A Li-ion battery includes a cathode; an anode having a primary active material, conductive carbon, binder, and reserve material; and a separator between the cathode and anode. The reserve material has a reaction potential between a lithium reaction potential and a primary active material reaction potential. The reserve material is configured to intercalate with lithium at the reaction potential responsive to the primary active material being fully intercalated to inhibit lithium plating on the anode.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, or cells, have become an integral part in most of the devices ranging from smart phones to electric vehicles. Though they offer high energy and power density.
Conventional Li-ion batteries generally include a positive electrode (cathode), a negative electrode (anode), a separator, and an electrolyte. Current collectors are typically attached to each electrode in order to extract current from the battery. In conventional Li-ion batteries, the anode often includes graphite as a primary active material, which has a capacity of about 375 mAh/g. Graphite has a low discharge voltage (or reaction potential), which provides a large voltage difference between itself and the cathode, and therefore a relatively high power and energy density. During charging of a conventional Li-ion battery containing a graphite anode, lithium ions intercalate into the graphite structure at a low potential (about 0.1V) versus lithium (and lithium ions). This process would normally continue until all the available lithium ions from the cathode are intercalated into the graphite and the cell reaches 100% state of charge (SOC) (or is fully intercalated), as shown in FIG. 1.
In a properly designed cell, the anode capacity is intentionally designed to exceed the available lithium provided by the cathode such that all the lithium can be fully accommodated in the graphite. However, during charging at low temperatures or at high rates, the potential at the anode in a conventional cell can drop below 0.1 V, and may even drop below 0 V, leading to lithium plating on the surface of the anode, as shown in FIG. 1. One of the primary issues with lithium plating is an internal short circuit between the electrodes, induced by formation of fine filaments of lithium (dendrites) that pierce the separator, eventually reaching the cathode. Though lithium plating may occur at any part of the anode structure, it is more likely to occur at the interface between separator and anode, and particularly at sharp edges or protrusions on the surface of the anode or separator. Lithium plating forming the dendrites can occur at the anode surface due to a poor cell design, and more particularly when the cell is charged at low temperatures and high charge rates.
In addition to lithium plating low temperature and high charge rate conditions, degradation of the graphite's capacity may lead to it becoming insufficient to accommodate all the cycled lithium. As such, lithium plating may also lead to capacity loss and increased impedance in the cell.


A caliper-arm-position sensor comprising a differential variable reluctance transducer (DVRT) and circuits to drive the DVRT with a substantially sinusoidal signal and to sample a signal at the DVRT once per drive-signal cycle at a predetermined position in the drive-signal cycle is disclosed.

Caliper tools are often used in the oil-and-gas industry to measure characteristics of the wellbore environment. For example, a multi-arm caliper logging tool may be positioned in a wellbore (e.g., via wireline) to measure the diameter of the wellbore at various depths in the wellbore. The diameter measurement may be taken at various axes to provide a diameter profile. When positioned in a tubular, such as casing in a wellbore, the caliper tool provides information about the condition of the inner wall of the tubular. An overview of caliper tools is provided in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 10,087,740, the entirety of which patent is incorporated herein by reference.
One way to determine the radial position of a caliper arm (or "finger") in a caliper logging tool (the distance of a point on the arm from the longitudinal axis defined by the caliper tool) is to mechanically link the position of the arm to the position of a core relative to a transformer or inductor (e.g., in a differential variable reluctance transducer). The electrical signal provided by the transformer/inductor transducer is a function of the position of the core and thus is a function of the position of the arm. An overview of such an approach is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 10,087,740.
The circumferential resolution of a caliper tool may be increased by increasing the number of caliper arms. For example, a 60-arm caliper tool has a greater circumferential resolution than a 40-arm caliper tool which has a greater circumferential resolution than a 24-arm caliper tool. This increased circumferential resolution comes at a cost. Namely, more caliper arms means more data competing for limited processing resources. This manifests in a logging tool as slower logging speeds to allow time to capture data at the various depths within the borehole without degrading depth resolution. Stated another way, to maintain vertical (depth) resolution while increasing circumferential resolution without increasing processing capacity (and, thereby, the size and power requirements of the tool), the logging process will require more time. Accordingly, there is a need for a caliper-position sensor that acquires high-resolution caliper-sensor information quickly so as to reduce the need to increase processing capacity in order to increase circumferential resolution.


Disclosed is an apparatus for mounting a lens filter on a camera. The apparatus includes a fixing plate which can rotate and slide according to the position of the accessory mounting groove of the camera and combines with the accessory mounting groove of the camera. An adjusting part adjusts the horizontal position of a filter according to the variation of the length of a camera lens. The adjusting part is slidably combined with the fixing plate. A filter holder assembly which is rotatably mounted on the adjusting part is included. The filter holder assembly receives a filter and adjusts the vertical position of the filter according to the vertical position of the camera lens. A picture can be taken irrespective of the position of the camera lens and the position of the accessory mounting groove. A circular filter and a rectangular filter can be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera accessory, and more particularly to an apparatus for detachably mounting a lens filter onto a camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As for accessories for a camera, a tripod for preventing the shaking of the camera, a flash for lighting up a thing pictured for photographing in a dark environment, various filters for improving a photographing technique, such as an ultraviolet (UV) filter for shielding UV irradiated through a camera lens, can be illustrated. A camera lens is demountably attached in front of the objective lens for filtering the light which irradiates film through the objective lens or for modifying the thing image of the object captured the film) to produce various effects on the pictured image.
Generally, a camera may be classified as either an auto-focusing camera, which automatically adjusts the focus or a manual-focusing camera, which the user adjusts the focus manually. Manual-focus cameras adjust the focus while confirming the object viewed through a viewfinder which is related to the objective lens. On the other hand, an auto-focus camera adjusts the focus while confirming the object viewed through a viewfinder which is separate from the objective lens. Accordingly, the image of the object viewed may be confirmed during photography when using a manual-focus camera. Whereas, the camera image of the object viewed is not identical with the view of the object through the viewfinder when using an auto-focus camera.
A filter used with the manual-focus camera may be demountably fastened in front of the front surface of the objective lens. The objective lens for the manual-focus camera has a screw for mounting the lens filter and the lens filter has another screw. Accordingly, the lens filter can be easily mounted to the camera lens. However, there is no apparatus for demountably fastening a filter in front of the objective lens of an auto-focus camera and so a user of an auto-focus camera cannot utilize filters for improving the quality of his pictures.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, apparatuses are disclosed in Korean Utility Model Publication Nos. 95-5049 and 95-5039 entitled "Holder assembly for Camera Filter" and "Holder assembly for Camera Lens Filter", respectively, published on Jun. 21, 1995.
FIGS. 1 & 2 illustrate the holder assembly for a camera lens filter disclosed in the Korean Utility Model Publication No. 95-5039. As shown in the drawings, a holder assembly 100 for camera lens filter 52 includes a support 20 to be combined with camera 10, a fixing screw portion 30 formed at one side of support 20, and a filter holder assembly 50 which is supported by support 20 through a hinge portion 40 and rotates. Fixing screw portion 30 is meshed with an accessory mounting groove (not shown) formed on the bottom surface of camera 10 for fixing camera 10 onto a tripod (not shown). Through this, support 20 is mounted onto camera 10. Filter holder assembly 50 rotates about the hinge formed at the distal end of support 20. Then, filter holder assembly rotates to the original position where is in parallel with support 20 when the camera lens protrudes forward for utilizing a zoom function, as shown in FIG. 2. At filter holder assembly 50, an inserting groove 54 is formed for receiving a filter 52.
However, as described in "Holder assembly for Camera Lens Filter" (see above), the length of support 20 is constant and the position of filter 52 is constant. Therefore, when using a camera having a different lens position or when using the zoom function, the above holder assembly for the camera lens in this publication cannot be used. If the user particularly wishes to use the filter in these circumstances, the user should hold filter 52 with one hand for positioning filter 52 in front of the lens. At this time, if the hand holding filter 52 trembles, filter 52 cannot be accurately positioned in the front of the objective lens. Moreover, if the hand is placed over the lens, the desired image cannot be captured.
In addition, the accessory mounting groove of the camera is generally formed at the left or right bottom surface of the camera. However, since the position of fixing screw portion 30 for fixing support 20 onto the camera is fixed in "the holder assembly for the camera lens filter", this holder assembly cannot be used for the camera having the accessory mounting groove formed at a different position.

Apparatus for detachably mounting a lens filter onto a camera

355-101, Jukong Apartment, 20-9, Banpo-dong, Seocho-Ku


The invention relates to the use of DNA-loaded nanoparticles for a transfection of DNA into cells in vitro or in vivo.

Nanoparticles as used in the present invention are particles made of a synthetic or natural polymer and having a diameter in the range of 1 to 1000 nm. It could be shown in the prior art that nanoparticles are suitable to bind (e. g. adsorb, absorb, encompass) natural or synthetic substances like drugs, medicaments, diagnostic agents, antisense oligonucleotides, proteins, plasmids etc.) and carry such substances to target organs in the human or animal body, like the brain, liver, kidneys etc. (WO 95/22963 and WO 98/56361). Particularly, it could be demonstrated that nanoparticles may be used for carrying medicaments for the treatment of cancers to a target organ including the brain. In other words: Medicaments which otherwise do not pass across the blood brain barrier (bbb) are enabled to do so by binding them to suitable nanoparticles (WO 00/74658).
In particular, it was found that nanoparticles made, by polymerization, of a monomer selected from the group consisting of methylmethacrylates, alkylcyano-acrylates, hydr-oxyethylmethacrylates, methacrylic acid, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, acrylamide, N,N′-bismethylene acrylamide, 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, N,N-L-lysinediyltere-phthalate, polylactic acid, polylactic acid-polyglycolic acid-copolymers, polyanhydrates, poly-orthoesters, gelatin, albumin, desolvated macromolecules or carbohydrates, polystyrene, poly(vinylpyridine), polyacroleine and polyglutaraldehyde in the presence of a stabilizer allowing the passage of the blood brain barrier, said particles optionally being coated by a substance as Polysorbate® 80 (Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate=Tween® 80) or the like, may be used to carry cancer treatment drugs like doxorubicine to a specific target organ like the brain (by passing accross the blood brain barrier) while other organs are not affected by said drug.
The transfection of genes or DNA, respectively, into cells in vivo with microparticles is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,720. The microparticles consisting of bioadhesive polymers, which are defined as polymers having the capability to bind to mucosal epithelium under normal physiological conditions, are administered orally or by inhalation and contain genes under the control of a promoter. The gene delivered may then be used for gene-therapeutic methods to be effected within the cell. This approach, however, could not be transformed into a practically useful method for transfecting genes into all kinds of cells, particularly due to the fact that the gene or DNA, respectively, transported by the microparticle could not pass across physiological barriers like the blood brain barrier. In accordance therewith, the above U.S. patent teaches only the unspecific gene therapy for the treatment of epithelial cells, gut-associated lymphatic cells, spleen cells or liver cells.
On a worldwide basis, tumors of the brain belong to the widespread tumors observed for young people. In the United States, 180,000 new cases of different brain tumors are found to occur, in particular tumors of the heterogeneous group of malign gliomas, which covers anaplastic astrocytomes, glioblastomes and, especially, the highly malign glioblastoma multiforme. The fact that preparations for pharmacologically suppressing the formation of recidives are not yet available, results into a high mortality of young people affected by such tumors. It is, hence, highly desired to find methods of successful treatment of such tumors in order to obtain an improvement of the rate of a successful treatment.
Malign gliomas and glioblastomes in humans are, in most cases, treated by surgical removal of the tumor tissue, followed by chemotherapy and/or irradiation. In many of the cases, the chemotherapy treatment is not satisfactory, since there are two barriers to overcome for cytostatic agents in the treatment step before having full effect, i. e. the blood brain barrier and a frequently occurring intrinsic chemoresistance of the blood brain barrier and of the tumor. Hence, it is essential in the course of the pharmacological treatment of brain tumors of the above kind to develop strategies for a transport of said chemotherapeutic agents across the blood brain barrier in vivo. Among the known methods are methods of opening the brain (invasive treatment) for opening the blood brain barrier, methods of modifying the pharmacological agent, whereby the modification enables the agent to pass across the blood brain barrier, and methods of using chimeric peptides for targeting small pharmacologically effective molecules to specific sites within the brain.
In the above-referenced WO publications, inter alia, proposals were made for drug delivery systems allowing the targeting of drugs including anti-cancer drugs to specific organs in the human or animal body, and in particular to the brain whereby drugs which are known not to pass the blood brain barrier could be transported into the brain in order to treat brain cancers. Particularly, after coating nanoparticles loaded with an analgetic drug (e. g. the hexapeptide-encephaline, dalargine) or with an anti-cancer drug (e. g. doxorubicine) with Polysorbate® 80 and administering such pharmacological nanoparticle-containing compositions in a suitable vehicle to the human or animal body, an increased concentration of said drugs in the brain could be determined, compared to the case of an administration of said drugs alone, but without the nanoparticle drug delivery system.
Most approaches to deliver genes to cells make use of viruses or viral vectors into which genes or plasmids are inserted. Cells or tissue of the body is then exposed to the virus or viral vector containing the gene or plasmid. The virus then infects or enters into the cell and liberates the gene or plasmid into the interior of the cell. Ideally, the gene is then transcribed within the cell, and the resulting transcription products are biologically active. However, the approach using viruses or viral vectors has numerous problems, one of them being that viral vectors may produce toxic side effects. In addition, they provoke an immune response which is undesirable. Furthermore, a continuously expressing gene can be "switched off" by the cellular response and, thus, become inactive in a process of tolerance. Finally, viral vectors, due to their unspecific distribution within the body, do not allow a targeting of genes/DNA to specific sites within the body, particularly no targeting to areas protected by natural barriers as the blood brain barrier.

Use of nanoparticles for the DNA administration to a target organ


A method and an assembly of the invention are intended for connecting two parts via a spacer made from a heat-shrinkable material shrinkable only in one direction. The spacer is sandwiched between the parts and attached to both parts with such orientation that direction of the shrinkage of the spacer coincides with the direction of movement of both parts towards each other. After the parts and the spacer are interconnected, the spacer is heated for causing said parts to move closer to each other. The space between the parts can be filled with an adhesive material so that the parts will be held together without the use of clamps or binding bands while the adhesive is cured. Another application is to attach a heatsink to an electronic device supported by a PC board. Shrinkage of the spacer under effect of heating brings the electronic device into a tight heat-transferring contact with the heatsink and maintains this contact irreversibly. Another embodiment of the invention provides a spacer made from electroconductive heat-shrinkable material and is used not only for improving a heat-transfer contact between the source of heat and the heatsink, but also for grounding the heatsink against EMI.

When two parts are to be connected to each other, e.g., via an adhesive connection, it is generally necessary to hold them together in a tight contact until the adhesive material is completely cured. For this purpose, clamping jigs, threaded connections, binding bands, or the like are normally used. After the adhesive has completely cured, the clamping jig, bolts, or bands are disconnected leaving two parts interconnected through an adhesive layer. An example of such a device is shown in FIG. 1A where two parts 10 and 12 should be interconnected via an adhesive layer 14 that fills a space defined between the parts 10, 12, and sealing strips 16, 18. After the space between the plates and the sealing strips is filled with an adhesive 14, the plates 10 and 12 are clamped and pressed to each other by clamping jigs 20 and 22 via the sealing strips 16 and 18.
In some cases, however, the use of clamping jigs or fasteners is undesirable or merely impossible. Such situations may occur, e.g., in connecting a heatsink to an electronic device. Modern electronics have benefited from the ability to fabricate devices on a smaller and smaller scale. As the ability to diminish the size of devices has improved, so has their performance. Unfortunately, this improvement in performance is accompanied by an increase in power as well as power density in devices. In order to maintain the reliability of these devices, the industry must find new methods to remove this heat efficiently.
A common method used to maintain electronic components at acceptable operating temperatures is to position a planar surface of the electronic component in contact with a planar surface of a heat removal device, such as a heatsink. However, this alone does not provide an adequate thermal interface because when two such surfaces are brought together, less than one percent of the surfaces make physical contact. As much as 99% of the surfaces are separated by a layer of interstitial air. Some heat is transferred at the points of contact, but much of the heat has to travel through the interstitial air gaps. The total thermal resistance through a thermal interface is the thermal resistance at the thermal interface surface of the electronic component, the thermal resistance at the thermal interface of the heat removal device, and the thermal resistance of the material in the interstitial gaps. In order to improve heat-transfer conditions, the gap between the contacting surfaces is sometimes filled with a heat-transfer medium such as a heat-transfer grease.
One way of stabilizing heat-transfer conditions is to use positive pressure means that press the heatsink to the surface of the object to be cooled. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,155 issued to G. Meyer, IV in 1996. The device of the aforementioned patent is provided with a heat conductive pad held in contact with the top surface of the chip. The pad is attached to a heat-removing pipe to move the heat away from the chip. One surface of the pad is flat and contacts the circuit chip while the opposite surface of the pad contains a cylindrical groove within which the aforementioned pipe is inserted. The pad includes extensions projecting from its sides, and the extensions are used as surfaces upon which pressure is exerted to hold the pad against the chip.
The heat conductive pad is held against the chip at a predetermined pressure by a flexible holding fixture, which is held at an exact distance above the mounting board by cylindrical spacers through which mounting screws are attached to the mounting board. The holding fixture pushes down on the side extensions of the conductive pad while the top of the pad attached to the heat pipe protrudes through a hole in the holding fixture. The combination of the fixed spacing of the holding fixture above the mounting board, as determined by the mounting spacers, along with the inherent drumhead like resiliency of the holding fixture permits the design of a precise contact pressure between the contact surfaces of the conductive pad and the integrated circuit chip. This predetermined and consistent contact pressure assures that the chip will not be damaged from excess pressure upon it, but also guarantees that the heat transfer surfaces will be in intimate and constant contact. The heat pipe extends to a remote part of the device in which the chip is installed where access to a heatsink or cooling fluid, such as air moved by natural convection, is available. A heat exchanger, such as one or more fins, can be attached to the remote end of the heat pipe so that the heat from the integrated circuit chip is easily transferred to the ambient air. The heat exchanger may be an additional component or an existing part of the equipment, such as a case or a keyboard.
The device of the aforementioned patent has a complicated structure that consists of many parts and occupies a large space. Furthermore, it requires the use of mechanical fasteners, which requires additional labor. Another problem is that traces in a printed circuit board are arranged with a very high density and routing them around the mounting hole for the screws is complicated and very undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,699 issued in 2000 to W. Rife discloses a heasink assembly with a retaining clip that has a central member and a number of legs which depending downwardly from the central member with ends of the legs not connected to the central member being free ends. Retention members are provided on each of the free ends of the legs to prevent the legs from being removed from their respective mounting holes. A heat dissipating member, having a threaded base portion is threadably received in a bore in the central member so that the flat bottom surface of the heat dissipating member is in flush thermal communication with the electronic component while the legs are secured within their respective holes in the electronic component. This device is also complicated in structure and occupies an extra space. If an extra pressure is accidentally applied to the chip through the threaded heatsink, this can easily damage the chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,697 issued in 2001 to K. McCullough describes a heatsink assembly, having a number of mounting holes and installed on a heat generating surface of an electronic component for removing heat therefrom. A heat-dissipating member having a base portion having a bottom surface and an upper surface with heat dissipating elements connected thereto is provided. The bottom surface is adapted to be matable in flush thermal communication with a heat-generating surface of an electronic component. A cam assembly includes a support body as well as a connection body that is pivotally connected thereto about a pivot axis. At least one leg is connected to the support body with a retention member on its free end. The leg is routed through a selected one of the base apertures and one of the mounting holes corresponding thereto. The connection body is rotated about the pivot axis to provide a camming action against the top surface of the base portion of the heat dissipating member to maintain the heat dissipating member in flush thermal communication with the heat generating surface of the electronic component. The retention member on the leg prevents the leg from being removed from the apertures in which is resides thus maintaining the connection body in communication with the top of the base of the heat dissipating member. This device of this patent is complicated and contains a number of moveable mechanical elements. The load applied to the chip by the cam is not controlled and may damage a delicate chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,042 issued in 2004 to B. Boudreaux, et al. describes a heatsink that includes at least one thermally conductive pedestal, allowing configuration of the heatsink to maintain contact with a heat-generating electronic device or a plurality of devices where the devices may not be co-planar due to tolerance stack-up. The pedestals may be raised and lowered and tilted as needed to match the heights and tilts of the electronic devices. Within the heatsink is a cavity above the pedestal that may be filled with a thermally conductive material, such as solder, or a thermally conductive liquid, during construction to create a low thermal resistance contact between the pedestal and the heatsink fins. Also, thermally conductive material, such as thermal paste or a thermal pad, may be used between the heat generating device and the pedestal to create a low thermal resistance contact. A disadvantage of this device is that it requires the use of parts having special geometry and the use of a plurality of mechanically and individually adjustable pedestals. Installation of such a device is time consuming and requires an additional labor for assembling. Furthermore, a provision of two thermal contact interfaces in each of the devices reduces thermal efficiency.
Thus, a common disadvantage of all above-described devices is that, for maintaining the parts to be interconnected, e.g., a heatsink and the device from which heat is to be removed, they utilize mechanical means, such as threaded connections, spring clips, insertable legs, adhesive bands, etc. Installation of such fixing devices in place demands that a sufficient room to be available in a printed circuit board for mechanical attachment means. This makes the aforementioned conventional devices and methods inconvenient or unsuitable for use and may lead to an increase in the production cost in general.
Another problem associated with the use of heatsinks used for removal of heat from electronic devices that can be mounted on PC boards is electromagnetic interference that may occur during operation of electronic devices, especially those that have high-degree of integration and compact design. More specifically, when such a device, e.g., a microprocessor, is coupled with a heatspreader or lid and a heatsink, the electromagnetic noise propagates from the die and package to the heatspreader and then to the heatsink which effectively acts as an antenna to further radiate the electromagnetic interference (EMI) produced by the microprocessor. As the EMI is coupled to neighboring components, it interferes with their individual performance, which may, in turn, affect the overall performance of a system. Because of the negative effects of EMI and because the level of acceptable radiated EMI is subject to strict regulatory limits, it is desirable to contain or suppress the EMI produced by a component.
All known devices used for suppressing the EMI are based on grounding a heatsink by connecting it to the PC board casing or other grounded parts via wires, springs, lugs, bolts, or similar elements. This involves the use of additional grounding wiring elements that require mechanical connections to the PC board via soldering, threaded connections, springs, or the like. Some grounding apparatuses may require a specially modified heatsink while others may interfere with the transfer of heat between the component and the heatsink. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,796 describes an enclosure with springable tabs, while U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,987 describes a grounded metallic shield that surrounds the source of EMI and requires an additional space and adds to complexity of assembling.

Device and method for fastener-free connection via a heat-shrinkable insert


Various embodiments relate to a method and device for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle to develop a fuel-saving driving style. A route section which permits driving at a constant speed may be determined. Further, the constant speed may be determined. An acceleration or deceleration for approaching the constant speed may be determined. The acceleration or deceleration may be displayed to the driver.

The driving style of a driver is at least one variable that influences the fuel consumption of a motor vehicle. As an example, energy-saving driving may reduce fuel consumption by up to 25%.
In order to provide the driver with assistance in such a situation, WO 2009/063036 A1 discloses a motor vehicle energy saving assistance system which comprises an electronic device that is permanently installed in the motor vehicle and which exchanges data with an electronic vehicle control unit. The system includes an energy-saving algorithm, wherein the energy-saving algorithm determines the current state of the vehicle and its predicted future state in order to determine energy saving measures. The system also comprises a vehicle display device, which is actuated by the energy-saving algorithm and by which a calculated driving strategy is conveyed to the driver. This permits a predictive driving style to be assisted and the consumption of energy to be lowered.
According to DE 2008 005 328 A1, in a method for energy-efficient operation of a motor vehicle by means of a navigation system, a route from a starting location to a destination which minimizes the energy consumption of the motor vehicle is determined. In addition, during a journey with the motor vehicle, an energy-saving method of operation of the motor vehicle is determined. The energy-saving method of operation of the motor vehicle is output by an optical or acoustic message or by adjusting the transmission ratio and the accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle.

Method and device for assisting a driver in developing a fuel-saving driving style


A single-site catalyst system useful for polymerizing olefins is disclosed. The catalyst system comprises an optional activator and a complex that incorporates a Group 3 to 10 transition metal and at least one neutral or anionic chelating pyrimidine ligand. The ligands are easy to make, and they are readily incorporated into transition metal complexes, including those based on late transition metals. By modifying the chelating groups and other substituents on the pyrimidine ring, polyolefin makers can increase catalyst activity and control polymer properties.

The invention relates to catalysts useful for olefin polymerization. In particular, the invention relates to xe2x80x9csingle-sitexe2x80x9d catalysts that incorporate one or more chelating ligands derived from pyrimidines.
While Ziegler-Natta catalysts are a mainstay for polyolefin manufacture, single-site (metallocene and non-metallocene) catalysts represent the industry""s future. These catalysts are often more reactive than Ziegler-Natta catalysts, and they produce polymers with improved physical properties. The improved properties include narrow molecular weight distribution, reduced low molecular weight extractables, enhanced incorporation of xcex1-olefin comonomers, lower polymer density, controlled content and distribution of long-chain branching, and modified melt rheology and relaxation characteristics.
Traditional metallocenes incorporate one or more cyclopentadienyl (Cp) or Cp-like anionic ligands such as indenyl, fluorenyl, or the like, that donate pi-electrons to the transition metal. Non-metallocene single-site catalysts have evolved more recently. Some of these include pi-donor heterocyclic ligands that are isolobal to the cyclopentadienide anion, such as boraaryl (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,775) or azaborolinyl (U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,866). A different type of non-metallocene single-site catalyst capitalizes on the chelating effect. Two or more sigma-donor atoms coordinate to a transition metal in these complexes. Examples are 8-quinolinoxy or 2-pyridinoxy ligands (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,660), the bidentate bisimines of Brookhart (see Chem. Rev. 100 (2000) 1169), and the tridentate pyridine bisimines (see J. Am. Chem. Soc. 121 (1999) 8728). The bisimines are valuable for use with late transition metals (Groups 8-10).
Interest in late transition metal catalysts for polyolefin manufacture is growing, largely because of their potential for high activity and their ability to tolerate and incorporate polar comonomers. Recently, we described catalysts based on late transition metals and aromatic 1,2-diimine ligands derived from 1,2-diaminobenzenes (see copending application Ser. No. 09/711,364, filed Nov. 10, 2000). While the synthesis of these ligands avoids the need for an xcex1-diketone starting material (used to make Brookhart""s complexes), the aromatic 1,2-diimines have some disadvantages. For example, steric crowding may limit yields of the diimines. Moreover, unwanted side reactions, such as the reaction of two amino groups with one mole of aldehyde or ketone to give a benzimidazole in an intramolecular cyclization reaction, are documented (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,802, Example 5).
In spite of their versatility, pyrimidines have apparently not been used as ligands for olefin polymerization catalysts. They have been described as antioxidant moieties for polyolefin stabilizers but not as catalyst components. Nonetheless, pyrimidines occur in nature and have been known for more than a century. Moreover, they are easily synthesized with well-known routes and many are commercially available.
There is a continuing need for single-site catalysts that can be prepared inexpensively and in short order from easy-to-handle starting materials and reagents. In particular, there is a need for new ligands that can be used with late transition metal complexes. Ideally, the ligand structure could easily be modified to provide control over catalyst activity and polyolefin properties.
The invention is a catalyst system useful for polymerizing olefins. The catalyst system comprises an optional activator and an organometallic complex. The complex incorporates a Group 3 to 10 transition metal and at least one neutral or anionic chelating pyrimidine ligand. Chelating pyrimidines are easy to make, and they are readily incorporated into transition metal complexes, including those based on late transition metals. By modifying the chelating groups and other substituents on the pyrimidine ring, polyolefin makers can increase catalyst activity and control polymer properties.

Chelating pyrimidines as ligands for single-site olefin polymerization catalysts


A device for alignment of a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures is useable in a processing machine, in which manufacturing of books or printed products is carried out. The device is arranged upstream of a first processing station within the processing machine. The book block is feedable directly or indirectly into the device automatically or by hand. An alignment station has a base plate with a substantially vertically extending stop surface at an end thereof. The base plate has a movable part configured to carry out a movement with respect to the stop surface such that the movement of the movable part, in an operative connection to the stop surface, brings about an alignment of the single sheets and/or signatures at a book block edge, and such that, following alignment, the book block is grippable by at least one transport clamp for processing.

DE102012023370 A1 discloses a perfect binder which is intended for the manufacture of books and has a plurality of processing stations such as a book block insertion station, spine processing station, glue application station, folding station, cover feeder, cover press station, delivery station and drying station. Furthermore, the perfect binder has at least two, but in particular three, transport clamps for transporting book blocks and at least one closed guide track on which the transport clamps circulate and pass the processing stations. A drive having an endless circulating pulling means is assigned to one transport clamp in each case, one transport clamp being connected to the pulling means in each case. Here, the drives operate independently of one another and can be actuated independently by a machine control system of the perfect binder. Therefore, one pulling means is provided for each transport clamp and each transport clamp can thus be moved at a speed predetermined therefor, i.e. a varying distance between the transport clamps is produced.
For this purpose, location-dependent and/or product-dependent speed profiles can be stored in the machine control system for actuating the drives. Location-dependent speed profiles that are dependent on the product and vice versa are also possible. In this case, location-dependent speed profiles means that along the closed guide track, movement portions are defined which are each limited at least by the stopping positions. In this manner, for example, an associated idle time can be stored for each stopping position. A different speed can also be stored for each movement portion between the stopping positions; for example the speed in the spine processing station may be greater than in the drying station. "Product-dependent speed profiles" means that said profiles depend on the book to be manufactured, i.e. for example on its dimensions, the thickness of the book block, the thickness of the glue, the adhesive and its properties, the paper material, etc.
This perfect binder undisputedly has the advantage that as a result of adjusted idle times and different movement profiles in the movement portions, the output of the perfect binder can be increased. The quality of the books to be manufactured can also be increased since the speed profiles each allow transport speeds and idle times approaching the processing optimum. In this manner, for example, a longer idle time for pressing on the covers can contribute to a cover sticking better to the book block in each case, the book block spine can be shaped better and the book block can cure better. A further advantage emerges in that processing stations located at the stopping positions can be at any chosen location along the guide track, i.e. can be arranged in an optimal position. It is no longer necessary to arrange the stopping positions at an equal distance from one another. The processing stations can be arranged variably along the guide track according to customer requirements using a grid. In this way, different machine configurations can be offered by the machine manufacturer in a simple manner.
Said perfect binder has in particular at least two stopping positions for the transport clamps, one of which is for the book block insertion and one is for pressing a cover onto a book block. If applicable, one additional stopping position can be provided for the discharge of finished book blocks. In each of the stopping positions, the transport clamps are brought to a standstill by the drive assigned to each of said transport clamps. It is also possible, for example for manufacturing lay flat brochures, Swiss brochures and Otabind, to apply adhesive and lining strips during the first circulation of the book block along the guide track and then adhesive and a cover during a second circulation of the book block along the guide track.
In contrast to the high-performance perfect binders, for example to the ALEGRO perfect binder from the company MUELLER MARTINI AG, Switzerland, in the case of which perfect binder the processing of the book block is undertaken at a plurality of stations by means of a greater number of revolving transport clamps, and thus the perfect alignment of the book block to be processed can be achieved along a longer distance, this option is not available for the present underlying perfect binder (see DE102012023370 A1), i.e. the perfect alignment of the book block must be achieved or produced originally right at the beginning of the processing procedure.
According to the prior art, a perfect binder normally comprises the following processing stations: a spine processing station, a glue application station, a station as a cover feeder, and a pressing station for affixing the cover. In addition, complementary elements can also be added such as a book block transport system, book block insertion station, intermediate drying, spine reinforcement and others. The listed processing stations should not be understood to be exhaustive.
It is true that a feed operation carried out and aligned by hand could be avoided in the case of such a perfect binder; however, this is not the objective of automated production according to 4.0 criteria (see the homepage of MUELLER MARTINI AG, Switzerland, under "Finishing 4.0"), such that automatic book block feeding, i.e. automatically, continuously ensuring a perfectly aligned book block consisting of single sheets or signatures, must be provided at the beginning of processing.
Another similar perfect binder line is disclosed in DE102012018828 A1. This publication therefore concerns a book binding machine for producing printed products, such as books, magazines and brochures, having a plurality of processing stations such as a book block insertion station, spine processing station, glue application station, cover feeder and pressing station, and having a book block transport system which transports the book blocks through the individual processing stations. The book block transport system has a closed guide track having straight, arcuate and curved regions and clamps for clamping the book block, the clamps having guide carriages with guide rollers which roll along the guide track, and the clamps being driven collectively or individually by a drive.
The guide carriages in the present case comprise three fixed guide rollers which are fastened to the guide carriage in the form of a triangle, two guide rollers running along a master track which consist of linear, arcuate and curved track-shaped parts, and the third guide roller running along a slave track that is produced in accordance with mathematical and geometric laws and likewise consists of linear, arcuate and curved track-shaped parts, the guide carriages being coupled to at least one drive which is arranged outside the guide track.
The content of the two aforementioned publications constitutes an integral part of the present description, the number of guide rollers as specified in DE102012018828 A1 representing a limitation to or increase in their quantity.
DE202015102333 U1 relates to a goods processing device for laying out and separating flat goods, having a layout deck and a layout device as well as a supply deck and a separating device. One part of the layout device is arranged underneath the layout deck of the goods processing device and the supply deck comprises an opening for a separating drum with one part of the separating device, which is arranged above the supply deck.
The aforementioned part and the separating drum form a main discharge of the separating device for separating a stack of flat goods, a control unit being provided to control the layout device and the separating device. The layout device is equipped for aligning the edges of a stack (ST) of flat goods having different dimensions and has at least two transport elements (141 . . . 14x) which allow an automatic movement of the stack (ST) transversely to the transport direction x and placement of the stack (ST) against an alignment wall (11) and transporting of the stack (ST) in the transport direction x to the feed deck (13, 21) of the separating device as well as a movement of the stack (ST) counter to the transport direction x.
A movement means is provided for moving the part (265, 269*) of the separating device in a direction counter to the transport direction x and means for controlling the alignment state of the transport elements of the layout device of the goods processing device (1) and for controlling the movement of the part of the separating device, the aforementioned part allowing a movement of the stack counter the transport direction x.
Furthermore, the separating device according to DE202015102333 U1 is based on the flat goods being transported such that they are lying on their side.
EP2514604 A1 concerns a supply device, which is used in a book binding machine or perfect binder, the unbound book blocks being aligned in this case by a vibrating device.
DE19653424 A concerns a device for separating sheet goods from a stack.

Device and method for the alignment of a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures


A number of images are grouped and recorded in an image database. A main image is displayed in a main display area. Images having both “PORTRAIT” and “BEACH” photographic scenes, which have been assigned to the main image, assigned thereto are found in groups different from the group to which the main image belongs. The images found are displayed in an auxiliary display area as related images.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus, a method of controlling this apparatus and a control program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
As digital still cameras have become convenient and easy to use, users are now capable of taking pictures with ease. This has resulted in the storage of images of a large number of frames and instances where there are many images that are not viewed. Various techniques for viewing images have been devised for this reason. For example, there is a technique for laying out images in accordance with image attributes (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-329135) and a technique for specifying search conditions and searching for images having conditions different from the specified search conditions (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-224262).
Further, there is an image search system that reconciles both reliability and contingencies when image data is searched (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-275738).
However, these conventional systems and techniques are unsatisfactory in terms of finding and displaying images related to a desired image.

Image reproducing apparatus, method of controlling same and control program therefor


A screen wiper element of generally elongate form, which is typically a screen wiper arm, comprises a body defining a longitudinal housing or recess, which is open in the lower face of the wiper element facing towards the swept surface such as a windshield. The longitudinal housing receives a feed pipe for supplying washing liquid to at least one spray device for spraying washing liquid on to the swept surface. The housing defined by the elongate screen wiper element includes a profile in the form of a groove complementary to the profile of the feed pipe.

French published patent specification FR 1 295 138A describes and shows an arrangement of the kind described above, in which the screen wiper element or elongate member has a transverse cross section in the general form of an inverted U, which defines a longitudinal recess in the lower face of the screen wiper arm, which is open towards the swept surface, with the said recess receiving a flexible feed pipe in which the washing liquid flows, and which is arranged to supply with this liquid at least one spray device for spraying the liquid on to the swept surface, this spray device being disposed (for example) close to one free end of the screen wiper arm.
An advantage of that design is that it enables the flexible feed pipe to be protected, and it reduces the size of the liquid feeding system, while preserving good aerodynamic features of the screen wiper arm. However, the fitting of the flexible feed pipe into its housing makes it necessary to employ appropriate fastening devices, such as collars, arranged at various points on the screen wiper arm. This design thus calls for a relatively large number of costly components, and its assembly is particularly difficult to carry out using automatic assembly equipment.
In another known design that has been proposed, the flexible feed pipe is made integrally by moulding in the body of the screen wiper element or elongate member, the latter being again, in particular, the screen wiper arm. This arrangement avoids having to provide the feed pipe as a separate component, but it is particularly complex to achieve, and the moulding techniques which are necessary are too expensive.

Screen wiper arm having a spray device for spraying the glass to be wiped


Disclosed herein is a system including a closed loop topology using an optical fiber applicable to WDM signal light obtained by wavelength division multiplexing a plurality of optical signals, and a plurality of nodes arranged along the closed loop topology, each node including an optical amplifier. Each node further includes a first unit for controlling the optical amplifier so that the output from the optical amplifier becomes constant, according to the number of channels of WDM signal light received from the node immediately upstream of the corresponding node, and a second unit for interrupting the optical signals other than one or more optical signals added to the corresponding node until the control by the first unit is converged. With this configuration, each node can be easily started.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transmission system applicable to a closed loop topology.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a manufacturing technique and using technique for a low-loss (e.g., 0.2 dB/km) silica optical fiber have been established, and an optical communication system using the optical fiber as a transmission line has been put to practical use. Further, to compensate for losses in the optical fiber and thereby allow long-haul transmission, the use of an optical amplifier for amplifying an optical signal or signal light has been put to practical use.
An optical amplifier known in the art includes an optical amplifying medium to which signal light to be amplified is supplied and means for pumping the optical amplifying medium so that the optical amplifying medium provides a gain band including the wavelength of the signal light.
For example, an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) has already been developed to amplify signal light in a 1.55 μm band where the loss in a silica fiber is low. The EDFA includes an erbium doped fiber (EDF) as the optical amplifying medium and a pumping source for supplying pump light having a predetermined wavelength to the EDF. By preliminarily setting the wavelength of the pump light within a 0.98 μm band or a 1.48 μm band, a gain band including a wavelength of 1.55 μm can be obtained.
As a technique for increasing a transmission capacity by a single optical fiber, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is known. In a system adopting WDM, a plurality of optical carriers having different wavelengths are used. The plural optical carriers are individually modulated to thereby obtain a plurality of optical signals, which are wavelength division multiplexed by an optical multiplexer to obtain WDM signal light, which is output to an optical fiber transmission line. At a receiving end, the WDM signal light received is separated into individual optical signals by an optical demultiplexer, and transmitted data is reproduced according to each optical signal. Accordingly, by applying WDM, the transmission capacity in a single optical fiber can be increased according to the number of WDM channels.
By using an optical amplifier as a linear repeater, the number of parts in the repeater can be greatly reduced as compared with the case of using a conventional regenerative repeater, thereby ensuring reliability and allowing a substantial cost reduction.
The introduction of WDM into a trunk line has been increasingly made in recent years, and as a network topology adopting WDM a ring configuration, or closed loop topology is generally used. However, the introduction of WDM into a medium-distance network (metropolitan area network) such as in urban areas delays in response to an increase in transmission speed in the trunk line, and an optical communication system by a single wavelength or an electrical communication system by a metal cable is yet mainly in use. Accordingly, the demand for the introduction of WDM into the metropolitan area network is increasing with the widespread use of the Internet and the trend toward broadband communication.
The metropolitan area network is usually configured by arranging a plurality of nodes along the closed loop topology. The reason for such a configuration is to provide a stable communication environment even when a failure such as a line break occurs.
In general, each node connected to the closed loop topology performs adding/dropping of an arbitrary one or more optical signals by utilizing the feature of WDM. To this end, each node employs an optical switch or the like in many cases, so that an optical amplifier is included in each node to compensate for loss in the optical switch. The optical amplifier is so designed as to support a difference between the wavelength of each optical signal passing through the node and the wavelength of each optical signal to be added/dropped and a change in the number of channels. Further, automatic level control (ALC) for maintaining a required output at a constant level is also necessary to tolerate a deviation in transmission line loss.
In performing ALC in each node, it is necessary to preliminarily grasp the number of channels of WDM signal light input to the optical amplifier. Therefore, a supervisory signal including information on the number of channels of the WDM signal light is transmitted from the upstream node to the downstream node. However, at initially starting (cold starting) the system, the number of add/drop channels has not been determined, so that the information on the number of channels of the WDM signal light is not determined and each node cannot be started easily.


An anneal module for annealing semiconductor material wafers and similar substrates reduces particle contamination and oxygen ingress while providing uniform heating including for 500° C. processes. The anneal module may include a process chamber formed in a metal body having internal cooling lines. A hot plate has a pedestal supported on a thermal choke on the body. A gas distributor in the lid over the hot plate flows gas uniformly over the wafer. A transfer mechanism moves a hoop to shift the wafer between the hot plate and a cold plate.

Micro-electronic circuits and other micro-scale devices are generally manufactured from a substrate or wafer, such as a silicon or other semiconductor material wafer. Multiple metal layers are applied onto the substrate to form micro-electronic or other micro-scale components or to provide electrical interconnects. These metal layers, typically copper, are plated onto the substrate, and form the components and interconnects in a sequence of photolithographic, plating, etching, polishing or other steps.
To achieve desired material properties, the substrate is typically put through an annealing process where the substrate is quickly heated, usually to about 200-500° C. and more typically to about 300-400° C. The substrate may be held at these temperatures for a relatively short time, e.g., 60-300 seconds. The substrate is then rapidly cooled, with the entire process usually taking only a few minutes. Annealing may be used to change the material properties of the layers on the substrate. It may also be used to activate dopants, drive dopants between films on the substrate, change film-to-film or film-to-substrate interfaces, densify deposited films, or to repair damage from ion implantation.
As feature sizes for microelectronic devices and interconnects become smaller, the allowable defect rate decreases substantially. Defects result from contaminant particles, so that reducing particle generating elements in the anneal chamber will reduce defects. The temperature uniformity of the wafer is another significant design factor as it affects the crystalline structure of copper or other materials on the wafer. Another consideration is serviceability. It is important to be able to recover or service a chamber as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Various annealing chambers have been used in the past. In single wafer processing equipment, these annealing chambers typically position the substrate between or on heating and cooling elements, to control the temperature profile of the substrate. However, achieving precise and repeatable temperature profiles can present engineering challenges.
In addition, certain materials, such as copper will rapidly oxidize when exposed to oxygen, at temperatures over about 70° C. If the copper or other material oxidizes, the substrate may no longer be useable, or the oxide layer must first be removed before further processing. These are both unacceptable options in efficient manufacturing. Accordingly, another design factor is to isolate the substrate from oxygen, when the substrate temperature is over about 70° C. Since oxygen is of course present in ambient air, avoiding oxidation of copper during annealing also can present engineering challenges. Improved annealing methods and apparatus are needed.


An x-ray radiator has a vacuum housing that can rotate around an axis, a cathode that thermionically emits electrons upon irradiation thereof by a laser beam, an anode that emits x-rays upon being struck by the electrons, an insulator that is part of the vacuum housing and that separates the cathode from the anode, electrodes or terminals to apply a high voltage between the anode and the cathode to accelerate the emitted electrons toward the anode to form an electron beam, a drive arrangement for rotation of the vacuum housing around its axis, an arrangement for cooling components of the x-ray radiator, and an arrangement that directs and focuses the laser beam from a stationary source that is arranged outside of the vacuum housing onto a spatially stationary laser focal spot on the cathode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an x-ray radiator with an evacuated housing supported for rotation around a rotation axle, in which housing are arranged a cathode and an anode, whereby the cathode having a surface that emits electrons upon laser irradiation, and having a drive arrangement to rotate the housing.
2. Description or the Prior Art
High-power x-ray radiators typically have an anode that is supported such that it can rotate in order to ensure a high thermal resilience of the anode even during generation of x-rays with high radiated power.
DE 87 13 042 U1 describes an x-ray tube with an evacuated housing supported such that it can rotate around a rotation axis, in which are arranged a cathode and an anode. The cathode and the anode are permanently connected with the housing. The x-ray tube has a drive arrangement to rotate the housing around the rotation axis. A deflection system that is stationary with regard to the housing, deflects an electron beam emanating from the cathode to the anode such that it strikes an annular impact surface on the anode, whereby the axis of the annular impact surface corresponds to the rotation aids that proceeds through the cathode. Since the anode is connected in a heat-conducting manner with the wall of the housing, a high heat dissipation from the anode to the outer surface of the housing is ensured. Effective cooling is possible with a coolant that is admitted to the housing.
In this known arrangement, a relatively long electron flight path exists due to the axis-proximal position of the cathode and the axle-remote position of the impact surface of the anode. This causes problems in the focusing of the electron beam. Among other things, this problem occurs in the generation of soft x-ray radiation for which a relatively low voltage is applied between the cathode and the anode. Due to the lower kinetic energy of the electrons, a higher defocusing of the electron beam occurs, dependent on the space charge limitation. The usage of such an x-ray tube therefore is possible only in a limited manner in specific applications such as, for example, in mammography.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,305 describes an x-ray tube in which both the anode and the cathode are arranged axially symmetrically in a vacuum housing that can be rotated as a whole around an axis. The cathode is rotatably supported and has an axially-symmetric surface made of a material that emits photoelectrons during the incidence of light. The electron emission is initiated by a stationary light beam that is focused from outside the vacuum housing through a transparent window onto the cathode.
The ability to convert this concept to a practical device appears questionable, however, due to the quantum efficiency of contemporary photo-cathodes and the luminous power required. With the use of high luminous power, the cooling of the photo-cathode requires a considerable effort due to its rather low heat resilience. The surface of the photo-cathode is additionally subject to oxidation processes in the vacuum conditions realized in x-ray tubes, which limits the durability of such an x-ray tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,337 discloses an x-ray tube wherein, in a vacuum housing in which the photo-cathode and the anode are arranged, a photomultiplier is interposed between the photo-cathode and the anode. A lower optical power is thereby necessary for generation of x-ray radiation. The longer electron flight path with multiple deflections of the electron beam between the dynodes, requires a high expenditure for focusing the beam.
An x-ray scanner, in particular a computed tomography apparatus, is known from EP 0 147 009 B1. X-rays are generated by an electron beam striking an anode. Among other things, the possibility is mentioned to generate the electron beam by thermionically-emitted electrons by a cathode surface being heated by a light ray. The surface of the cathode should be capable of being rapidly heated and cooled by the disclosed embodiment of the cathode with a support layer made of a material with high heat conductivity. This appears to be problematic, however, with regard to the luminous power then required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,851 describes a system for generation of therapeutic x-rays. Among other things, the possibility is generally mentioned that the electron beam necessary for the generation of x-ray radiation is emitted from a thermionic cathode heated by a laser.

X-ray radiator with thermionic emission of electrons from a laser-irradiated cathode


The present invention offers an optical modulator capable of efficiently transmitting electric signals to an interaction part of a signal electrode with acting on an optical waveguide even when the electric signals are in a high frequency zone, and capable of performing high frequency broad-band operation. The optical modulator comprises a substrate 1 formed of a material having electro-optical effect, an optical waveguide formed on the substrate, and an electrode 3 for modulating the light passing through the optical waveguide. The optical modulator is characterized in that an electric signal connection pad unit 6 is provided on a part of the electrode, and in that the thickness of the substrate located on a lower part of at least the electric signal connection pad unit 6 and directly or indirectly continuous to the electric signal connection pad unit 6 is thinner than the thickness of another part of the substrate including an interaction part of the electrode by cutting off a part of the substrate, and is less than about 250 μm.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an optical modulator, in particular an optical modulator used as an optical intensity modulator, phase modulator, and polarized wave modulator, for high-speed and high-capacity optical fiber communications.
(2) Related Art Statement
Recently, with the progress of high-speed and high-capacity optical fiber communications, as represented by the exterior modulator, high-speed modulators using a substrate formed of a material having electro-optical effect, like lithium niobate, are in practical use. This high-speed modulator comprises substrate 1 formed of a material having electro-optical effect, with waveguide 2 that guides the optical wave, and modulate electrode comprising ground electrode 4 and signal electrode 3 that applies the high-speed modulate signal in the microwave band to the said optical wave, as shown in FIG. 1.
To optical waveguide 2, an optical wave will enter from the end side of optically polished substrate. When passing the optical waveguide 2, the phase of the optical wave will transform because of changing reflective index of the substrate by the electric signal applied to the electrode, and so, in the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator like FIG. 1, phase transformation will be the strength modulation of the optic. Then, the optical wave, which has been affected with the strength transformation according to the electric signal, will exit from the other end of the optical waveguide 2.
The electric connection of the signal electrode 3 and ground electrode 4 of the optical modulator is usually done from the side of the substrate because of the convenience of the wiring usage, and also electric signal connection pad 6 is located on the signal electrode 3 to connect the wiring from the coaxial cable.
Microwave, which is an electric signal, is provided from the coaxial cable, is conveyed to the signal electrode 3 through the electric signal connection pad, goes thorough the bend point 7 of the signal electrode 3, and goes into the interaction part 8 of the optical wave-guide 2. In these wirings, because of the rapid change of the electric property of electrical line, part of the micro wave as an electric signal reflects at the connecting point, other parts escape into the substrate, and other left parts radiate outside the substrate in consequence. For this reason, electric signal which transmits to the interaction part 8 of the signal electrode 3 decreases, and effective modulation of the optical wave which passes through the optical wave guide becomes difficult.
To counteract this problem, efforts to reduce the loss of microwaves' reflection and escape, by forming the signal electrode 3 and ground electrode 4 to be as a co-planar type of plane electrode, connecting coaxial cable by impedance matching, or easing the bend point of the signal electrode 3, have been tried, but effective reduction was difficult in the high frequency zone over 20 GHz.


Disclosed herein is a process for enhancing anaerobic biohydrogen production, including: adding into a reactor an organic waste containing hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria, a first substrate, and a carrier that permits the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria to adhere and grow thereon, so as to form a mixture; acclimating the mixture at a first agitation speed ranging from 5 to 60 rpm, so that the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria adhere to and proliferate on the carrier, followed by the formation of granular biomasses within the acclimated mixture; and feeding a second substrate into the reactor at a second agitation speed ranging from 5 to 60 rpm, so that the content of the granular biomasses is increased while the second substrate is anaerobically fermented by the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria in the granular biomasses to result in the production of hydrogen.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for enhancing anaerobic biohydrogen production, which includes adding into a reactor an organic waste containing hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria, a first substrate, and a carrier that permits the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria to adhere thereto and to grow thereon, so as to form a mixture; acclimating the mixture at a first agitation speed ranging from 5 to 60 rpm, so that the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria adhere to and proliferate on the carrier, followed by the formation of granular biomasses constituted of the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria within the acclimated mixture; and feeding a second substrate into the reactor at a second agitation speed ranging from 5 to 60 rpm, so that the content of the granular biomasses is increased while the second substrate is anaerobically fermented by the hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria in the granular biomasses to result in the production of hydrogen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, hydrogen has attracted wide attention and is regarded as one of the important energy sources of the future because it has the advantages of cleanness, non-polluting, good recyclability, and high heat energy (D. B. Levin et al. (2004), International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 29:173-185).
Hydrogen production methods can be classified into three main types, namely, the thermochemical method, the electrochemical method, and the biological method.
The thermochemical method includes steam reforming of methane, coal gasification, partial oxidation of hydrocarbon compounds, etc. These hydrogen production methods have been industrialized, but since consumption of a large amount of mineral resources and energy is required and pollutants harmful to the environment are generated during the production process, they do not contribute to the development of energy resources.
Although the electrochemical method (e.g., electrolysis, photoelectrolysis, etc.) does not engender environment pollution, and the purity of hydrogen produced thereby is relatively high, it still has problems of low efficiency, high energy consumption, unsatisfactory electrode stability, etc., which remain to be solved (D. Das et al. (2001), International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 26:13-28).
In contrast, the cost required to produce hydrogen using biodegradation is relatively low, and is therefore more advantageous than chemical hydrogen production methods. The biological hydrogen production method includes: (1) biophotolysis of water, which is the use of photo-induction to encourage algae or cyanobacteria to decompose water so as to result in the production of hydrogen; (2) photo-fermentation, which is the use of photosynthetic bacteria to decompose organic matters so as to result in the production of hydrogen; and (3) dark-fermentation, which is the use of anaerobic bacteria to decompose organic matters to result in the production of hydrogen. Biophotolysis of water and photo-fermentation require a higher reaction free energy, whereas dark-fermentation does not require a light source and can utilize various organic matters as substrates. Therefore, in industrial applications, dark-fermentation hydrogen production techniques have been extensively used to process organic waste.
Use of anaerobic bacteria to process organic matter-containing wastewater or waste (e.g., kitchen leftovers, wastes of agricultural or energy crops, and wastewater or waste of organic industries, etc.) not only can produce hydrogen for use as energy, organic acids can also be produced for re-use. Besides, expenses associated with processing of various kinds of sludge and organic wastewater or waste can be reduced.
The design of a conventional anaerobic fermentative reaction system primarily attempts to shorten the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of system operation so as to increase the organic loading rate (OLR) of the system, while trying to enhance the degradation rate by increasing the concentration of hydrogenogenic bacteria or the activity of sludge, thereby achieving the objective of enhancing the efficiency of biological wastewater treatment (G. Lettinga et al., (1980), Biotechnology and Bioengineefing, 22:699-734).
Conventional continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) have extensive applications in the study of anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production because of simple system operation and good mixing capability. Regarding studies in this respect, reference can be made to, for instance, C. Y. Lin et al., (1999), Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 74:498-500; 0. Mizuno et al., (2000), Bioresource Technology, 73:59-65; C. C. Chen et al., (2001), Appl Microbiol Biotechnol., 57:56-64; H. H. P. Fang et al., (2002), Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 78:44-52; J. I. Horiuchi et al., (2002), Bioresource Technology, 82:209-213; H. Liu et al., (2002), Water Science and Technology, 47(1): 153-158; and J. S. Chang et al., "Using Environmental Biological Techniques to Produce a Clean Energy—Hydrogen," Chemical Engineering, Volume 49, No. 6, 85-104, December, 2002.
However, these prior studies show that when the continuous stirred tank reactor is used to conduct an anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production reaction under a relatively low hydraulic retention time, wash-out often occurs between the fed substances and microorganisms so that concentration of biomasses containing hydrogenogenic bacteria drops, thereby reducing the hydrogen production efficiency. For example, Chang et al. discovered that, when the continuous stirred tank reactor operates under the condition that HRT≧4 hr., wash-out of the hydrogenogenic bacteria-containing biomasses in the tank reactor will occur, which is detrimental to the process of anaerobic fermentative hydrogen producing reaction [Chang et al. (2002), supra].
In TW 200417533 of Lai et al., there is disclosed a process for anaerobic hydrogen production, which includes the following steps: (1) crushing waste into granular particles with a length and width less than 1 mm and mixing the same with water; (II) pre-treatment and formulation of seeding material; (III) anaerobic fermentation to produce hydrogen; (IV) anaerobic fermentation to produce methane gas; and (V) purification of discharged gas from the hydrogen production fermentation tank. In step (III), if a batch reaction is conducted, the rotational speed of the reactor is between 25 and 35 rpm. On the other hand, if a continuous reaction is conducted, the rotational speed of the reactor is between 30 and 100 rpm.
In addition, Lee et al. disclose a biohydrogen production technique, in which spherical activated carbon and cylindrical activated carbon are used as carriers, and are filled into a fixed bed reactor for hydrogenogenic bacteria to adhere thereto and to grow thereon so as to form a biofilm. The aforesaid technique can effectively maintain the concentration of hydrogenogenic bacteria in the reactor and suppress occurrence of wash-out so that anaerobic fermentative hydrogen reaction can be stably conducted under operating conditions of a low hydraulic retention time and a high organic loading rate (Lee et al., Continuous Hydrogen Fermentation Using a Biofilm Reactor, Proceedings of the 7th Biochemical Engineering Symposium, Jun. 28-29, 2002).
According to this prior study, when a fixed bed reactor having a 0.3 L or 3 L working volume is used to conduct an anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production reaction, hydrogen can be produced stably at a hydraulic retention time of 1 hour. The hydrogen production rate (HPR) is approximately 1.21 L/h/L, whereas the hydrogen content (H2 content) can reach approximately more than 30%. However, when the hydraulic retention time is lowered to 0.5 hour, the anaerobic fermentative reaction system will show signs of instability, thereby resulting in a lowered hydrogen production rate.
Therefore, there still exists a need to develop a new anaerobic biohydrogen production technique, which can achieve an excellent hydrogen production efficiency even under operating conditions of a low hydraulic retention time and a high organic loading rate.

Process for enhancing anaerobic biohydrogen production


An optical amplifier comprises a doped fiber and a pump source for providing pump light to the fiber. A power measurement circuit is provided for measuring the output power of the amplifier and a disable circuit is controlled to disable the pump source in response to the output power of an output pulse exceeding a predetermined limit. In this way, power surges can be avoided. Preferably, the predetermined limit takes into account the duration of the output pulse, so that the disable circuit can be tailored to pulse power versus pulse duration standardised limits.

This invention relates to optical communications systems and, more particularly, a pump control system for optical amplifiers for use in such systems.
Large capacity optical transmission systems typically combine high speed signals on a signal fiber by means of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) to fill the available bandwidth. In these WDM optical transmission systems, in general, rare-earth doped fiber optical amplifiers (such as Erbium or Erbium-Ytterbium doped) are used to compensate for the fiber link and splitting losses. Such amplifiers are provided with laser pump light to cause the optical amplification.
As the number of channels increases, the maximum output power requirements increase. There are various regulations concerning the maximum allowable power outputs for different classes of amplifier, and these different classes of amplifier require different safety measures. There is therefore a need to ensure that maximum power requirements are satisfied so that a particular amplifier can achieve a given classification.
Automatic gain control (AGC) schemes are well known, which maintain a constant gain, regardless of the number of channels present at the input. This overcomes the problem of gain transients, which occur when channels are added or dropped either due to network reconfiguration or failures. Adding channels can depress the power of the present channels below the receiver sensitivity. Dropping channels can give rise to error events in the surviving channels because the power of the surviving channels can surpass the thresholds for non-linear effects. The error bursts in the surviving or present channels as a result of these power transients are unacceptable to service providers. Various other factors also give rise to gain modulation, causing non-uniform amplifier gain.
Automatic gain control requires rapid gain control to respond to channel adding and dropping at the input, without giving rise to large or prolonged gain transient effects. Automatic gain control (AGC) is typically in the form of optoelectronic or all optical feedback loops for controlling the laser pump source to provide a required change in amplifier pumping. AGC schemes may use feedforward or feedback loops, or a combination of these, in order to derive control signals from measures of input and output powers so as to increase the amplifier pump power when more output power is required.
It is also known to provide a series of so-called concatenated amplifier stages within a single optical amplifier. Each stage has its own associated doped fiber section and pump sources. For each individual stage, the noise performance is improved for higher power operation. With this in mind, it has been recognised that the first stage within such an amplifier should be operated at the highest possible power, so that the noise introduced by the first stage, and which is amplified by subsequent stages, is kept to a minimum. Such an arrangement provides that the first stage of the optical amplifier always contributes to the output power of the amplifier.
According to the invention, there is provided an optical amplifier comprising:
a doped fiber and a pump source for providing pump light to the fiber;
a power measurement circuit for measuring the output power of the amplifier; and
a disable circuit for disabling the pump source in response to the output power of an output pulse exceeding a predetermined limit.
The invention provides an amplifier in which a disable function is provided, so that power surges can be avoided. Preferably, the predetermined limit takes into account the duration of the output pulse, so that the disable circuit can be tailored to pulse power versus pulse duration standardised limits.
For example, the disable circuit may implement a desired relationship between pulse duration and maximum pulse power, wherein the maximum pulse power is, for all pulse durations, below a predetermined pulse power classification. This classification may comprise the 3A optical amplifier classification.
The amplifier may comprise at least first and second amplifier stages, wherein the disable circuit is for disabling the pump source of at least the first amplifier stage. For all levels of gain of the amplifier, the pump source of the first amplifier stage may be operated to provide signal gain. A differential pump drive scheme can reduce noise in the amplifier, and in this way, linking the disable function to the first amplifier stage will always provide a reduction in output power.
The power measurement circuit is preferably also for measuring the input power of the amplifier; and a driver circuit is provided for generating pump control signals for controlling the pump source of each amplifier stage in dependence on the input and output power in order to maintain a substantially constant gain.
Preferably, the disable circuit comprises an integrator for integrating the output power pulse and a comparator for comparing the integrated output power pulse with a threshold level.
The invention also provides an optical communications system comprising a transmitter and a receiver connected together by an optical fiber link, the optical fiber link including at least one amplifier according to the invention.
The invention also provides a method of controlling an optical amplifier comprising a doped fiber, a pump source for providing pump light to the fiber and a power measurement circuit for measuring the output power of the amplifier, the method comprising disabling the pump source in response to the output power of an output pulse exceeding a predetermined limit.


According to one embodiment of the present invention a method for directing light onto a digital micromirror device is disclosed that includes the steps of directing light toward a DMD through a lens that includes a plurality of lens elements such that, absent correction, the directed light is distorted at the DMD; and compensating for the distortion of the directed light at the DMD by predistorting the directed light prior to reaching the DMD by the plurality of lens elements.

Light processing systems often involve directing light towards a display such that an image is produced. One way of effecting such an image is through the use of digital micro-mirror devices (DMD) available from Texas Instruments. In general, light is directed through a lens array to a DMD array having numerous micro-mirrors. Each lens element in the lens array magnifies light from a light source to cover the active area of the DMD. Each micro-mirror is selectively controlled to reflect the light towards a particular portion of a display, such as a pixel. The angle of a micro-mirror can be changed to switch a pixel to an "on" or "off" state. The micro-mirrors can maintain their "on" or "off" state for controlled display times.
The DMD is often not perpendicular to the axis of the lens array that directs light to it. The DMD is generally at an angle from the axis of the lens array so that light from the lens array can be reflected off of the active area of the DMD towards a target such as a screen or display. This angle between the DMD and the axis of the lens array causes a distortion of the shape of the light on the plane of the DMD. As a result of this distortion, a significant amount of light falls outside the active area of the DMD. This overfill light is lost and does not contribute to image or screen brightness.


Provided is a method of manufacturing a magnetic head with which bonding of a slider and a suspension can be performed by taking an ABS pattern, which determines flying characteristics, as a reference, with no special fabrication required on the slider or the suspension. The method relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic head for attaching a slider, on which an air bearing surface (ABS) is formed, to a suspension. A surface of the slider on which the ABS is formed is photographed, and the ABS and an engraved region formed within the ABS are identified from the photographed image. Then, a reference that serves as a guide in attaching the suspension is computed, and the slider is attached to the suspension based on the reference. It thus becomes possible for positive pressure and negative pressure that occur in the ABS to be well balanced centered about the suspension, making it possible to stabilize flying attitude and electrical characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic head. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic head suitable for attaching a slider to a suspension with good accuracy.
2. Related Background Art
Hard disk drives (hereinafter called HDDs) are increasing in capacity and being made thinner. Together with these advances, magnetic heads (20%, 30% sliders) are also being made smaller.
When bonding a slider, on which a giant magneto-resistive (GMR) element is formed, to a suspension side with conventional processes of manufacturing magnetic heads, positioning of the slider is performed first using the external shape of the slider as a reference. An adhesive agent is applied to a rear surface side of the slider (side opposite to a side where an air bearing surface (ABS) is formed) after positioning the slider, and the slider side is made to contact a distal end of the suspension, which has been positioned by using a tooling hole. The slider side and the distal end of the suspension are bonded through the adhesive.
Methods are also known in which slider positioning is performed without using the external shape of the slider. In one method, a physical positioning portion is provided on the slider, and positioning of the slider to the suspension side is performed by using the positing portion (refer to JP 4-17174 A, for example). In another method, a concave portion that corresponds to the external shape of the slider is provided at the distal end of the suspension, and positioning of the slider is performed by using the concave portion (refer to JP 10-293981 A, for example).
Furthermore, there are also known a method in which a through hole is formed in the slider, and assembly is performed taking the through hole as a positioning reference (refer to JP 2000-123515 A, for example), and a method in which positioning of the slider with respect to the suspension is performed by taking an inner side surface of a rail fabrication portion of the slider as a reference (refer to JP 6-150597 A, for example).
However, problems like those described below exist with the conventional magnetic head manufacturing methods described above.
Namely, it is very important to attach the suspension by taking the ABS formed on the slider as a reference in order to stabilize the flying attitude and the electrical characteristics of the magnetic head across inner and outer circumferences of a disk.
The ABS in the slider is generally fabricated by ion milling, while the external shape of the slider is fabricated by machining, thus forming the ABS and the external shape of the slider through independent processes.
However, positioning between the slider and the suspension is conventionally performed with the external shape of the slider used as a reference, as described above, and the attachment position of the suspension thus does not always coincide with the position found when taking the ABS as a reference, and the fabrication processes differ for the ABS and the external shape of the slider as described above. Consequently, when an inner side surface of the rail fabrication portion of the slider is taken as a reference, the center of the inner side surface may not coincide with the center of the ABS. The designed flying attitude and electrical characteristics may thus not be obtainable.
Accompanying miniaturization of sliders and more complex ABS patterns (in order to stabilize flying characteristics), it is expected that accurately attaching the suspension by taking the external shape of the slider as a reference will become increasingly difficult.
Furthermore, there is a fear that a balance between positive pressure and negative pressure in the ABS will go out of balance, making it impossible to stabilize the flying attitude of the slider, when forming through holes and the like used for positioning in the slider itself.


Method and system for charging electric vehicles in an aggregation is provided. The method includes: obtaining a plurality of first charge power curves of a plurality of electric vehicles in the aggregation; obtaining a coordinating information of each of the plurality of electric vehicles from the plurality of first charge power curves; obtaining a first feedback charge power curve of each of the plurality of electric vehicles from the coordinating information and a charging cost curve of each of the plurality of electric vehicles; judging whether the first feedback charge power curve is same with the first charge power curve of each of the plurality of electric vehicles; if yes, charging each of the plurality of electric vehicles in accordance with the first charge power curve.

The electric vehicles parked in the same park lot or the same residential community are referred to be in an aggregation. The aggregation of electric vehicles is managed as a whole to be charged. The charging power of each electric vehicle is controlled so that the electric vehicle is charged properly and at the same time does not influence the power grid much. For example, the charging power may be increased during the trough of the power grid and may be decreased during the peak of the power grid.

Method and system for charging electric vehicles in aggregation