The fuel efficiency of an internal combustion reciprocating piston engine may be increased through selective secondary expansion of exhaust gas in the engine cylinders in order to recover exhaust gas energy which is otherwise wasted by cylinder blow-down at the end of the power stroke. Exhaust valve cam switching, intake valve deactivation, multiple exhaust valves, a specialized exhaust manifold arrangement and an exhaust gas diverter valve can be configured to enable a reciprocating engine to selectively operate in efficient eight stroke cycle compound mode when moderate engine power is demanded, then revert to conventional four stroke cycle non-compound mode operation when high engine power is demanded, without stopping the engine. For a road vehicle application, the benefit is substantially reduced highway cruising fuel consumption, while incurring minimal impact on engine weight, minimal impact on engine manufacturing cost, and no adverse impact on vehicle acceleration performance, hill climbing performance or trailer towing performance.

An internal combustion engine configured to gain thermal efficiency by means of providing a expansion stroke longer than the compression stroke was invented by James Atkinson in 1882, and is known as the Atkinson cycle. In 2002, Toyota Motors employed the Atkinson cycle on their "Prius" gasoline-electric hybrid automobile by configuring the intake valve timing for late valve closure during the compression stroke. A disadvantage of the Atkinson cycle approach to enhance expansion ratio is that engine volumetric efficiency is reduced by the reduction in combustion chamber charge volume, which increases the weight per unit horsepower of the engine. For a vehicle application, the resultant increased engine weight leads to an increase in overall vehicle weight, which detracts from the goal of reducing overall vehicle fuel consumption. The present invention avoids this weight disadvantage by providing a means to selectively engage compound mode operation to increase expansion ratio, without affecting maximum engine power capacity when compound operating mode is de-selected.
The Curtiss Wright R-3350 turbo-compound radial airplane engine of the 1950's recovers exhaust gas energy, which would otherwise be wasted, by means of multiple power recovery turbines coupled through gearboxes to the engine output shaft. This solution minimizes the weight penalty of adding exhaust gas expansion cylinders, however the high cost of the power recovery turbines and their associated gearboxes has since precluded application of the power recovery turbine method for non-aviation use. The present invention avoids this turbine and gearbox cost penalty by configuring the engine's own cylinders to act as selective power recovery expansion cylinders.
The method of improving the efficiency of a piston engine through compounding by utilizing a second cylinder to further expand working gas exhausted from a first cylinder has been widely applied to piston steam engines since the early nineteenth century. This same well known multiple cylinder compounding principle is applicable to internal combustion engines.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,202,416 Gray, 5,199,262 Bell, 4,917,054 Schmitz, 4,250,850 Ruyer, 4,237,832 Hartig and 4,159,700 McCrum, describe multiple cylinder compounding applied to an internal combustion piston engine, similar to the principle traditionally employed for compounded steam engines, by dedicating some of the engine's cylinders as exhaust gas secondary expansion cylinders, and describe valve timing and cylinder motion timing methods to effect the transfer of exhaust gas from fuel burning fired cylinders to secondary expansion cylinders. The Bell patent also describes a separate crankshaft for the expansion cylinders, driven at twice crankshaft speed, for the purpose of reducing the required size of the expansion cylinders, reducing the weight penalty of the expansion cylinders as compared to the McCrum, Schmitz and Gray patents. However, even with the reduced expansion cylinder size, the addition of dedicated expansion cylinders according to these prior patents adds significant weight and bulk to the engine, which is counterproductive to the goal of reducing vehicle fuel consumption. The present invention differs from the Gray, Bell, Schmitz and McCrum patents in that, according to the present invention, the expansion cylinder can selectively change back and forth, while the engine is running, from functioning as an expansion cylinder to functioning as a conventional fired cylinder, whereas, according to the Gray, Bell, Schmitz and McCrum patents, the function of the expansion cylinders is fixed, such that they are unable to function as conventional fired cylinders.
In addition, the present invention provides a means to store a compressed charge of exhaust gas in an exhaust gas expansion chamber and an exhaust manifold until any such time as the expansion cylinder is ready to accept it, whereas, according to the Gray, Bell, Schmitz, Ruyer and McCrum patents, the stroke timing of the power and expansion cylinder pistons must be constrained to a specific relative crankshaft clocking angle in order to facilitate the transfer of the exhaust gas charge from the fired cylinder to the expansion cylinder.
The present invention requires at least two conventional poppet type exhaust valves in each expansion cylinder head, similar to the Hartig patent and similar to one variant of the Ruyer patent. However, in the case of these Hartig and Ruyer patents, one of the exhaust valves in each cylinder only functions when compound mode operation is selected and remains closed when all cylinders are firing. With an inactive valve occupying part of the cylinder head, there is less port area available for the functioning valves, which constrains port size, thereby detracting from volumetric efficiency and increasing engine specific weight. The present invention retains use of all the exhaust valves when all the cylinders are firing, thereby imposing no penalty on maximum power capacity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,121,236 Scuderi and 6,789,514 Suh describe a split cycle engine configuration in which intake and compression takes place in a dedicated cylinder, then the compressed gas charge is transferred to a second fired cylinder in which the charge is burned, expanded and exhausted. Such a split cycle engine may be configured with a charge cylinder having smaller volumetric displacement than the combustion cylinder, thereby increasing expansion ratio and improving thermal efficiency. However, such a split cycle cylinder configuration incurs the same overall engine weight penalty as does the Atkinson cycle configuration because of the consequent reduction of total engine volumetric efficiency. The present invention differs from the Scuderi and Suh patents in that, according to the present invention, the expansion cylinder is not used for combustion while compound operating mode is selected, rather it is used for secondary expansion of completely burned combustion products gas provided by a separate fuel burning fired cylinder.
Cylinder deactivation is a known method of improving the efficiency of a spark ignition engine operating at moderate power output, as further described by U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,467, Megli, and SAE Technical Paper Jan. 26, 2003. General motors applied cylinder deactivation to production Cadillac car engines in 1981. With this known method, dis-engageable couplings of conventional design are provided as part of the valve train for some of the cylinders, which when selected, de-couple the affected valves from their respective valve drive cams, causing the affected valves to remain closed, thus preventing fresh charge air from entering or leaving the deactivated cylinders. Fuel to the deactivated cylinders is shut off by an automatic controller. In the traditional method, the deactivated cylinders repeatedly compress and expand a trapped air charge within the cylinder. The remaining engine cylinders function normally as fired cylinders. A consequent reduction in total air flow to the engine allows the intake throttle valve to be opened wider to maintain the same moderate amount of power output. The resulting reduction in charge air pressure drop across the throttle valve eliminates some of the charge air throttling losses, resulting in an estimated five to ten percent increase in part-power engine efficiency for this cylinder deactivation method, with no adverse affect on the engine's maximum power rating. Similar dis-engageable valve drive cam couplings comprise components of the present invention, and the present invention also gains efficiency benefits from reduced throttling losses, however, the present invention differs from the cylinder deactivation method in that the affected cylinder or cylinders do not function as deactivated cylinders, instead these cylinders actively expand combusted gas discharged from one or more fired cylinders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,069, Foley, describes an improvement on the cylinder deactivation principle in which an axially moving camshaft can selectively shift between two cam profiles for each valve, without stopping the engine. Similar cam profile selectivity comprises a part of the present invention, however, like the Megli patent, the Foley patent facilitates only cylinder deactivation, whereas the present invention utilizes selective cam profile changing in order to facilitate the active expansion of combusted gas discharged from one or more power cylinders.
Individual working elements comprising the present invention may appear conventional, however, in the present invention these working elements combine according to a new operating principle which has not been contemplated in the prior art.
Notwithstanding the numerous prior systems contemplated for addressing efficiency losses associated with the conventional four stroke cycle engine, and in light of the increasing cost and scarcity of petroleum based motor fuel, there remains a need for a simple, low cost, and light weight method for recovering otherwise wasted exhaust gas energy during moderate engine power operation, without adversely affecting the engine's maximum power rating.


An implantable prosthetic valve having a stentless support structure. The valve has a tubular annular support structure with a first inflatable ring at a proximal end, a second inflatable ring at a distal end, and an inflatable intermediate support in between the first and second inflatable rings. There is at least one moveable occluder that controls the flow of blood through the tubular support structure. The tubular support structure can be filled with inflation media in the first inflatable ring, the second inflatable ring and inflatable intermediate support structure to convert the tubular support structure from a collapsed configuration to a patent tubular configuration.

According to recent estimates, more than 79,000 patients are diagnosed with aortic and mitral valve disease in U.S. hospitals each year. More than 49,000 mitral valve or aortic valve replacement procedures are performed annually in the U.S., along with a significant number of heart valve repair procedures.
Although mitral valve repair and replacement can successfully treat many patients with mitral valvular insufficiency, techniques currently in use are attended by significant morbidity and mortality. Most valve repair and replacement procedures require a thoracotomy, usually in the form of a median sternotomy, to gain access into the patient's thoracic cavity. A saw or other cutting instrument is used to cut the sternum longitudinally, allowing the two opposing halves of the anterior or ventral portion of the rib cage to be spread apart. A large opening into the thoracic cavity is thus created, through which the surgical team may directly visualize and operate upon the heart and other thoracic contents. Alternatively, a thoracotomy may be performed on a lateral side of the chest, wherein a large incision is made generally parallel to the ribs, and the ribs are spread apart and/or removed in the region of the incision to create a large enough opening to facilitate the surgery.
Surgical intervention within the heart generally requires isolation of the heart and coronary blood vessels from the remainder of the arterial system, and arrest of cardiac function. Usually, the heart is isolated from the arterial system by introducing an external aortic cross-clamp through a sternotomy and applying it to the aorta to occlude the aortic lumen between the brachiocephalic artery and the coronary ostia. Cardioplegic fluid is then injected into the coronary arteries, either directly into the coronary ostia or through a puncture in the ascending aorta, to arrest cardiac function. The patient is placed on extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass to maintain peripheral circulation of oxygenated blood.
A need therefore remains for methods and devices for treating mitral valvular insufficiency, which are attended by significantly lower morbidity and mortality rates than are the current techniques, and therefore would be well suited to treat patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Optimally, the procedure can be accomplished through a percutaneous, transluminal approach, using simple, implantable devices.
The circulatory system is a closed loop bed of arterial and venous vessels supplying oxygen and nutrients to the body extremities through capillary beds. The driver of the system is the heart providing correct pressures to the circulatory system and regulating flow volumes as the body demands. Deoxygenated blood enters heart first through the right atrium and is allowed to the right ventrical through the tricuspid valve. Once in the right ventrical, the heart delivers this blood through the pulmonary valve and to the lungs for a gaseous exchange of oxygen. The circulatory pressures carry this blood back to the heart via the pulmonary veins and into the left atrium. Filling of the left ventricle occurs as the mitral valve opens allowing blood to be drawn into the left ventrical for expulsion through the aortic valve and on to the body extremities. When the heart fails to continuously produce normal flow and pressures, a disease commonly referred to as heart failure occurs.
Heart failure simply defined is the inability for the heart to produce output sufficient to demand. Mechanical complications of heart failure include free-wall rupture, septal-rupture, papillary wall rupture or dysfunction aortic insufficiency and tamponade. Mitral, aortic or pulmonary valve disorders lead to a host of other conditions and complications exacerbating heart failure further. Other disorders include coronary disease, hypertension, and a diverse group of muscle diseases referred to as cardiomyopothies. Because of this syndrome establishes a number of cycles, heart failure begets more heart failure.
Heart failure as defined by the New York Heart Association in a functional classification.
Patients with cardiac disease but without resulting limitations of physical activity. Ordinary physical activity does not cause undue fatigue, palpitation, dyspnea, or anginal pain.
Patient with cardiac disease resulting in slight limitation of physical activity. These patients are comfortable at rest. Ordinary physical activity results in fatigue, palpitation, dyspnea, or anginal pain.
Patients with cardiac disease resulting in marked limitation of physical activity. These patients are comfortable at rest. Less than ordinary physical activity causes fatigue palpitation, dyspnea, or anginal pain.
Patients with cardiac disease resulting in inability to carry on any physical activity without discomfort. Symptoms of cardiac insufficiency or of the anginal syndrome may be present even at rest. If any physical activity is undertaken, discomfort is increased.
Congestive heart failure is described as circulatory congestion including peripheral edema. The major factor in cardiac pulmonary edema is the pulmonary capillary pressure. There are no native valves between the lungs and the left atrium therefore fluctuations in left atrial pressure are reflected retrograde into the pulmonary vasculature. These elevations in pressure do cause pulmonary congestion. When the heart, specifically the mitral valve, is operating normally correct flow and pressures throughout the circulatory system are maintained. As heart failure begins these pressures and flow rates decrease or increase depending upon the disease and vascular location.
Placement of valves between the lung and the left atrium will prevent retrograde flow and undesired pressure fluctuations to the pulmonary vasculature. Mechanical valves may be constructed of conventional materials such as stainless steel, nickel-titanium, cobalt-chromium or other metallic based alloys. Other materials used are biocompatible-based polymers and may include polycarbonate, silicone, pebax, polyethylene, polypropylene or floropolymers such as Teflon. Mechanical valves may be coated or encapsulated with polymers for drug coating applications or favorable biocompatibility results.
There are many styles of mechanical valves that utilize both polymer and metallic materials. These include single leaflet, double leaflet, ball and cage style, slit-type and emulated polymer tricuspid valves. Though many forms of valves exist, the function of the valve is to control flow through a conduit or chamber. Each style will be best suited to the application or location in the body it was designed for.
Bioprosthetic heart valves comprise valve leaflets formed of flexible biological material. Bioprosthetic valve or components from human donors are referred to as homografts and xenografts are from non-human animal donors. These valves as a group are known as tissue valves. This tissue may include donor valve leaflets or other biological materials such as bovine pericardium. The leaflets are sewn into place and to each other to create a new valve structure. This structure may be attached to a second structure such as a stent or cage for implantation to the body conduit.

Percutaneous heart valve with stentless support


A light module for a motor vehicle headlamp comprising at least one pixelated light source, a plurality of electroluminescent emitters distributed into a plurality of pixels and capable of emitting light rays, a projection optic arranged to directly image, toward the outside of the light module, a light beam formed by said light rays emitted by said at least one light source. The light module is characterized by a mask arranged between the at least one light source and the projection optic in order to completely or partially prevent light rays originating from the light source from being reflected by regions arranged outside the plurality of electroluminescent emitters of the light source.

The object of the invention is to provide a light module with a multipixel light source for a motor vehicle headlamp that allows the quality of the projected beam to be optimized.
In particular, the invention makes it possible to produce a light module generating a projected image that is sharper and less noisy than the images generated by the devices of the prior art.


A condenser microphone includes a condenser housing defining an inner space therein, and a variable gap condenser enclosed in the condenser housing. The variable gap condenser includes an insulating substrate, a conductive fixed back plate mounted securely on the insulating substrate, a diaphragm unit movable relative to the back plate in a first transverse direction relative to the back plate, and a spacer unit interposed between and in contact with the back plate and the diaphragm unit so as to define a variable gap thereamong. The spacer unit defines at least an air passage that extends in a second transverse direction relative to the first transverse direction and that is in spatial communication with the inner space and the variable gap.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a condenser microphone, more particular to a condenser microphone including a spacer unit that is formed with a plurality of air passages and to a method for making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional condenser microphone that is formed by micro-machining technology and that includes a variable gap condenser mounted in a condenser housing 300. The variable gap condenser includes a silicon substrate 30 mounted on a bottom wall of the condenser housing 300, an insulating substrate 31 formed on the silicon substrate 30 and formed with a buffering recess 311, a conductive back plate 32 formed on the insulating substrate 31 and defining a first electrode of the condenser microphone, a spacer 33 formed on the back plate 32, a compliant layer 34 formed on the spacer 33 and cooperating with the spacer 33 and the back plate 32 to define a variable gap 36 thereamong that is surrounded by the spacer 33, and a conductive film 35 formed on the compliant layer 34 and defining a second electrode of the condenser microphone. A field effect transistor 200 is formed on the insulating substrate 31, and is connected electrically to the conductive film 35 so that a change in capacitance of the variable gap condenser due to vibration of the compliant layer 34 by an incoming sound wave can be converted into a corresponding electrical signal.
A plurality of through-holes 321 are formed in the back plate 32 and a top wall of the insulating substrate 31 so as to permit spatial communication between the variable gap 36 and the buffering recess 311 in the insulating substrate 31 and so as to reduce air stream resistance in the variable gap 36 during microphone operation.
The conventional condenser microphone is disadvantageous in that formation of the buffering recess 311, which normally has a depth ranging from 300 to 500 microns, in the insulating substrate 31 involves bulk etching process, which is time-consuming. Moreover, formation of the aforesaid through-holes 321 further increases the production time.

Condenser microphone and method for making the same


Hinges, in particular in doors of aircraft, have poor aerodynamics. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a covering device for a hinge of an aircraft is provided with a flexible covering, which for example is stretched, with a closed hinge, over the outer contour of the hinge. Advantageously, this makes possibly the covering of openings between first and second hinge parts, whereby an improved aerodynamic can be achieved.

The present invention relates to a covering for a hinge, such as, for example a hinge of an aircraft door. In particular, the present invention relates to a covering device for an aircraft hinge as well as a hinge for a door of an aircraft.
In aircraft construction, for protection of a hinge against rainwater impinging the body and door in the outer region of the aircraft, aluminum profiles are riveted on both sides parallel to the hinge of the door. These aluminum profiles conduct away rainwater on the hinge. In particular, such devices are used for cargo doors of cargo aircrafts.
In a disadvantageous manner, the externally riveted aluminum profiles produce air resistance, which upon use in an aircraft, can result in additional fuel consumption, and therewith, an increased flight weight.
In addition, in aircraft construction, a film applied under the hinge within the aircraft is known, which is attached to the door as well as the body and conducts penetrating rainwater laterally on the door.
In a disadvantageous manner, with these solutions, a gap remains between the door and the shell of the aircraft body, which can produce turbulence, which likewise is a disadvantageous for fuel consumption of the aircraft and can effect the flight weight of the aircraft.

Covering device for a hinge of an aircraft


An anode for an X-ray tube includes at least one thermally conductive anode segment in contact with a rigid support member and cooling means arranged to cool the anode. The anode may further include a plurality of anode segments aligned end to end, each in contact with the support member.

It is well known to provide an X-ray tube comprising an electron source and a metal anode, wherein the anode is at a positive potential with respect to the electron source. The electric field accelerates the emitted electron towards the anode. When they strike the anode they lose some, or all, of their kinetic energy, the majority of which is released as heat. This heat can reduce the target lifetime and it is therefore common to cool the anode. Conventional methods include air cooling, wherein the anode is typically operated at ground potential with heat conduction to ambient through an air cooled heatsink, and a rotating anode, wherein the irradiated point is able to cool as it rotates around before being irradiated once more.
In some circumstances a moving X-ray source is required, which is generated by scanning an electron beam along an arcuate or linear anode. These anodes may extend to a length of several meters and it is generally complex and expensive to fabricate a single piece anode.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

X-ray tube anode comprising a coolant tube


The described invention involves the windmill generation of electric power, particularly from offshore windmill generators. The invention involves inserting an adapter between the nacelle of the windmill and the tower, which includes either a leveling device or a vibration dampening device, or both.

The new wind machines also have been mounted on pedestals, which increase the elevation. This elevation increases the efficiency of the wind machine on an average yearly output. The new generation of wind machines requires very little maintenance, i.e., about 2 times per year. Therefore, the machines can be mounted in remote locations and can operate trouble free for extended periods of time. Due to many political and human nature considerations, many wind machines are now being placed in offshore waters. The distance from the shoreline varies but from the human relations viewpoint, they are usually out of the sight of the land.
The generating systems can be sized between 1.5 megawatts and 3.5 megawatt machines with some wind turbines being operated at 250 kw. The generating systems including blades, gearboxes and control systems, have been proven and tested. The required towers to elevate the generator have also been proven and tested. The offshore oil and gas industries have proven throughout the world that offshore structures can be designed and installed to withstand the harshest atmospheric environment.
New techniques have been developed in the fabrication and installation of these structures. These techniques are useful in the practice of this invention in order to use the most efficient manner to construct, install and maintain offshore wind machines. It is also important to understand that the total cash flow from the wind power machine has a cap due to the sales price of electrical energy onshore. Consequently, the additional cost of installation in providing the structure is of paramount importance.
Offshore structures are designed to accommodate the soil bearing capacity of the sub bottom strata. In some cases, extremely soft bottoms were encountered in delta regions of the world. Also, some sub bottoms are hard rock or coral reef. Therefore, the anchoring system, which is required, varies greatly. Also, if wind machines are placed in hardy conditions, ice conditions are a consideration regarding the structural strength of the structure and materials. Consequently, soil borings are required to assure that the structure will have ample strength to accommodate the weight and overturning moment of the wind machine.
Another consideration is wave and wind conditions to which the structure is subjected. Therefore, the anchoring of the windmill structure will be different in different areas of the world. With all the variables and substantially unpredictable environments where the wind power generation is attempted, it is little under that post construction problems appear which affect the efficiencies of operation of the installations.
While the offshore support structure can be generally constructed as well known in the offshore oil industry and specifically as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,291, two problems have generally developed in connection with the generation of the electric power at these offshore facilities. One such problem is vibration of the structure caused by the wind itself acting upon the structure and the rotation of the windmill blades to turn the generator to develop the electric power. A number of attempts have been made to combat these vibrations problems as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,525 (minimization of the effects of yaw oscillation in wind turbines), U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,837 (wind turbine with an oscillation dampening means) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,588 (dampening of oscillations in wind turbines). U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,956 describes a support structure fitted between the windmill and the tower to reduce the communication of vibration from the blades and rotating turbine to the tower. While a number of attempts have been made to solve the vibration problem, much improvement could still be made.
Another problem exists with respect to the offshore windmill electric generators. After a period of time there often is a settling of one or more of the support members affecting the alignment of the structure such that the nacelle and axis of the generator and windmill cease to be level or horizontal. This settling is often exacerbated, if not caused, by the vibration of the tower supporting the windmill. This causes uneven forces to be present during operation creating additional wear and tear and resulting inefficiencies, if not a major reconstruction adjustment of the windmill involved.


A fastener arrangement includes a first fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of engaging members projecting from the base sheet. The fastener arrangement includes a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on a surface of a base sheet opposite of the engaging members, and a dual purpose cover sheet. The dual purpose cover sheet protects the adhesive layer of the first fastener member, and the engaging members of a second, underlying fastener member. The dual purpose cover is releasably attached to the second fastener member by fusing or by using an adhesive having a first non-tacky consistency and a second tacky consistency.

Interengaging and intermeshing fastener members are useful in a variety of fields for fastening two objects together. For example, hook and loop fasteners typically include a first fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of hook members projecting therefrom, and a second fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of loop members projecting therefrom. When engaged, the hook members catch the loop members to secure the two fastener members together. For purposes of the present invention, a fastener consists of two fastener members, which may or may not be identical. For example, a hook and loop fastener includes a hook fastener member and a loop fastener member.
Exemplary of other fasteners of a similar type are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,009,235, 4,454,183, 4,761,318, 4,775,310, 4,894,060, and 5,058,247, which generally disclose a first fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of headed stems, and a second fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of loop members. The respective fastener members are secured together in much the same way as hook and loop fasteners, whereby the headed stems engage or catch the loop members to interengage the two fastener members.
Fasteners of the type described above are often most useful when each fastener member is attached to a surface of an object, so that the two objects may be joined together by engaging the respective fastener members. Examples of such applications include fasteners for securing two portions of an article of clothing together, or for securing a piece of trim to a surface. One popular method of attaching the respective fastener members to a surface is to provide a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the base sheet, such that the fastener member may be adhered to the surface of the object by the pressure sensitive adhesive. FIG. 1 illustrates such a conventional construction.
As shown in FIG. 1, a fastener member 10 includes a base sheet 12 and a plurality of engaging members 14 (in the form of hooks) that project from the base sheet. Disposed on an opposite major surface of the base sheet 12 is a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 16, which typically includes a release liner 18 to protect adhesive layer 16 prior to application of the fastener member 10 to a surface. To apply the fastener member 10 to a surface of an object, release liner 18 may be peeled away from the base sheet to expose the adhesive layer 16.
A cover sheet is also provided to prevent the engaging members from contacting and engaging with a surface unintentionally. For example, hook members have a tendency to engage with fabrics and textile materials, and thus a fastener member including hook members may unintentionally become attached to clothing or other fabric prior to use, which is undesirable. A cover sheet 20, shown in FIG. 1, covers the engaging members 14 and thus aids in preventing unintentional engagement of the engaging members with a surface prior to use. Thus, both the cover sheet 20 and the release liner 18 must be removed before the fastener member may be used.
A fastener of the foregoing construction has been used in the field of carpet application. Specifically, a fastener member may be used to anchor carpet to a floor near a wall, or along a seam between adjacent sections of carpet. Loop-like textile structures are provided on the back of the carpet, and engaging members are provided on the fastener member to engage the loop-like structures and affix the carpet to the floor.
An example of a fastener used in conjunction with carpet is shown in FIGS. 2A through 2D. Fastener member 10 may be applied to a surface, such as a floor 30, by removing the release liner 18 and pressing the adhesive layer 16 into contact with the floor. Cover sheet 20 is typically left attached to the engaging members 14 while the carpet is being positioned and cut to size. Cover sheet 20 thus prevents unintentional engagement between the fastener member and the carpet while the carpet is being manipulated in the vicinity of the fastener member. Furthermore, the engaging members are protected from contamination or damage due to exposure to people, dust, paint, fabrics, and the like. When the carpet 32 has been cut and fit into place, cover sheet 20 may be peeled away from fastener 10, allowing loop structures 34 of carpet 32 to engage the engaging members 14. Such a fastening arrangement, in addition to affixing the carpet to the floor, also allows the carpet to be peeled away from the fastener member for cleaning or replacement. Although the fastener product described above is widely used, it would be desirable to reduce material costs inherent in the product. Furthermore, because both the release liner and the cover strip must both be removed prior to the application of the fastener member, the application process can be relatively time consuming, and therefore expensive. It is also desirable to reduce waste associated with all products that are used by consumers. In view of these concerns, it is desirable to provide an inexpensive fastener member that is useful for applications such as those described above.

Fastener arrangement with dual purpose cover sheet

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A note paper sheet dispenser adapted to supply a user with a note paper sheet whose dimensions are determined by the user. The dispenser includes a rectangular base above whose rear end is mounted for rotation a strip paper roll in which the underside of the paper strip is coated with a longitudinal band of low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive. Mounted above the base is an endless conveyer belt which runs between a motor-driven roller adjacent the paper roll and an idler roller adjacent the front end of the base. When the motor is energized, the belt then draws paper strip from the roll along the belt to a length depending on the time period during which the motor is energized. A tear-off blade above the belt and adjacent the roll permits the length of paper strip lying in the belt to be torn off to provide a note paper sheet of the desired length that can be written on and then temporarily adhered to a document or other object.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a note paper sheet which can temporarily be adhered to a document or other object, the sheet having a band of low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on its underside, and more particularly to a dispenser adapted to) supply a user with a note paper sheet of this type in dimensions determined by the user.
2. Status of Prior Art
Available on the market is the well-known POST-IT note paper, sheet produced by 3M, also the maker of Scotch tape and other products which make use of pressure-sensitive adhesives. A POST-IT sheet has a band of low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on its underside. Hence when a note is written on this sheet, it may then temporarily be adhered to a document or other object.
Thus if a user wishes to attach a brief note to a copy of a U.S. patent uncovered in a search calling attention to the fact that this patent discloses a particular feature of interest, he can do so with a POST-IT sheet which after it has served its purpose can readily be detached from the patent copy without injury thereto.
Had the pressure-sensitive adhesive been of the high-tack type, such as that found in Scotch tape, and a sheet of note paper attached to the copy of the patent by this tape, because of the resultant strong bond, it would be difficult to later remove the tape without tearing the paper of the patent copy.
Though POST-IT sheets are highly useful, they suffer from two practical disadvantages:
(1) POST-IT sheets are provided in pad form, a stack of such sheets all, of the same size, being pasted together at the upper edge of the stack. Since a user of POST-IT sheets all, for different applications require sheets of different dimensions, such as a small size sheet for a brief note, a medium size sheet for a longer note, and large and extra-large size sheets for still longer notes to be written on the sheet, the present practice is to make available to a user POST-IT pads in a range of different sizes.
Thus a typical user of POST-IT's must keep on his desk or elsewhere several POST-IT pads in different sizes and then select for use whatever pad is appropriate to the note to be written and to the document or object to which the note is to be attached. And since some pads of different size are used more often than others, the sheets in the more-frequently used pads are depleted before those on the infrequently used pads. Hence the user must acquire and maintain an inventory of several pads, and this can be a nuisance and also somewhat costly.
(2) In a POST-IT pad, each sheet has on its under-surface adjacent the upper edge of the pad a band of pressure-sensitive adhesive. The reason this band is so placed is that it does not then interfere with the ability of the user to peel the sheet off the pad, as would be the case had the band been placed closer to the free end of the sheet and cause the sheets in the pad to stick together.
But when this sheet whose adhesive band is next to its upper edge is adhered to a document or other object, the remaining portion of the sheet is free to curl. Such curling does not usually take place in a small POST-IT sheet, but is more likely to happen in larger sheets. And when the sheet is curled, its notation is then more difficult to read. Moreover, the curled sheet can easily be brushed off the document to which it is temporarily adhered.


The invention relates to a method, compounds and compositions for the secondary prevention, treatment or dietary management of symptomatic and asymptomatic non-intestinal autoimmune diseases in a non-infant human including Sjogren's syndrome and type 1 diabetes. Said method, compounds and compositions for the secondary prevention, treatment or dietary management include human milk oligosaccharide (HMO), preferably mixtures of human milk oligosaccharides selected from the group of 2′-FL, LNnT, LNT, DFL, and 6′-SL.

Autoimmune diseases are conditions arising from an abnormal immune response to own tissue. They are chronic and reduce quality of life. More than 80 types of autoimmune disorders are known to exist, including both intestinal autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease and Coeliac disease, and systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Grave's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, psoriasis, Addison's disease, Sjögren's syndrome, vasculitis, myasthenia gravis, and type I diabetes. Autoimmune diseases are among the leading causes of death among young and middle-aged women in the United States. Incidence rates vary among the autoimmune diseases, with estimates ranging from less than one newly-diagnosed case of systemic sclerosis to more than 20 cases of adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis per 100,000 person-years. At least 85% of systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjögren's syndrome patients are female. Although most diseases can occur at any age, some diseases primarily occur in childhood and adolescence (e.g. type 1 diabetes), in the mid-adult years (e.g. multiple sclerosis), or among older adults (e.g. Sjögren's syndrome).
The inappropriate immune response against own tissues and molecules results in tissue-specific or systemic inflammation, leading to organ damage and malfunction. The disease progresses from initial naive lymphocyte activation to a chronic state characterized by an increase in the number of autoantigens targeted by T cells and antibodies. Activated autoreactive B cells can function as antigen presenting cells for novel peptides and express co-stimulatory molecules. Antigens are processed and presented to naive T cells leading to the activation of additional autoreactive B cells that present new epitopes up to a point in which there is autoreactivity to a large number of autoantigens. The production of autoantibodies induces damage to tissues by the formation of immune complexes, cytolysis, or phagocytosis of target self-cells and interferes with proper tissue and cellular functions. Although aetiology of autoimmune diseases is unknown, genetic redisposition, environmental factors, and gut microbiota dysbiosis have been identified as possible contributors (Opazo et al. Front. Microbiol. 9, 432 (2018)).
It has been estimated that the human intestine harbours 1013 to 1014 bacterial cells and the number of bacteria outnumbers the total number of cells in the body by a factor of 10. The microbiota of the human intestine is a complex and very dynamic microbial ecosystem, which is considered to serve numerous essential functions for its human host, including protection against pathogens, induction of immune regulatory functions, nutrient processing and metabolic functions. The composition of the gut microbiota is influenced by numerous factors including diet, antibiotics, microbe-microbe interactions, and host genetics. Changes in these factors can cause microbiota disruption (dysbiosis). Dysbiosis in the human microbiota can have an impact on the gut barrier leading to translocation of bacteria from the lumen to the immunologic compartments of the gut, which can induce local mucosal inflammation and increase intestinal permeability. Pro-inflammatory lymphocytes and cytokines can then spread to the systemic circulation and increase the risk of inflammation at distant anatomical sites, such as the joints, tissues, lacrimal or salivary glands as seen in SAD (Campbell Autoimmune Dis. 152428 (2014)).
Several studies have demonstrated association of the intestinal microbiota with SADs such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). For example, patients with SLE have a lower Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio compared to healthy subjects and a different species composition of Enterobacteriaceae (Hevia et al. mBio. 5, e01548-14 (2014)). In addition, SS patients have a low relative abundance of beneficial commensal bacteria such as bifidobacteria and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (butyrate-producing bacterium). Additionally, the intestinal dysbiosis in SS patients is associated with clinical markers of systemic disease activity (Mandl et al. Arthritis Res. Ther. 19, 237 (2017)). In children with T1D a similar microbiota change has been observed with a decrease of beneficial intestinal bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Blautia coccoides/Eubacterium rectale group (group of butyrate-producing bacteria) (Murri et al. BMC Medicine 11, 46 (2013)).
Certain members of the intestinal microbiota can produce metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which have distinct physiological effects. SCFAs are produced in the colon by saccharolytic bacteria through fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates. Their production is influenced by the pattern of food intake and diet-mediated changes in the gut microbiota. The main products are acetate, propionate and butyrate, which are absorbed by the colon. They contribute to shaping of the gut environment, influence the physiology of the colon, and modulate the intestinal immune response. Butyrate acts as the primary energy source for epithelial cells and has been reported to regulate the physical and functional integrity of the colonic mucosa by altering mucin gene and tight junction expression and assembly. In addition, butyrate and propionate have been reported to induce the differentiation of T-regulatory cells, assisting to control intestinal inflammation. This effect is mediated via inhibition of histone deacetylation. Acetate can enhance intestinal defence mediated by epithelial cells and thereby protect the host against assault (Canani et al. World J. Gastroenterol. 17, 1519 (2011)).
Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota with decrease abundance of saccharolytic bacteria and butyrate producing bacteria can lead to a reduced production of SCFA, which in turn can impact immune balance in the gut towards inflammation. Gut inflammation has been observed in SAD. For example, increased levels of faecal calprotectin, a validated marker for GI inflammation, has been found in SS patients. An important marker linked to regulation of intestinal permeability and disassembly of tight junction proteins is zonulin. Deregulation or disruption of the zonulin signalling pathway leads to increased permeability. In T1D patients, high intestinal permeability has been linked to elevated levels of zonulin in the serum. This has also been seen in MS patients (Fasano Clinic. Rev. Allerg. Immunol. 42, 71 (2012)).
There is no cure for SAD. Current treatments are focussed on controlling the overactive immune response and bringing down the inflammation. However, they cannot prevent the relapse of symptoms. Treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Naprosyn) and immune-suppressing drugs such as corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors and IMDH inhibitors.
Recently, biologics targeting specific aspects of the immune system have become treatment options, such as anti-TNFα antibodies (Infliximab). All of these treatments have side effects and their use on a chronic basis is problematic. This has led to the search for treatments better suited to chronic use. Probiotics are one such approach (Opazo et al. Front. Microbiol. 9, 432 (2018)). For example, the probiotic mixture VSL3 has been shown to reduce the susceptibility to developing autoimmune diseases in an animal model. However, other probiotics have not given positive results in animal models. Also, evidence of probiotic efficacy in humans is lacking.
Exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding has been identified as a protective factor against the development of type 1 diabetes in humans. This has led to the hypothesis that human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) may contribute to protecting the infant against development of type 1 diabetes later in life. HMOs are a heterogeneous mixture of soluble glycans found in high concentrations in human milk. This hypothesis has been given substance by work in young NOD-mice showing that a mixture of HMOs extracted from human milk protect against the development of type 1 diabetes in the mice (Xiao et al. Sci. Rep. 8, 3829 (2018)). If the results are translatable to humans, administering HMOs to infants and children may offer a way of reducing the risks of type 1 diabetes later in life.
However, there remains a need for safe, well tolerated interventions for the treatment or secondary prevention of SAD in humans.

Mixture of HMOs for treating autoimmune diseases


A rod lens for a lighting apparatus and a lighting apparatus including the rod lens are disclosed. The rod lens having a rectangular rod structure extends lengthwise and includes a first end and a second end opposing each other. The first end is a light incident surface and formed of one continuous surface. The second end is a light exit surface and formed of a plurality of separated surfaces.

The disclosure relates to a rod lens for a lighting apparatus and a lighting apparatus including the rod lens. The disclosure also relates to a lighting apparatus including a rod lens used to radiate light to an examination object.
Examination processes for discovering small defects are important to improve productivity of a product, such as a semiconductor, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a printed circuit board (PCB), etc. An examination process has been developed to detect smaller defects at higher speeds. In particular, a method of mounting two or more light receiving units has been used to detect smaller defects at higher speeds. This method enables us to examine a greater region in a same amount of time, thereby dramatically reducing examination time.

Rod lens for lighting apparatus, lighting apparatus including the same and semiconductor manufacturing method using the apparatus

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


A pressure regulator for controlling flow of a fluid therethrough is provided. An upper housing member and a primary diaphragm define an upper chamber and a lower housing member and the primary diaphragm define a lower chamber. The pressure regulator further includes: a valve assembly provided within the upper chamber for controlling the flow of the fluid from an inlet body into the upper chamber; a secondary diaphragm provided within the lower chamber and defining a secondary diaphragm driving chamber; and a passageway connecting the inlet body and the secondary diaphragm driving chamber. During operation, the secondary diaphragm driving chamber is filled with the fluid at the inlet pressure, thereby subjecting the secondary diaphragm to the inlet pressure and generating the force for actuating the valve's disengagement from the inlet body. The pressure regulator functions to maintain the outlet pressure at a value that is a predetermined fraction of the inlet pressure.

Pressure regulators are used to control the outlet pressure of a fluid flowing through the regulator. In traditional pressure regulators, the outlet pressure is adjusted by varying the force applied to a diaphragm within the housing of the pressure regulator. In some pressure regulators, the force on the diaphragm is applied by a coil spring. To adjust the force, and thereby the outlet pressure, the user must physically adjust the regulator to change the force applied by the coil spring.
This physical adjustment may become burdensome, particularly in environments in which the pressure regulator is difficult to access or when a number of pressure regulators are present, each requiring adjustment. This is the case, for example, in water supply lines used to supply water and other fluids to poultry and other animals. An improved pressure regulator, in which adjustment of the outlet pressure is simplified, is therefore desired.


In one embodiment, a system to provide trust during an audio call between a first and second party includes a communication interface to receive a voice certificate including a voice pattern, a first certificate ID and a first digital signature, an attribute certificate including an attribute, a second certificate ID and a second digital signature, and processing hardware to compare a voice sample of the second party to the voice pattern, verify the voice certificate, verify the attribute certificate, verify at least one attribute signing organization certificate, compare the first certificate ID to the second certificate ID, and provide an indication that the second party in the audio call has the attribute based on a positive result to the above processing.

Voice calls are an important and daily part of human interaction. Oftentimes the two sides to the conversation have no prior acquaintance, and so a level of trust has to be established in relation to certain roles or attributes claimed by either or both sides to the conversation. Today, this trust usually has nothing to build on, except perhaps for a caller ID that is both relatively easy to fake and also does not properly convey fine grained roles or attributes. Further, a caller ID identifies, with the above limitations, the device used to place the call but not the true identity of the person using that device.


A method of controlling a clock signal in a clock distribution network, by detecting an error in a duty cycle of the clock signal, and dynamically adjusting the body voltage of one or more devices in the clock distribution network, based on the detected error. Where the electronic device is a p-type device, the adjustment may be performed by reducing the body voltage of the p-type device with respect to a supply voltage. Where the electronic device is an n-type device, the adjustment may be performed by increasing the body voltage of the n-type device with respect to a reference plane. The invention may be implemented digitally, that is, with the body voltage of the electronic device being adjusted by selectively connecting a body contact of the device to one of several discrete voltages using a multiplexer. Alternatively, the invention may be implemented in an analog fashion, such as by applying an analog signal to the body contact, wherein the analog signal is generated using an asymmetric charge-pump and filter connected to the clock signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to synchronized electronic systems, and more particularly to a method of dynamically adjusting the duty cycle of a clock signal in a digital computer system having a clock distribution network.
2. Description of Related Art
Many modern electronic systems require a precise clock circuit for proper operation. For example, digital information processing equipment such as a computer must have an accurate and reliable clock source to control the various signals that are sent between the functional components of the computer. In such systems, it is very important that all of the components are properly synchronized to a common clock.
Synchronous electronic equipment utilizes an oscillator circuit to produce a basic source frequency signal. This signal is in turn utilized to drive other circuitry (such as a phase-lock loop, or PLL) for developing desired rise and fall times of square-wave signals, and desired signal levels. The clock rate requirements for timing digital information processing systems are generally proportional to the switching speeds of the circuitry employed. As clock circuits improve and clock rates increase, tolerances are necessarily diminished, and clock skew becomes an ever-increasing problem.
Different problems can arise in the accuracy of the clock signal. Variations in timing between successive 5 rising edges (or falling edges), i.e., the overall cycle variation (often referred to as xe2x80x9cjitterxe2x80x9d) typically relates to the oscillator. Variations in the duty cycle (the portion of the overall cycle in which the signal is xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d), i.e., between a rising edge and the next falling edge, typically relate to the clock distribution network, although variations in the duty cycle can also be caused by the oscillator. Clock distribution networks use various elements such as buffers and inverters, often cascaded. These networks can introduce duty cycle distortion due to circuit and interconnect modeling inaccuracies, process variations, and the environment.
For systems which use both the rising and falling edges for timing, a non-optimal clock duty cycle may require a lower clock frequency, reducing performance. A duty cycle error of just 5% for instance (from 50% to 45%) may require a system clock to run at a maximum speed that is 10% lower, causing a significant impact on system performance. Many circuits require a specific duty cycle for clocking signals to provide optimal performance. For example, multi-phase clocking systems often require a symmetrical wave shape that is characteristically desired to operate at a 50% duty cycle. Some applications require a duty cycle other than 50%. One use of non-50% duty cycles is in digital clocking where pulse-mode latching is used rather than edge-latching in order to reduce the setup-hold overhead associated with the latches.
Actual duty cycles typically do not have precisely the desired value. Even if a clock signal has the required duty cycle at some point in the system (e.g., at the output of an on-chip voltage-controlled oscillator), the duty cycle will deviate from the required percentage as the clock signal is buffered and distributed throughout the chip. Different approaches have been devised to actively control the duty cycle. Most of these approaches involve measurement of the error in the duty cycle, and provision of a correction signal to reduce that error.
For example, Gronowski et al., in xe2x80x9cA 433 MHz 64b Quad-Issue RISC Microprocessor,xe2x80x9d ISSCC Digest, pp. 222-223 (February 1996), describe a technique in which the duty cycle is monitored and a feedback mechanism changes the delay in an off-chip clock receiver circuit. In the article by Nakamura et al., xe2x80x9cA CMOS 50% Duty Cycle Repeater Using Complementary Phase Blending,xe2x80x9d VLSI Circuits Digest, pp. 48-49 (June 2000), a system is disclosed requiring two clock phases for a unique xe2x80x9cphase-blendingxe2x80x9d mechanism. Another system, disclosed in Jung et al., xe2x80x9cA Low-Jitter Dual Loop DLL Using Multiple VCDLs With a Duty Cycle Corrector,xe2x80x9d VLSI Circuits Digest, pp. 50-51 (June 2000), also requires two clock phases. That design, however, utilizes a feedback control architecture as well. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,440, a circuit compares the average output value of a monostable multivibrator with a reference voltage, and increments or decrements a counter which drives a data port on the monostable multivibrator. U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,452 describes a clock duty cycle control technique which compares a reference voltage generated by Vdd and ground, and a comparison signal using feedback. The adjustment circuit uses differential amplifiers to shift a reference voltage for adjustment of the duty cycle of the VCO signal.
All of the foregoing techniques add a new level of complexity to the clock distribution scheme. All of these techniques also apply to bulk semiconductor technology, and may be unsuitable for other fabrication methodologies, such as a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. It would, therefore, be desirable to devise an improved clock distribution network having a more consistent and accurate duty cycle. It would be further advantageous if the duty cycle adjustment could be accomplished without significantly adding to the complexity of the distribution network.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide improved clocking control for a synchronized electronic system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved clock distribution network which reduces duty cycle variations.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an improved clock distribution network which dynamically adjusts the duty cycle without adding significant expense.
The foregoing objects are achieved in a method of controlling a clock signal for an electronic system, generally comprising the steps of detecting an error in a duty cycle of a clock signal in a clock distribution network of the electronic system, and dynamically adjusting a body voltage of at least one electronic device in the clock distribution network, based on the detected error. Where the electronic device is a p-type device, the adjustment may be performed by reducing the body voltage of the p-type device with respect to a supply voltage. Where the electronic device is an n-type device, the adjustment may be performed by increasing the body voltage of the n-type device with respect to a reference plane. For example, if the clock distribution network includes an inverter chain having a plurality of inverters, wherein each of the inverters has at least one p-type device and one n-type device, the adjustment may be performed by adjusting the body voltages of the p-type devices in odd-numbered ones of the inverters while adjusting the body voltages of the n-type device in even-numbered ones of the inverters to affect a falling edge of the clock signal, and adjusting the body voltages of the p-type devices in even-numbered ones of the inverters while adjusting the body voltages of the n-type device in odd-numbered ones of the inverters to affect a rising edge of the clock signal.
In one implementation, the body voltage of the electronic device is adjusted by selectively connecting a body contact of the device to one of a plurality of discrete voltages using a multiplexer. If the electronic device is a p-type device, the body contact may be connected to one of a plurality of power supplies and, if the electronic device is an n-type device, the body contact may be connected to one of a plurality of reference planes. Alternatively, the invention may be implemented in an analog fashion, such as by applying an analog signal to the body contact, wherein the analog signal is generated using an asymmetric charge-pump and filter connected to the clock signal.
The above as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.

International Business Machines Corporation


A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus (212) at a first supply speed, where the thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus (212) is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus (216) continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region, provided in a corrugator (225) with parallel or helical corrugation in sections and taken up in an uptake device (226).

To produce piping systems, not only straight sections but also, inter alia, curved sections are necessary. Usually, straight and curved tube segments are welded abutting one another at the end faces along the run of the pipe, joined with a muff by pressing or soldering or joined in another way.
Corrugated tube segments are required for some applications, for example in heat exchangers where enlargement of the surface area is achieved by means of the corrugation or when a tube segment is to be more easily bent away from its longitudinal axis without the bending resulting in an undesirable deformation of the tube cross section. Corrugated tube segments are also frequently used when length changes caused by thermal expansion or mechanical loads have to be compensated for.
Corrugated tubes can, for example, be produced from smooth-walled tubes which are provided with parallel or helical corrugation in a corrugator. When corrugated tube segments are to be joined to smooth-walled tube sections, the ends of the tubes to be connected have to be smooth-walled and have a matching diameter in order to make connection possible. In the case of corrugated tube segments, the ends thus have to be rolled again to give a smooth-walled round tube without corrugation in a complicated forming process in order for tube sections or flanges to be able to be welded on. Joining of the tube segments then occurs by means of welding, for example tungsten-inert gas welding (WIG) in a seam which runs over the circumference of the join. As an alternative, joining can also be effected, depending on the application, by means of shrink tubes, muffs, sleeve nuts, cutting ring screw connections, etc. It is common to all these connection variants for long tubes firstly to be divided into smaller pieces which subsequently have to be aligned with one another and joined together in a more or less complicated fashion.
In the case of heat exchangers, thin-walled tubes having small diameters so as to give good heat exchange are of particularly great interest, not least because a relatively large number of tubes having small diameters can be arranged in a fixed volume of a heat exchanger and a larger area for heat exchange is thus available.
In the conventional production of thin-walled hollow profiles or tubes having small diameters in a continuous process, a slitted hollow profile having larger dimensions, for example a slitted tube having a larger diameter, and optionally a greater wall thickness is firstly made from a flat metal strip, for example by means of appropriate rollers and profiles. The edges adjoining the slit of the metal strip which has been shaped to give the hollow profile are subsequently welded together, usually employing an electric arc welding process. Electric arc welding produces a pronounced welding bead on the inside of the tube, projecting into the interior of the tube. For this reason, the welding seam has to be smoothed or deburred on the outside and/or inside after welding, or the bead is removed by cutting machining, before the tube can be processed further. To ensure that the welding seam is uniform, it is possible to carry out a series of non-destructive tests, e.g. eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing and pressure tests.
Exactly as in the production of seamless tubes having a small diameter and/or small wall thicknesses, the welded tubes are subsequently subjected to a drawing process in which the wall thickness is reduced by means of a mandrel, plug or a spike in order to attain a smaller diameter and optionally lower wall thicknesses of the end product. In particular because of the large dimensions of the welding seam in the electric arc welding process and the resulting large minimum diameter which the welded tube has to have, a number of drawing processes with increasing degree of deformation may be necessary in order to achieve small cross sections and thinner wall thicknesses. Tube diameters below 4 mm can no longer be produced reliably by means of electric arc welding. If only the wall thickness has firstly been reduced in a first drawing process, the diameter of the tube subsequently has to be decreased. For this purpose, the tube can, for example, be drawn over a floating plug and through a drawing die. However, the reduction in the wall thickness and the diameter can also be effected in a single drawing operation. During drawing over a plug, not only is the wall thickness or the diameter reduced but the welding bead on the inside is also smoothed. A further reduction in the diameter to the desired final dimension can be achieved in one or more subsequent drawing processes, in which the plug can be dispensed with when no further decrease in the wall thickness is required. FIG. 4 shows a schematic depiction of the elements used in plug drawing. In plug drawing, a plug 3 is positioned in the interior of the tube 1 which is then drawn through an opening in a die 2 having a smaller diameter than that of the original tube and that of the plug. The plug cannot be drawn through the tube and moves relative to the tube; in actual fact it remains in front of the opening while the tube is pulled through between the opening and the plug and its diameter and its wall thickness are reduced in the process. In this operation, the tube can be preheated in addition to heating brought about by the deformation in order to increase the ductility of the material during drawing. A drawing agent which reduces the friction of the plug can be introduced into the interior of the tube. The process can be repeated a number of times with decreasing diameters. When the work hardening of the material exceeds the desired degree or the degree which the material can tolerate, an annealing step in which the drawn tubes are, before a subsequent drawing operation, degreased, heat treated and descaled and sharpened for the next drawing operation can be introduced. The annealing homogenizes the metallurgical microstructure of the tube. Since the microstructure of a tube has been destroyed after drawing, there is, in particular, accumulation of dislocations and the material becomes hard and brittle: this is referred to as work hardening or strain hardening. In order to be able to draw the drawn tubes again, the dislocations in the microstructure have to be eliminated and the residual stresses have to be dissipated so that the material is brought back to its original state. During annealing, the drawn tubes are subjected to a controlled temperature, up to 1200° C. depending on the material, and an annealing time. During this operation, the tube usually retains its shape, at least in the case of simple cross sections, but the grains in the microstructure of the tube form a normal unstressed pattern again. Depending on annealing temperature, residual stresses and microstructural defects such as dislocations are dissipated by crystal recovery, i.e. movement of dislocations, and recrystallization. The annealed tube is then softer and can be drawn again. Depending on the desired target hardness, a concluding heat treatment is not necessary for high-pressure tubes. The material thus remains in the hard-drawn state and in this way improves the mechanical properties of the tube. Both welded tubes and long seamless tubes can in this way be drawn to an annular tube shape and very long annular tubes produced.
For particular applications, tubes composed of nonferrous metals are particularly suitable. Copper or aluminium tubes can, for example, be preferably employed in heat exchangers because of the high thermal conductivity. In heat exchangers, tubes having small diameters and low wall thicknesses are required, firstly to hinder heat transfer between the media as little as possible and keep the heat capacity of the tube itself small, and secondly to keep material usage and weight low. Wall thicknesses less than 0.15 mm in particular can no longer be produced reliably and with the required quality of the welding seam by means of electric arc welding. Tubes composed of nonferrous metals having wall thicknesses and diameters smaller than those mentioned accordingly must be brought to the respective desired final dimension by means of processing steps following the actual production of the tube.
It is fundamentally advantageous for individual tubes to be able, where possible, to be produced as long parts in order to allow a largely continuous production process which has to be interrupted as rarely as possible. Any subpieces required can then be cut from the long tubes, with only a small cutting residue, if any, remaining. In general, any saving on process steps is naturally advantageous in the production process.
It is an object of the present invention to propose an apparatus and a process by means of which thin-walled tubes or hollow profiles can be produced in a continuous process and selectively provided in sections with helical or parallel corrugation.

Process for the continuous production of thin-walled hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have small diameters and are corrugated in sections


A system for measuring clearance between a first object and a second object is provided. The system includes a sensor configuration to generate a first signal representative of a first sensed parameter and a second signal representative of a second sensed parameter. The system also includes a clearance measurement unit configured to process the first and second signals based upon a ratiometric technique to calculate clearance between the first and second objects.

The invention relates generally to sensor systems, and more particularly to a sensor system for measuring a clearance between two objects through a ratiometric technique.
Various types of sensors have been used to measure the distance between two objects. In addition, these sensors have been used in various applications. For example, a turbine has a turbine blade that is disposed adjacent to a shroud. The clearance between the turbine blade and the shroud varies depending on the temperature of the turbine blade. For example, the clearance between the shroud and the turbine blade is greatest when the turbine is cold and gradually decreases as the turbine heats up. It is desirable that a gap or clearance between the turbine blade and the shroud be maintained for safe and effective operation of the turbine. A sensor may be disposed within the turbine to measure the distance between the turbine blade and the shroud. The distance may be used to direct movement of the shroud to maintain the desired displacement between the shroud and the turbine blade.
In certain applications, a capacitance probe is employed to measure the distance between two objects. The probe is located on one of the objects and measures a capacitance with respect to the other object for estimating the clearance between the two objects. Unfortunately, existing direct measurement techniques employing a single probe for a single target object are relatively inaccurate where the target object changes its geometry during the course of measurement. For example, in a rotating component, such as a turbine blade, the geometry and position of the blade may change depending on various conditions. Such changes may result in a drift in the calibration of the probe. Further, noise due to thermal distortions in the wire connecting the probe to a clearance control unit may also results in inaccurate measurements.
Moreover, in certain applications such as gas turbines, such sensor systems are typically employed to measure clearances between parts during design and offline testing. Unfortunately, these sensor systems are not workable for in-service measurements due to the noise and drift generated by changes in geometry of the parts. Instead, in-service clearance control is based on the clearance measurements previously taken during design and testing of the parts. As the parts become worn during service, the offline measurements become ineffective for in-service clearance control.
Accordingly, a need exists for providing a sensor system that provides an accurate measurement of clearance between two objects by minimizing the effect of calibration drift and noise in a system. It would also be advantageous to provide a self-calibrating sensor system that could be employed for accurate clearance measurement for parts in operation.

System and method for measuring clearance between two objects


A method for demodulating a multiplexed stereophonic signal, the signal including a signal called the sum signal, a signal called the difference signal, and a pilot signal, the method including the following steps: removing the pilot frequency from the multiplexed stereophonic signal, the resulting signal being called the pilotless signal, and subtracting the sum signal from the pilotless signal.

Such a stereophonic signal is composed of a set of a first signal, called the sum signal, which is a sum of two, left and right, monophonic signals, and of a second signal, called the difference signal, which is a difference of said two monophonic signals, and has been modulated by a carrier, preferably at 38 kHz. To generate this 38 kHz carrier, the stereophonic signal also comprises a pilot signal, the frequency of which is that of the 38 kHz carrier divided by two.
Demodulation of the stereophonic signal may be difficult, even problematic, both due to the complex extraction of the pilot signal and due to the use of various filters which negatively affect the degree of total harmonic distortion and the separation of the left/right channels. This is the case in particular when the energy of the sum signal is higher than that of the difference signal, the known demodulation methods not allowing the amplitude of the sum signal to be attenuated sufficiently in order to cleanly recover the difference signal.

Method of demodulation of a stereophonic signal


A method and apparatus for re-synchronizing a remote mirroring pair including first and second storage systems which are connected to each other via a path, the first storage system being connected to a host. A primary volume is provided to the first storage system and a remote secondary volume is provided to the second storage system. The remote secondary volume is a copied volume of the primary volume which is in synchronous mode with the remote secondary volume. A local secondary volume is provided in the first storage system and has stored therein journal logs of write I/O's from the host and old data including write data of previous write I/O's. Recovery of data on the primary volume based on the local secondary volume is conducted when necessary by applying the journal logs to the old data without suspending the synchronous mode between the primary and remote secondary volumes.

The present invention relates generally to techniques for storage replication. More particularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for re-synchronizing a remote mirroring pair and maintaining data consistency between the volumes of the remote mirroring pair.
Conventionally, there have been two types of approaches to storage-based volume replication, namely local replication and remote (copy) replication. Both technologies mirror files, file systems, or volumes without using host CPU power. When a host conducts a host input/output (I/O) such as a write I/O of data to a primary volume (PV) of a storage system, the storage system automatically copies the data to a replication (secondary) volume (SV). This mechanism ensures that PV and SV are identical.
Local replication duplicates the primary volume within a first storage system, so that when the host writes data to the PV, the first storage system also stores the data to a local secondary volume (LSV). Local replication is typically used for taking backups.
Remote replication duplicates volumes across two or more storage systems so that when the host writes data to PV, the first storage system transfers the data through paths, such as ESCON, Fibre Channel, T3, and/or IP networks, to at least one second storage system for storage in a remote secondary volume (RSV) included therein. Remote replication is typically used to enable the recovery of data from disasters, such as earthquake, flood, fire, and the like. Even if the first storage system or the whole data center at the primary site is damaged by a disaster, data is unaffected at the secondary site and business can be resumed quickly.
There are at least two modes of transferring data to implement remote mirroring between local and remote storage systems, namely synchronous mode and asynchronous mode. In the synchronous mode, all write I/O's to the PV of the first storage system are mirrored at the RSV of the second storage system. In the asynchronous mode, in response to a write I/O, the first storage system completes the write I/O and then asynchronously transfers the write data to the second storage system for storage on the RSV. Specifically, the write data to be copied to the RSV of the second storage system is temporarily stored in a queuing area, such as cache memory, disk storage, Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM) etc. The write data is retrieved from the queuing area and then stored in the RSV of the second storage system.
Recently Volume Replication Technology has become very popular. Volume Replication gives users many benefits to manage their data stored on volumes. However, volume replication as per the conventional technique includes complicated operations in a system combining local and remote replication when it is necessary to restore data onto the primary volume and the storage systems are in the synchronous mode. For example, when a system is configured to have local and remote secondary volumes (LSV and RSV) for one primary volume (PV) as shown in FIGS. 2A–E, it is necessary to suspend and resynchronize the remote replication pair (PV and RSV) before and after restoring data from the local secondary (replica) volume LSV onto the PV.
FIG. 2A illustrates the normal state where volume replication is implemented according to the conventional technique. As per FIG. 2A PV and RSV are in the synchronous mode and PV and LSV are in the suspended state so that data written by the host to PV in a write I/O is eventually copied to LSV. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, both PV and LSV contain a bit map which is an image of the state of the data stored in the respective volumes immediately before suspension is implemented. These bit maps manage the differences between the volumes.
Once an event has occurred where the PV must be restored from the LSV the synchronization between the replication pair PV and RSV must be suspended as illustrated in FIG. 2B. Thereafter, the bit maps of the respective volumes PV and LSV are merged, PV and LSV are changed from the suspended state to the synchronous mode, and data from the LSV is stored to the PV as illustrated in the FIG. 2C. In addition, it may be necessary for the write I/O's from the host to be halted.
The bit maps for each of the volumes PV and LSV are stored in the respective volumes and the replication pair PV and LSV are changed from the synchronous mode to the suspended state as illustrated in FIG. 2D with the bit maps stored in the respective volumes prior to them being placed in the suspended state. Finally, the replication pair PV and RSV are then moved from the suspended state to the synchronous mode as illustrated in FIG. 2E.
One of the disadvantages of the above described conventional technique is that there may be inconsistencies between the data stored on the respective remote replication pairs PV and RSV, thereby creating a "fuzzy" status being that updates are only made according to differences in the bit map managed by the local replication pairs PV and LSV.
Therefore there is a need to provide a technique to manage and operate the recovery process in the above described cascading replication configuration including local and remote replication to improve data consistency. Further, there is a need to provide a technique that provides time consistent volume replication even during recovery process.

Method and apparatus for re-synchronizing mirroring pair with data consistency


Techniques for confining electrons in an ion implanter are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for confining electrons in an ion implanter. The apparatus may comprise a first array of magnets and a second array of magnets positioned along at least a portion of a beam path, the first array being on a first side of the beam path and the second array being on a second side of the beam path, the first side opposing the second side. At least one magnet in the first array may have a pole facing an opposite pole of a corresponding magnet in the second array.

Ion implanters are widely used in semiconductor manufacturing to selectively alter the conductivity of materials. In a typical ion implanter, ions generated from an ion source are transported downstream through a series of beamline components which may include one or more analyzer and/or corrector magnets and a plurality of electrodes. The analyzer magnets may be used to select desired ion species and filter out contaminant species or ions having undesirable energies. The corrector magnets may be used to manipulate the shape of the ion beam or otherwise adjust the ion beam quality before it reaches a target wafer. Suitably shaped electrodes can be used to modify the energy and the shape of the ion beam. After the ion beam has been transported through the series of beamline components, it may be directed into an end station to perform ion implantation.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional ion implanter system 100. As is typical for most ion implanters, the system 100 is housed in a high-vacuum environment. The ion implanter system 100 may comprise an ion source 102 and a series of beamline components through which an ion beam 10 passes. The series of beamline components may include, for example, an extraction manipulator 104, a filter magnet 106, an acceleration or deceleration column 108, an analyzer magnet 110, a rotating mass slit 112, a scanner 114, and a corrector magnet 116. Much like a series of optical lenses that manipulate a light beam, the ion implanter components can filter and focus the ion beam 10 before steering it towards a target wafer 118.
As the semiconductor industry keeps reducing feature sizes of electronic devices, ion beams with lower energies are desirable in order to achieve shallow dopant profiles and shallow p-n junctions. Meanwhile, it is also desirable to maintain a relatively high beam current in order to achieve a reasonable production throughput. Such low-energy, high-current ion beams may be difficult to transport within typical ion implanters due to limitations arising from space charge. To prevent "blow-up" of a positive ion beam, negatively charged particles, such as electrons or negative ions, may be introduced for space charge neutralization. One way of sustaining space charge neutralization is through magnetic confinement of negatively charged particles. However, existing magnetic confinement approaches tend to introduce extra magnetic field components that cause ion beam distortion.
For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional method for confining electrons with permanent magnets 202. The permanent magnets 202 may be arranged into two banks, one above and the other below a beam path associated with an ion beam 20. Taking advantage of electrons' tendency to cling to and spiral around magnetic field lines, the permanent magnets 202 can confine electrons (or other charged particles) in cusp magnetic fields in or near the beam path. Generally, the magnet field strength produced by the permanent magnets 202 should be weak enough not to affect transport of the ion beam 20. Note, however, the permanent magnets 202 in existing magnetic confinement approaches are typically arranged for "polar symmetry," wherein like poles face each other across the beam path. That is, the north pole of a magnet in one bank faces the north pole of a corresponding magnet in the other bank. The same is true with south poles. The polar-symmetric arrangement of the permanent magnets 202 may produce a non-zero magnetic field component (Bz) in the mid-plane between the two banks of permanent magnets 202. The non-zero magnetic field component Bz can cause any part of the ion beam 20 that is not traveling strictly along the Z-direction to be deflected in the vertical (±Y) directions, resulting in vertical asymmetries in the ion beam 20. Such vertical asymmetries are typically difficult to correct with other beamline components.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a technique for confining electrons in an ion implanter which overcomes the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings.

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A method for operating a motor vehicle, which is equipped with a plurality of wheels and with a plurality of electric machines. Each electric machine can be coupled to at least one wheel and be operated in a plurality of operating modes. The respective electric machines perform rotations in a first engine operating mode in a first direction of rotations. Electric energy is converted to mechanical energy. The at least one wheel is rotated in a forward direction, whereby the vehicle is driven with the at least one wheel. The respective electric machines perform rotations in a second generator operating mode in a second direction of rotations, which is opposite to the first direction of rotations, whereby electric energy is converted to mechanical energy.

A so-called electric vehicle is provided with at least one electric machine for driving the vehicle, as well as with at least one electric energy storage device, usually a battery which has a high operating voltage, If the at least one electric machine is operated as a motor, the electric energy is converted by the at least one electric storage device to mechanical energy in order to operate the vehicle. However, it is also possible that at least one electric machine is operated as a generator, so that mechanical energy resulting from the movement of the vehicle is converted to electric energy and stored in the at least on electric storage device. In an operating mode in which that the electric machine is operated as a generator, which can also be referred to as recuperation, the traveling movement of the vehicle is being slowed down in this case. If the vehicle is traveling downhill, the mechanical energy can be also converted to electric energy, so that as a result, the brakes of the vehicle can be used sparingly.
However, such a recuperation is possible only if sufficient free capacities are still available for storing electric energy and accordingly, the at least one electric energy storage device is not fully charged prior to the beginning of the downhill travel. If the at least one electric energy storage device has low capacities for storing additional electric energy before the beginning of the downhill travel, conventional brakes of the vehicle must be used, which then must provide all of the required deceleration output. However, this can result in a state in which the brakes become overloaded and/or in that the vehicle requires stronger and heavy and thus also expensive brakes. If the motor vehicle must in addition travel downhill with a trailer, an additional decelerating power must be provided by the conventional brakes.
The document DE 10 2012 107 963 A1 describes an auxiliary drive device for a motor vehicle, which supplements the force of the system by means of an electromotive force initiated by the operator. At the same time, a recuperation can be carried out so that for example a preselected maximum speed can be maintained by controlling the recuperation. This a include the measured wherein an electric machine is controlled for delivering a torque against its direction of rotation when it is not possible to adjust the current driving speed to the preselected maximum speed by using only recuperation.
A control device for a brake system, which is equipped with an electric drive device and/or with a generator device, is described in the publication DE 10 2010 042 995 A1. In this case, the brake system is arranged in a motor vehicle. In addition, it is also possible to apply the drive devices and/or the generator devices against a conventional movement direction of the motor vehicle and opposite to the direction of the movement of the motor vehicle, which can be used on at least one wheel of the motor vehicle.