generator that has the following functions and effects.
1. The generator can be produced at low cost using conventional transistor- transistor logic (TTL) elements. PA1 2. The circuitry is simple and reliable. PA1 3. Expansion can be randomly carried out to support 2.sup.n pulse train sequences. PA1 4. Expansion can be effected by repeatedly using the identical elements without redesigning the circuit or debugging.


The invention provides novel JAK-3 inhibitors that are useful for treating leukemia and lymphoma. The compounds are also useful to treat or prevent skin cancer, as well as sunburn and UVB-induced skin inflammation. In addition, the compounds of the present invention prevent the immunosuppressive effects of UVB radiation, and are useful to treat or prevent autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and transplant rejection. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the invention, as well as therapeutic methods for their use.

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) are a family of DNA binding proteins that reside in the cytoplasm until they are activated by tyrosine phosphorylation. This phosphorylation event is catalyzed by members of the Janus family of tyrosine kinases, including JAK3 (Ihle, J. N. Adv. Immunol. 60: 1-35, 1995; Witthuhn, B. A., et al., Leukemia and Lymphoma. 32: 289-297, 1999).
The dual role of STATs as signaling molecules and transcription factors is reflected in their structure. All STAT proteins contain a DNA binding domain, an SH2 domain, and a transactivation domain necessary for transcriptional induction. In unstimulated cells, latent forms of STATs are predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Ligand binding induces STAT proteins to bind with their SH2 domains to the tyrosine phosphorylated motifs in the intracellular domains of various transmembrane cell surface receptors (Horvath, C. M. and Darnell, J. E., Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 9(2): 233-239., 1997; Levy, D. E., Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 8(1): 81-90, 1997).
Once STATs are bound to receptors, the receptor-associated Janus kinases (JAKs) phosphorylate STATs on a single tyrosine residue located near the SH2 domain. Two STATs then dimerize through specific reciprocal SH2-phosphotyrosine interactions. The dimerized STAT proteins can also form complexes with other DNA-binding proteins. The STAT dimers/complexes next translocate to the nucleus and utilize their DNA binding domain to interact with DNA response elements in promoters of target genes (Demoulin, J. B., et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 16: 4710-6, 1996). STATs then interact directly or indirectly, via their transactivation domain, with components of the RNA polymerase II complex to activate transcription of target genes. Different ligands employ specific JAK and STAT family members, thus utilization of this pathway mandates specificity in signaling cascades and contributes to a diverse array of cellular responses. Janus kinases, including JAK3, are abundantly expressed in primary leukemic cells from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, and recent studies have correlated STAT activation in ALL cells with signals regulating apoptosis (Demoulin, J. B., et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 16: 4710-6, 1996; Jurlander, J., et al., Blood. 89: 4146-4152, 1997; Kaneko, S., Suzuki, et al., Clin. Exp. Immun. 109: 185-193, 1997; and Nakamura, N., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271: 19483-8, 1996).
Thus, JAK-3 is an important enzyme that plays an essential role in the function of lymphocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. Compounds which inhibit JAK-3 would be expected to be useful for treating or preventing diseases or conditions wherein the function of lymphocytes, macrophages, or mast cells is implicated, such as, leukemia, lymphoma, transplant rejection (e.g. pancreas islet transplant rejection, bone marrow transplant applications (e.g. graft-versus-host disease), autoimmune diseases (e.g. diabetes), and inflammation (e.g. asthma, inflammation associated with sun burn, and skin cancer). A continuing need exists for compounds and methods that are useful for the treatment and/or prevention of such conditions and diseases.
The present invention provides JAK-3 inhibiting compounds that are nontoxic in the administered dosage range. The JAK-3 inhibitors of the invention are useful for treating leukemia and lymphoma. The compounds are also useful to prevent skin cancer, as well as to treat or prevent sunburn and UVB-induced skin inflammation. In addition, the compounds of the present invention prevent the immunosuppressive effects of UVB radiation, and are useful to treat or prevent autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and transplant rejection.
The present invention provides a therapeutic method for treating leukemia or lymphoma comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
The present invention also provides a therapeutic method for preventing or reducing UV B radiation-induced inflammatory response in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
The present invention also provides a therapeutic method for inhibiting the release of prostaglandin E2 in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
The present invention also provides a therapeutic method for preventing or reducing UVB-induced skin edema or vascular permeability changes in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
The present invention also provides a therapeutic method for preventing or reducing UV B radiation-induced damage to epithelial cells or mutation frequency in skin in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
The present invention also provides a therapeutic method for protecting a mammal from tumorigenic effects of UVB light comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a JAK-3 inhibitor.
Representative JAK-3 inhibitors of the invention have also been found to exhibit significant anti-proliferative activity against T-cells, and have been found to inhibit IL-2 dependent cell proliferation. Thus, the compounds can be used to treat or prevent transplant complications (e.g. rejection of a donor organ transplant by the host immune system), and complications associated with bone marrow transplantation such as graft versus host disease.
In addition, the compounds of the invention are effective in treating and preventing autoimmune diseases, such as insulin dependent diabetes. The compounds are also effective in treating airway inflammation (asthma).
Accordingly, the invention also provides a therapeutic method for treating (or preventing) leukemia, transplant rejection, graft-verses host disease, inflammation, asthma, autoimmune diseases including diabetes, and inflammation related cancer development in the skin, comprising administering to the mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula I.
The invention also provides novel compounds of formula I disclosed herein as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of formula I.
A specific JAK-3 inhibitor useful in the medicamants and methods of the invention is a compound of formula I:
wherein:
X is HN, R11N, S, O, CH2, or R11CH;
R11 is hydrogen, (C1-C4)alkyl, or (C1-C4)alkanoyl;
R1-R8 are each independently hydrogen, hydroxy, mercapto, amino, nitro, (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy, (C1-C4)alkylthio, or halo; wherein two adjacent groups of R1-R5 together with the phenyl ring to which they are attached may optionally form a fused ring, for example forming a naphthyl or a tetrahydronaphthyl ring; and further wherein the ring formed by the two adjacent groups of R1-R5 may optionally be substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 hydroxy, mercapto, amino, nitro, (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy, (C1-C4)alkylthio, or halo; and
R9 and R10 are each independently hydrogen, (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy, halo, or (C1-C4)alkanoyl; or R9 and R10 together are methylenedioxy; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Peferably, at least one of R2 and R3 is hydroxy. More preferably, at least one of R2 and R3 is hydroxy, and one of R1 to R5 is halo.

Dimethoxy quinazolines for treating diabetes


An apparatus for exposing an optical master disk includes an exposure section, an exposure control section, a guide groove exposure voltage supplier and a modulator. The exposure section is for exposing a guide groove and pre-pits by different laser beams, and the exposure control section is for controlling an exposure voltage of the laser beams in the exposure section and an exposure timing. The guide groove exposure voltage supplier is for supplying, in accordance with the pre-pit designation signal, to the exposure section a guide groove exposure voltage of a first power level when an inside or an outside guide groove adjacent to the pre-pits is exposed and a guide groove exposure voltage of a second power level when a guide groove not adjacent to the pre-pits is exposed. The modulator modulates a laser beam for exposing the guide groove in accordance with the guide groove exposure voltage. In this way, the groove shape of the guide groove adjacent to the pre-pits and that of the guide groove not adjacent to the pre-pits are made uniform.

(1). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical master disk exposure apparatus and method, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for use in producing an optical disk medium having high signal quality.
(2). Description of the Related Art
An optical disk has a plurality of concentric or spiral guide grooves and a plurality of pre-pits. Such data as address data are recorded as pre-pits in a region being sandwiched between two grooves adjacent to each other. For providing an optical disk having high signal quality, it is necessary that the shapes of the guide grooves adjacent to the pre-pits and the shapes of the guide grooves not adjacent to the pre-pits be made uniform in the entire region of the surface of the disk, and also that cross-talk to a track adjacent to the pre-pits be substantially reduced. There are demands for an optical master disk exposure method and apparatus which enables the production of such an optical disk as explained.
Optical disks, with which data can be written, erased and read using a laser beam, have excellent characteristics as high capacity memory devices because of their high recording density. Expanded application thereof is being widely researched and developed in fields of such memory devices as for code data and image data.
With recording density increase of such optical disks, the data formats employed are such formats as an LTF (Logical Track Format) and a zone CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) as ISO formats of 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch optical disks in which the linear recording density is made uniform over the entire disk surface. In these formats, pre-pits are not all oriented in a particular central angular direction in the disk surface.
In an exposure apparatus for an optical master disk in which such data as address data are recorded as pre-pits in a region defined between two concentric or spiral guide grooves, the guide grooves and the pre-pits are exposed by using different laser beams. Such an apparatus is called a two-beam exposure. In another well-known technique, the power of the laser beam used for the guide groove exposure is set to different levels for guide grooves adjacent to pre-pits and those not adjacent to pre-pits. By so doing, the guide grooves adjacent to pre-pits and those not adjacent to pre-pits are made uniform in their shapes, thus improving the signal quality of the groove.
For example, in the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. Hei 2-73543, the exposure of address bits for writing track numbers and sector numbers with respect to the optical master disk is made by a first laser beam and the exposure of V-shaped guide grooves for tracking is made by a second laser beam which is arranged so as to be spaced from the first laser beam by one half of the track pitch and in parallel with the first laser beam. The exposure of the V-shaped guide grooves is performed such that the power of the exposure laser applied to the portion where there are address bits is reduced from that applied to the portion where there are no address bits. In this way, it is possible to prevent the film thickness from being reduced at the two side portions of the pits.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. Sho 63-149846 discloses an arrangement wherein one groove is formed by the exposure of a photoresist film with a plurality of laser beams whose centers deviate from one another and being disposed so as to overlap one over another. In this way, even when the depth of the guide groove is less than the thickness of the photoresist film, the groove can be formed so as to have a nearly rectangular flat bottom.
From the optical master disk which has been exposed in the above way, a stamper used to form optical disk media is produced using steps such as development, electro-casting and polishing.
The optical disks which are obtained in the above way are already at a practical application level in code data file memory fields and, also for still image and movie image data fields. The application of the optical disks is expected to be further expanded and diversified in multimedia fields.
With the increase in the application of these optical disks, recording density improvement or further operation speed increase is expected through, for example, a reduction of the inter-guide groove interval.
When a stamper produced by using an optical master disk produced by the above prior art exposure method is used to produce an optical disk medium having a data format in which pre-pits are not all oriented in a particular central angular direction as in the LTF method and the zone CAV method, the pre-pits and guide grooves adjacent thereto are exposed with laser beams having Gaussian distributions. Therefore, the laser beam for exposing the pre-pits and the laser beam for exposing the guide grooves partly overlap each other. This leads to a problem that a portion of a guide groove that is adjacent to a pre-pit is different in shape from a portion of a guide groove not adjacent to a pre-pit, and also to a problem that the groove signals produced at internal groove surfaces become non-uniform.
A further problem in the prior art apparatus and method for optical master disk exposure is that, since the change in the shape of the guide grooves adjacent to the pre-pits increases the cross-talk which is caused by the leakage of adjacent track pre-pit signals into regions where no pre-pits are originally present, the recorded data signal quality is deteriorated.
FIG. 1 shows an example of shapes of the guide groove adjacent to pre-pits in the optical disk stamper produced by a conventional optical master disk exposure apparatus, and is for use in explaining causes for making the cross-talk large. In the region of the guide groove 12 which is adjacent to the pre-pits 11, the guide groove 12 is expanded toward a track side with the pre-pits 11, as shown in FIG. 1. It is considered that, as a result of the above, the laser beam used during playback passes through the region closer to the track with the pre-pits, thus increasing the cross-talk from the adjacent track.
In a conventional method, as a means to overcome the above explained problem, the power level of the laser irradiated is changed between the guide groove adjacent to pre-pits and the guide groove not adjacent to the pre-pits in an attempt to uniformly form the guide groove adjacent to the pre-pits and those not adjacent to the pre-pits.
FIG. 2 shows exposure pulses at the guide groove and the pre-pits of the conventional optical master disk exposure apparatus, for showing the relationship among an index signal, a pre-pit record signal and a guide groove record signal.
In the conventional exposure method, the laser beam to expose the pre-pits and the laser beam to expose the inside or outside of the guide groove are of one set for making the exposure, so that the irradiation power of the laser beam exposing either the inside or the outside thereof adjacent to the pre-pit is so modulated that, in the region adjacent to the pre-pit, the power is lower than that in the region adjacent to the pre-pit. Thus, at the region where the guide groove is adjacent to the pre-pits, the guide groove can be formed uniformly with respect to the guide groove not adjacent to the pre-pits.
However, the guide groove oppositely located with respect to the guide groove that is exposed simultaneously with the pre-pits, with the pre-pits interposed therebetween, that is, the guide groove not exposed with the pre-pits as one set, is exposed by the laser beam having the same power level as that of the laser beam used when exposing the guide groove at the region where the pre-pits are not present. Thus, at the region where a portion of the beam waist of the laser beam for exposing the pre-pits and a beam waist of the laser beam for exposing the guide groove overlap with each other, and this results in the same effects as those observed in the case where the laser irradiating power was large, thus leading to a problem that the shape of the guide groove at one side which is adjacent to the pre-pits becomes different from that of the guide groove at the region not adjacent to the pre-pits as shown in FIG. 1.


An improved helical read/write head is disclosed having a cross-cut groove disposed on the lead sloping surface thereof to improve reliability. The cross-cut groove is positioned between the magnetic gap of the helica head and an initial head/tape interface region of the head and is preferably oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis/direction of travel of the tape. The cross-cut groove may be particularly positioned to accommodate and dampen tape disruption attendant to initiating the helical head/tape interface.

Helical scan data storage systems are used to store large amounts of data at a high rate on a magnetic tape. High speed is achieved through use of one or more (typically two) relatively small helical read/write heads mounted to slightly project from a rapidly rotating drum. The rotating heads interface with a magnetic tape driven relative thereto at a substantially lower rate over a portion of the drum circumference (e.g., over 45.degree. or more). The tape converges rapidly upon a sloped leading surface of each helical head (i.e., a surface typically angled approximately 1.8.degree.-2.5.degree. relative to a tangent at the head magnetic gap), and is oriented at an acute angle relative to the plane in which the helical heads rotate. In this manner, data is recorded on the tape in alternate, repeated fashion by the heads in "helical" tracks (or swipes).
In order to realize accurate storage/retrieval of data on the magnetic tape, an intimate relationship between the magnetic head gap and the magnetic tape is necessary. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, even minor disruptions to such interface may cause a depreciation in reliability.
The achievement of a desirable helical head/tape interface is complicated by several factors unique to helical scan systems. In particular, and unlike other tape systems, helical head/tape interface must be repeatedly, rapidly and reliably established as a helical head rotates into and out of close proximity with the driven tape. Concomitantly, due to the high speed/relative motion/rapid convergence of the small head and tape surfaces, and air drag associated therewith, a relatively large and inconsistent air bearing can be generated therebetween. Relatedly, it has been found that as the tape and the head converge in helical systems tape disruption, or stretching, approximating a tension and/or displacement standing wave form in the tape may be introduced between the lead sloping surface (i.e., the "landing" or "wear" surface) and magnetic gap of a helical head. As a result, helical head/tape interface can be significantly degraded. Further, due to the interface air bearing the tape may be drawn towards drum recesses surrounding the helical heads, resulting in further undesirable tape motion instability (e.g., due to tape stretching). Finally, due to the small head size, high-speed drum/tape interface, and additional above-noted factors, any contaminants introduced into the interface can be particularly destructive in helical systems.
Numerous techniques have previously been suggested to improve the establishment and maintenance of the desired interface between heads and tapes in helical systems Such techniques have focused on, for example, head contours, lowering head velocities, mechanically increasing tape tension, and utilizing thinner tapes. As will be appreciated, however, such modifications have tended to detract from overall system performance.

Helical read/write head having a cross-cut groove


A manufacturing method and a drill bit composite insert for performing mechanical actions that require high wear and impact resistance are provided. The composite insert has improved interface strength and improved residual stress distribution. These improved features are achieved by chemically and mechanically attaching the layer of abrasion and corrosion resistant polycrystalline material to the substrate that ordinarily is tungsten carbide. The chemical bond is formed during high pressure and high temperature sintering. Mechanically, the abrasion and corrosion resistant layer is attached to the substrate by means of irregularities on the substrate's top surface. These irregularities are designed to distribute stress and minimize the number of features that would lead to crack formation and subsequent failure of the insert. These surface irregularities are not sculptured features on the substrate that are of difficult or impossible manufacture, but they can be manufactured by pre- or post-sintering shaping methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to diamond enhanced carbide inserts that can be used for performing mechanical actions, such as drilling through rock or other hard materials, that require high wear and impact resistance. More specifically, the present invention relates to diamond enhanced carbide inserts that have improved interface strength and also improved residual stress distribution.
2. Description of Related Art
Polycrystalline diamond compacts, buttons, cutters, inserts, and cutting tools (hereinafter referred to as "inserts") are widely used in bits such as those for oil field drilling and mining operations as well as in the cutting tool industry. A typical insert is composed of an abrasion resistant material embedded into or covering a substrate.
While many inserts are made from carbide only, diamond enhanced inserts are manufactured by bonding a layer or other concentrated mass of polycrystalline diamond onto or into a sintered carbide substrate by the application of high pressure and temperature in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. One such method involves sintering the polycrystalline material directly to a cemented carbide substrate by means of high pressure and high temperature. This method of forming inserts is in wide use in the diamond enhanced carbide insert industry. During this process, cobalt, nickel, iron or similar metals are used to act as a sintering aid for the diamond. Such metal may be premixed with the diamond, or swept from the substrate into the diamond, forming a matrix which bonds the diamond and carbide together at the interface and facilitates the formation of solid polycrystalline diamond.
When in operation, an insert is subject to enormous stress. Such stress is a cause of crack initiation and subsequent failure. Delamination, exfoliation and fracture are typical failure types. A variety of loading conditions may be experienced by inserts due to variation in application and geologic formation. The mechanics which dictate insert failure are further complicated by complex residual stresses which result in inserts due to the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient and elastic modulus of dissimilar materials during processing. Failure mechanisms are therefore varied and failure criteria are not well established. Because of this limited understanding, one would expect that a diversity of attempts to make impact and wear resistant inserts have been undertaken. The works listed below are related to previous contributions to the engineering of inserts and some of their relevant components.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,440 describes a diamond abrasive drill bit for drilling holes for blasting or grouting where no core is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,623 describes diamond tools and superpressure processes for the preparation thereof, the diamond content being supported on and being directly bonded to an extremely stiff substrate, often made of sintered carbide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,371 discloses abrasive bodies that comprise combinations of cubic boron nitride crystals and sintered carbide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,852 describes abraders, abrasive particles and methods for producing same, where the preferred primary abrasive is a diamond.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,840 reveals how abrasive particles are improved in function by encapsulating them with a metallic envelope.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,280 describes a polycrystalline diamond composite and a method for forming diamond to diamond bonds between adjacent diamond particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,329 describes a method for fabricating a drill bit comprised of a plurality of composite compact cutters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,276 describes a compact for cutting, drilling, wire drawing and shaping tools, consisting essentially of a porous mass of self-bonded, boron-doped diamond particles and catalyst-solvent material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,490 discloses an improved process for preparing a composite compact wherein a mass of abrasive crystals, a mass of metal carbide, and a bonding medium are subjected to a high-temperature/high pressure process for providing a composite compact. The resulting composite compact is also disclosed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,036 discloses a drill bit for connection on a drill string, the drill bit having a hollow tubular body with an end cutting face and an exterior peripheral stabilizer surface with cylindrical sintered carbide inserts positioned therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,433 discloses a cutting blank that comprises a substrate formed of a hard material and including a cutting surface with a plurality of shallow grooves that contain strips of a diamond substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,106 reveals a composite polycrystalline diamond compact comprising at least one layer of diamond crystals and precemented carbide pieces which have been pressed under sufficient heat and pressure to create composite polycrystalline material wherein polycrystalline diamond and the precemented carbide pieces are interspersed in one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,343 discloses a sintered polycrystalline diamond compact having an integral metallic heat sink bonded to and covering at least he outer diamond surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,373 discloses a polycrystalline diamond body with a plurality of faces having enhanced surface irregularities over at least a portion of at least one of the faces, the polycrystalline diamond body with the enhanced surface irregularities being attached to other materials such as metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,918 describes an insert that has a tungsten carbide body and at least two layers at the protruding drilling portion of the insert. The outermost layer contains polycrystalline diamond and the remaining layers adjacent to the polycrystalline diamond layer are transition layers containing a composite of diamond crystals and precemented tungsten carbide, the composite having a higher diamond crystal content adjacent the polycrystalline diamond layer and a higher precemented tungsten carbide content adjacent the tungsten carbide layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,434 reveals a polycrystalline diamond tool comprising a diamond layer bonded to a support body having a complex, non-planar geometry by means of a thin and continuous layer of a refractory material applied by a coating technique, such as PVD or CVD.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,801 describes an insert that includes a polycrystalline diamond surface on an insert body having a head portion made from a material with elasticity and thermal expansion properties advantageously tailored for use in rock bits, as well as rock bits made with such inserts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,247 describes a drill bit having a body member with cutter blades having a generally parabolic bottom profile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,718 reveals a polycrystalline diamond cutting element whose mechanical strength is improved due to the fact that the edge of the element is rounded with a small visible radius.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,327 describes a composite for cutting in subterranean formations, comprising a cemented carbide substrate and a diamond layer adhered to the surface of the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,061 describes a preform cutting element for rotary drill bit for use in drilling or coring holes in substrate formations which includes a cutting table of superhard material such as polycrystalline diamond.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,245 relates to a rock bit insert of cemented carbide for percussive or rotary crushing rock drilling. The button is provided with one or more bodies of polycrystalline diamond in the surface produced at high pressure and high temperature in the diamond stable area. Each diamond body is completely surrounded by cemented carbide except the top surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,148 describes cemented tungsten carbide rock bit inserts having diamond particles dispersed therein for enhanced hardness and wear resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,081 relates to a rock bit insert of cemented carbide provided with one or more bodies or layers of diamond and/or cubic boron nitride produced at high pressure and high temperature in the diamond or cubic boron nitride stable area. The body of cemented carbide has a multi-structure containing eta-phase surrounded by a surface zone of cemented carbide free of eta-phase and having a low content of cobalt in the surface and a higher content of cobalt next to the eta-phase zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,006 describes a cutting structure having diamond filled compacts for use in an earth boring bit of the type having one or more rotable cones secured to bearing shafts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,283 relates to buttons, inserts and bodies that comprise cemented carbide provided with bodies and/or layers of CVD- or PVD-fabricated diamond and then high pressure/high temperature treated in the diamond stable area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,375 describes a multidirectional drill bit cutter comprising a cylindrical stud having a layer of polycrystalline diamond formed thereabout.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,738 relates to a button of cemented carbide. The button is provided with a layer of diamond produced at high pressure and high temperature in the diamond stable area. The cemented carbide has a multi-phase structure having a core that contains eta-phase surrounded by a surface zone of cemented carbide free of eta-phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,772 discloses a substantially polycrystalline diamond compact element for drilling subterranean formations. The cutting element includes a cemented carbide substrate having radially extending raised lands on one side thereof, to and over which is formed and bonded a polycrystalline diamond table.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,969 describes a cutting implement formed from a substrate of carbide, or other hard substance, bonded to a polycrystalline layer which serves as the cutting portion of the implement. The interface between the substrate and polycrystalline layer is defined by surface topography with radially spaced-apart protuberances and depressions forming smooth transitional surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,854 discloses a cutting element which has a metal carbide stud with a plurality of ridges formed in a reduced or full diameter hemispherical outer end portion of said metal carbide stud. The ridges extend outwardly beyond the outer end portion of the metal carbide stud. A layer of polycrystalline material, resistant to corrosive and abrasive materials, is disposed over the ridges and the outer end portion of the metal carbide stud to form a hemispherical cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,403 describes a cutting element having a substantially planar table of superhard material mounted on a substrate or backing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,343 describes a diamond cutting element including a substantially planar diamond table having a periphery defined by a multiple chamfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,565 describes a drill bit characterized by a body fitted with multiple, spaced blades having a forward sweep relative to the center of the bit and cutting elements embedded in the blades at a selected back rake and side rake.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,233 describes a rotary drag bit for drilling hard rock formations with substantially planar PDC cutting elements having diamond tables backed by substrates which flare or taper laterally outwardly and rearwardly of the cutting edge of the diamond table.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,376 describes a tool component comprising an abrasive compact layer bonded to a cemented carbide substrate along an interface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,137 discloses an abrasive tool insert having an abrasive particle layer having an upper surface, an outer periphery, and a lower surface integrally formed on a substrate which defines an interface therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,477 describes an abrasive tool insert comprising a cemented substrate and a polycrystalline diamond layer formed thereon by high pressure, high temperature processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,713 discloses a cutting element with a metal carbide stud that has a conic tip formed with a reduced diameter hemispherical outer tip end portion of said metal carbide stud. A corrosive and abrasive resistant polycrystalline material layer is also disposed over the outer end portion of the metal carbide stud to form a cap, and an alternate conic form has a flat tip face. A chisel insert has a transecting edge and opposing flat faces, which is also covered with a polycrystalline diamond compact layer.
U.K Pat. Application No. 2,240,797 A discloses a preform cutting element for a rotary drill bit comprising a polycrystalline diamond cutting table bonded to a coextensive substrate of cemented tungsten carbide.
Descriptions of methods for applying a layer or pocket of polycrystalline diamond to a sintered carbide substrate can be found in some of the afore-mentioned patents. Ordinarily, the method of sintering polycrystalline diamond to a top surface on a cylindrically shaped substrate is taught. This top surface may be flat, or shaped and is frequently non-planar. Some patents teach the application of diamond to a carbide substrate with a transition layer between the diamond and the substrate, said transition layer being a mixture of diamond and carbide. Still other patents reveal the use of diamond-filled pockets and grooves in a carbide substrate, with no continuous diamond surface covering the entire substrate upper surface or with a continuous coverage of a flat surface with irregularities. Related substrates are characterized by a hemispherical outer end portion with a plurality of ridges that extend outwardly. Some techniques use CVD or PVD films applied to the substrate prior to the high pressure and high temperature attachment of the diamond layer to the substrate. Embodiments are also produced by applying some of the afore-mentioned techniques to a heterogeneous substrate that in some instances has an eta-phase core.
Many related inventions have embodiments with irregularities in the substrate's top surface. Such irregularities ordinarily give rise to sharp features in the form of edges and corners. Due to stress concentration, these sharp features are known to be typical loci of crack formation. While surface topography improves attachment area and mechanical resistance to laminar shear, it must be observed that sharp surfaces cause stress to be concentrated not only under service loads, but also due to residual stress present within inserts under no applied external load.
The combination of diamond and carbide in a composite insert provides superior abrasion resistance and impact resistance while in service. Shear and percussion tools for drilling or cutting through rock or other hard materials also benefit from the insert's high abrasion and impact resistance. Amongst the different forms of diamond, polycrystalline diamond is particularly useful as an abrasion and corrosion resistant material. The most common geometric configuration for inserts is embodied by a cylindrical substrate with flat, conical, hemispherical, ovoidal, or other top surface, which is coated with polycrystalline diamond. The cylinder's top surface may also be modified to hold pockets or grooves of diamond, a practice common with flat diamond/substrate interfaces and familiar to those well versed in the art. Each of the afore-mentioned patents and elements of related art is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material disclosed therein.

Attachment geometry for non-planar drill inserts


A fuel cell corrugated current collector having successive spaced rows of corrugations, with the corrugations in a given row establishing successive peak and valley regions along the given row and the spaced rows of corrugations being adapted so that corresponding peak regions from row-to-row establish through passages for receiving and supporting solid catalyst elements. The spaced rows of corrugations are such that there is a given pitch between successive peak regions. The corrugations in the rows are also such that corresponding peak regions from row-to-row have a finite off-set which is less than 50 percent of the pitch. This establishes a plurality of through passages in the current collector each extending from row-to-row for receiving and supporting the solid catalyst elements. Also, the off-set is based on the catalyst dimensions and is set such that the corrugations engage the catalyst elements.

This invention relates to current collector electrode supports for fuel cells. More specifically, this invention relates to corrugated current collectors for high temperature, internally reforming, planar fuel cells.
A fuel cell is a device which directly converts chemical energy stored in a fuel such as hydrogen or methane into electrical energy by means of an electrochemical reaction. This differs from traditional electric power generating methods which must first combust the fuel to produce heat and then convert the heat into mechanical energy and finally into electricity. The more direct conversion process employed by a fuel cell has significant advantages over traditional means in both increased efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions.
In general, a fuel cell, similar to a battery, comprises a negative (anode) electrode and a positive (cathode) electrode separated by an electrolyte which serves to conduct electrically charged ions between them. In contrast to a battery, however, a fuel cell will continue to produce electric power as long as fuel and oxidant are supplied to the anode and cathode, respectively. To achieve this, gas flow fields are provided adjacent to the anode and cathode through which fuel and oxidant are supplied. In order to produce a useful power level, a number of individual fuel cells must be stacked in series with an electrically conductive separator plate between each cell.
In internally reforming fuel cells, a steam reforming catalyst is placed within the stack of fuel cells to allow direct use of hydrocarbon fuels (e.g., methane, coal gas, etc.) in the fuel cells without the need for expensive and complex external reforming equipment. Two forms of internal reforming have been used. Indirect internal reforming is accomplished by placing reforming catalyst in an isolated chamber within the stack and routing the reformed gas from this chamber into the anode compartment of each fuel cell. Direct internal reforming is accomplished by placing reforming catalyst within the active anode compartment of each fuel cell. This catalyst is then available to reform fuel gas with steam formed by the electrochemical reactions of the fuel cell and can result in very high reforming efficiency and fuel utilization.
The particular geometry used for the anode chamber and catalyst support is important for many reasons. The geometry should be selected to minimize pressure drop for fuel flow as higher pressure requires more auxiliary power and results in lower system efficiency. In addition, for stacks with many cells, low variation in flow restriction from cell to cell is critical to insure that each cell receives the same fuel flow and thereby operates at the same fuel utilization. As the efficiency of the fuel cell stack is limited by the individual cell which receives the least amount of fuel, uniform fuel flow is very important to achieve maximum fuel utilization and stack electrical efficiency.
A major feature of a fuel cell which also relates to direct internal reforming catalyst is the useful life of the cell. As the cell ages, the activity of the reforming catalyst in the anode chamber decays due to the poisoning effects of the electrolyte vapor within the passage. This decay in activity reduces the effectiveness of the catalyst and the reforming efficiency of the cell. This, in turn, reduces the electrical efficiency of the cell because less reformed fuel is available for the electrochemical reactions. As the effectiveness of the catalyst is directly related to the mass of catalyst available for reforming, one way to increase the reforming efficiency and cell life is to increase the catalyst mass in the anode chamber.
Another important characteristic of the components used to form the fuel and oxidant flow fields of a fuel cell is the ability of the components to apply uniform pressure to the active cell components (i.e., anode,.cathode and matrix). Uniform pressure is important to insure uniform contact resistance over the cell active area as well as to reduce the likelihood of gaps forming between cell components during operation.
The direct internal reforming catalyst must also be protected from deactivation by electrolyte wicking from the abutting anode containing liquid electrolyte. One method to protect the catalyst is to design the corrugated current collector so that it shields the catalyst, acting as a barrier to electrolyte migration from the adjacent anode component.
Many different component geometries have been proposed and used by fuel cell manufacturers for providing the fuel and oxidant flow fields and catalyst support for direct internally reforming fuel cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,876 describes a corrugated current collector used for this purpose. In the current collector of the ""876 patent, particulate material is placed in the current collector corrugations and is used for diffusion and support. The particulate material faces a catalyst layer which, in turn, abuts an active electrode. The particulate material is preferably made of nonconducting alumina, but may also comprise the same material as used in the catalyst layer. This geometry is limited in that a considerable portion of the active electrode is blocked by the particulate material and the gas is forced to flow around the blockage away from the electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,472 describes a corrugated current collector with a plurality of corrugations forming dimples arranged in a checkerboard pattern for use on the cathode side of the cell. This configuration represents an improvement over the current collector of the ""876 patent by allowing the gas much better access to the active electrode. However, the configuration has limitations when used in an anode chamber which also houses a direct internal reforming catalyst in the form of elongated solid elements. Due to the checkerboard pattern, these catalyst elements can only be loaded substantially perpendicular to the fuel gas flow. This results in high flow restriction and susceptibility to large variation in flow restriction from cell to cell.
Another disadvantage of the checkerboard pattern of dimples used in the current collector of the ""472 patent is that when applied to both the anode and cathode chambers, a larger scale checkerboard pattern of compressive load results on the cell active area due to the periodic nesting of the corrugation feet through the bipolar plate. This non-uniform pressuredistribution could result in variation in the cell contact resistance.
A further concern when using the current collector of the ""472 patent relates to the flow field formed by placing the solid catalyst elements perpendicular to the flow direction. The resulting geometry is characterized by nearly equal resistance to flow parallel and perpendicular to the primary flow direction. This means that as gas is generated in high current producing areas of the cell it is allowed to expand laterally, apparently enhancing mixing within the cell. However, this also tends to supply high current producing areas of the cell with even more fresh fuel resulting in high current density and temperature gradients within the cell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,665 describes an alternate corrugated current collector design wherein the current collector is combined with a separator plate to form gas passages and support for solid catalyst elements. In this design, all the cell components are formed in a corrugated pattern and nested together. As a result forming the cell components is a complex operation. Also, the space available for the reforming catalyst elements is limited.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel corrugated current collector design which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art designs.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a corrugated current collector which allows solid direct internal reforming catalyst elements to be loaded substantially parallel to the primary direction of gas flow.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a corrugated current collector which allows the space provided for solid reforming catalyst elements to be maximized.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a corrugated current collector which results in more uniform pressure distribution to the cell active components.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a corrugated current collector which results in a pattern flow field geometry characterized by high transverse flow resistance and low axial flow resistance thus resulting in more uniform current and temperature distributions within the cell.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a corrugated current collector which results in better shielding of the direct internal reforming solid catalyst elements from the cell electrolyte and holding these catalyst elements away from the electrolyte containing electrode.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above and other objectives are realized in a current collector having successive spaced rows of corrugations, with the corrugations in a given row establishing successive peak and valley regions along the given row and the spaced rows of corrugations being adapted so that corresponding peak regions from row-to-row establish through passages for receiving and supporting solid catalyst elements.
In the embodiment of the invention to be described hereinafter, the spaced rows of corrugations are such that there is a given pitch between successive peak regions in a row and a given offset in the peak regions from row-to-row. In particular, the offset is selected to be finite and to be less than 50 percent of the pitch, so as to establish the plurality of through passages for the solid catalyst elements. Also, the offset is further selected based on the catalyst dimensions and is such that the corrugations engage the catalyst elements.

Corrugated current collector for direct internal reforming fuel cells


A method of controlling curvature of a disc head slider having a slider body with a bearing surface, a back surface, which is opposite to the bearing surface, a first axis and a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, is provided. The method includes directing a continuous-wave laser beam toward the back surface to form a laser spot on the back surface. The laser spot is scanned along the back surface in a direction parallel to the first axis or the second axis to form a continuous elongated scan line on the back surface such that the back surface melts and then cools along the scan line to induce anisotropic tensile stress in the back surface, which is oriented predominately parallel to the scan line.

The present invention is related to disc drive data storage systems and, more particularly, to a method of controlling curvature of a hydrodynamic bearing slider.
Disc drives of the xe2x80x9cWinchesterxe2x80x9d type are well known in the industry. Such drives use rigid discs coated with a magnetizable medium for storage of digital information in a plurality of circular, concentric data tracks. The discs are mounted on a spindle motor which causes the discs to spin and the surfaces of the discs to pass under respective head gimbal assemblies (HGAs). Head gimbal assemblies carry transducers which write information to and read information from the disc surface. An actuator mechanism moves the head gimbal assemblies from track to track across the surfaces of the discs under control of electronic circuitry. The actuator mechanism includes a track accessing arm and a load beam for each head gimbal assembly. The load beam provides a preload force which urges the head gimbal assembly toward the disc surface.
The head gimbal assembly includes a hydrodynamic (e.g. air) bearing slider and a gimbal. The gimbal is positioned between the slider and the load beam to provide a resilient connection that allows the slider to pitch and roll while following the topography of the disc. The slider includes a slider body having an air bearing surface which faces the disc surface. As the disc rotates, the disc drags air under the slider along the air bearing surface in a direction approximately parallel to the tangential velocity of the disc. Skin friction on the air bearing surface causes the air pressure between the disc and the air bearing surface to increase which creates a hydrodynamic lifting force that causes the slider to lift and fly above the disc surface. The preload force supplied by the load beam counteracts the hydrodynamic lifting force. The preload force and the hydrodynamic lifting force reach an equilibrium which determines the flying height of the slider. The transducer is typically mounted at or near the trailing edge of the slider.
Flying height is viewed as one of the most critical parameters of contact and non-contact recording. As the average flying height of the slider decreases, the transducer achieves greater resolution between the individual data bit locations on the disc. Therefore, it is desirable to have the transducers fly as close to the disc as possible. Flying height is preferably uniform regardless of variable flying conditions, such as tangential velocity variation from inside to outside tracks, lateral slider movement during seek operations and air bearing skew angles.
In certain applications, it is desirable to fabricate the slider such that the bearing surface has a positive curvature along the length and width of the slider. Length curvature is known as crown curvature. Width curvature is known as camber or cross curvature. The proper setting and control of length and width curvature improves flying height variability over varying conditions, improves wear on the slider and the disc surface, and improves takeoff performance by reducing stiction between the slider and the disc surface. In a typical slider fabrication process, length or width curvature is created by lapping the bearing surface on a spherically-shaped lapping surface or on a flat lapping surface while rocking the slider body back and forth in the direction of the desired curvature. The amount of curvature is determined by the radius of the rocking rotation. This lapping process is difficult to control and results in large manufacturing tolerances. More efficient and controllable methods of effecting air bearing surface curvature are desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,850 discloses inducing a preselected amount of compressive stress within a selected section of the bearing surface by impinging the section with a plurality of particles for a preselected amount of time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,621 discloses a method of producing curvature in a slider by creating a groove in the leading edge of the slider, placing a sealing material in the groove and then melting and stiffening the sealing material in the groove. The sealing material has an adhesive property upon melting and a shrinking property upon stiffening which causes lengthwise curvature at the leading edge of the slider. U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,471 discloses a slider having a longitudinal linear groove formed in a surface which is opposite the disc-opposing surface. The groove creates tensile stresses which cause the disc-opposing surface of the slider to be a curved surface in a convex form.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of controlling curvature of a disc head slider having a slider body with a bearing surface, a back surface, which is opposite to the bearing surface, a first axis and a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, is provided. The method includes directing a continuous-wave laser beam toward the back surface to form a laser spot on the back surface. The laser spot is scanned along the back surface in a direction parallel to one of the first and second axes to form a continuous elongated scan line on the back surface such that the back surface melts and then cools along the scan line to induce anisotropic tensile stress in the back surface, which is oriented predominately parallel to the scan line.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of controlling curvature of a disc head slider having a slider body with a bearing surface, a back surface which is opposite to the bearing surface, and crown and cross curvature axes. The method includes scanning a continuous-wave laser beam spot along a scan line, which is parallel to one of the crown curvature and cross curvature axes to induce tensile stress in the back surface that is predominately aligned with the scan line. A positive curvature change is induced in the bearing surface, which is greater along one of the crown and cross curvature axes than the other of the crown and cross curvature axes.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a disc head slider, which includes a slider body having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a bearing surface and a back surface, which is opposite to the bearing surface. Tensile stress is thermally applied in the back surface, which is predominately aligned with one of the longitudinal and transverse axes. A curvature is induced in the bearing surface by the thermally applied tensile stress, which is greater in a direction along one of the longitudinal and transverse axes than along the other of the longitudinal and transverse axes.

Slider having thermally applied tensile stress for curvature control and method of applying tensile stress


An improved laundry appliance is provided wherein the door is mounted to a shroud, separate from the front and top panels of the cabinet. Therefore, during manufacturing assembly or repair work, the door can be shut and the operation of the appliance tested with the front and top panels removed from the appliance. After the operational testing is completed, the front and top panels can be installed to the remaining cabinet panels.

In conventional laundry appliances, including front loading washing machines and dryers, the cabinet includes opposite side panels, a rear panel, and a front panel with a door pivotally mounted therein. In such conventional machines, the front panel with the door can be removed to repair internal components of the appliance, such as the motor which rotates the tub. However, to test the operation of the machine, either after manufacturing assembly or after repair work, the front panel with the door must be installed so that the door can be closed over the access opening of the tub. If further repair work is required, the front panel with the door must again be removed and then reinstalled for further operational testing. This necessity to install or reinstall the front panel and door prior to testing is time consuming and adds to manufacturing and repair costs.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved laundry appliance having a door mounted separately from a removable panel such that the operation of the appliance can be tested without the removable panel being installed.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved laundry appliance wherein the door is mounted to the shroud, separately from a removable panel which forms a part of the appliance cabinet.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved laundry appliance which is economical to manufacture, efficient and safe in use, and quick and easy to repair.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved laundry appliance wherein the operation can be quickly and easily tested while a front panel is removed.
These and other objectives of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention.