An exemplary hollow stylus-shaped structure is disclosed, including a hollow column spacer formed over a base layer and a hollow cone spacer stacked over the hollow column spacer, wherein the hollow cone spacer, the hollow column spacer, and the base layer form a space, and sidewalls of the hollow cone spacer and the hollow column spacer are made of silicon-containing organic or inorganic materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to memory devices, and more particularly to a phase change memory (PCM) device and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase change memory devices are non-volatile, highly readable, and highly programmable, and require a relatively lower driving voltage/current. Current trends in phase change memory development are to increase cell density and reduce working currents such as write currents and reset currents thereof.
Phase change material in a phase change memory device has at least two solid phases, a crystalline state and an amorphous state. Transformation between these two phases can be achieved by changing the temperature of the phase change material. The phase change material exhibits different electrical characteristics depending on its state. For example, in its amorphous state the material exhibits a higher resistivity than in the crystalline state. Such phase change material may switch between numerous electrically detectable conditions of varying resistivities within a nanosecond time scale with the input of pico joules of energy. Since phase change material permits reversible phase transformation, memory bit status can be distinguished by determining the phase of phase change material in the memory bit.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cross sectional view of a conventional phase change memory cell structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the phase change memory cell structure includes a silicon substrate 10 with a bottom electrode 12 made of conductive material such as Al or W thereon. A dielectric layer 14 is formed over the bottom electrode 12 and a heating electrode 16 is formed in a portion of the dielectric layer 14. Moreover, a patterned phase change material layer 20 is stacked over the dielectric layer 14. The patterned phase change material layer 20 is formed within a dielectric layer 18 which is formed over the dielectric layer 14 and a bottom surface of the phase change material layer 20, partially contacting the heating electrode 16. A dielectric layer 24 is formed over the dielectric layer 18 and a top electrode 22 is formed over and in the dielectric layer 24. The top electrode 22 partially covers the dielectric layer 24 and portions thereof protrude downward through the dielectric layer 24, thereby contacting the phase change material layer 20 thereunder.
During memory cell operation, a large current is generated by the heating electrode 16 and flows therethrough, thus heating up an interface between the phase change material layer pattern 20 and the heating electrode 16 and thereby transforming a portion (not shown) of the phase change material layer 20 into either the amorphous state or the crystalline state depending on the length of time and amount of current that flows through the heating electrode 16.
Currently, to enhance applications of phase change memory devices, size of the memory cells of the phase change memory devices is being required to be further reduced. With size reduction of the memory cell, however, it also means working current of the memory cells should also be reduced while increasing memory cell density.
One problem found with conventional phase change memory cell structure as shown in FIG. 1, is that the amount of write current and reset current required to successfully change the phase state of the phase change material during cell operation is relatively large. One solution to reduce write current and reset current and to successfully turn on the phase change reaction of the memory cells, is to reduce the contact surface between the heating electrode 16 and the phase change material layer 20, such as through reducing a diameter D0 of the heating electrode 16, thereby maintaining or increasing a current density at the interface.
Reduction of the diameter D0 of the heating electrode 16, however, is limited by current photolithography process ability, thereby limiting size reduction of the heating electrode 16 and ability to decrease working currents such as write current and reset current.

Memory devices, stylus-shaped structures, electronic apparatuses, and methods for fabricating the same

Industrial Technology Research Institute


There is disclosed a method for forming an X-ray image formed with less exposure than is customary and having an excellent resolution. The X-ray image can be formed by subjecting a light-sensitive material comprising a support, having provided thereon a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion sensitized with a sensitizing dye represented by the following Formula (I) on only one side of the support to photographing via a green color emission fluorescent screen with a soft X-ray emitted from an X-ray generating device with a tube voltage of 25.sup.kv to 40.sup.kv. In the characteristic curve represented by a rectangular coordinate constituted by optical density and logarithmic exposure, the average gradation shown by the gradient of a line drawn by connecting the point at which 0.25 is added to the minimum density (hereinafter referred to as Dmin) to the point at which 2.0 is added to Dmin is set at 2.8 to 3.6; the average gradation shown by a gradient of a line drawn by connecting the point at which 0.25 is added to Dmin to the point at which 0.5 is added to Dmin is set at 1.9 or more; and the maximum density is set at 2.8 to 3.3: ##STR1## wherein Formula (I) are as defined in the specification.

In recent years, breast cancer among women has become an increasingly serious problem. Palpation, ultrasonic image diagnosis and mammography are used for determination of the presence of a cancer of the breast. In particular, the usefulness of mammography with a fluorescent screen is becoming clear. In older mammography techniques, an X-ray film for industrial use was used to form an image directly with an X-ray but there have been the problems with this method from excessive radiation exposure and accumulation.
Mammography with a fluorescent screen has an exposure of 1/10th to 1/100th that resulting from the methods for forming an image directly with an X-ray and is very effective for reducing exposure. Therefore, it is becoming the most effective technique for detection of a cancer of the breast.
The problem with mammography with a fluorescent screen is inferior resolution. The cause thereof is an image which is fuzzed due to interception by the screen and a reduced exposure of an X-ray to increase the quantum mottle and lower the S/N ratio. Particularly in photographing a breast, a very small absorption difference of an X-ray due to a tissue change to a morbid state has to be turned into an image and a very small change to a morbid state of a fine line image has to be turned into an image, so that this reduction of the S/N ratio is a very important problem.
Various attempts have been made in order to improve resolution. In an X-ray generation device, it has been tried to turn an X-ray into a homogeneity by a molybdenum filter with a molybdenum target. In a fluorescent screen, high density loading of a fluorescent substance has been tried and adhesiveness to a film has been improved by providing the screen surface with a matting property to improve sharpness. Also, in a cassette, a carbon resin is used, so that its strength is compatible with a thinner thickness and the loss of an X-ray due to absorption thereof by the cassette has been reduced.
Various light-sensitive materials are offered so that the relationship between sensitivity and resolution may be improved.
Various improvements have been tried but the relationship between sensitivity and resolution has not yet been satisfactorily determined.
Conventional light-sensitive materials for photographing a breast are roughly classified as a low gamma type represented by (a) or a high gamma type represented by (b) in the characteristic curve of FIG. 1. In the low gamma type of (a), much information is available from the low exposure portion to the high exposure portion, but it is difficult to perceive the contrast and therefore to make a diagnosis. In the high gamma type of (b), contrast is excellent and the image needed to make a diagnosis can be obtained. However, in the high exposure portion, it is difficult to make a diagnosis because the density is too high.
In the image required for photographing a breast, a very small absorption difference in an X-ray attributable to a change to a morbid state of a mammary gland in the breast has to be turned into an image by giving contrast and at the same time, the skin line of the breast has to be clearly pictured. The low gamma type of (a) is suited to picturing the skin line. However, it has a high possibility of missing a change to a morbid state because a very small absorption difference can not be emphasized by giving contrast. On the contrary, the high contrast type of (b) is suited to picturing the inside of a breast, but the skin line can not be pictured without using a high luminance sharcastein because the densities of the skin line and back are too high.
Also, in a light-sensitive material, not only improvement in the relationship between sensitivity and resolution, but also improvement in handling properties are important factors. That is, there are various problems generated in handling, for example, pressure sensitization and desensitization, color stain of a processed light-sensitive material, residual silver, and discolorination by hypo after storage over a long period of time.
An X-ray light-sensitive material for photographing a breast is susceptible to pressure blackening and pressure desensitization marks because the light-sensitive material is folded by its own weight when it is loaded into a cassette and because mechanical force is exerted on it in an automatic exposing device or developing device in which mechanical transportation is used. Such troubles are likely to leading to serious problems in a medical diagnosis.
Various attempts at changing the physical properties of light-sensitive materials have been tried for the purpose of improving pressure sensitization and desensitization. The descriptions thereof can be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,536,491, 3,775,128, 3,003,878, 2,759,821, and 3,772,032, and JP-A-53-3325 (the term "JP-A" as used herewith means an unexamined Japanese patent application), JP-A-50-56227, JP-A-50-147324, and JP-A-51-141625. In these techniques, however, while pressure desensitization is improved, deterioration of the physical properties of the binder, such as its adhesiveness, drying property and film surface scratching property, is notable and can not basically be improved.
Further, there are available as additives, the inorganic salts of chlorine and typical elements described in JP-A-2-6803, and polyhydroxybenzenes disclosed in JP-A-1-72141. In any case, however, a sufficient improvement has not yet been achieved.
An improvement in the pressure property of a silver halide emulsion itself has variously been tried. It is well known in the art that in general, solid silver halide grains having a large grain size are susceptible to pressure desensitization and that tabular grains are susceptible to transformation with pressure and generation of a pressure blackening.
Meanwhile, there is an intense need to shorten the processing time of an X-ray light-sensitive material for photographing a breast. The medical detection of a breast cancer is getting popular and the persons to be examined are increasing. Further, in a medical examination, at least 4 photographs per one person are usually taken, and therefore it is desired to process a high number of light-sensitive materials in as short time as possible.
A sensitizing dye remains when the processing time is shortened and a color stain is likely to generate. Further, silver and hypo are likely to remain and discoloration is likely to take place after storage over a long period of time. The solution of these various problems would benefit users very much.


A client device determines a local user gradient value based on a current user preference vector and a local item gradient value based on a current item feature vector. The client device updates a user preference vector by using the local user gradient value and updates an item feature vector by using the local item gradient value. The client device determines a neighboring client device based on a predetermined adjacency relationship. The local item gradient value is sent by the client device to the neighboring client device. The client device receives a neighboring item gradient value sent by the neighboring client device. The client device updates the item feature vector by using the neighboring item gradient value. In response to the client device determining that a predetermined iteration stop condition is satisfied, the client device outputs the user preference vector and the item feature vector.

In the era of big data, training samples can be formed by mining mass data, and through training, data models in various forms can be obtained. In the existing technology, a common implementation solution is to store training samples together at a server and perform model training at the server. The centralized training mode has at least the following disadvantages:
A conventional data model training method cannot meet privacy protection demands: First, user's private data needs to be uploaded to the server for centralized processing, and this is very sensitive to some users. Even if the server does not actively abuse or disclose user privacy, there is still a danger that the server can be attacked and consequently data can be leaked in batches.
In addition, a large number of storage and computing resources are needed for big data model training. With the development of machine learning technologies, both the quantity of data and the complexity of models used for the training are increasing. Thus, it will be more difficult to meet big data model training demands only by improving server's performance or increasing the quantity of servers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Recommendation system construction method and apparatus


Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with objectively predicting biochemical recurrence with co-occurring gland tensors in localized subgraphs are described. One example apparatus includes a set of logics that associate directional disorder with a risk of failure in a material. A first logic detects a fundamental unit of composition in the material, segments boundaries of the fundamental unit, and calculates a directional tensor for the fundamental unit. A second logic constructs a localized sparsified subgraph whose nodes represent centroids of the fundamental units, defines pairwise spatial relationships between the fundamental units, and constructs a directional co-occurrence matrix based on the spatial relationships. A third logic derives second order statistical features from the co-occurrence matrix, and produces a risk failure score as a function of the second order statistical features. The second order statistical features include the entropy of the directional organization of the fundamental units.

Thousands of men diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP) in the United States undergo radical prostatectomy (RP) each year. For a significant proportion of these patients, biochemical recurrence (BCR) of the prostate cancer occurs within five years of surgery. Consequently, detecting BCR shortly after surgery may facilitate determining whether other treatments are necessary, and, if necessary, are initiated. Gleason scoring is a pathological grading system based on visual analysis by a pathologist of glandular and nuclear morphology. Gleason scoring is currently regarded as the best biomarker for predicting CaP aggressiveness and long-term post-surgical patient outcome. However, the post-surgical outcome of CaP patients with the same intermediate Gleason scores can vary significantly. Furthermore, Gleason scoring is subjective and is, therefore, susceptible to considerable inter-reviewer variability. Due to these limitations of Gleason scoring, other post-operative nomograms have been developed for predicting CaP aggressiveness and long-term post-surgical patient outcome.
Conventional nomograms may incorporate additional clinical variables to assist in predicting CaP aggressiveness and long-term post-surgical patient outcome. For example, tumor stage, pre-operative prostate specific antigen (PSA), and positive surgical margins have been integrated into the Kattan nomogram by Kattan et al., Postoperative nomogram for disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, J. Clinical Oncology, 17(5): 1499-1499, 1999. The Han Tables use the Gleason sum, tumor stage, and pre-operative PSA to construct a series of probability tables. Han et al., Biochemical (prostate specific antigen) recurrence probability following radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer, J. Urol, 169(2):517-523, February 2003. Adding the date of surgery to a nomogram as a prognostic variable was described by Stephenson et al., in J. Clinical Oncology, 23(28):7005-7012, 2005. CARPA, developed at the University of California at San Francisco, separates post-operative CaP patients into risk categories and incorporates the percentage of positive biopsy cores into its risk assessment. Cooperberg et al., Multi-institutional validation of the UCSF cancer of the prostate risk assessment for prediction of recurrence after radical prostatectomy, Cancer, 107(10):2384-2391, 2006. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MS-KCC) nomogram incorporates age and time free of cancer. Hinev et al., Validation of pre- and postoperative nomograms used to predict the pathological stage and prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy: a multi-institutional study, J. BU ON.: official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology, 16(2):316, 2011. These conventional nomograms all rely on Gleason scoring, and consequently suffer from the inter-reviewer variability and subjectivity that affects the predictive value of Gleason scoring.
The advent of digital whole-slide scanners has allowed the digitization of tissue slides. Digitized slide images have been subjected to quantitative histomorphometry (QH), which applies computational tools to describe, classify, and diagnose disease patterns from the images. However, QH has conventionally been modeled after pathological Gleason grading. For example, morphological descriptors including gland size and perimeter ratio have been used in automated grading systems to distinguish between benign and malignant regions. Similarly, image texture has been used to characterize the appearance of CaP morphology. Extracting second-order image intensity texture features from co-occurrence matrices was described in Jafari-Khouzani et. al., Multiwavelet grading of pathological images of prostate, IEEE Trans on Biomedical Engineering, 50(6):697-704, 2003. Co-occurrence matrices have been used to evaluate the frequency with which two image intensities appear within a pre-defined distance of each other within a region of interest. First and second-order statistical features can be extracted to describe the local image texture. Haralick et al., Textural features for image classification, IEEE Trans on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, 3(6):610-621, 1973. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,634,610 disclosed a probabilistic assessment determined through the use of a logistic regression model based on a texture analysis of an image of a region of interest. However, texture features may suffer from a lack of transparency and interpretability.
Attempts to model CaP appearance have used the spatial arrangement of individual nuclei and glands. Color, texture, and structural morphology have been used to perform automated Gleason scoring, while nuclear roundness variance has been used to predict BCR. Graph networks have also been used to characterize the spatial arrangement of nuclei and glands. For example, using Voronoi and Delaunay-based graph tessellations to describe tissue architecture in CaP histology is described by Christens-Barry and Partin, Quantitative grading of tissue and nuclei in prostate cancer for prognosis prediction, Johns Hopkins Apl. Technical Digest, 18:226-233, 1997. Minimum spanning trees have been shown to strongly correlate with Gleason scoring by Doyle et al., Cascaded discrimination of normal, abnormal, and confounder classes in histopathology: Gleason grading of prostate cancer, BMC bioinformatics, 13(1):282, 2012. However, these conventional techniques all rely on fully connected graphs in which nuclei embedded in stromal and epithelial regions are connected in the graphs. This connecting of stromal and epithelial nuclei results in features extracted from conventional graphs representing averaged attributes of both stromal and epithelial regions. Unfortunately, such fully connected graphs are not sensitive to local glandular organization. Thus, while conventional methods for predicting BCR in prostate cancer patients have incorporated additional clinical variables, utilized QH, and explored image textures and fully-connected graphs to assist in predicting CaP aggressiveness, conventional methods still suffer from the drawbacks of those techniques.

Quantitatively characterizing disease morphology with co-occurring gland tensors in localized subgraphs


The present disclosure relates to a detector system for imaging an optical signal received by a graded index (GRIN) optical element to account for known variations in a graded index distribution of the GRIN optical element. The detector system incorporates a plurality of optical detector elements configured to receive optical rays received by the GRIN optical element at specific locations on a plane of the GRIN optical element. Ray tracing software is configured to receive and map the optical rays to a plurality of additional specific locations on the plane based on the known variations in the graded index distribution of the GRIN optical element. A processor uses algorithms for diagonalization of a linear system matrix to determine information on both an intensity and an angle of the received optical rays at each one of the plurality of specific locations on the plane.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Optical lens based systems are the backbone for many commercial applications, e.g., imaging and directed illumination systems. At the heart of these systems is the lensing optical system. However, the optical performance of an optical lensing system is limited by fabrication capabilities. For example, the ability to image at once the sky hemi-sphere for astronomical applications, which require wide angle cameras (such as for virtual reality applications), or to project light from a planar emitter to the hemisphere or a selected area on the hemisphere for LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging applications), are limited by lensing design and fabrication methods for manufacturing fish-eye lenses.
For a fish-eye lens that projects the hem i-sphere on the lower hemisphere of a Luneburg spherical lens, it was recently shown that the lens could be modified using transformation optics to project a sky hemi-sphere onto a plane (where a detector could be positioned at, for example). However, such a device requires a graded-index (GRIN) optics with large variations in index across the structure volume. This is problematic because present day fabrication processes for GRIN optics are limited in respect to the refractive index difference and spatial resolution, especially in the short wavelength range (i.e., near infra-red, visible, ultra-violet). Therefore, the performance of current technology implementation for the manufacture of GRIN optics prevents the use of such optics in important applications.

System and method for focal-plane illuminator/detector (FASID) design for improved graded index lenses

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC


An optical pickup device for recording and reproducing information by tilting and horizontally driving a lens holder, holding an objective lens, to irradiate an optical disk with a recording/reproducing laser light from a light source. The optical pickup device has a reflector for reflecting a portion of the recording/reproducing laser light led to the lens holder from the light source; a detector fixedly placed at a position at which the amount of received light for detection, which is the recording/reproducing laser light reflected by the reflector, varies according to the tilt angle of the lens holder; and tilt angle acquisition means for acquiring the tilt angle of the objective lens from the light receiving amount detected by the detector.

An optical pickup device irradiates a recording plane of an optical disk with a recording/reproduction laser beam, to thus record or reproduce information. At this time, in order to effect recording and reproduction with high accuracy, there is a necessity for holding an objective lens for gathering the recording/reproduction laser beam on an optical disk in parallel with the optical disk. To this end, an objective lens is mounted with high accuracy in a production stage. For instance, Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2000-57585 describes an objective lens tilt-monitoring device capable of adjusting the tilt of mount of the objective lens with high accuracy. This device irradiates the periphery of the objective lens with light, and detects the inclination of the objective lens in accordance with the intensity of light reflected from the periphery and a position where reflected light has returned. This device enables high-precision mounting of the objective lens.
However, even when the objective lens is mounted with high accuracy, there may arise a case where an objective lens does not lie parallel to an optical disk, because of warpage in an optical disk. Accordingly, a recorded area of the optical disk is subjected to test exposure while the tilt angle of the objective lens is being changed. The tilt angle of the objective lens achieved when reproduction quality of reference value or more is achieved and stored as reference tilt angle. There is adopted tilt correction for correcting the tilt angle of an objective lens by reference to the stored reference tilt angle. Even when warpage has arisen in an optical disk, the objective lens and the optical disk can be held in parallel with each other, thereby enhancing reliability of recording and reproduction of information.
However, the reference tilt angle has hitherto been stored as a voltage applied to a drive device which tilts and drives an objective lens. The drive device comprises two electromagnetic coils which impart vertical thrust to respective right and left objective lenses. When the objective lens shifts in a radial direction as a result of the optical pickup device having performed seeking operation in the radial direction of a disk, a displacement arises between the center of the thrust originating from an electromagnetic coil and the centroid of a lens holder assembly, and the tilt angle varies even for a constant voltage. In short, no correspondence exists between an applied voltage and a tilt angle. Accordingly, even when a storage voltage has been applied, there is a problem of the objective lens failing to assume a reference tilt angle and a drop arising in recording/reproduction accuracy.
Therefore, the present invention aims at providing an optical pickup device which enables a further improvement in recording/reproduction accuracy.

Optical pickup device and optical disk device


This invention relates to a method and apparatus for flexibly controlling sorting decisions for a flow cytometer or similar instrument at a purity vs. yield ratio of sorted particles, particularly at high event rates. The system monitors distances between sequential objects to determine if they are in close enough proximity to be within a single resolution unit of the sorting device. The "friend" or "foe" status of neighboring events is considered by this system in dealing with detected "coincident" events. The system operates on information of the desirability to sort the object, i.e. droplet, based upon the properties of the individual object. A storage and retrieval method is provided for making the information available at the time a sort operation based on a sorting logic condition is performed. Accordingly, an easily reconfigurable mode of operation control is provided to allow customized sorting strategies, based on the needs of individual applications or experiments. This system may be included as an integral part of a flow cytometer/cell sorter or similar instrument and may also be provided as an outboard module to such systems.

This invention relates to a system for investigating particles, and in particular to such a system wherein sorted particles are selected at a yield/purity ratio at very high signal processing rates.
Systems for sorting minute particles in a fluid may be referred to as flow cytometer sorting systems. These systems are used in the medical research and diagnostic fields for the rapid analysis and processing of biological cells. Systems for sorting particles suspended in a liquid according to certain characteristics are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,393,606, 4,063,284 and 4,487,320. Specifically, in these prior art systems optical measurements of characteristics of each particle of a group of particles are made while the particles are suspended in a liquid. In one such system, a flow cytometer cell sorter analyzes cells or particles in suspension which are labeled with a fluorescent marker and are carried single file in a fast-moving liquid stream sequentially through a tightly focused laser beam whose wavelength is adjusted to illuminate the fluorescent dye (Bonner, W. A., Hulett, H. R., Sweet, R. G., and Herzenberg, L. A., Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 43:3 404, 1972). The fluorescence produced during the laser beam crossing is collected by an,optical system and projected through spectral filters onto photodetectors. These detectors convert the fluorescence to electrical pulses whose amplitudes depend on the total light reaching the detectors. Particles having predetermined characteristics are recognized by their distinctive fluorescence. After measurements of the characteristics, each particle flows in a liquid jet stream until the particle reaches a point where the jet breaks into discrete droplets. At this point, an electric charge is induced on each droplet containing a particle to be sorted and the charged and uncharged droplets are then sorted electrostatically into appropriate recovery vessels.
Previously proposed methods of separating particles have also included separation on the basis of electronically measured cell volume by charging cells according to a sensed volume and detecting the charged cells in an electrostatic field for separation into collection vessels. (Fulwyler, M. J., Electronic Separation of Biological Cells by Volume, Science 150: 910, 1965). A system has also been proposed for quantitative analysis and sorting of particles based on multiple parameters to increase the ability to differentiate among cell types by measuring the differences between multiple parameters of the cells (Steinkamp, et al., A New Multiparameter Separator for Microscopic Particles and Biological Cells, Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 44, No. 9, 1301 (1973). In this system, cells stained with fluorescent dyes in liquid suspension enter a flow chamber where electrical and optical sensors measure cell volume, single and two color fluorescence and light scatter to produce electrical signals. A processing signal unit processes the electrical signals according to preselected parameters and electrically charges droplets containing the desired cells. The typical rate at which cells are sorted in this system is a few hundred cells/sec.
A number of proposals have been described for multiple parameters, increasing processing speeds and accuracy of flow cytometer cell sorters. For example, systems have been proposed for electronics modularization to process as many as eight input parameters for sorting cells (Hiebert, R. D., Jett, J. H., and Salzman, G. C., Modular Electronics for Flow Cytometry and Sorting: the Lacel System, Cytometry, 1:337, 1980); a system operating at rates of 15,000-25,000 cells/sec by increasing the pressure in the jet stream to increase droplet production frequency (Peters, D., Branscomb, E., Dean, P., Merrill, R., Pinkel, D., Van Dilla M., and Gray, J. W., The LLNL.High-Speed Sorter: Design Features, Operational Characteristics, and Biological Utility. Cytometry 6:290, 1985; Peters, D., Dean, P., and Merrill, J. T., Multi-Parameter, Computer Controlled Operation of a FACS II Cell Sorter, Cytometry 2:350, 1982). Examples of systems for increasing accuracy are: a system to assure proper timing (Martin, J. C., McLaughlin, S. R., and Hiebert, R. D., A Real Time Delay Monitor for Flow-System Cell Sorters, J. Histochem. and Cytochem., 27(1): 277, 1979), sort timing a system for increasing droplet breakoff stability (Stovel, R. T., The Influence of Particles on Jet Breakoff, J. Histochem. and Cytochem. 25(7): 813, 1977; Auer, R. E., Method and Apparatus for Detecting Change in the Breakoff Point in a Droplet Generation System (analysis of blood cells), U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,320, 1984; Auer, R. E., Method and Apparatus for Detecting Change in the Breakoff Point in a Droplet Generation System (radiation sensing means), U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,829, 1987); a system describing individual cell sorting (Stovel, R. T., Individual Cell Sorting, J. Histochem. and Cytochem. 27(1): 284, 1979); a system correlating multiparameter data for each cell (Parson, J. D., Hiebert, R. D., and Martin, J. C., Active Analog Pipeline Delays for High Signal Rates in Multistation Flow Cytometers, Cytometry 64:388, 1985); and a system for parallel processing a signal from a large number of detectors (van den Engh, G., and Stokdijk, W., Parallel Processing Data Acquisition System for Multilaser Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting, Cytometry 10: 282, 1989). Further, systems for improving the processing of electronics of flow cytometry applications with computers have been proposed (Steinkamp, J. A., Fulwyler, M. J., Coutler, J. R., Hiebert, R. D., Horney, J. L., and Mullaney, P. F., A New Multiparameter Separator for Microscopic Particles and Biological Cells, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 44: 1301, 1973; Steinkamp, J. A., and Hiebert, R. D., Signal Processing Electronics for Multiple Electronic and Optical Measurements on Cells, Cytometry 2(4): 232, 1982), and computer systems for automating cells systems with multiple samples based on multiple parameters (Arndt-Jovin, D., and Jovin, T. M., Computer-Controlled Multiparameter Analysis and Sorting of Cells and Particles, J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22: 622, 1974; Arndt-Jovin, D., and Jovin, T. M., Automated Cell Sorting With Flow Systems, Ann. Rev. Biophys. Bioeng. 7: 527, 1978). The above described proposals having the advantage of more accurately sorting cells have not allowed for flexibly determining sorting decisions based on the particular experiment performed.
In the experiments performed when objects (e.g. cells) are separated, i.e. sorted by a flow cytometer/cell sorter, at relatively slow event rates the individual objects are usually spaced a distance from each other which is sufficient to allow the objects to be separated individually. However, when the objects are sorted at higher rates, objects may be closer together and multiple objects may be present within a single sorting unit, i.e "droplet". This condition of having multiple objects within a single sorting unit is considered to be an "overlap" or "coincident" condition. Further, when objects are coincident, some fraction of the sorted objects are undesired resulting in a "contamination" of the sample.
The yield of the system is described as the number of events which are sorted by the system. Purity of the sample is described as the percentage of the sample which does not contain undesired objects sorted due to coincidence with desired objects. When a coincident condition occurs, if all the objects which are coincident are of the same type ("friends"), i.e. all the objects will be sorted into the same recovery vessel, then no losses of yield or purity will be observed. If, however, the objects which are coincident are of different types ("foes") the objects which are sorted will have a loss of purity unless the coincident objects are sorted from the desired objects. In the previously described systems, the additional sorting of coincident objects from objects of interest would lead to a loss of yield.
In the previously proposed systems which make a determination of a coincident condition, the systems take one of two approaches in determining the sorting of coincident events: either the systems do not sort any particles which are determined to be coincident or the systems ignore the coincident condition and sort all particles whether or not the particles are coincident (Steinkamp, J. A., and Hiebert, R. D., Signal Processing Electronics for Multiple Electronic and Optical Measurements on Cells, Cytometry 2(4): 232, 1982). There is no consideration taken as to whether particles are "friends" or "foes". The first approach results in a sample having all contamination removed from the sample. In this approach a condition of "maximum purity" is achieved and all sorting units with contaminating particles are discarded. In this case, the contaminating particles may be either "friends" or "foes". If they are "friends" and discarded, an unnecessary loss of yield is realized. The second approach results in a sample having a contamination of the sample with particles which are undesired, and therefore, results in a sample having less than "maximum purity". The second approach may be used in experiments in which the purpose of the experiment is to recover as many particular objects as possible (i.e. "maximum yield"). Moreover, in this type of experiment contamination is not important to the user and any sorting unit containing desired objects is recovered whether or not the sorting unit also contains a contamination.
A proposal has been made for sorting decisions with droplet charging control electronic circuitry to handle independent input signals for sorting cells in sort directions based on a sorting decision scheme employing a variety of coincidence and anticoincidence requirements (McCutcheon, M. J., and Miller, R. G., Flexible Sorting Decision and Droplet Charging Control Electronic Circuitry for Flow Cytometer-Cell Sorters, Cytometry 2: 219, 1982). In this system, a Read Only Memory (ROM) stores 16 separate sorting programs for making sorting decisions based on multiple parameters. The sorting decisions are inputted to circuits which exclude invalid sorting coincidences for cells which are detected separately yet close together in time as to result in conflicting sorting requirements. The system provides for three levels of control over sorting conflicts: 1) treat as unimportant the presence of contamination from other sorting fractions in a given sorting fraction; 2) recognize that a particular class of cells is undesirable and have the system lock out valid sorting events occurring after the undesirable cell; and 3) prevent contamination of the sorted cell by events still being processed. In that system, all events which are considered coincident are either aborted or ignored with no regard to their "friend" or "foe" status. Therefore, the system only allows sorting at either maximum purity or maximum yield.
This invention makes use of a recognition that it is desirable for particular experiments to have a contamination level which is settable by the user. Therefore, the present system sorts particles at a selected yield/purity ratio which ratio can include an intermediate value of the maximum yield and maximum purity. Moreover, the present invention flexibly sorts particles based on the needs of each individual experiment or assay, unlike prior art systems which fix sorting of particles based on either maximum purity or maximum yield. Therefore, a particular experiment which might be able to tolerate a contamination rate, for example 10% contamination, would be able to achieve a higher yield of sorted particles than if the same experiment was forced to use a system based on maximum purity. Also, unlike prior art systems, the present invention takes into consideration "friend" or "foe" status of neighboring events when determining coincidence for a more precise control of purity/yield considerations.
An additional advantage of the present system over prior art systems is that the quality of experiments at both high and low speeds can be improved. The quality of experiments at any speed can be affected by the random arrival nature of events within a sorting unit in some systems (e.g. flow cytometer/cell sorter). The sorting unit, whether defined by droplet, fluidic switching, zapping or other technology, can be considered to be a queuing length. Moreover, the arrival statistics of particles to this queue can be random or non-random. Random arrival can be described by queuing theory using poisson distribution functions. Other mathematical models may describe non-random arrival statistics of particles to the queue. Predictions of particle arrival and servicing (e.g serial or parallel processing) in queues, including multiple path and/or multiple queues can also be described. This invention makes use of the arrival statistics and servicing requirements in the queue to separate particles on the basis of yield or purity or any desired combination or ratio of these quantities.
In an exemplary and nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, a system trigger accepts incoming analog input signals, for example from commercially available particle detectors. The input signals are produced by the particle detector for all cells which pass through the system. The input signals may be generated when the surface of a cell passes by a selected point of the particle detector, i.e light scatter in a flow cytometer/cell sorter. In operation of the system, an input signal above a user determined threshold value triggers the initiation of the system and synchronizes parts of the system such as the event timer, inter-event timer and traditional data acquisition sort system.
In this embodiment of the system, an event timer is provided to measure the event time from when an input signal triggers the system to the time at which a sort pulse should be applied to a particle, i.e. a charge pulse should be applied near droplet breakoff of a flow cytometer for droplet sorting. The event time is a relative constant value that is defined by the physical separation of the signal excitation source from the location at which the sorting will occur and the velocity at which the object is traveling between these points. The event timer provides a signal to the system at the time a sort pulse should be applied to a particle.
This implementation includes an inter-event timer responsive to successive trigger signals to measure the time between system triggers. The time between system triggers is used to measure the distance between the cells and to determine if the distance is less than a user determined selected interval. If the distance is less than the selected interval, the measured cells are considered to be overlapping or coincident. The system stores the inter-event timer measurements in a buffer for use with sorting logic circuitry in making a sort decision.
In this embodiment, the sorting logic circuitry is responsive to the trigger signal, the inter-event timer measurements and respective detection signals which correspond to selected parameters of the particles to be sorted. The sorting logic circuitry operates on a user-selectable function of the inter-event timer measurements and the respective detection signals, hereafter called the sort decision logic condition. The sort decision logic condition can be selected by the user to correspond to a yield/purity ratio. In response to the sort decision logic condition, meaning that the object was of interest, a sort pulse is generated. After receiving an event timer signal, the sort pulse is applied to the object of interest and the object is sorted to an appropriate container.

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston


A watch having a middle part including a top face arranged for receiving a polygonal bezel made of a first material. The corners of the bezel are truncated and the middle part is fitted with angular elements made of a second material, secured to the top face thereof, and arranged so as to be substituted for the truncated corners of the bezel when the latter is mounted on the middle part.

Watches comprising an exterior made of soft material, such as wood, are known to those skilled in the art for their particularly decorative appearance. In existing embodiments, the case is either entirely formed of wood, or formed of a metal body covered with a wooden cover. Reference can be made, for further information about these embodiments, to Patent Application Nos. DE 233 309 and CH 667 177.
One drawback of the exterior made of soft material is its lack of resistance to wear. Since angular parts, such as corners, are particularly exposed to wear, existing embodiments do not include any, but have rounded shapes. Such watches are consequently limited to circular and oval geometries.
Watches whose exterior is formed of a fragile material are also known. Unlike soft materials, fragile materials are generally quite resistant to wear, but are liable to break at the angular parts. For this reason, circular and oval geometries are also preferred for watches comprising an exterior made of fragile material.


A geriatric chair provides easy patient entry and exit and a stable restraint-free environment for a patient seated in a chair while left unattended. The chair includes a floor engaging foot rest portion disposed forwardly of the fulcrum member and a rearward floor engaging member on a side of the fulcrum member opposite from the foot rest portion. The chair is movable about the fulcrum member between a patient entry/exit position wherein the floor engaging foot rest portion and the fulcrum member engage the floor and a patient rest position wherein the fulcrum member and the rearward floor engaging member engage the floor in a manner such that the chair cannot be moved back to the patient entry/exit position by the patient while sitting in the chair unattended. The center of gravity of the chair is movable between a position forward of the fulcrum member when in the floor engaging position and a position rearward of the fulcrum member when in the patient rest position.

The present invention relates to geriatric chair constructions, and in particular, it relates to a geriatric chair that provides easy patient entry and a safe, stable, restraint-free environment while the patient is in the chair.
In the past, geriatric or invalid chairs typically have included mechanical restraints to keep senior citizens or invalids from falling out of the chair while left unattended. However, such restraints have come under considerable criticism as inhumane, and even dangerous at times.
There has been considerable effort in developing invalid or geriatric chairs which provide for easy patient entry or exit of the chair. Examples of some of the simpler structures developed for geriatric or invalid chairs are found in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ McCollough 1,534,796 Nelson 1,834,345 Mallett 2,065,233 Thornton 2,354,845 Kissell 2,487,880 Reinholz 2,722,967 Nobile 2,986,200 Weil et al 3,137,511 Gates 3,261,031 Ahrent et al 3,406,772 Dalton et al 3,712,671 Twitchell et al 4,268,054 Assanah et al 4,453,732 Runion et al 4,583,758 Britz 4,654,904 Grossfield 4,762,365 ______________________________________
Examples of more complicated structures can be found in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ Mott 1,698,344 Tracy 2,053,852 Perry 2,550,593 McLaughlin 2,751,027 Poulin 2,869,623 Bogart 3,091,426 Heyl, Jr. et al 3,138,402 Barabas 3,147,038 Stryker 3,158,398 Specketer 3,218,102 Gaffney 3,250,569 Yates et al 3,343,871 Burke 3,479,087 Rogol 3,532,353 McKee 3,596,991 Condon 3,623,767 Wrethander 3,787,089 Weant et al 3,807,795 Bogart 3,848,845 Cecchetti 3,865,050 Mashuda 3,964,786 Gaffney 4,007,960 Deucher 4,067,249 Deucher 4,076,304 Gaffney 4,083,599 Ferguson et al 4,141,094 Alvis 4,185,335 Shaffer 4,231,614 Andreasson 4,249,774 Taylor 4,300,249 DiVito 4,453,766 Wier et al 4,456,086 Morford 4,565,385 Schiller et al 4,632,455 Baker 4,779,881 Trkla 4,949,408 ______________________________________
Development has also occurred in foot rest structures for geriatric and invalid chairs. Examples of some foot rests are described in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ Steiger 1,917,557 Jones et al 3,379,450 Williams 4,593,929 Mulholland 4,966,379 Davis 4,974,905 Earls 4,997,200 ______________________________________
However, none of the structures shown or described in the above-mentioned U.S. patents provide a solution for an invalid or geriatric chair that provides easy entry or exit by the patient while providing a safe and stable restraint free environment when the patient is left unattended in the chair.


A playpen hub assembly includes a base, a first support part and a second support part. The first support part and the second support part are pivoted to two sides of a base body of the base respectively. A slider in the base is moved between a lock position and a release position along a first rail in the base body. An end of the slider has a first block structure for constraining rotation of the first support part relative to the base body. Another end of the slider has a second block structure for constraining rotation of the second support part relative to the base body. A driving part in the base is used for moving the slider to the release position. When the slider is located at the lock position, the first rail is substantially parallel to the first support part and the second support part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hub assembly, and more specifically, to a playpen hub assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a hub assembly for a playpen comprises a base and a plurality of support pipes pivoted to the base in a radial manner. A lock device is commonly disposed on the base for avoiding erroneous playpen folding operations. In other words, when the playpen hub assembly is in an unfolded state, the lock device may constrain rotation of the plurality of support pipes relative to the base so that the plurality of support pipes and the base may provide steady support for objects placed on the playpen. On the other hand, when a user wants to fold up the playpen, the user just needs to lift the lock device upward to release restriction of the lock device for the plurality of support pipes so that the plurality of support pipes may rotate relative to the base accordingly. In such a manner, the user may fold the playpen up easily. A lateral engagement method and a vertical engagement method are commonly applied to structural designs of the said lock device. The lateral engagement method involves utilizing knife-shaped hooks to hook the plurality of support pipes laterally for constraining rotation of the plurality of support pipes relative to the base. However, this method usually requires a complicated structural design for assuring that each knife-shaped hook may hook a corresponding support pipe laterally. Furthermore, the vertical engagement method involves utilizing a hook formed on the base to vertically engage with a corresponding slot on one support pipe for constraining rotation of the support pipe relative to the base. That is to say, when the user wants to fold the playpen up, the user just needs to lift the hook of the base upward to release engagement of the hook and the slot so that the support pipe may rotate relative to the base accordingly. Thus, this method may allow the user to fold the playpen up easily and quickly. However, in playpen structural design, disposal of a two-step lock device in a playpen is necessary for safety concerns. In other words, for operational safety, the user needs to perform two release operations to fold up the playpen. Therefore, although the said vertical engagement method may allow the user to fold up the playpen easily and quickly, this method still has safety concerns in use, since this method only requires the user to perform one lifting operation to complete the playpen folding process.


An engine (10) and a method of operating it during cold start and ensuing running using a cold start aid such as a glow plug control (24) and glow plugs (22). The control (24) monitors all glow plugs to distinguish between one that is effective and one that is ineffective. When a glow plug is disclosed to be ineffective, the engine control system (14) reduces the quantity of fuel introduced into the respective combustion chamber (12) in comparison to the quantity of fuel that would be introduced were the respective glow plug effective. This is beneficial in keeping the collection of hydrocarbons of surfaces of a diesel particulate filter (20) from increasing due to an ineffective glow plug.

Diesel engines in certain motor vehicles often use a starting aid, particularly when engine starting is attempted in cold weather. The starting aid is employed until sufficient heat has been developed in the combustion chambers for assured combustion of injected diesel fuel by compression ignition. In the absence of using a starting aid during a cold start, in-cylinder combustion may be incomplete or not occur at all, leading to increased hydrocarbon tailpipe emissions in the engine exhaust if the engine can be started and continues running.
Known cold start aids include ether injection, block heating, and glow plugs. Glow plugs are electrically energized to heat the combustion chambers to aid combustion of injected diesel fuel. The glow plugs may continue to be energized during initial running of the engine until desired combustion chamber temperature has been reached.
A glow plug starting aid system typically has one or more glow plugs associated with each combustion chamber, and some form of control or control system that controls the delivery of electric current to the glow plugs from the vehicle battery or battery bank. The control may comprise one or more switching devices, such as relays or solid-state power switches, through which battery current is conducted to the glow plugs.
When a cold engine is to be started, the one or more switching devices are turned on to connect the glow plugs to the battery, with the electric current acting to heat the glow plugs which in turn heat the combustion chambers. The engine is thereafter cranked until it starts and begins running under its own power.
At starting and initial running of a cold diesel engine, noticeably more HC is generated in the exhaust than later on. When an engine has a DPF in its exhaust system, the DPF is effective to trap significant amounts of DPM, keeping the trapped matter from entering the atmosphere. The HC that is created as a result of incomplete combustion in a cold combustion chamber can collect on surfaces of a DPF. A consequence of this is that the DPF may require more frequent regeneration.
Certain government regulations applicable to diesel engines mandate that an ineffective glow plug be disclosed, such as by illuminating a lamp on an instrument panel. The ineffectiveness may occur for any of several reasons. The glow plug itself may malfunction. A switching device through which electricity is delivered to a glow plug may not be functioning properly. There may a fault in the glow plug control and/or associated wiring.
While the expectation from having a fault indicator like an instrument panel lamp is that corrective action will be promptly undertaken by the vehicle operator, corrective action may be delayed.

Reducing HC collection in a diesel particulate filter during failure in an engine cold start aid

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC


A method and apparatus for generating timing markers in an automatic electrical test system. Timing parameters are synchronized by an external period start signal corresponding to a centrally generated external period and an internal period start signal generated locally for each input/output pin. The timing parameters comprise T1 counter and vernier values, T2 counter and vernier values, and period-minus-T1 counter and period vernier values.

Integrated circuit devices are tested after fabrication to ensure device performance according to functional specifications. Typically, an automatic electrical test system is programmed to provide an integrated circuit device with a simulated operating environment. Very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) devices require an automatic electrical test system capable of processing a large number of high speed input/output pins.
In a typical automatic electrical test system, timing parameters for a waveform are specified by a T1 marker and a T2 marker. The T1 marker and the T2 marker correspond to edges of the waveform in relation to a tester cycle. The T1 marker is specified by a T1 counter value and a T1 vernier value. A vernier is an auxiliary device for giving a piece of apparatus a higher adjustment accuracy. The T1 counter value and a T1 vernier value determine the T1 marker offset from the start of a tester cycle. The T2 marker is specified by a T2 counter value and a T2 vernier value. The T2 counter value and a T2 vernier value determine the T2 marker offset from the T1 marker or the start of the tester cycle.
In prior automatic electrical test systems, the tester cycles are typically generated by a central period generator. The central period generator is typically comprised of a base period generator and a period counter. The period counter is driven by a base period signal generated by the base period generator. The period counter is loaded with a tester period count and driven down to a terminal count, thereby generating a period start signal for a tester cycle. The central period generator distributes the period start signal and the base period signal to the marker generators for the output pins of the automatic electrical test system. The central period generator also distributes a period vernier value to the marker generators. The period vernier value is used to interpolate the period start signal in order to improve timing resolution.
In each marker generator, a T1 counter is loaded with the T1 counter value for the output pin. The T1 counter is driven by the base period signal received from the central period generator. The period start signal received from the central period generator causes the T1 counter to count down and generate a T1 terminal count signal.
Timing vernier circuits subdivide the base period signal in order to produce high resolution for the timing signals. The T1 terminal count signal is coupled to a T1 vernier circuit that interpolates the T1 terminal count signal according to the T1 vernier value for the output pin. The distributed period vernier value is used to modify the marker vernier values.
Past automatic electrical test systems that generate and distribute the period start signal and the period vernier value from a central period generator typically have disadvantages, however. The T1 vernier value and the period vernier value can compound the inaccuracies caused by the nonlinear analog nature of vernier circuits having a large span. Also, the linearity of the vernier circuits can vary between output pins, thereby increasing skew among the waveforms.
Moreover, the distribution of the period start signal typically requires a high bandwidth distribution tree because the tester period is typically programmable over a wide range. In addition, the distribution of the period vernier value from the central period generator to all of the marker generators typically increases the pin count of the automatic electrical test system components.
Past automatic electrical test systems that generate and distribute the period start signal from a central period generator cannot typically generate markers across multiple tester cycles boundaries unless multiple T1 counters are implemented in the marker generators. In such systems, a T1 counter is typically triggered on each cycle boundary in order to generate markers for the intervening cycles. If the multiple T1 counters are not implemented, marker generation across cycle boundaries would preclude on the fly changes in tester periods. Unfortunately, the multiple high speed T1 counters typically required by prior systems increase the cost and complexity of the automatic electrical test system hardware.

Timing generation in an automatic electrical test system


The invention comprises a clip device that will separately hold each of a pair of clothing items, one to each side of the unit, during a mechanical laundry activity or while in storage. The purpose of the product is to prevent loss of either of a pair of small clothing items such as a mated pair of socks. The clip device has a left and a right separately hinged top section, with the hinges near the middle, which permits each top section to be separately raised for the placing of the clothing item. Each top section then is snapped closed using a separate lock and release mechanism on each side. Each side of the clip device has cone shaped grippers protruding in an alternating pattern from both the top and bottom sections to hold the item securely during the mechanical washing and drying of socks.

Various products are known which serve to clip multiple clothing items together for such diverse applications as hanging on a display rack, and for holding a matched pair of socks together during washing and drying. Several prior art products for clipping socks together are single clip designs that hold a pair of socks jointly bound in each unit with one sock atop the other. Another type of existing product is a hook and eye design fastened on each sock to attach the socks together.
Design flaws are inherent in such known products, such as limited ability to hold wet cotton and other materials securely during washing machine wash and rinse cycles, and during drying in mechanical drying machines, while permitting thorough washing and drying of each item. The known product designs are further limited by difficulty of getting wet or dry socks in and out of the unit. Other designs of products for similar use have flaws such as inability of both socks to be thoroughly washed or completely dried in a mechanical washer or dryer.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a device for securely holding a matched pair of socks during washing and drying operations, while permitting thorough washing and drying of each item, and that provides for easy sock insertion and removal.


A stratified press fabric for the press section of a paper machine includes a base fabric in the form of an endless loop. A first staple fiber batt material is attached to the outer side of the base fabric by needling. A fine fabric covers the first staple fiber batt material, and a second staple fiber batt material is attached to the fine fabric by needling. The fibers making up the second staple fiber material are finer, that is, of smaller diameter or denier, than the fibers making up the first staple fiber material. The fine fabric prevents the coarser fibers of the first staple fiber batt material from being needled therethrough to mix with the finer fibers of the second fiber batt material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the papermaking arts. More specifically, the present invention relates to press fabrics for the press section of a paper machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the papermaking process, a cellulosic fibrous web is formed by depositing a fibrous slurry, that is, an aqueous dispersion of cellulose fibers, onto a moving forming fabric in the forming section of a paper machine. A large amount of water is drained from the slurry through the forming fabric, leaving the cellulosic fibrous web on the surface of the forming fabric.
The newly formed cellulosic fibrous web proceeds from the forming section to a press section, which includes a series of press nips. The cellulosic fibrous web passes through the press nips supported by a press fabric, or, as is often the case, between two such press fabrics. In the press nips, the cellulosic fibrous web is subjected to compressive forces which squeeze water therefrom, and which adhere the cellulosic fibers in the web to one another to turn the cellulosic fibrous web into a paper sheet. The water is accepted by the press fabric or fabrics and, ideally, does not return to the paper sheet.
The paper sheet finally proceeds to a dryer section, which includes at least one series of rotatable dryer drums or cylinders, which are internally heated by steam. The newly formed paper sheet is directed in a serpentine path sequentially around each in the series of drums by a dryer fabric, which holds the paper sheet closely against the surfaces of the drums. The heated drums reduce the water content of the paper sheet to a desirable level through evaporation.
It should be appreciated that the forming, press and dryer fabrics all take the form of endless loops on the paper machine and function in the manner of conveyors. It should further be appreciated that paper manufacture is a continuous process which proceeds at considerable speeds. That is to say, the fibrous slurry is continuously deposited onto the forming fabric in the forming section, while a newly manufactured paper sheet is continuously wound onto rolls after it exits from the dryer section.
The present invention relates specifically to the press fabrics used in the press section. Press fabrics play a critical role during the paper manufacturing process. One of their functions, as implied above, is to support and to carry the paper product being manufactured through the press nips.
Press fabrics also participate in the finishing of the surface of the paper sheet. That is, press fabrics are designed to have smooth surfaces and uniformly resilient structures, so that, in the course of passing through the press nips, a smooth, mark-free surface is imparted to the paper.
Perhaps most importantly, the press fabrics accept the large quantities of water extracted from the wet paper in the press nip. In order to fulfill this function, there literally must be space, commonly referred to as void volume, within the press fabric for the water to go, and the fabric must have adequate permeability to both water and air for its entire useful life. Finally, press fabrics must be able to prevent the water accepted from the wet paper from returning to and rewetting the paper upon exit from the press nip.
Contemporary press fabrics are produced in a wide variety of styles designed to meet the requirements of the paper machines on which they are installed for the paper grades being manufactured. Generally, they comprise a woven base fabric into which has been needled a batt of fine, nonwoven fibrous material. The base fabrics may be woven from monofilament, plied monofilament, multifilament or plied multifilament yarns, and may be single-layered, multi-layered or laminated. The yarns are typically extruded from any one of the synthetic polymeric resins, such as polyamide and polyester resins, used for this purpose by those of ordinary skill in the paper machine clothing arts.
The woven base fabrics themselves take many different forms. For example, they may be woven endless, or flat woven and subsequently rendered into endless form with a woven seam. Alternatively, they may be produced by a process commonly known as modified endless weaving, wherein the widthwise edges of the base fabric are provided with seaming loops using the machine-direction (MD) yarns thereof. In this process, the MD yarns weave continuously back-and-forth between the widthwise edges of the fabric, at each edge turning back and forming a seaming loop. A base fabric produced in this fashion is placed into endless form during installation on a paper machine, and for this reason is referred to as an on-machine-seamable fabric. To place such a fabric into endless form, the two widthwise edges are brought together, the seaming loops at the two edges are interdigitated with one another, and a seaming pin or pintle is directed through the passage formed by the interdigitated seaming loops.
Further, the woven base fabrics may be laminated by placing at least one base fabric within the endless loop formed by another, and by needling a staple fiber batt through these base fabrics to join them to one another. One or more of these woven base fabrics may be of the on-machine-seamable type. This is now a well known laminated press fabric with a multiple base support structure.
In any event, the woven base fabrics are in the form of endless loops, or are seamable into such forms, having a specific length, measured longitudinally therearound, and a specific width, measured transversely thereacross. Because paper machine configurations vary widely, paper machine clothing manufacturers are required to produce press fabrics, and other paper machine clothing, to the dimensions required to fit particular positions in the paper machines of their customers. Needless to say, this requirement makes it difficult to streamline the manufacturing process, as each press fabric must typically be made to order.
In response to this need to produce press fabrics in a variety of lengths and widths more quickly and efficiently, press fabrics have been produced in recent years using a spiral technique disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 to Rexfelt et al., the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 shows a press fabric comprising a base fabric having one or more layers of staple fiber material needled thereinto. The base fabric comprises at least one layer composed of a spirally wound strip of woven fabric having a width which is smaller than the width of the base fabric. The base fabric is endless in the longitudinal, or machine, direction. Lengthwise threads of the spirally wound strip make an angle with the longitudinal direction of the press fabric. The strip of woven fabric may be flat-woven on a loom which is narrower than those typically used in the production of paper machine clothing.
The base fabric comprises a plurality of spirally wound and joined turns of the relatively narrow woven fabric strip. The fabric strip is woven from lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (filling) yarns. Adjacent turns of the spirally wound fabric strip may be abutted against one another, and the helically continuous seam so produced may be closed by sewing, stitching, melting or welding. Alternatively, adjacent longitudinal edge portions of adjoining spiral turns may be arranged overlappingly, so long as the edges have a reduced thickness, so as not to give rise to an increased thickness in the area of the overlap. Further, the spacing between lengthwise yarns may be increased at the edges of the strip, so that, when adjoining spiral turns are arranged overlappingly, there may be an unchanged spacing between lengthwise threads in the area of the overlap.
In any case, a woven base fabric, taking the form of an endless loop and having an inner surface, a longitudinal (machine) direction and a transverse (cross machine)) direction, is the result. The lateral edges of the woven base fabric are then trimmed to render them parallel to its longitudinal (machine) direction. The angle between the machine direction of the woven base fabric and the helically continuous seam may be relatively small, that is, typically less than 10°. By the same token, the lengthwise (warp) yarns of the woven fabric strip make the same relatively small angle with the longitudinal (machine) direction of the woven base fabric. Similarly, the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip, being perpendicular to the lengthwise (warp) yarns, make the same relatively small angle with the transverse (cross-machine) direction of the woven base fabric. In short, neither the lengthwise (warp) nor the crosswise (filing) yarns of the woven fabric strip align with the longitudinal (machine) or transverse (cross machine) directions of the woven base fabric.
In the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656, the woven fabric strip is wound around two parallel rolls to assemble the woven base fabric. It will be recognized that endless base fabrics in a variety of widths and lengths may be provided by spirally winding a relatively narrow piece of woven fabric strip around the two parallel rolls, the length of a particular endless base fabric being determined by the length of each spiral turn of the woven fabric strip, and the width being determined by the number of spiral turns of the woven fabric strip. The prior necessity of weaving complete base fabrics of specified lengths and widths to order may thereby be avoided. Instead, a loom as narrow as 20 inches (0.5 meters) could be used to produce a woven fabric strip, but, for reasons of practicality, a conventional textile loom having a width of from 40 to 60 inches (1.0 to 1.5 meters) may be preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 also shows a press fabric comprising a base fabric having two layers, each composed of a spirally wound strip of woven fabric. Both layers take the form of an endless loop, one being inside the endless loop formed by the other. Preferably, the spirally wound strip of woven fabric in one layer spirals in a direction opposite to that of the strip of woven fabric in the other layer. That is to say, more specifically, the spirally wound strip in one layer defines a right-handed spiral, while that in the other layer defines a left-handed spiral. In such a two-layer, laminated base fabric, the lengthwise (warp) yarns of the woven fabric strip in each of the two layers make relatively small angles with the longitudinal (machine) direction of the woven base fabric, and the lengthwise (warp) yarns of the woven fabric strip in one layer make an angle with the lengthwise (warp) yarns of the woven fabric strip in the other layer. Similarly, the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip in each of the two layers make relatively small angles with the transverse (cross-machine) direction of the woven base fabric, and the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip in one layer make an angle with the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip in the other layer. In short, neither the lengthwise (warp) nor the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip in either layer align with the longitudinal (machine) or transverse (cross-machine) directions of the base fabric. Further, neither the lengthwise (warp) nor the crosswise (filling) yarns of the woven fabric strip in either layer align with those of the other.
As a consequence, the base fabrics shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,656 have no defined machine-or cross-machine-direction yarns. Instead, the yarn systems lie in directions at oblique angles to the machine and cross-machine directions. A press fabric having such a base fabric may be referred to as a multi-axial press fabric. Whereas the standard press fabrics of the prior art have three axes: one in the machine direction (MD), one in the cross-machine direction (CD), and one in the Z-direction, which is through the thickness of the fabric, a multi-axial press fabric has not only these three axes, but also has at least two more axes defined by the directions of the yarn systems in its spirally wound layer or layers. Moreover, there are multiple flow paths in the Z-direction of a multi-axial press fabric. As a consequence, a multi-axial press fabric has at least five axes. Because of its multi-axial structure, a multi-axial press fabric having more than one layer exhibits superior resistance to nesting and/or to collapse in response to compression in a press nip during the papermaking process as compared to one having base fabric layers whose yarn systems are parallel to one another.
Turning now to the fine, nonwoven fibrous material needled into the base fabric in the production of a contemporary press fabric, many such press fabrics are manufactured with a so-called stratified batt structure.
Stratified batt structures comprise a plurality of batt layers, each of which consists of fibers of a different denier. Typically, a layer or layers of fibrous batt material, consisting of relatively coarse fibers, is needled into the base fabric first. Then, a layer or layers of fibrous batt material consisting of finer fibers are applied over the layers of coarser fibers. The result is a press fabric having high air and water permeability, due to the coarse fibers in the interior batt layers, and a smooth pressing surface with a high degree of pressure uniformity, due to the fine fibers on the surface.
Preferably, the pressing surface of the press fabric will be free of needle tracks, the spaces or holes left where the barbed needles used in the needling process have penetrated the surface. In order to remove the needle tracks from the surface of the press fabric, it is common to needle it from the other side, so that the needles will force batt fiber from within the press fabric outward to fill the needle tracks and smooth the surface of the press fabric. Unfortunately, where the press fabric has a stratified batt structure, this reverse needling forces coarse fibers from within the press fabric to the surface. This compromises the smooth pressure distribution otherwise obtained by the fine surface layer, since coarse fibers are brought up to the surface, and makes it difficult to provide a stratified press fabric that is free of needle tracks.
The present invention provides a solution to this problem of the prior art.


A mechanical press includes a slider which is reciprocated, through connecting rods, by an oscillating plate oscillating around a driving shaft to obtain a press load. The press further includes a swash plate rotatable with the driving shaft. The oscillating plate oscillates in accordance with the rotation of the swash plate. A plurality of lock pins are concentrically disposed in parallel with the driving shaft on a side of the oscillating plate opposite to the swash plate. Each of the lock pins has a spherical head housed in the oscillating plate so as to make the pins rotatable and axial movable. A slider guide supports the pins and the slider.

The present invention relates to a mechanical press, and particularly to a mechanical press suitable for forming parts by cold extrusion, punching and drawing with high precision.
A mechanical press having a reciprocating slider connected, through rods, to one end of an oscillating plate oscillating around a driving shaft is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 60-210398.
Since the oscillating plate is carried by a movable shaft only, such a swash plate type mechanical press has a long span between an axis of the movable shaft and the force point subjected to a work load during press. A rigidity of the oscillating plate of the mechanical press thus becomes low, and then work parts with high precision cannot be obtained.
In addition, a cross spider type universal joint serves not only as a joint, but also as a lock pin mechanism for preventing the oscillating plate from rotating together with the driving shaft. Therefore, the mechanical press has a low rigidity and durability, particularly, to a larger driving torque generated during the operation of the press. Further, since the universal joint itself is a nonuniform joint, rotation cannot be stably transmitted, and then it is difficult to produce products with high precision.

High efficiency, swash plate mechanical press


Provided is a stone burner for a fragrance lamp, which has a first socket and a base detachably connected to the first socket. The first socket has a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall. The base has a second socket and a body connected to the second socket. The second socket is detachably connected to the second wall of the first socket and has a hole formed in the second socket at a position proximal to the first socket and an aperture formed in the second socket at a position distal from the first socket. The hole and the aperture of the second socket are not in communication with the first wall of the first socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stone burner, and particularly to a stone burner for a fragrance lamp.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
People nowadays are getting busier and living a faster paced life and therefore feeling stressed and tense frequently. One of the popular ways to relieve stress is using aromatherapy appliances to evaporate fragrant liquid into the ambient air to create a pleasant environment. After inhaling the fragrance, the user will feel relaxed and refreshed. In order to evaporate fragrant liquid, fragrance lamps, wick assemblies, and stone burners are commonly used aromatherapy appliances.
With reference to FIG. 8, a conventional stone burner 40 has a socket 41, a base 42 connecting to the socket 41, and a catalytic layer coated on the surface of the socket 41. The socket 41 has two recesses 411 separately formed on two opposite sides of the socket 41. A hole 412 is formed through the middle portion the base 42. When the conventional stone burner 40 is in use, a wick assembly is connected to the conventional stone burner 40 via the hole 412 and the recesses 411, and a wick of the wick assembly is placed into a fragrance lamp containing a fragrant liquid. After the wick is soaked in the fragrant liquid containing isopropyl alcohol and essential oil or containing alcohol and essential oil, the top of the socket 41 of the conventional stone burner 40 is then lit and a generated flame is allowed to burn for a while, and then the flame is extinguished. Because the catalytic layer is coated on the surface of the socket 41, the conventional stone burner 40 can remain at a high temperature after the flame is extinguished. Also, because the socket 41 and base 42 of the conventional stone burner 40 are made of ceramic, which is a porous material, the fragrant liquid can evaporate and diffuse continuously through the pores of the ceramic and scents the environment.
However, because fragrant liquids produced by different manufacturers vary in their compositions, viscosity of each fragrant liquid is also different, and thus a stone burner's degrees of saturation with each fragrant liquid are also different after each fragrant liquid is soaked by the wick and transferred to the stone burner through capillary action. As a result, if the user does not select a stone burner made of ceramic with an appropriate pore size and pore density that matches the particular fragrant liquid in use, the unsuitable stone burner is prone to over-saturation with the fragrant liquid due to a low viscosity of the fragrant liquid, resulting in that the stone burner is difficult to be lit or a flame on the stone burner is easily extinguished. Thus, the stone burner fails to scent the environment.
Accordingly, when the user buys fragrant liquids with various compositions, a conventional stone burner is not applicable to each kind of fragrant liquid. The user needs to buy different stone burners made of different ceramic materials and try to figure out which stone burner is applicable to absorb the fragrant liquid in use, which is the greatest disadvantage of the conventional stone burner.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a stone burner for a fragrance lamp to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A manufacturing process of a foldable repairing tool bit includes a material preparing step, an unnecessary material removing step and a material bending step. Wherein, a stick with a designated length is prepared firstly, where one end of the stick is a bending portion, and another end of the stick is an embodying portion; and then, at least one side of the bending portion is partially removed so as to form a smooth surface thereof; finally, the bending portion are bent so as to form a tool bit with a pivoting hole. Under this arrangement, said tool bits are pivotally assembled in a tool base so as to form a foldable repairing tool set.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing process, and more particularly to a manufacturing process of a foldable repairing tool bit.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to produce a conventional foldable tool bit, one end of a stick is bent so as to form a pivoting hole, and another end of the stick is machined so as to form an embodying portion. Under this arrangement, said foldable tool bits are pivotally assembled in a tool base so as to form a conventional foldable tool set.
A size of the pivoting hole is uniform for said foldable tool bits with different sizes. When a thickness of the stick is too large, the stick will break easily upon the bending process or even cannot be bent, so that a stability of manufacturing said foldable tool bits becomes worse and a life time of a mold for manufacturing said foldable tool bits becomes shorten. Referring to FIG. 12, which shows a bent stick which is applied in a conventional manufacturing process of conventional foldable tool bit. A center line of the rotating axis of the stick is labeled as D0, while a length of the embodying portion of the stick is labeled as L0. As shown in FIG. 12, a radius of bending increases as the thickness of the conventional stick 10 increases, so that a length of the conventional stick 10 is extended and a cost of said manufacturing process is increased. In addition, a volume and a weight of the conventional stick 10 are both increased as the length of the conventional stick 10 is extended, so that a user cannot carry the conventional foldable tool set easily. Moreover, appearances of said foldable tool bits will not be uniform if said foldable tool bits is made by said conventional manufacturing process.
Another conventional manufacturing process of foldable tool is applied by a forging process so that the foldable tools with uniform appearances are produced. However, the forging process is expensive. In addition, after the forging process, an annealing process must be applied to remove the stress inside the stick which is caused by the forging process and to be compatible with a further flattening process. Under this arrangement, an excess decarburization might occur upon a mass production of said foldable tools after the annealing process so that a mechanical strength of said foldable tool will be weakened. Moreover, parts of the conventional stick 10 where said flattening process is applied to suffer a solidification phenomenon, while these solidified sticks are not suitable in a further cutting process.
Other conventional manufacturing process of foldable tool is applied by a suppressing process where a bending portion of the conventional stick is suppressed before a bending process and a pressing process is applied to remove the unnecessary material so that the foldable tools with uniform appearances are produced. However, after the suppressing process, the bending portion of the conventional stick is solidified, and the bending portion of the conventional stick will break easily upon the bending process or even cannot be bent, so that a stability of manufacturing said foldable tools becomes worse and a life time of a mold for manufacturing said foldable tools becomes shorten. In addition, during the pressing process, when a thickness of the conventional stick is too large, an appearance of a cut plane is unsmooth, so that an appearance of the conventional foldable tool which is made of said stick will not be uniform.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional.

Manufacturing process of a foldable repairing tool bit


Conventional formation evaluation with dual inflatable packers includes the steps of pressurizing the packers so as to isolate an annular portion of the borehole wall, collecting one or more samples of formation fluid via the isolated portion of the borehole wall, and depressurizing the packers so as to permit movement of the mandrel within the borehole. A sampling method and apparatus that utilize one or more of the following to advantage is provided: restricting deformation of the packers during inflation using an annular bracing assembly; actively retracting the packers using ambient borehole pressure; and substantially centralizing the mandrel intermediate the packers so as to resist buckling of the mandrel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inflatable packers having utility in downhole operations, particularly inflatable packers adapted for use in formation fluid sampling.
2. Background of the Related Art
Once an oil well has been drilled, it is often necessary for the operator to obtain downhole data, such as pressure measurements and downhole fluid samples for analysis. These tasks are commonly accomplished with downhole tools, such as modular wireline tools or drilling tools with evaluation capabilities, that employ probes for engaging the formation and establishing fluid communication to make the pressure measurements and acquire the fluid samples. Fluid is typically drawn into the downhole tool through an inlet in the probe. In some instances, such as for tight, low permeability, formations, sampling probes are often replaced by dual inflatable packer assemblies. Examples of such probe and packer systems are depicted, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,860,581 and 4,936,139 assigned to Schlumberger, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIGS. 1A-1B schematically illustrate a typical configuration of dual packer elements 10 in their respective deflated and inflated conditions. The packer elements 10 are spaced apart along a downhole tool 12 conveyed by a wireline 14 in a borehole 18 penetrating a subsurface formation 20. Although a wireline tool is illustrated, other downhole tools conveyed by drill string, coiled tubing, etc. are also suited for such tasks. When inflated, the packer elements 10 cooperate to seal or isolate a section 16 of the borehole wall 18, thereby providing a flow area with which to induce fluid flow from the surrounding formation(s).
When inflating the packer elements (typically made of rubber), their ends often sustain large amounts of deformation and bending stresses, which may lead to circumferential tearing, and system failure. Additionally, since it is not uncommon for boreholes to exhibit high temperatures, particularly at great depths, the packer elements are often subjected to significant thermal stresses.
Attempts have been made to prevent packer failures. Accordingly, inflatable packer bodies or elements are often equipped with reinforcements in the form of metal cables or slats. While these reinforcements may be used to increase the life of the packer elements, the reinforcements may plastically deform and permit undesirable extrusion (as shown in FIGS. 1B-1C) under the high stresses imposed when the packer element is inflated and engages the wall 18 of a high temperature borehole. Additionally, the support members (i.e., the metal slats or cables) may have limited strength, and the flexible material of the packer element—typically rubber—may weaken with increasing temperature. The resulting deformation may be non-recoverable, thereby preventing the packer elements from retracting to within desirable diameters after sampling. In other words, the packers may fail to successfully return to the profile shown in FIG. 1A. Thus, when running these so-called "slat packers," there is an increased risk of getting stuck in the borehole.
Despite the advances in packer technology, there remains a need for a packer with a long life under harsh wellbore conditions. It is desirable that such a packer limit or constrain the deformation that the packer undergoes during borehole operations so as to achieve a "milder" inflation profile (e.g., avoid the extruded profile of FIGS. 1B-1C) and thereby increase the life of the packer. Preferably, such a solution would be adaptable for use with known packer bodies or elements. It is further desirable that the packers retract to their original shape (e.g., as seen in FIG. 1A) so as to reduce the likelihood of a downhole tool getting stuck in a borehole. Preferably, such a solution would use ambient borehole fluid pressure to achieve the desired retraction, and balance the loads applied to each of the packers of the downhole tool.
A further issue that arises in dual packer assemblies relates to the axial separation distance between the packer elements. As this distance is increased, e.g., to increase the isolated area of the borehole wall, the risk of buckling at the mandrel that separates the packers typically increases. Accordingly, a need exists for a solution to the buckling risk in spaced dual packer assemblies.


Disclosed herein is a signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor, which monitors a current input to a wheel speed sensor so as to prevent the current from being excessively supplied to the wheel speed sensor. That is, the present disclosure relates to the signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor, which monitors the current input to the wheel speed sensor in a duplex manner. The signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor include a sensor input terminal unit to which a sensing signal of a wheel speed sensor is input, and a normality determination block determining whether or not the sensing signal is normal.

Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor, and more particularly, to a signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor, which monitors a current input to a wheel speed sensor so as to prevent the current from being excessively supplied to the wheel speed sensor. That is, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to the signal processing apparatus for a wheel speed sensor, capable of monitoring the current input to the wheel speed sensor in a duplex manner.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an example of mounting an anti-lock brake system to a vehicle increases rapidly. This is to previously prevent accidents by preventing loss of steering force or rotation of the vehicle caused by fixing of wheels when the vehicle is rapidly braked in the event of danger during traveling and by preventing sliding of the vehicle caused by fixing of the wheels when the vehicle is braked on an icy road.
The above anti-lock brake system provides stable braking force for the vehicle, which is rapidly braked or travels on the unstable road such as a snowy road or a rainy road, since an electronic control unit of the anti-lock brake system repeatedly controls locking and unlocking between a brake pad and a brake disk according to wheel rotation speed of the vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately detect the wheel rotation speed, and to detect whether or not a wheel speed sensor fails so as to properly control the wheel rotation speed in response to the detected result.
That is, a study has been carried out since the wheel speed sensor is required to have an accurate operation and it is necessary to monitor whether or not the wheel speed sensor is abnormally operated, in order for the vehicle to safely travel in a recent vehicle environment.
For example, Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2009-0078401 discloses a technique in which a circuit of monitoring a current input to a wheel speed sensor is eliminated by preventing the current from being excessively supplied to the wheel speed sensor using a current mirror.
However, there is a concern about safety since it is not determined whether or not the wheel speed sensor and the circuit of monitoring the current input thereto fail in the above Patent Document.

Signal processing apparatus for wheel speed sensor