A synchronous dynamic RAM capable of segmentally precharging each memory bank. In this SDRAM, each memory bank is divided into multiple memory blocks. Each of these memory blocks internally has its own row access circuitry, but performs independent precharging operation. Access to the memory bank can be cooperative externally, and precharge operation can be separately applied to these memory blocks while allowing utilization of row cache that is available on other blocks. The SDRAM further includes a control device for generating a dedicated precharge signal to each memory block according to a precharge signal for each memory bank. Each dedicated precharge signal independently precharges the corresponding memory block regardless of the access operations executed by other memory blocks. The dedicated precharge signal and a succeeding activate signal for activating a different memory block are overlapped in timing so that the precharge sequence is implanted in the succeeding activate signal and the data access time is shortened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a precharge approach for semiconductor memories, such as Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memories (SDRAMs), and more specifically, to a SDRAM that can segmentally precharge each bank in the SDRAM and then short en memory access latency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor memory devices are widely used as a main storage media in many electronic systems, especially in computer systems. Static Random Access Memories (SRAMs) and Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) are two examples of these semiconductor memory devices, in which the DRAMs have a lower price and primarily serve as the main memory devices in computer systems, while SRAMs have a faster access speed than the DRAMs and usually serve as cache memory for bridging the operation speed between a microprocessor and the DRAM main memory.
With the increasing operation speed of microprocessors, the speed mismatch between the processors and the DRAMs is significant and has a severe impact on the system performance. Conventional DRAMs employ an operation mode called Fast Page Mode (FPM), in which memory in a page given by a specific row address can be randomly accessed. For increasing the operation speed, a new operation mode called Extended Data Output (EDO) has been applied in DRAM products. In EDO DRAMs, performance improvement is achieved by extending the data valid time until the next data drives the memory bus. EDO DRAMs have a 30.about.40% speed improvement. However, this still can not keep up with the requirement of the increasing processor speed.
Synchronous DRAMs employ a bursting technique to overcome such a speed limitation. When a first page address has been accessed, the SDRAM can predict the address of the memory location to be accessed. Such an address prediction scheme eliminates the delay associated with detecting and latching an externally provided address into the SDRAM. Using SDRAMs, users must previously set several parameters of SDRAMs before any read and write commands. First, parameters of burst length (sometimes abbreviated as BL) and burst type must be defined to the SDRAM. The burst length is used to define the number of bits associated with this access operation. Thus, an internal address counter can properly and timely generate the next memory location to be accessed according to the starting access address and the burst length during the following access operations. The burst type is used to decide whether the address counter is to provide sequential ascending page addresses or interleaved page addresses within the defined burst length. In addition, a parameter of CAS latency is also previously set before read commands, to decide the delay from when a read command is registered on a rising clock edge to when the data from that read command becomes available at the outputs.
FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) schematically illustrates a blocking diagram of a common SDRAM architecture. Usually, SDRAMs employ a two-bank architecture, as shown in FIG. 1, for hiding row precharge and first access delays by alternately opening (interleaving) the two memory banks. CLK represents the system clock input and all SDRAM inputs are sampled at the rising edges of this clock. The CKE signal is used to activate or deactivate the CLK signal when high or low, respectively. A0-A9, A10 and A11 (or called BANK SELECT, BS) represent the address signals, in which the BS signal is used to select the accessed memory bank. In addition, CS# represents the chip select signal (active low), RAS# represents the row address strobe signal (active low), CAS# represents the column address strobe signal (active low) and WE# represents the write enable signal (active low). These four signals are used to set the operation mode of SDRAM 10.
The CLK signal is fed to all components in DRAM 10 for synchronizing the operation. The combination of these control signals fed to command decoder 20 is used as the operation command of SDRAM 10. For example, a mode register set command is issued when signals CS#, RAS#, CAS# and WE# are low. When the mode register set command is issued, current data on the address terminals A0.about.A11 are transferred to and stored in the mode register 40 via address buffer 30. The mode register 40 is used to store access parameters, such as the burst length, the burst type and the CAS latency. A bank activation command must be issued before any read and write command. The bank activation command is triggered when signals CS# and RAS# are low, and signals CAS# and WE# are high. At this time, A11 (BS) is used to select the accessed memory bank and current data on A0.about.A10, referred as a column address, which is transmitted to selected bank-A row/column decoder 50 or bank-B row/column decoder 55. After the bank activation command, a read command or a write command can follow. The read command is set when CS# and CAS# are low, and RAS# and WE# are high. In addition, the write command is set when CS#, CAS# and WE# are low, and RAS# is high. Within a read or write command, a column address is input by A0.about.A10. The access memory location in bank-A memory 52 or bank-B memory 57 is determined by the row address provided by the bank activate command and the column address provided by the read or write command. This memory location is then accessible by means of data input/output DQ via input/output buffer 60.
When a new row access command or a new bank access command is issued, SDRAM requires a pre-charge operation to pre-charge bit-line pairs before sensing and amplifying data from the selected memory locations. Pre-charge is usually implemented by a dedicated circuit for each bank. Generally, SDRAMs support two pre-charge schemes, one is to issue an independent pre-charge command to the SDRAMs, and another is to issue a read or write command with pre-charge function. When an access command with pre-charge function is issued, the pre-charge operation will be automatically executed near the end of data bursting sequences. Traditional SDRAM must pre-charge the whole memory bank even though only one page is accessed. Cleanly, the pre-charge requirement may limit the issue of the next command and lower the operation speed. For example, when the write operation with auto-precharging function is executed, the bank undergoing auto-precharge can not be re-activated until a reference delay, called the data-in to active delay t.sub.DAL, is satisfied. The operation speed is inevitably affected by the undue delay.


A cam follower roller device having a tappet body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a tappet bore, a pin centered on a transverse axis and providing two opposite ends arranged in through-holes transversally facing one another on tappet body, and a roller rotatably mounted on the pin around said transverse axis. The tappet body is a machined metal tube or bar and is provided with a radial plate that is securely fixed within tappet bore, said radial plate being dedicated to support a longitudinally movable piston.

Such a cam follower roller device generally comprises an outer tappet body, a roller and a pin in bronze or steel. The roller is rotatably mounted on the pin and the rolling assembly is centered on a transverse axis, while the tappet extends along a longitudinal axis. The tappet is formed with a cylindrical body delimiting an internal volume wherein are arranged the pin and the roller.
For example in EP-A1-2 960 446, DE-A1-10 2014 226853 or DE-A1-10 2010 033120, it is well known to provide tappet body with transverse through-holes transversally facing one another to receive ends of pin. Tappet body further comprises an inner axial bottom wall dedicated to support a piston in longitudinal movement.
The roller axially extends from the tappet so as to collaborate with a cam synchronized with the internal combustion engine camshaft. The rotation of the camshaft leads to a periodic displacement of a piston of the pump that rests against the tappet, to allow fuel to be delivered. The tappet is movable back and forth along the longitudinal axis.
Such a cam follower roller device is generally delivered as a pre-assembled unit to a motor vehicle manufacturer or system supplier. It is known to design a forged tappet body in metal. However, such a tappet body is relatively expensive to produce and it is desirable to reduce device cost.


Carbon sequestration of greenhouse gases (CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4) is effected through enhancement of plant growth using defoliation techniques with and without grazing animals. Processes and devices for measurement of the verifiable quantity of carbon sequestered are disclosed.

This invention relates to the apparatus and methods for quantifying the gases generated or sequestered by plant life and photosynthetic organisms.
Gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, found in trace quantities in the atmosphere, absorb infrared energy and prevent such energy from leaving the atmosphere. Such gases are often referred to as "greenhouse" gases. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may therefore contribute to an increase in average global temperatures, resulting in adverse climate changes otherwise known as global warming. During the last century, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, have increased the atmospheric levels of these so-called greenhouse gases.
Since 1800, atmospheric concentrations of CO.sub.2 have increased by more than 25%, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels. For example, the burning of coal, oil and other organic-based fuels accounts for 99% of total U.S. CO.sub.2 emissions. In 1994, 1,529 million tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE) of CO.sub.2 were emitted as a direct result of fossil and organic-based fuel combustion. The other 1% of CO.sub.2 emissions is the by-product of non-energy related industrial practices. These include cement and lime production, limestone consumption, and soda ash production and use.
Over the last two centuries, the concentration of atmospheric methane has more than doubled. Although methane is second in quantity to CO.sub.2 as a greenhouse gas, methane is 24.5 times more effective in trapping heat or energy over a 100 year period. In 1994, 205 MTCE of methane were emitted in the United States. The largest sources are municipal solid waste landfills, which account for 90-95% of total landfill emissions. Currently, about 15% of landfill methane is recovered for use as an energy source. Roughly one-third of 1994 methane emissions came from agricultural operations. Topping the list of sources are enteric fermentation in domestic livestock and manure management. Approximately 27% of 1994 U.S. methane emissions came from coal mining and petrol resources.
In response to these concerns and, pursuant to commitments made under the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States has undertaken efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than implementing a regulatory program, the Congress and President have called for voluntary action to reduce carbon emissions. The President's Climate Change Action Plan outlines a series of voluntary programs aimed at returning U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 through reducing carbon emissions and through carbon sequestration projects.
When considering the protocol for controlling carbon emissions, one may refer to the market-based sulphur dioxide (SO.sub.2) allowance trading component of the Acid Rain Program. The Acid Rain Program allows electric utilities to adopt the most cost-effective strategy to reduce SO.sub.2 emissions at generating units in their system. The Acid Rain Program Operating Permit outlines the specific program requirements and compliance options chosen by each source. Affected utilities are also required to install systems that continuously monitor emissions of SO.sub.2 and other pollutants in order to track progress, ensure compliance and provide credibility to the trading component of the program.
A parallel program to trade carbon credits may be patterned after the SO.sub.2 Allowance Trading System. The Administration recently proposed as yet unspecified emissions budgets that could be banked or traded among developed nations in order to reduce the levels of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the "Draft Protocol Framework," a procedure to ensure adequate reporting, measurement, review and compliance would need to be established. It would provide for "joint implementation" through which countries without emission budgets could create and transfer emission reduction credits, commonly called carbon credits, by those that do. The source of such carbon credits could be green plants or other photosynthetic organisms.
Green plants have the ability to make and store their own energy. Using light energy from the sun, carbon from the air and water in the soil, green leaves make sugar in a reaction called photosynthesis. A green plant can either use this energy for immediate growth or store it as starch for future use. Plant growth, death and decay is a natural process which produces organic matter. Organic matter is concentrated in the top few inches of many soils because most of the plant residue falls to the soil surface. Root decay also makes an important contribution to soil organic matter formation deeper in the soil. Soil formed under prairies or other grasslands, where roots are dense and evenly distributed through the top several feet, have a high concentration of soil organic matter. By definition, such organic matter is highly carbonaceous and represents conversion of atmospheric CO.sub.2.
Because air makes up only 25-30% of soil volume, there is little oxygen to oxidize the stored carbon from such organic matter and release it back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. This process of fixing and storing atmospheric carbon in a sink such as vegetation or soil is called carbon sequestration, and the problem facing scientists and engineers is how to properly quantify the process and enhance the process from a quantitative viewpoint.
To promote active growth, and thus the photosynthesis process, a forage plant must continually undergo a level of partial defoliation during its growing season which does not restrict root growth and which encourages leaf growth. Plants cannot photosynthesize optimally unless they have green leafy material above the ground to absorb sunlight. Cutting and removing older plant growth stimulates growth which allows for increased, more photosynthetically efficient new growth and contributes to greater sequestration of carbon.
It has been recognized since the mid-1950s that partial defoliation of grassy and herbaceous plants stimulates the root system to grow optimally and encourages the growth of new green leafy plant material. The importance of this in the process of fixing carbon above and below the soil in plant tissue is that when the plant is growing vigorously, the plant removes more airborne carbon (i.e. carbon dioxide) and converts it to sugars and starches during the process of photosynthesis. Increased root mass and leaf surface, which is not shaded by mature, inefficient photosynthesizing plant material, allows the plant to photosynthesize more efficiently and to persist and grow during periods of environmental stress. Further, vigorously growing plants begin growing earlier during their growing season and continue growing later in the growing season thereby causing the plant to extract more carbon from the air and fix more carbon in above-ground and below-ground plant tissue, i.e. leaves, stems and roots. Partial defoliation of the plant to achieve optimal plant growth resulting in maximum carbon sequestration can be thus accomplished through the cutting, collecting and measurement of grassy and herbaceous crops on a predetermined schedule, providing for a prescribed level of defoliation.
A problem, therefore, relates to the development of methods and apparatus to promote green plant growth efficiently and to measure, quantitatively, the growth in standard, universally accepted units.

Method for measuring and quantifying amounts of carbon from certain greenhouse gases sequestered in grassy and herbaceous plants above and below the soil surface


An optical system moving frame unit to be used in an optical system movement type exposure device, which is cast into a rectangular frame reinforced with reinforcing ribs and thin planar members. The reinforcing ribs are arranged as in a trussed structure. The thin planar members cover the spaces defined by the frame and the reinforcing ribs in such a manner as to be integrated with the frame and the reinforcing ribs. The provision of the thin planar members eliminates the problem that the casting material does not flow smoothly into the cavities for the reinforcing ribs in a casting process of the optical system moving frame unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a frame unit which forms a part of an optical system movement type exposure device to be used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic printing machine or printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applicant has filed an unexamined, published Japanese Patent Application No. 116664/1989 directed to an optical system moving frame unit which is substantially free from twisting vibration or vertical vibration. A reduction in vibration reduces the chances that the formation of images will be adversely affected by external exciting forces. This optical system moving frame unit economically utilizes space and reduces the weight of the exposure device.
The optical system moving frame unit is made up of a rectangular frame reinforced with reinforcing ribs arranged as in a trussed structure. A rectangular frame wastes less space than a trapezoidal frame. The reinforcing ribs increase the natural frequency of the optical system moving frame unit. A higher natural frequency substantially decreases the twisting vibration or vertical vibration attributing to external exciting forces.
However, the optical system moving frame unit suffers from the following problems when it is produced by large scale casting. Molten aluminum does not flow smoothly into the cavities for the reinforcing ribs in the casting operation, so blowholes are likely to be formed in the resultant reinforcing ribs. Therefor, some of the reinforcing ribs are not completely formed because the cavities for the reinforcing ribs are not sufficiently filled with the molten aluminum.

Optical system moving frame unit for use in an exposure device of an optical system movement type


An electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter capacitor assembly is provided for shielding and decoupling a conductive terminal pin or lead of the type used, for example, in an implantable medical device against passage of external interference signals. The EMI filter is constructed of relatively inexpensive ceramic chip capacitors which replace relatively expensive feedthrough capacitors as found in the prior art. The chip capacitors are mounted directly onto a hermetic feedthrough terminal in groups of two or more which vary in physical size, dielectric material and capacitance value so that they self-resonate at different frequencies. This "staggering" of resonant frequencies and direct installation at the hermetic terminal provides the EMI filter with sufficient broadband frequency attenuation. In one preferred form, multiple chip capacitor groupings are mounted onto a common base structure, with each capacitor grouping associated with a respective terminal pin. In another preferred form, a non-conductive substrate is provided with metalized circuit traces to better accommodate the mounting of the chip capacitors. Additionally, novel chip capacitor geometry/termination-metallization is provided which significantly reduces the internal inductance of the capacitor to improve its high frequency performance as an EMI filter. Such reduced inductance chip capacitor designs are readily adaptable to incorporate multiple electrically isolated active plate sets within a single monolithic casing.

This invention relates generally to reduced inductance chip capacitors, EMI filter terminal pin subassemblies and related methods of construction, particularly of the type used in implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved ceramic chip capacitor designs and their utilization in EMI filter assemblies.
Implantable medical devices employ a wide variety of leads which are placed in body tissue or fluids. These include but are not limited to atrial/ventricle unipolar, atrial/ventricle bipolar, subcutaneous patch, transthoracic impedance monitor, telemetry, cochlear implants and the like. In some implantable defibrillator designs the metallic case or housing of the device acts as one electrode or lead. Leads which are closely spaced together in the body (such as bipolar) tend to pick up EMI signals which are in phase (common mode EMI). Lead schemes which have substantial separation between the leads and are close to an emitter (such as a cellular phone) tend to pick up EMI signals which are not in phase (differential mode EMI). In addition, certain implantable medical device sensing circuits are highly sensitive (such as unipolar atrial blood pool sensing leads) which tends to make them more susceptible to EMI. Other implantable device circuits may be limited in the amount of capacitance to ground that they can tolerate (certain defibrillator high voltage outputs or transthoracic impedance monitors, for example).
Feedthrough terminal pin assemblies are generally well known in the art for connecting electrical signals through the housing or case of an electronic instrument. For example, in implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators or the like, the hermetic terminal pin assembly comprises one or more conductive terminal pins supported by an insulator structure for feedthrough passage from the exterior to the interior of the medical device. Many different insulator structures and related mounting methods are known in the art for use in medical devices wherein the insulator structure also provides a hermetic seal to prevent entry of body fluids into the housing of the medical device. However, the feedthrough terminal pins are typically connected to one or more lead wires which effectively act as an antenna and thus tend to collect stray EMI signals for transmission into the interior of the medical device.
There are two primary ceramic capacitor geometries in common use in the industry--the rectangular chip and the feedthrough (often called a discoidal capacitor). The ceramic monolithic rectangular chip capacitor (or "chip capacitor") is produced in very high commercial volumes in highly automated facilities. Over the years the cost of ceramic chip capacitors has dropped a great deal. It is now common to purchase certain value chip capacitors for only a few pennies. The ceramic feedthrough capacitor is only produced in a small fraction of the chip capacitor volume. Accordingly, feedthrough capacitor production has not been nearly as automated. In addition, the feedthrough capacitor is inherently more expensive to produce due to drilling and centering the through hole, tighter dimensional control, reduced volumetric efficiency and difficulty in automating the manufacturing process. Typically the cost of a particular value chip capacitor is ten to twenty percent of the cost of an equivalent value discoidal feedthrough capacitor. Because of the trend in the medical device industry to reduce cost, it would be highly desirable to use relatively inexpensive ceramic chip capacitors in place of feedthrough capacitors, where practicable.
Previously, the feedthrough capacitor-type has been the capacitor of choice for use in high performance or broadband EMI filters because it provides effective attenuation over very wide frequency ranges. A serious shortcoming of the rectangular chip capacitor is that its equivalent circuit model consists of a capacitor in series with a lumped inductor (the inductance comes from its leads, internal electrode plates and connection wiring). This means that all chip capacitors will self resonate when their inductive reactance and capacitive reactance become equal. The frequency in MH.sub.z at which this occurs is defined as the "self resonant frequency" or SRF, which is determined in accordance with the formula: ##EQU1## wherein, L=Inductance in microhenries, and
C=Capacitance in microfarads.
Above the SRF, the chip capacitor becomes increasingly inductive and ceases to be an effective EMI filter. The unique geometry of the feedthrough capacitor, however, eliminates this lumped series inductance. Accordingly, a properly designed and installed feedthrough capacitor does not have a SRF above which it becomes an inductor (feedthrough capacitors do exhibit a minor self resonance, but continue to perform as an effective capacitor bypass element above this SRF).
Two different general approaches are commonly used to eliminate or reduce stray or unwanted EMI signals. One very effective but relatively costly approach is where the hermetic terminal pin assembly has been combined directly with a ceramic feedthrough filter capacitor to decouple interference signals to the housing of the medical device. In a typical unipolar construction as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,095, a coaxial ceramic feedthrough filter capacitor is used in a feedthrough assembly to suppress and decouple undesired interference or noise transmission along a terminal pin. The feedthrough filter capacitor comprises a so-called discoidal capacitor having two sets of electrode plates embedded in spaced relation within an insulative dielectric substrate or base, formed typically as a ceramic monolithic structure. One set of the electrode plates is electrically connected at an inner diameter cylindrical surface of the discoidal capacitor structure to the conductive terminal pin utilized to pass the desired electrical signal or signals. The other or second set of electrode plates is coupled at an outer diameter surface of the discoidal capacitor to a cylindrical ferrule of conductive material, wherein the ferrule is electrically connected in turn to the conductive housing of the electronic device. The number and dielectric thickness spacing of the electrode plate sets varies in accordance with the capacitance value and the voltage rating of the discoidal capacitor. The outer feedthrough capacitor electrode plate sets (or "ground" plates) are coupled in parallel together by a metalized band which is, in turn, coupled to the ferrule by conductive adhesive, soldering, brazing, or the like. The inner feedthrough capacitor electrode plate sets (or "active" plates) are coupled in parallel together by a metalized band which is, in turn, coupled to the lead wire (s) by conductive adhesive, soldering, brazing, or the like. In operation, the feedthrough capacitor permits passage of relatively low frequency electrical signals along the terminal pin while shielding and decoupling/attenuating undesired interference signals of typically high frequency to the conductive housing. Feedthrough capacitors of this general type are available in unipolar (one), bipolar (two), tripolar (three), quadpolar (four), pentapolar (five), hexpolar (6) and additional lead configurations. The feedthrough capacitors of this general type are commonly employed in implantable cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators and the like, wherein the pacemaker housing is constructed from a biocompatible metal, such as titanium alloy which is electrically coupled to the feedthrough filter capacitor. As a result, the filter capacitor and terminal pin assembly prevents entrance of interference signals to the interior of the pacemaker housing, wherein such interference signals could otherwise adversely affect the desired cardiac pacing or defibrillation function. Also see for example, the feedthrough capacitor subassemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,920,888; 4,152,540; 4,421,947; 4,424,551 and 5,333,095.
A second type of EMI filter approach in common use in implantable medical devices involves installation of ceramic chip capacitors on the circuit board, substrate or flex cables leading to the hermetic feedthrough terminal. For example, it is known to locate an EMI low pass filter and related chip capacitors on the circuit board or substrate of an implantable medical device, or to mount a chip capacitor onto a circuit flex cable near the hermetic terminal of a pacemaker. These are very cost effective methods, but they do not make a very effective EMI filter, particularly over broad frequency ranges. Both of these approaches provide ineffective EMI filters at high frequencies due to the parasitic resonance and coupling caused by the substantial inductance and capacitance of the circuit traces and connecting wires. The physical separation of the chip capacitors from the point of penetration into the shield housing (the hermetic seal terminal) creates excessive loop inductance and allows the unwanted signals to penetrate to the interior of the shield. Once the EMI is inside, it is very difficult to control as it will tend to couple across filtering elements to sensitive circuitry.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved chip capacitor design which significantly reduces the internal inductance of the chip capacitor to improve its high frequency performance. Additionally, there is a need for a multiplanar array chip capacitor design that incorporates the advantages of the reduced inductance design in a single unit connectable to a plurality of active terminals. Moreover, there is a need for an EMI filter that utilizes cost effective ceramic chip capacitors in a manner to achieve the beneficial EMI filtering characteristics similar to feedthrough filter capacitors. Such a unique EMI filter should utilize chip capacitors that are mounted in groups which vary in physical size, dielectric material and capacitance value so that they self-resonate at different frequencies to provide the filter desirable broadband frequency attenuation. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

Chip capacitors and chip capacitor electromagnetic interference filters


A child seat includes a seat body, and a first and a second support respectively assembled with the seat body via a first and a second connection. The seat body has a seating surface and a bottom surface below the seating surface, and the first and second support are extendable below the bottom surface. The child seat has a first configuration in which the child seat is attached to a support frame at an elevated position above a ground surface, and a second configuration in which the child seat is converted to a booster seat standing independent of the support frame, the first and second support respectively extending forward from the first and second connection in the first configuration, and the first and second support respectively extending rearward from the first and second connection so that the child seat stands on the first and second supports in the second configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a child seat convertible to multiple configurations of use.
2. Description of the Related Art
High chairs provide convenient and safe place for babies and children to eat food and occupy their time. Most high chairs are intended for children starting about 6 months old, when they are able to sit up unassisted and eat solid food. Certain high chairs currently available on the market can fold for easier storage and transport in a vehicle, the seat portion of the high chair remaining with the high chair frame when it is in the folded state. Other modular designs allow to lift the seat portion off the high chair frame and used as a booster seat. However, the modular designs usually require the leg rest of the seat portion to be left on the high chair frame. This causes the frame to look unsightly and prevents other uses of the frame. In addition, the booster seat may look too bulky to properly fit on a chair.
Therefore, there is a need for child seats that are more flexible and convenient in use, and can address at least the foregoing issues.

Child seat convertible to multiple configurations of use


The present disclosure is directed to a valve system including a controller and a valve including a valve element and a valve bore. The valve element is selectively movable relative to the valve bore at least partially in response to a signal communicated from a controller. The communicated signal is at least partially based on a load on the actuator and a determined pressured drop. The determined pressure drop is at least partially based on a hysteretic filter.

Hydraulic systems are often used to control the operation of hydraulic actuators of work machines. These hydraulic circuits typically include valves that are fluidly connected between the actuator and a pump and valves that are fluidly connected between the actuator and a reservoir. The valves control a flow rate and direction of pressurized fluid to and from chambers of the actuator to create pressure differentials within the actuator to affect movement thereof. Often, one or more of these valves are controlled in response to the pressure of the pressurized fluid within a portion of the hydraulic system and/or an associated chamber of the hydraulic actuator to reduce lag time between changing operational demands and valve actuation. Pressures within the hydraulic systems and, in particular, within chambers of the hydraulic actuators, however, may oscillate rapidly causing the valves to have overactive displacements which may lead to valve instability and/or premature wear.
A method of operating a hydraulic actuator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,264 B1 ("the '264 patent") issued to Stephenson et al. The '264 patent discloses a pair of supply valves to direct fluid from a pump to respective head-end and rod-end chambers of a piston-cylinder arrangement. The '264 patent also discloses a pair of drain valves to direct fluid from respective head-end and rod-end chambers of the piston-cylinder arrangement to a reservoir. Each of the head-end and rod-end valves are proportional valves actuated by solenoids to selectively allow fluid to and/or from the piston-cylinder arrangement. The '264 patent further discloses a metering valve to control the pressure drop across the drain valves to improve the accuracy of the flow of fluid to the reservoir.
Although the metering valve of the '264 patent may control the pressure drop across a drain valve directing fluid from the piston-cylinder arrangement to the reservoir, it may not increase stability of the drain valve by reducing overactive displacements.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Valve having a hysteretic filtered actuation command


The present invention concerns a process for forming a wearable and functional fabric from a composite material comprising a nonwoven face layer containing a plurality of fibers, and at least one thermoplastic binder layer disposed underneath. The fibers are initially arranged in a generally planar web and subsequently needlepunched through at least one binder layer. The fiber layers can also be placed on both sides of one or more centrally-located binder layers, and further reinforced with scrims. In an innovative aspect of the invention, the composite is heated under low and uniform pressure to remove thermal stresses, resulting in at a least one relatively smooth face that can be coated to form a wearable fabric, e.g., artificial leather, odor absorbing fabric, and the like.

Adhesive resins are traditionally used to supplement the properties of nonwoven fabrics. The adhesive resins can impart durability, dimensional stability, abrasion resistance, facial density and other similar properties to nonwoven fabrics. In one particular application, adhesive resins can be used in substrates for artificial or synthetic leathers. More specifically, the adhesive resin, usually in a soft, elastic and porous form, can serve as a filler, uniformizer and stabilizer. The adhesive resin is applied to one or both surfaces of the substrate or, alternatively, is used to impregnate the entire nonwoven fabric. After applying the adhesive resin, the nonwoven fabric is then usually finished by sanding, or brushing and shearing, to create a smooth surface. Uniform internal density is required for the leather-like product so that it does not develop an undesirable roughened surface, usually known as "orange peel," when it is subsequently formed over curved surfaces such as, for example, on footwear, luggage and similar applications. Extra layers may also be laminated on the nonwoven fabric to improve appearance or physical properties.
The Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Fourth Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Volume 15, "Leather-like Materials" p. 177-192, (1995) summarizes the development of artificial leather materials. The encyclopedia notes that in the 1930s, a plasticized poly(vinylchloride) film coated onto a woven or knitted fabric was developed as a leather-like material, but the material was stiff, exhibited plasticizer migration and had extremely low permeability, poor flex endurance and a cold touch. In the 1960s, synthetic leather materials having improved appearance, feel and resistance to grain breakage were made by laminating a cast polyurethane film to a brushed fabric. Further improvements in flexibility were achieved with the introduction of poromeric polyurethane-coated fabrics which were produced by applying a solution of a polyurethane resin in an organic solvent to a brushed fabric and then immersing the fabric in a non-solvent bath (e.g., water) to coagulate the polyurethane and form the poromeric structure. Typically, a polyurethane film was applied atop the poromeric structure. Polyurethane-impregnated and coated nonwoven fabrics made with ultra-fine fibers or microfibers (i.e., of less than 0.3 denier) also were developed to produce suede-like and other leather goods. Broadly, poromerics or poromeric imitation leathers are synthetic breathable leather substitutes. The term poromeric was coined by DuPont as derivatives of the terms microporous and polymeric.
Combinations of various woven or knitted fabrics with nonwoven materials also have been disclosed for use in making artificial leather. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,429, entitled "Composite Sheet for Artificial Leather," to Honda et al., discloses making a composite sheet, with a high surface density without stiffness, by needle punching a surface layer of special staple fibers of very low denier into a tightly woven or tightly knit fabric of high twist multifilament yarn and then coating or impregnating the resulting structure with a binder. The special fibers are formed from "islands-in a-sea" composite fibers by dissolving the polymeric "sea" surrounding "islands" of a second polymer to leave fibers of very low titre (i.e., 0.001 to 0.1 denier). However, making artificial leather products from "islands-in-a-sea" fibers is costly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,988, entitled "Suede-like Artificial Leathers and a Method for Manufacturing Same," to Neshida et al., discloses an artificial suede leather made from pile-like fibers by subjecting the fibers to a heat treatment and a swelling treatment before impregnating or coating the fibers with a synthetic polymer solution or emulsion. The solution or emulsion is then coagulated, and dried. The sheet is then buffed to raise naps. The filaments making up the pile-like fibers have complex cross-sections, created by bonding different polymers having mutually low adhesive affinity with each other. An additional buffing step is required to produce raised naps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,390, entitled "Method for Making Leather like Materials (B)," to Civardi et al. discloses a synthetic leather-like sheet made from laminating a thin micro-porous elastomeric layer, a fibrous backing and a very thin preformed skin. The thin preformed skin is embossed to create a grain appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,445, entitled "Composite Material and Process for Production of Same," to Yoshida et al. discloses another leather-like composite sheet. The composite sheet is obtained by coating or impregnating a fibrous base material with an elastic polymeric substance, in which the fibers constituting the fibrous base material and the elastic polymeric substance are prevented from bonding with each other. This sheet may be produced by applying a hydrophobicizing treatment to the fibrous base material, then impregnating or coating a solution of the elastic polymeric substance to which a hydrophilic silicone has been added, and wet solidifying.
Stitch-bonded composites suitable for use as artificial leather substrates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,710 entitled "Composite Sheet for Artificial Leather" to Zafiroglu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,473, entitled "Abrasion-Resistant Composite Sheet" also to Zafiroglu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,018 B1 (col. 5, ln. 47 to col. 6, ln. 13), entitled "Stitchbonded Fabric and Process for Making Same" also to Zafiroglu, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,451, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, entitled "Composite Sheet Suitable for Use as Artificial Leather" to Zafiroglu et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,854, entitled "Process of Manufacturing Nonwoven Fabrics," to Etchison et al., discloses a low-cost process comprising the needlepunching of fibers into a thermoplastic film, followed by the application of heat through an oven, or through an oven and a calender, to melt the film. The surfaces of the nonwoven fabric do not become flat until the product is heated and calendered. Further, the molten film fuses and permeates throughout the needlepunched web. Thus, while this technique produces cohesive and durable or moldable products, which may be suitable as coating substrates, it is insufficient in other aspects. Particularly, the technique fails to produce the internal uniformity and the smooth surfaces required for many artificial leather applications, unless it is followed by the addition of resins, as well as mechanical surface finishing. Moreover, calendering densifies and exaggerates minor internal nonuniformities such as those resulting from web forming patterns or needling patterns, thereby exacerbating the "orange peel" effect.
Co-pending, commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. 10/611,769 and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/284,377, by the same inventor, disclose needlepunched products which were also found unsuitable for artificial leather. The '769 application discloses in one embodiment the needlepunching of fibers into a thermoplastic adhesive layer followed by the application of highly concentrated heat and pressure exclusively from the needle-exit side; melting the thermoplastic adhesive layer; and bonding and anchoring the fibers in the adhesive layer which enters the fibrous layer in the back. The composite is attached with heat and pressure to a backing. The '377 application discloses similarly needlepunched structures, optionally shrunk after needling, and finished with heat and pressure applied from the needle-exit side, resulting in a thin, densified and resin-rich abrasion-resistant backface.
While the aforementioned leather substrate materials function well to various degrees, there remains a need in the art for lower-cost composite sheets with a smooth and uniform surface as well as a uniform internal structure, having a combination of uniform conformability, thermal stability, moldability, crease-resistance, tear-resistance, odor absorption and other desirable properties.

Needlepunched nonwoven with centrally-located binder


N-(10-camphorsulfonyloxy)-succinimide represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## is provided, which can be produced by reacting N-hydroxysuccinimide with 10-camphorsulfonic acid, a salt thereof or a halide thereof. Using the compound as an acid generating agent, a resist composition can be obtained by including an alkali-soluble resin having a protective group removable by the action of an acid; and the resist composition is excellent in heat resistance, ratio of residual film thickness after developing, uniformity of film thickness, profile, photospeed and resolution and is improved in the time delay effect and attachment of pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel succinimide derivative, a process for producing the same and an application of the same in the field of resist.
2. Background Information
In recent years, quarter-micron pattern formations have been demanded with the increase of the integration level of semi-conductive integral circuits. Particularly, the eximer laser lithography using krypton fluoride (KrF) or argon fluoride (ArF) as the light source has attracted attention because it enables production of 64 MDRAM and 256 MDRAM. Conventionally, near-ultraviolet rays have mainly been used in the lithography process. As the light source has been changed, however, the following properties have newly been required in addition to the conventionally required properties such as heat resistance, ratio of residual film thickness after developing (film retention ratio), profile and others
a) high photospeed to KrF and ArF eximer laser light source, and PA1 b) high resolution.
Under these circumstances, has been proposed a type of resist, generally called chemical amplification type resist, which utilizes a chemical amplification effect of an acid-catalyst. In the chemical amplification type resist, the solubility of exposed part in an alkaline developing solution is realized by a reaction catalyzed by an acid which is generated from an acid generating agent by irradiation of radial rays and this affords a positive resist.
Conventionally, for the production of the chemical amplification type positive resist, polyvinylphenols in which the phenolic hydroxyls are protected by groups removable by the action of an acid have been used. The resist utilizing these resins has a defect that it is generally liable to be affected by its environment. Particularly, in the step of effecting the elimination reaction of the protective groups by heat treatment after exposure to rays (Post Exposure Bake; hereinafter, abbreviated as PEB), it is known that properties are greatly varied according to the period of standing before the heat treatment. This phenomenon is sometimes called Time Delay effect, and it may cause deterioration, of the resolution, T-top forming (T-shaping) in the pattern after development and bad repeatability of critical dimension.
It is considered that the reason for such a phenomenon is due to deactivation of the generated acid caused by basic substances such as ammonia and N-methylpyrrolidone which exist in an ambient atmosphere where the lithography is conducted and come into contact with the coating film. It is known, for example, that even if the content of ammonia in the air is as low as about 20 ppb, a pattern obtained by PEB carried out 30 minutes after exposure has a profile with remarkable T-shaping.
There is also a problem that, in the production of a quarter micron pattern, inferior etching caused by lying or peeling off of a smaller pattern is liable to occur.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel compound which exerts excellent effects when used as an acid generating agent for a resist composition comprising an alkali-soluble resin having protective groups removable by the action of an acid.
Another object of the invention is to provide a resist composition, using such compound, which is excellent in photospeed and resolution and which is improved in the time delay effect and adhesion of pattern, while keeping heat resistance, ratio of residual film thickness after developing, uniformity of film thickness, profile and so on at high levels.
After extensive studies, the present inventors have successfully found a novel succinimide compound and discovered the fact that a resist composition comprising the compound together with an alkali-soluble resin having protective groups removable by the action of an acid is excellent in photospeed and resolution and improved in the time delay effect and adhesion of the pattern, while keeping heat resistance, ratio of residual film thickness after developing, uniformity of film thickness, profile and so on at high levels. Thus, the present invention has been completed.

Succinimide derivative, process for production and use thereof


A debugging module for connecting an IC to a JTAG debugger device includes a JTAG interface, an earphone circuit, a USB interface, a switching unit, and a reset circuit. The earphone circuit is electrically connected to the JTAG interface via the switching unit. The USB interface and the reset circuit are electrically connected to the JTAG interface. When a JTAG debugger device is connected to the earphone circuit and the USB interface, the earphone circuit and the USB interface, respectively, can establish a connection between the JTAG debugger device and the JTAG interface.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to debugging modules for electronic device, particularly to a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface debugging module and method thereof for electronic devices.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of various functional component (blocks) and component libraries to create a complex integrated circuit (IC) in portable electronic devices is becoming increasingly common. These complex ICs are difficult to test. Traditionally, these ICs incorporate a JTAG interface as a mechanism for emulating and debugging an IC during testing. The JTAG interface is used to download debugging or other testing software from an external device, e.g., a JTAG debugger device, to the functional blocks located on the IC during testing. This standard has been adopted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and is now defined as IEEE Standard 1149.1. During testing, pins of the JTAG interface electrically connect with the JTAG debugger device via welding a wire from the JTAG interface to the JTAG debugger device.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Debugging module for electronic device and method thereof

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


A welding torch for gas tungsten arc welding, the welding torch including a torch head and a torch handle. The torch head includes a hollow inner body in electrical contact with one terminal of an electric power source, the inner body having an interior through which an axially positioned electrode extends, a free end of the electrode projecting beyond an electrode contact region of the inner body, and there being an inner gas chamber defined above the contact region within the interior of the inner body about the electrode. The torch head also includes a collet that provides the contact region where the inner body is in positive electrical contact with the electrode above the electrode free end, a gas shroud extending around but spaced from the electrode free end to define an outer gas chamber that allows, in use, gas to shield the electrode free end, and means for circulating coolant about or above the contact region to extract heat from the contact region. The inner body also includes at least one gas port allowing shielding gas to pass from the inner gas chamber to the outer gas chamber.

The GTAW process, sometimes also referred to as a tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process, is a well known arc welding process used for joining a wide range of metals and alloys. The keyhole GTAW process is a high productivity variant of GTAW that is capable of the single pass, full penetration welding of metals and alloys that may, in some cases, exceed 12.7 mm in thickness. The keyhole GTAW process (K-GTAW) is described in Australian patent 744847, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As will be seen from Australian patent 744847, the described K-GTAW process typically requires the welding current to be between three hundred and eight hundred amps. It also requires the generated welding arc to have highly stable and reproducible characteristics; one such characteristic, contrary to other GTAW processes, being a high arc pressure. Having said that, most other conditions necessary for the described K-GTAW process are achieved in a manner consistent with the definition and general understanding of standard GTAW processes, and therefore without the addition of orifices and additional gas flows to constrict and modify the arc (as is the case in plasma arc welding).
Indeed, in the past, the described K-GTAW process has been implemented using a welding torch that was developed prior to the development of the K-GTAW process, namely the CSIRO-developed High Current TIG torch (HC TIG torch) described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,199. The HC TIG torch is the only commercially available torch known to be capable of reliably supporting the K-GTAW process, albeit in a manner designed primarily for research applications rather than industrial applications.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a welding torch suitable for use with the K-GTAW process in an industrial environment.
Before turning to a summary of the present invention, it must be appreciated that the above description of the prior art has been provided merely as background to explain the context of the invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published or known, or was a part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.
It is also useful to provide an explanation of some of the terms that will be used to define the spatial relationship of the various parts of the welding torch of the present invention. In this respect, spatial references throughout this specification will generally be based upon the welding torch oriented to be used from above a generally horizontal work-piece. With this environment as the basis, various parts of the welding torch may then be defined with reference to such an orientation, allowing further references to "above" and "upper" or "below" and "lower", or the like.
Also, some aspects of the present invention that may ultimately be claimed in isolation (and not in an in-use environment), may nonetheless be difficult to describe and understand in isolation. Thus, some of the following description does describe the invention and its embodiments in such an in-use environment (for example, a welding torch when used in a K-GTAW process). Of course, it must be appreciated that the use of such description to define the present invention is not to be seen as a limitation, and certainly is not to be seen as a limitation only to the in-use environment, unless that intention is clearly stated.


In integrators which integrate the analog photocurrent of a photodiode (PD), the amplification-bandwidth product is relatively small on account of the parallel parasitic capacitance (Cp) of the photodiode (PD). However, in a design with a switched capacitor (C1), the bandwidth and at the same time the DC amplification must be large, so as to assure the integrator function even at low frequencies. So as to fulfill both of these mutually contradictory requirements for large bandwidth and high DC amplification, a reference voltage (V1) is present at a voltage divider that includes a resistor (R2) and a circuit section (R1) connected in series thereto, as well as at the photodiode (PD). The connection point of the voltage divider is connected to the inverting input of the transconductance amplifier (V). In a preferred embodiment, the circuit section (R1) is realized as a switched capacitor (C1), and the resistance (R2) is realized as an MOS transistor (T1). As an integrated switching circuit, the invention is especially suited for sigma-delta-analog converters.

The invention relates to the field of analog circuits, and in particular to the field of analog integrator circuits, suitable for use for example with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate analog integrator circuits suitable for use with an ADC. The integrator circuit illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a transconductance amplifier V, whose output is fed back via an integration capacitor Ci to its inverting input. A reference voltage V2 is applied to the non-inverting input of the amplifier V. A reference voltage V1 is applied to a series circuit consisting of an adjustable resistor R1 and a current source Q1 with a parallel parasitic capacitor Cp. The common connection point of the adjustable resistor R1 and the current source Q1 is connected to the inverting input of the transconductance amplifier V.
FIG. 5 illustrates an integrator in which the adjustable resistor is realized as a switched capacitor C1. This integrator therefore can be integrated in a space-saving manner.
The integrator circuits illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 are used, for example, in ADCs. The adjustable resistor R1 and the switched capacitor C1 are adjusted, depending on the voltage Vo at the output of the transconductance amplifier, in such a way that the current flowing through the adjustable resistor takes up the input current from the current source.
A problem with conventional analog integrator circuits occurs when the parasitic parallel input capacitance is large. For example, referring still to FIGS. 4 and 5, if the device providing the input signal to the ADC is a integrated photodiode PD, the photodiode PD generally has a relatively high parasitic parallel input capacitance Cp. As a consequence of the large parallel parasitic capacitance Cp and low input current, the ratio of the parallel parasitic capacitance Cp to the integration capacitance Ci (i.e., Cp/Ci) is about one-hundred. As a result, the amplification-bandwidth product is undesirably reduced by about two orders of magnitude.
When using a switched capacitance as the adjustable resistance, the bandwidth should be large enough, while at the same time the DC amplification likewise should be large, in order to ensure that the integrator circuit functions even at low frequencies. However, because these two requirements are contradictory, a compromise between them is necessary in order to achieve an acceptable bandwidth and an acceptable DC amplification.
Therefore, there is a need for an analog integrator circuit that provides the requisite bandwidth and DC amplification.
Briefly, according to the present invention, a voltage divider that includes a first and a second resistor and a current source with the parallel parasitic capacitance that together provide a second reference voltage. The connection point of the first and of the second resistor is connected to the inverting input of a transconductance amplifier.
The second resistor, which does not exist in the prior art, is dimensioned such that the ratios of the feedback network       j              xe2x80x83            ω              xe2x80x83            Ci        (          R2      +              j                          xe2x80x83                        ω                          xe2x80x83                        Cp              )
are changed in such a way that a much higher amplification-bandwidth product is achieved.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.


A hand-held work implement comprises a housing, at least one tool and a combustion engine for driving the tool. The combustion engine has a cylinder and has a piston which drives a crankshaft in rotation about an axis of rotation. The crankshaft drives a fan impeller. The work implement has a handle unit with a handle bar and has an engine unit, these being connected to one another via anti-vibration elements. The combustion engine has a transverse plane which encompasses the cylinder longitudinal axis and which runs parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft. The transverse plane divides the work implement into a front region, in which a section of the tool that projects out of the housing is arranged, and a rear region. The fixing of the anti-vibration element to the cylinder is realized in the front region.

The application relates to a hand-held work implement of the generic type, including a hand-held work implement that includes, at least one tool, and a combustion engine for driving the tool.
DE 10 2007 048 887 A1 has disclosed a hand-held work implement, specifically a power saw, in which an anti-vibration element is fixed by way of one end to a handle bar of the handle unit and by way of its other end to a cylinder of the combustion engine. The anti-vibration element is fixed to the cylinder in a rear region of the cylinder, which faces toward a rear handle of the work implement.


An electronic file system and electronic filing method for achieving a high speed input operation under hardware and software environments employing a general-purpose architecture. An image control board having a predetermined capacity of memory and a CPU is connected to a computer system (personal computer), and a plurality of serial devices are connected to the image control board so as to permit these serial devices to be operated in parallel.

The present invention relates to an electronic file system and associated method for use under environment of a widely spread operating system (OS), for example, Windows (a trademark of Microsoft Corporation of the United States), for storing image information into storage media, and retrieving and outputting required images from the stored image information. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic file system which has device(s) capable of performing parallel processing of image data in order to achieve high speed image processing and so on, and an electronic filing method associated therewith.
In general, conventional electronic file systems available on the market have their hardware and software configured based on their own architectures, as described in JP-A-5-2456. Therefore, an extremely expensive apparatus dedicated to electronic filing must be purchased for realizing the electronic filing.
For the reason set out above, the utilization of hardware and software available in the personal computer market has not been considered for building an electronic file system. The above-mentioned dedicated electronic file system, although it is highly expensive, is not designed to perform additional functions other than those of the electronic file system. The additional functions include, for example, a word processor, a spreadsheet software, and so on which may be executed by a personal computer. The conventional electronic file systems have thus presented poor versatility and extendibility as a computer.
Moreover, when an electronic file system is built so as to be controlled under a non-preemptive operating system, which is widely used for general purpose, in order to reduce the price of the system, a scanner connected to the system as an input device, an optical disk drive employed as a data storage device, and so on can only be operated substantially in series, resulting in a slow processing speed of the system.

Electronic file system and method adapted for use with a general-purpose operating system for performing parallel processing of image data


The invention relates to a multi-layer acrylic composition having at least two impact modified layers. The outer layer is an acrylic layer containing impact modifiers having a particle size of less than 225 nm, and the impact modifiers in the inner thermoplastic layer have a particle size of greater than or equal to 225 nm. The invention also relates to multi-layer composites having the multi-layer acrylic composition on one or both sides. The multi-layer acrylic composition can also include blends of acrylic and fluoropolymers.

Acrylic compositions and articles made from them are well known for their clarity, sparkling color, surface gloss and weather resistance. They are also well known for their low-impact strength or brittleness. It has become standard practice to incorporate toughening agents or impact modifiers in acrylic formulations to make them more durable. The incorporation of such functional additives can, however, detract from some of the desirable characteristics of the acrylics, for example the addition of large quantities of rubbery polymers can lower the softening point, contribute to haze, and affect the weatherability.
One type of polymeric impact modifier is sequentially polymerized acrylic compositions comprising a core, an intermediate and a final stage, although there can be some intermingling of the "layers". In general, these are known as "core/shell" polymers.
There are many factors which determine the efficiency and utility of any specific acrylic core/shell impact modifier. These include the matrix in which it is used or the substrate to which the matrix it is adhered whether alone or as part of a capstock composition. Also highly influent are the particle size and distribution of the modifier, number of layers, the thickness and construction of each layer, the monomer composition of each layer, the type and degree of crosslinking of each layer, the type and degree of grafting, as well as the concentration of the sequentially polymerized core/shell impact modifier in the matrix or primary polymer. The matrix polymer or primary polymer as defined herein is the polymer which forms the bulk of the articles, such as acrylic sheet, or an extruded capstock. One such core/shell impact modified acrylic composition is described in US 2003-0216510.
One way to solve the problems associated with an impact modified layer exposed to the environment is to form a multi-layer structure having an impact modified acrylic layer covered with an acrylic layer containing no impact modifier. Such a structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,298.
Some issues found with present multi-layer films are surface haze and delamination from substrates.
Surprisingly it has been found that a multi-layer acrylic composition, having an outer layer containing small hard-core impact modifiers, and an inner layer having larger size impact modifers presents an excellent balance of weatherability, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and gloss after thermoforming.


An optical waveguide for a touch panel in which the intensity of light beams emitted from light-emitting portions of a plurality of light-emitting cores in the form of branches is substantially uniform independently of the branch position of the light-emitting cores, and a touch panel using the same. An optical waveguide for a touch panel is provided in which a plurality of light-emitting cores 33 are formed by dividing a tip portion of a single original core into branches. A portion extending from a basal portion 32b of the original core to a branch point 32c at which the division into the branches serving as the light-emitting cores 33 starts is an isosceles triangular portion 32 gradually widened from the basal portion 32b into the shape of an isosceles triangle. The isosceles triangle has a taper angle θ in the range greater than 0 degrees and less than 15 degrees.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical waveguide for a touch panel, and a touch panel using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Touch panels are input devices for operating an apparatus by directly touching a display screen of a liquid crystal display device or the like with a finger, a purpose-built stylus or the like. The touch panels include a display which displays operation details and the like, and a detection means which detects the position (coordinates) of a portion of the display screen of the display touched with the finger or the like. Information indicative of the touch position detected by the detection means is sent in the form of a signal to the apparatus, which in turn performs an operation and the like displayed on the touch position. Examples of the apparatus employing such a touch panel include ATMs in banking facilities, ticket vending machines in stations, portable game machines, and the like.
A detection means employing an optical waveguide is proposed as the detection means for detecting the finger touch position and the like on the above-mentioned touch panel (see, for example, US 2004/0201579A1). Specifically, the touch panel includes optical waveguides provided around a periphery of a display screen of a rectangular display. The touch panel is configured to emit a multiplicity of light beams parallel to the display screen of the display from light-emitting portions of a light-emitting optical waveguide provided on one side portion of the display screen of the display toward the other side portion, and to cause the light beams to enter light-receiving portions of a light-receiving optical waveguide provided on the other side portion. These optical waveguides cause the light beams to travel in a lattice form on the display screen of the display. When a portion of the display screen of the display is touched with a finger in this state, the finger blocks some of the light beams. Therefore, the light-receiving optical waveguide senses a light blocked portion, whereby the position of the above-mentioned portion touched with the finger is detected.
The multiplicity of light beams emitted from the above-mentioned light-emitting optical waveguide are light beams emitted from the light-emitting portions (tips) of a multiplicity of light-emitting cores, respectively, which are arranged along the one side portion of the display screen of the display. As the multiplicity of light-emitting cores, there have been proposed light-emitting cores 53 formed by dividing a tip portion of a single original core into a multiplicity of branches fanned outwardly, as shown in FIG. 8 (see US2006/0188198A1). The branch structure of the original core includes a substantially rectangular widened portion 52, a strip-shaped rear end portion 51 extending from the rear end of this widened portion 52, and the multiplicity of light-emitting cores 53 fanned outwardly from the front end of the above-mentioned widened portion 52 as a branch point. The above-mentioned strip-shaped rear end portion 51 has an optical axis (not shown) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof.
However, the multiplicity of light-emitting cores 53 in the form of the branches fanned outwardly as disclosed in US 2006/0188198A1 described above are disadvantageous in that light beams emitted from the light-emitting portions of light-emitting cores 53A near the center of the fanned-out configuration thereof (light-emitting cores near the extension of the optical axis of the rear end portion 51 of the original core) are of high intensity, and light beams emitted from the light-emitting portions of light-emitting cores 53B near opposite ends of the fanned-out configuration thereof are of lower intensity. When such an optical waveguide is used as the touch position detection means for a touch panel, the finger touch position cannot be detected in some cases in the low-intensity portion.
The present inventor has made studies to diagnose the cause of the nonuniform intensity of the light beams emitted from the light-emitting portions of the above-mentioned light-emitting cores 53 depending on the branch position of the light-emitting cores 53. As a result, the present inventor has found that the above-mentioned problem lies in the shape of the above-mentioned widened portion 52 and in the light beams reflected therefrom.
Specifically, the above-mentioned widened portion 52 is of a substantially rectangular configuration widened leftwardly and rightwardly with respect to the rear end portion 51 of the original core, as shown in FIG. 8. A majority of light beams coming through the rear end portion 51 of the original core into the above-mentioned widened portion 52 travel toward the light-emitting cores 53. Some of the light beams, however, travel toward both left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a of the widened portion 52, as indicated by alternate long and short dashed lines shown. The light beams traveling toward the left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a reach front side portions 52a, of the left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a of the above-mentioned widened portion 52, but scarcely reach rear side portions 52a2 of the left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a because the light beams are required to be bent at generally right angles to travel. Thus, the reflection of the light beams from the above-mentioned left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a occurs at the front side portions 52a1 of the left-hand and right-hand side surfaces 52a. The light beams reflected from such specific areas reach also a specific area, as indicated by the alternate long and short dashed lines shown. For this reason, the reflected light beams enter specific ones (near the center) of the multiplicity of light-emitting cores 53 in the form of the branches. As a result, both the light beams emitted along the optical axis of the rear end portion 51 of the original core and the reflected light beams enter the light-emitting cores 53A near the center among the multiplicity of light-emitting cores 53 fanned outwardly to result in the higher intensity of light beams in the light-emitting cores 53A than in the other light-emitting cores 53B. Such a phenomenon is considered to result in the nonuniform intensity of the light beams emitted from the light-emitting portions of the multiplicity of light-emitting cores 53 in the form of the branches depending on the branch position of the light-emitting cores 53.

Optical waveguide for touch panel and touch panel using the same


Many types of contact center are arranged such that communications between contact center agents and customers or other end users are contingent upon, or dependent upon, successful operation of the contact center itself. However, if the contact center is not working for any reason, contacts cannot be directed between agents and end users. This is addressed by directing contacts between an end user and contact center agents, without the need for operation of the contact center itself. In order to achieve this a plurality of associations between contact center agent addresses and the contact center address are made, stored and prioritised at a communications network node.

Call centers are known in which incoming calls are routed to one of a plurality of agents. For example, the call center might provide help desk facilities for a particular group of products. Customers are able to call in and be allocated to an agent who has the necessary skills to deal with the customer's query. Each agent has one or more skills, for example, a particular agent has knowledge about sales for product X and about technical support for product Y. An incoming call is received and information from that call used by the call center, together with information about the agents, in order to route the incoming call to an agent with the appropriate skill. For example, an interactive voice response system (IVR system) may be used to find out what type of agent skill is required. Associated with each skill is a queue into which incoming calls are placed until an agent with that skill becomes available.
The terms "call center" and "contact center" as used herein are not intended to be restricted to situations in which telephone calls are made to the center. Other types of call or contact are also envisaged, such as email, fax, SMS, chat, web access, video access and any other suitable method of contact including conventional telephone calls and voice over internet protocol telephone calls. Similarly, the terms "call" and "contact" as used herein are not intended to be restricted to conventional telephone calls but include contacts made by email, fax, voice over IP and any other suitable medium.
Many types of contact center are arranged such that communications between contact center agents and customers or other end users are contingent upon, or dependent upon, successful operation of the contact center itself. For example, in many known contact centers a public branch exchange (PBX) is associated with the contact center. The contact center uses the PBX to transfer incoming calls to particular contact center agent queues that it selects. In this way calls between contact center agents and customers or end users are controlled by the contact center which is able to monitor status of the contact center agents to determine whether they are busy on calls, logged in or logged out etc. and to provide reports. However, if the contact center is not working for any reason, contacts cannot be directed between agents and end users.
Contact centers are also known which deal with other media types of call such as email, video, voice over internet protocol, and others. Again, for these types it is typical for the contact center itself to control communications between the contact center agents and the customers or end users. This is typically achieved in such a way that if the contact center is not working for any reason contacts cannot be directed between agents and end users.
Previously this problem has been addressed by using a fall back contact center which mirrors the main contact center itself. In the event that the main contact center is not working for any reason, the fall back contact center is able to take over and direct contacts. However, this is an expensive option because two contact centers need to be provided, ideally at different geographical locations, to reduce the likelihood of both centers being impacted at the same time. There is also the need to ensure that the fall back contact center is always up to date with the current status of the main contact center. Achieving that mirroring of data is a complex problem that also takes up network capacity that could otherwise be used for other traffic.
Another approach has been to use a conventional automatic call distribution (ACD) system as a fall back. A conventional ACD system is typically less expensive than providing a complete mirrored contact center. This approach is suitable for call centers using an associated PBX and it allows contacts to be automatically directed to contact center agents in the event that the contact center itself is not operating. However, conventional ACD systems are not suitable for handling all media types such as voice over internet protocol contacts, email contacts, video contacts and others. In that case fallback ACD systems cannot be used.
Another option is to simply forward all incoming contacts to a recorded announcement system asking the customers to call back later, or to a music on hold system or similar. However, this is not satisfactory for customers and leads to loss of business for the contact center.

Directing contacts between an end user and a contact center agent


A transmission for self-propelled walking lawn mowers includes a casing, an input shaft inserted into an opening formed in the casing, an output shaft disposed perpendicular to the axis of the input shaft, a drive gear mounted on the input shaft, a drive gear mounted on the output shaft, a power transmission gear mechanism for transmitting drive power from the input shaft to the output shaft, and bearing structures for supporting the input shaft. The bearing structures include a lower supporting structure disposed adjacently below the lower end of the input shaft, and the lower supporting structure includes a supporting member which projects from the inner wall of the casing to a position adjacently below the lower end of the input shaft, wherein a lower-end face of the input shaft and an upper face of the supporting member are engaged to hold the input shaft at its horizontal position, thereby reducing the height of a lawn mower.

One example of this kind of conventional transmission is shown in FIG. 19. In this type of transmission, an input shaft 101 for receiving drive force from an engine was supported at the upper portion of the casing 102 by two superimposed bearings 103 and 104.
The input shaft 101 could not be extended much downwardly, because the lower end of the input shaft 101 was disposed directly above and perpendicular to the axis of the output shaft 107, on which output shaft a large gear 106 was mounted to mesh with a power transmission gear 105 of the input shaft 101. Further, since it was impossible to support the input shaft 101 stably with only one bearing 104, two bearings had to be mounted in a superimposed manner so as to increase the supporting strength of the input shaft.
However, this prior art transmission the two bearings being superimposed on each other was bulky. Therefore, with this type of transmission, it was impossible to address the need for a compact lawn mower.

Transmission for self-propelled walking lawn mowers


The invention relates to a mixer assembly for agitating material in a digestion tank (1), comprising a drive unit (7, 8, 9) and an output shaft (10) extending from said drive unit, which output shaft is arranged to hang down into said digestion tank (1) rotatably suspended from the drive unit. According to the invention the mixer assembly (6) furthermore comprises a stabilizer (12) comprising a swivel (13) and at least one resilient element (14) connected to said swivel (13), the stabilizer (12) being connected to the lower end of the output shaft (10) of the mixer assembly (6) and being arranged to be connected to a floor (2) of said digestion tank.

A common type of digestion tank comprises a mixer assembly for agitating the excrement, or mixture of fluid and sludge, present in the chamber. Such applications comprise tanks having a depth from about 10 meters to about 40 meters, however a common depth is about 15-25 meters. Furthermore such tanks have a volume of several thousands of cubic meters, in which excrements, feaces, sludge, waste water, or the like is stored and digested in order to extract methane gas and carbon dioxide, for example. The liquid/sludge is kept in movement by agitation in order to not having the sludge to sediment and in order to not causing a dense cake at the surface of the liquid/sludge, and thereto in order to obtain an as homogenous mixture as possible which entail that most possible quantities of various gases may be extracted. It shall be pointed out that other materials than excrement suspensions, such as fluid mixtures, industrial suspensions, solid material in the form of powder or granulate, may be stored in similar conditions in which agitation takes place. Common for the applications for which the present invention is intended is that the maintenance staff cannot, are not allowed to or does not want to perform work in the chamber during long periods of time, for instance one or several years.
Mixer assemblies suitable for use in a digestion tank or the like comprises a motor and a gear box that lowers the rotational speed of the output shaft of the mixer assembly to about 15-30 revolutions per minute, even though other speeds may be used. The output shaft rotatably suspended from the drive unit of the mixer assembly and usually hang down freely straight down into the chamber, whereupon the lower end of the output shaft usually is located at a distance of 6-12 meters from the floor of the chamber, and whereupon a propeller unit is located at the lower end. Such propeller units may have a diameter of 1-6 meters, and the output shaft may have a length of for instance about 10-30 meters and a diameter of for instance 10-30 centimeters.
If an unbalance appear in the mixer assembly, i.e. if the output shaft starts to perform a nutatinq movement or starts to deflect/oscillate during rotation or wriggle, and the mixer assembly is not immediately turned off, the mixer assembly as well as the chamber runs the risk of getting damaged. Unbalance may for instance arise due to the fact that a blade has come loose from the propeller unit, that solid material has become stock to the blades of the propeller unit, that a settlement/inclination of the tank takes place which makes the drive unit to incline in relation to a plumb line, etc.
A known way of preventing that a mixer assembly and/or the chamber will become damaged in the case such an unbalance arise is to lengthen the output shaft such that it extends towards and terminates at a distance from the floor, a steel ring having a for instance twice as big diameter than the diameter of the output shaft being arranged near to the lower end of the output shaft. If unbalance arises and the output shaft starts to wriggle, its wriggling/deflection will be limited by the steel ring. However, the steel ring or its attachment to the chamber will already after a, in this connection, short time be damaged if the mixer assembly is not turned off. This known solution also requires an unnecessarily long and expensive output shaft.
Unbalance may also arise if the output shaft gets into natural frequency due to the critical number of revolutions, this is usually prevented by choosing the length of the output shaft in such a way that this phenomena does not arise. However, this constructional limitation may lead to the fact that the optimal length of the specific application cannot be used due to the inherent natural frequency of the output shaft.


An optical sensor for a conventional tank gauge designed to allow a user to remotely check the liquid level of a tank without the need for a visual inspection. Using an emitter circuit board with a plurality of photoemitters and a detector circuit board with a plurality of photodetectors, the optical sensor can fit over a conventional tank gauge without disturbing the gauge. The circuit boards can be attached to an optical sensor frame, which can be adjusted on the conventional tank gauge by a height adjustment screw and a series of set screws. Alternatively, one or more sliders can be used to maintain proper alignment. Analog data generated from the photodetectors can be digitized using a microcontroller and can be made available for viewing on a stationary or mobile device via an integrated network connection.

Many conventional gauges require direct visual reading to determine the current level of fluid inside a tank, such as those used to store home heating oil. This task may or may not be convenient to conduct on a routine basis depending on the tank location. Furthermore, ongoing manual readings of a tank gauge are necessary to detect when the contents reach a critical level.
One method to overcome this problem involves the removal of an existing conventional gauge and installation of an electronic gauge that analyzes sound waves prior to wirelessly transmitting notification signals to a receiver located within close proximity. Should such an electronic gauge fail during use the owner/operator has no secondary method of reading the tank level until the defective gauge is replaced with a new one or a conventional gauge is reinstalled. Secondly, this design requires the owner/operator to properly install the electronic replacement gauge onto the tank so the liquid contents do not evaporate through an improper seal.
In addition to using sound waves to remotely monitor the level of a tank, a different method integrates reed switches that turn on and off when a magnetic field is present. Such a design requires the temporary removal of the measurement vial of an existing conventional gauge; installation of a magnet holder on top of the indicator; placement of a magnet on the holder; and re-attachment of the measurement vial. Once the magnet has been installed a sensor consisting of switches and other electronic components is strapped to the measurement vial for the purpose of turning designated circuits on and off. The state of each circuit is transmitted via wire cable to a second device for interpretation and level indication. Similar to the sound wave method, this design requires the owner/operator to properly install the required magnet on top of the gauge indicator and reattach the measurement vial onto the tank so the liquid contents do not evaporate through an improper seal. Furthermore, this system does not allow the owner/operator to monitor the status remotely from a location beyond the linear distance of cable installed between the transmitter and receiver.
What is needed is an optical sensor that can be fitted over a conventional tank gauge in order to provide remote access to the measurements generated by the conventional gauge.

Optical sensor for a conventional tank gauge


An arrival of a joint member at a detection position provided at an upstream side of a recording unit on a transportation path is detected. A second distance, which is a distance from the detection position to the recording head along the transportation path, is longer than a first distance, which is a distance of a transportation of the continuous medium in the case where, because of an existence of a liquid already landed on an area of the continuous medium at the detection time, the area being located at a position being on the transportation path and facing the recording unit, the continuous medium is transported during a period until at least hardening of the liquid is completed by a light radiation portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image recording technology for recording an image by ejecting a photocurable liquid from a recording head onto a continuous medium, which is formed by means of jointing a plurality of media with joint members, and hardening the image by means of light radiation.
2. Related Art
In JP-A-10-86472, there is disclosed an image recording device which is provided with a printing portion facing a transportation drum and performs printing of an image by ejecting liquids (inks) from the printing portion onto a medium which is wound and hung on the transportation drum. In particular, this image recording device makes it possible to continuously record a plurality of images which is arranged on a long-length continuous medium (so-called continuous paper) by transporting the continuous medium towards the transportation drum and, simultaneously therewith, causing the printing portion to record the images in series.
Meanwhile, the use of a photocurable liquid, which becomes hardened by being irradiated with light, enables improvement of the adherability of images to a continuous medium. Specifically, there are provided a recording head for ejecting a photocurable liquid onto a continuous medium in the state of being transported along a transportation path, and a light radiation portion for irradiating the continuous medium with light at a downstream side of the recording head on the transportation path, and through hardening of images having been recorded by the recording head by means of light radiation from the light radiation portion, it is possible to allow the images to firmly adhere to the recording medium. Nevertheless, there have been disadvantages described below when applying such a technology to an image recording device for recording images on a continuous medium.
That is, sometimes, a continuous medium is formed by means of jointing a plurality of media with joint members, such as pieces of tape. When such a continuous medium is employed, in order to avoid a damage of, for example, a recording head because of a contact of the recording head with a continuous medium's portion whose thickness is increased because of the provision of the joint member, it is preferred to bring the transportation of the continuous medium to a stop once before the joint member reaches the recording head. Specifically, the transportation of the continuous medium should be brought to a stop by detecting an event that the joint member has reached a detection position which is provided before the recording head. Nevertheless, bringing the transportation of the continuous medium to a stop before images, which are already recorded by the recording head, reach the light radiation portion results in occurrence of a situation where un-hardened images are left as they are, and thus, is likely to cause another disadvantage in that other component members are soiled by the un-hardened images.

Image recording device and image recording method