Embodiments of the invention generally provide an in situ method for assembling and measuring optical characteristics of an optical component. The method generally includes pressing an optical source or lens into an optical housing while simultaneously measuring the optical output of the device. The measured optical output is used to determine and control when the optical source or lens is pressed to an optical position within optical housing. Once the source or lens is pressed into the optical housing, the method includes measuring the optical offset and/or pointing angle of the assembled component in the same apparatus that assembled the component. The measured optical offset and/or pointing angle information is used to determine how to mechanically alter the optical housing to correct or compensate for the optical offset and pointing angle.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to an apparatus and method for assembling optical components. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and method for assembling an optical source or an optical lens into an optical housing in a power-on state. Further still, embodiments of the invention are directed to an apparatus and method for assembling an optical source or component into a housing in a power-on state, while simultaneously measuring the output of the assembled component to determine an optimal assembly parameter, and also measuring a resulting offset and pointing angle of the assembled component in situ.
2. Description of the Related Art
Assembly of optical components is generally accomplished via simple mechanical operations that may be automated. Although the automation provides for increased throughput and accuracy in the assembly process, the components are nevertheless generally tested after the assembly process to determine if the component is within tolerances. For example, when an optical source, such as a laser, is assembled into an optical housing, the laser is simply mechanically pressed into the housing to a particular depth or position within the housing. Once assembled, the component is tested to determine if the laser is positioned properly for optimal operation, i.e., is the laser positioned properly relative to the focal point. If the laser is determined to be positioned improperly, then the component is discarded. If the component is determined to be within tolerances, then the component is passed through production. Therefore, optical component assembly processes are generally two-step processes, wherein the first step is the assembly and the second step, which is conducted in a separate apparatus, is generally an inspection or quality control step.
Inasmuch as multiple steps require more resources to manufacture components, it is desirable to eliminate the requirement to assemble the component and measure the component in separate apparatuses. Therefore, embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for in situ assembly and measurement of an optical component. Further, embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for adjusting the optical component in accordance with the measuring process to bring the optical component within specified tolerances. Further still, embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for adjusting or tuning the characteristics of an optical component during the assembly process, such that the assembled optical components will have optimal optical characteristics.

Method for in situ measurement of the optical offset of an optical component


The invention relates to a water-based delivery system for an active substance, characterized by enhancing skin barrier restoration in the stratum corneum comprising water, a fatty acid, cholesterol, a ceramide and at least one skin lipid precursor.

The main demands on human skin are to prevent loss of water, and to prevent water and other matter of the environment from entering the body indiscriminately. The human skin thus forms a selectively permissible physical barrier between the human body and its surroundings.
The barrier function has been shown to reside in the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is the topmost layer of the skin, and is built of corneocytes. Corneocytes are cells that contain extensively cross-linked proteins, surrounded by a highly resistant cell envelope. The corneocytes are embedded in a bed of specific lipid structures of long chain lipids. These long chain lipids are organized as bilamellar structures stacked on top of each other. The bilamellar structures fill the intercellular spaces between the corneocytes.
To account for the skin's barrier properties, and for its selective hydrophilic and hydrophobic pathways, the skin has been described as a mosaic barrier model. This model envisages barrier lipids to exist predominantly in crystalline (gel) form. Such a form provides water impermeable domains, which are surrounded by so-called grain borders of lipids in a liquid crystalline state. This arrangement provides an effective, water tight barrier that still allows a minute but controlled loss of water through the liquid crystalline interdomains. This controlled water loss is enough to keep the keratin of the stratum corneum hydrated. The liquid character of the interdomain grain borders allows passage of hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules on down-hill gradients, i.e. passage by passive diffusion.
Dermal delivery systems are compositions which deliver active substances to, or through, the skin. These compositions typically contain skin permeation enhancers. Permeation enhancers may induce structural transformations of the bilamellar structure in the liquid crystalline interdomain regions, and thus promote transdermal delivery of, for example, pharmacological substances.
Typical dermal delivery systems have an alcohol or petroleum base, with little consideration given to the biological properties of the vehicle itself. For example, emulsified fatty acids can inherit certain detergent properties if their structure is significantly altered from those in the normal skin. The detergent properties can lead to disruption of the normal barrier function, which is counteractive to the potential benefit of the delivery system. Disruption of the normal barrier function often causes the stratum corneum to lose its natural potential to function properly as a barrier. As a result, the skin becomes either too dry or too permeable to environmental substances.
Other conventional delivery systems that are thought to protect the skin from harmful substances are barrier ointments. The purpose of barrier ointments is to provide a film, and thereby create a layer which is impermeable to environmental substances. Due to the impermeability, though, these ointments both increase the body temperature of the treated body part, as well as prevent perspiration, and thus render an uncomfortable sensation.
The dermal delivery systems described above are not formulated to deliver a substance to, or through, the human skin without permanently disrupting the stratum corneum's natural barrier function.


A headbox has a tube bank of tubes arranged in machine direction rows. The tubes extend from an outlet wall of a header to the inlet of a nozzle. The upper and lower walls of the nozzle converge toward the nozzle outlet, and planes extending from the walls (nozzle roof and apron) converge to define an imaginary centerline extending in the cross-machine direction. The rows of tubes lie along radially extending planes defined with respect to the centerline. The injection ends of the tubes define a cylindrical surface extending between the nozzle walls. Stock from each tube is directed radially toward the centerline along flow paths of equal length. Trailing vanes may be positioned between the rows of tubes so that each flow experiences almost identical flow boundary conditions as it moves towards the nozzle outlet, hence contributing to more uniform fiber orientation in the resultant paper web.

Paper is made of individual fibers which are deposited in a continuous sheet. The sheet is typically formed from a papermaking stock comprised of less than 1 percent wood fibers dispersed in over 99 percent water. The fibers and water are deposited onto a wire screen or screens in the former section of the paper machine to form a continuous web of paper. The papermaking stock is first fed to a headbox which distributes the stock across the width of the forming screen or screens on which the paper web is being formed. The headbox discharges the stock through a long narrow converging nozzle or slice which injects the stock onto the rapidly moving wire screen or between two screens. The fibers are retained on the wire surface while the majority of the water is drawn through the screen or screens. The former may be a single wire horizontal former (fourdrinier) or a two wire (twin wire) former The paper web thus formed is pressed, dried and wound into reels. The reels of paper formed on the papermaking machine are then further processed to produce smaller rolls or sets of paper for printing. Individual sheets are also made which may be used in sheet-fed printing presses, in copy machines, and in laser printers.
Because paper is made of individual paper fibers which are joined together during the pressing and drying process, the orientation of the fibers within the paper controls the physical properties of the paper. In particular, fiber orientation influences the strength and dimensional stability of the paper. It has been found that paper which has insufficiently uniform fiber orientation, when exposed to heat or moisture, will form more wrinkles or become more wavy than normal. Exposing paper to heat or moisture causes the paper to shrink or expand. It is the non-uniformity of the dimensional changes which causes the paper to wrinkle or ruck. Non-uniformities in the paper are in turn caused by fiber alignment streaks and other defects caused by non-uniformity of the flow of stock onto the wire or wires.
Printing presses, converting equipment and papermaking machines are increasing in speed. This means they are more sensitive to small instabilities in the paper web such as those caused by non-uniform dimensional changes in the paper. The instabilities can lead to web breaks or print quality problems. The printing industry in newspapers, magazines and books continues to use more and more color which results in more water or other liquids coming in contact with the paper web where they can release dried-in stresses which bring out the dimensional instability of the paper and cause it to wrinkle. At the same time, increased moisture decreases the paper strength making it more subject to breaking.
Further, the consuming public has come to expect not only more color printing but printing of higher quality. Slight cockling or warping of the paper can lead to unprinted areas. Where glossy paper is utilized, waviness or cockle results in non-uniform reflection which is distracting to the consumer.
The fact that a sheet or web of paper can become wavy upon exposure to moisture or heat has thus become of greater concern. Most processes which form an image upon paper employ heat or moisture. When paper in sheet form is processed through a photocopier, laser printer, or printing press, warping of the sheet may cause it to jam the machine and cause a significant loss of productive time. When paper in the form of a continuous web becomes wrinkled, it is liable to break. Breakage of a web within a printing press, in a winder, or on a coater, can cause significant down time as well as the loss of significant quantities of paper.
The problem of dimensional changes in finished paper is aggravated by the trend to use lower base weight paper to hold down paper costs. Lighter grade papers are more subject to press breakage or jamming. A lighter grade of paper also means that for a given amount of moisture transferred by printing, particularly of colored images, a greater percentage of moisture is introduced into the paper. The increased productivity of modern equipment means that even limited down time to clear a jam or rethread a broken web can have significant economic consequences in terms of lost production. Further, paper must lie flat for easier handling, loading and compact transportation.
The papermaking machine headbox and the slice contribute significantly to the uniformity with which the fibers are laid down to form a paper web. Improvements in headbox design are essential to meet the growing expectations of paper consumers for flatter, more dimensionally stable paper.
Various means for controlling flow and scale of the turbulence produced in a headbox between the stock input header and the slice gap or opening are known. One known type of headbox employs a bank of parallel tubes which employ small scale turbulence generators and pressure drop features to assure a more uniform flow of stock into the nozzle and from the slice opening onto the forming wire.
A headbox is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,643 to Weisshuhn, et al. which employs two series connected tube banks which are separated by an intermediate space which is connected to a control means. The second set of diffuser tubes connects the intermediate space with the slice by means of a diffuser tube system which appears to converge towards the nozzle. Weisshuhn, et al. do not disclose continuous banks of tubes extending between the headbox and the slice which converge.
What is needed is a headbox which deposits a more uniform mat of fibers onto a forming wire.


According to one exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor die includes a memory core array situated over a substrate, where the memory core array includes a number of bitlines, where the bitlines can be situated in a first interconnect metal layer in the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die further includes an interconnect structure situated over the memory core array, where the interconnect structure is situated in a second interconnect metal layer in the semiconductor die and situated over each of the bitlines. The interconnect structure can include at least one interconnect line, which can form an angle with respect to the bitlines that can be greater than 0.0 degrees and less than or equal to 90.0 degrees. The interconnect structure can form one of a number of capacitances with each of the bitlines, where each of the capacitances can be substantially equal in value to each other of the capacitances.

Many semiconductor devices, such as microprocessors or "memory semiconductor dies" used as an example herein, include a core memory array, which comprise bitlines that run in a direction perpendicular to wordlines. The memory semiconductor die also includes sense amplifiers, which are typically situated near the center of the semiconductor die, and VCC and VSS pads, which may be situated at the top or bottom of the semiconductor die. The VCC and VSS pads can be coupled to the sense amplifiers by power interconnect lines, which are typically formed over the core memory array in an interconnect metal layer in the semiconductor die.
In a conventional memory semiconductor die, the power interconnect lines generally run straight lines over the bitlines. However, the bitlines are substantially narrower than the power interconnect lines and the spacing between adjacent bitlines is substantially less than the spacing between adjacent power interconnect lines. As a result, some of the bitlines may be situated under power interconnect lines, while other bitlines may not be situated under power interconnect lines. As a consequence, the coupling capacitance between a bitline situated under a power interconnect line and the power interconnect line will be greater than the coupling capacitance for a bitline that is not situated under the power interconnect line.
Thus, an unbalanced coupling capacitance between bitlines in a memory core array and power interconnect lines situated above the memory core array can exist in a conventional memory semiconductor die. However, for effective bitline sensing, it is advantageous to have a balanced coupling capacitance between bitlines and power interconnect lines.
Thus, there is a need in the art for balanced coupling capacitance between bitlines in a memory core array and power interconnect lines situated over the memory core array.

Power interconnect structure for balanced bitline capacitance in a memory array


A field emission type backlight device can include upper and lower substrates facing each other with a gap between them, an anode electrode on a lower side of the upper substrate, a fluorescent layer on a lower side of the anode electrode, a lower gate electrode on an upper side of the lower substrate, an insulating layer on an upper side of the lower gate electrode, a cathode electrode on an upper side of the insulating layer, and a gate electrode that is provided on an upper side of the insulating layer and electrically connected to the lower gate electrode.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0006949, filed on Feb. 3, 2004, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field emission type backlight device. More particularly, it relates to a field emission type backlight device capable that may have improved luminance uniformity and reduced power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) often require a backlight device. A cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) has been commonly used as a line light source, and a light emitting diode (LED) as a point light source. More recently, field emission devices are being explored as alternative light sources. A field emission type backlight device has low power consumption and a relatively uniform luminance even in a wide area of light emission.
FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing a conventional field emission type backlight device. FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a cathode electrode on a lower substrate.
Upper and lower substrates 20 and 10 face each other, separated by a gap. An anode electrode 22 and a fluorescent layer 24 are sequentially provided on a lower side of the upper substrate 20. On an upper side of the lower substrate 10 a cathode electrode 12 is provided as an electron emission source. In a field emission type backlight device having such a structure, electrons are emitted from the cathode electrode 12 when a voltage is applied between the anode electrode 22 and the cathode electrode 12. When the electrons collide against the fluorescent layer 24, it radiates visible light.
In such a backlight device, an example of which is shown in FIG. 1B, the cathode electrode 12 is provided on the entire surface of the lower substrate 10. In such a structure, luminance uniformity tends to decrease if the cathode electrode 12 is not uniform in thickness. Also, non-uniform emission tends to occur due to concentration of electric field in the edge of the cathode electrode 12.
FIGS. 2A and 2B depict a field emission device designed to solve the problems with the device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 2A is a sectional view showing a field emission type backlight device. FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a cathode electrode and a gate electrode on a lower substrate.
Upper and lower substrates 40 and 30 are disposed to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween. An anode electrode 42 and a fluorescent layer 44 are sequentially provided on a lower side of the upper substrate 40. Line-shaped cathode electrodes 32 and gate electrodes 33 are alternatively provided on an upper side of the lower substrate 30.
In such a device, since cathode electrodes 32 are connected to each other in series and gate electrodes 33 are connected to each other in series, resistance between beginning and end portions of the signal voltage line connecting the electrodes may be large. In addition, the bigger the display, the larger the resistance between beginning and end portions of the signal voltage line. This can lead to differences in input voltage and delay in signal pulse. This may cause luminance difference between beginning and end portions of the signal voltage line.
Moreover, capacitance varies depending on the gap between the cathode and gate electrodes 32 and 33, and capacitance increases greatly as the gap between the cathode and gate electrodes 32 and 33 narrows. The gap may be narrowed to improve current characteristic by dropping the operating voltage. Power consumption increases as line resistance and capacitance grow larger.


A display device capable of displaying both a 3D image and a 2D image is provided. The display device includes a plurality of optical filter regions where light-blocking panels for producing binocular disparity are arranged in matrix. The light-blocking panel can select whether to transmit light emitted from a display panel in each of the plurality of optical filter regions. Thus, in the display device, some regions where binocular disparity is produced can be provided. Consequently, the display device can display both a 3D image and a 2D image.

The market for 3D display devices is expanding. A difference in retinal images seen by both eyes (binocular disparity) that occurs when a user sees a 3D object by both eyes is produced in a display device, so that a 3D image can be displayed. 3D display devices using such binocular disparity with a variety of display methods have been developed and commercialized. Among such display devices, small display devices such as personal digital assistants or portable game machines mainly adopt a direct-view display method using an optical system such as a parallax barrier, a lenticular lens, or a microlens array.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying a 3D image by a parallax barrier so that a right eye sees an image for the right eye and a left eye sees an image for the left eye.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for actuating one or more exhaust valves in an internal combustion engine during positive power operation is disclosed. The expansion stroke of an engine cylinder is effectively lengthened and the exhaust stroke is effectively shortened by delaying the opening and/or advancing the closing of the exhaust valve relative to conventional exhaust valve timing during the exhaust stroke. Selective variation of the exhaust stroke during positive power operation of the engine may reduce NOx production.

Modern day internal combustion engine manufacturers, particularly diesel engine manufacturers, are concerned with meeting current and future emissions standards without negatively impacting engine power or fuel consumption. Thus, there is great interest in developing methods and systems that may be used to reduce various types of engine emissions, including, but not limited to nitrous oxides (NOx). It may be particularly desirable to improve NOx performance without negatively impacting brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC).
Control over the capture or "after-treatment" of unwanted emission gases, such as NOx, may be a function of the exhaust temperature. Modern diesel engines are provided with emission control devices designed to reduce these unwanted components of the exhaust. These emission control devices are designed to operate most efficiently in a specified range of temperatures, typically in the range of 250 to 450 degrees Celsius. If the exhaust temperature is too far above or below this range, the emission control device may be less efficient, and as a result, allow more unwanted emissions to pass through the exhaust system to the atmosphere. Accordingly, it is desirable to maintain the exhaust gas temperature within the specified range throughout various engine operating conditions.
It is common, however, for engine exhaust temperature to vary in accordance with varying engine operating conditions. For example, exhaust temperature usually varies proportionally with engine load—the higher the engine load, the higher the exhaust temperature. Accordingly, it is typically at low engine load that the exhaust temperature may fall below the range that is desired for operation of the emission control device that limits unwanted emissions. Thus, there is a need to maintain the exhaust temperature in the desired range for operation of the emission control device across as broad a range of engine load conditions as possible.
The NOx component of diesel engine exhaust may be produced as a result of excess oxygen in the combustion mixture and/or high combustion temperatures. The combustion mixture is largely made up of air, and thus contains a large amount of nitrogen. At higher combustion temperatures, the nitrogen may combine with any free oxygen that remains after combustion to produce NOx. The production of NOx may be reduced by limiting the combustion temperature, and/or limiting the amount of excess oxygen in the engine cylinder during the combustion cycle. In fact, limiting the amount of oxygen in the cylinder may also help to reduce the combustion temperature because the reduction of oxygen tends to produce less complete combustion, which in turn may reduce combustion temperatures. Thus, there is a need to limit combustion temperatures and/or the amount of excess oxygen in the combustion chamber during the combustion cycle.
Control over the exhaust gas temperature in the cylinder and the exhaust system, as well as the amount of oxygen in the combustion mixture, may be exercised through control of the intake and exhaust engine valve timing. Some internal combustion engines are to be equipped with variable valve actuation (VVA) systems designed to provide control over the timing of intake and exhaust engine valve operation. Examples of such VVA systems are provided in Vorih et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,824 (Jan. 28, 2003), entitled "Variable Lost Motion Valve Actuation and Method;" and Vanderpoel et al., U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub. No. U.S. 2003/0221663 A1 (Dec. 4, 2003) entitled "Compact Lost Motion System for Variable Valve Actuation," both of which are incorporated herein by reference. When appropriately designed and controlled, VVA systems may enable the opening and/or closing times of an engine valve to be adjusted during operation of an engine. This adjustment may be used to control various engine performance characteristics, such as cylinder temperature, exhaust system temperature, and oxygen content of the combustion mixture.
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) has been proposed as one method of controlling the cylinder and exhaust system temperature, as well as the oxygen content of the cylinder. Specifically, EGR has been proposed as a means of enabling diesel engine manufacturers to lower NOx emissions and meet new emission standards. Broadly speaking, using VVA to carry out internal exhaust gas recirculation requires opening an exhaust valve during an intake stroke or opening an intake valve during an exhaust stroke to facilitate the flow of exhaust gas back into the engine cylinder (or intake manifold) for future combustion cycles. The retention or flow of exhaust gas back into the cylinder for a subsequent combustion cycle may reduce the relative proportion of oxygen in the cylinder that is available for combustion. In turn, this may reduce the amount of oxygen that is available to combine with nitrogen and produce NO. Additionally, the recirculation of the exhaust gases has the effect of increasing the heat capacity of the burned gases for a given quantity of heat release, thus lowering the combustion temperature which also tends to reduce the production of NOx.
EGR may not be ideal for all engine operating conditions, however. An engine operating at a full load and at a low engine speed (such as around the peak torque operating point) is the most difficult mode for introducing EGR without losing engine power or creating a black smoke problem. Thus, there remains a need for alternative solutions.
Accordingly, it is a goal, but not a requirement, of one or more embodiments of the present invention to improve certain engine performance characteristics, including reduction of NOx, production of a tighter exhaust temperature profile across varying operating conditions (including full load), and/or improved brake specific fuel consumption across varying operating conditions (including full load). Additional advantages of various embodiments of the invention may be ascertained, in part, from the description that follows and, in part, will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description and/or from the practice of the embodiments of the invention.

Method of modifying exhaust valve timing to improve engine performance


A data security system for a navigation system comprising an enabling/disabling unit for enabling or disabling a data transfer from a data memory to a data storage unit of the navigation system, an identification unit for identifying an identification code, such as a vehicle or navigation system identification code, and a comparison unit for comparing these identification codes with identification codes stored in the enabling/disabling unit, where the enabling/disabling unit may enable or disable the data transfer responsive to the comparison. If a vehicle or navigation system identification code is not stored in the enabling/disabling unit, a read/write unit writes an identification code retrieved by an identification unit into the enabling/disabling unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data security system for a navigation system and to a method for transmitting navigation data from a data memory to a data storage unit of a navigation system.
2. Related Art
Navigation systems are available that provide users, such as drivers when the navigation systems are installed in vehicles, with various navigation functions and features. These navigation systems can determine a route from a specified starting location to a certain destination and can guide a traveler along this route. The navigation system may then provide the user with information about the optimal route to the destination in the form of instructions that identify the maneuvers required for the user to travel from the present location to the destination location.
To provide these navigation functions and other functions, the navigation system uses detailed data bases comprising map data that represent physical features in a geographic region, these data bases including data representing the roads and intersection in a geographic region. The data bases may also include information about turn restrictions at intersections, speed limits along the roads, street names of the various roads, points of interest ("POI"), information about monuments, hotels, restaurant, and so on. These navigation data bases are normally provided on a data memory, e.g., a CD-ROM disk that is inserted into the navigation system. Recently, the use of fixed disks or hard disks permanently arranged in the navigation system has become popular.
However, after a certain amount of time, the information in the navigation data bases that form the basis for calculating a route to the destination location may need to be updated because the data may no longer correspond to the actual conditions in the geographic region. For example, routes may have changed or new streets may have been built, or street names or POI data may have changed since the creation of the navigation data base. When a CD-ROM disk is used, the user gets a new CD-ROM disk containing the new data. In the case of a hard disk or fixed disk, the user is provided with a data memory containing the new updated navigation data that have to be transmitted to the fixed disk of the navigation system. When the navigation data have been transmitted to the hard disk of the navigation system, the data memory is no longer necessary for the functioning of the navigation programs. As a consequence, the data memory with the updated data may be used several times to update several different navigation systems. However, this is normally prohibited by applicable law or by contractual obligation, because, when buying the update navigation data base, the user is only allowed to use the updated data on one navigation system or on one vehicle.
Therefore, a need exists to ensure that update navigation data to be transmitted to a fixed disk of a navigation system may only be used according to applicable law or contractual obligation, and that any data transfer to the fixed disk of the navigation system may be controlled so as to achieve this objective.

Data security system for a navigation system


An apparatus for agitation mixing comprises a casing 12 including a flow channel through which fluid passes, an agitation body consisting of a shaft 14 installed in the casing 12 and connected to a motor 18 and an agitation blade 16 mounted on the perimeter of the shaft 14, a powder inlet 52 attached to the casing 12 to feed a powder 34 into the casing 12, a liquid inlet 50 attached to the casing 12 in the vicinity of the powder inlet 52 to feed a liquid 24 into the casing 12, a powder inlet duct 30 connected to the powder inlet 52, and an introducer 36 placed in the powder inlet duct 30 and connected to a motor 32.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mixing by agitation, and more particularly to an apparatus and method applicable to a wide variety of uses involving the mixing of a powder and a liquid by agitation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In mixing processes which include adding a liquid to a powder, adding a powder to a liquid, or simultaneously adding a powder and a liquid, secondary agglomerates ("lumps") of the powder are often produced in the liquid, and, once they have been produced, it is usually extremely difficult to re-dissolve these lumps in the liquid.
Accordingly, in recent years apparatuses and methods for uniformly mixing powder and liquid while avoiding generation of secondary agglomerates during mixing of the powder and the liquid have been suggested.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. Hei 11-19495, No. 2001-62273, and No. 2002-166154, a continuous mixing device is disclosed. In the continuous mixing device, a rotary disc is installed in a casing to which, in an upper part thereof, supply ports for feeding a liquid and a powder are attached, and in a lower part thereof, a drain port is attached. The rotary disc separates the inside of the casing into an upper mixing chamber and a lower mixing chamber. Further, a scraper is attached to an upper area of the rotary disc, and a revolving scraper, which revolves independently of the rotary disc in a noncontact manner, is mounted at a position below the rotary disc. A powder and a liquid fed from the supply ports are mixed by rotating the rotary disc, and a resultant mixture moved into the lower mixing chamber is scraped off while being mixed so as to be transported continuously to the outside from the drain port by the revolving scraper which rotates at a lower speed than that of the rotary disc.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 2002-248330 and 2001-198447, a continuous mixing device for mixing powder and liquid through a rotary mixing disc, in which a liquid is fed in atomized form for uniformly mixing the powder and the liquid, is suggested.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-65850, it is suggested that, in a method for producing a slurry mixture by mixing a powder such as a coal powder and a liquid such as water, the powder is fed into a screw pump to which the liquid is further supplied in the midstream of the screw pump so as to be mixed with the powder, and the pressure in the screw pump is first boosted and then lowered at an exhaust port for transforming the mixture into slurry.
Still further, the applicant of the present invention has also suggested, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-246131, a dispersing apparatus comprising a casing capable of containing two or more materials therein and a grinding spindle installed in the casing. In that dispersing apparatus, pits and projections are formed on at least either one of the inner wall of the casing or the outer side surface of the grinding spindle, and by reciprocating the grinding spindle with respect to the casing to produce a narrow pressure in a clearance between the inner surface of the casing and the outer side surface of the grinding spindle, at least one out of the two or more materials can be dispersed.
However, because in any one of the above mixing devices and mixing methods the uniformity of the mixing is inadequate, or the available combination of powder and liquid to be mixed is limited, the mixing often does not achieve the quality desired.

Apparatus and method for mixing by agitation in a multichambered mixing apparatus including a pre-agitation mixing chamber


A floor care appliance is provided for cleaning bare surfaces such as tile, marble, linoleum and wood. The floor care appliance is comprised of a base portion having a suction nozzle and a brush block having a plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators for cleaning bare floors. The rotary agitators are driven by an independent motor for agitating the floor surface. With the addition of an accessory hose and tools, the cleaning utility can be expanded to areas wherein the suction nozzle cannot normally reach such as behind the toilet, shower walls, and the grout between tile. While used in the capacity for cleaning bare floors, the floor care appliance can be moved between three modes by a rotating a member located on the upper housing. The first mode is dry mode, the second mode is wet scrub mode and the third mode is wet pickup mode. The accessory tools are stored in an accessory caddy that is placed freestanding over the suction nozzle and in front of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to floor care appliances. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a bare floor cleaning appliance having a plurality of cleaning modes and an accessory hose and telescoping wand for cleaning hard to reach areas.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Floor cleaning appliances having one or more cleaning modes are known in the art. Such appliances include both carpet and bare floor extractors. Typically, such floor cleaning appliances are comprised of a suction nozzle, a suction nozzle height adjustment mechanism, a motor-fan assembly, a liquid recovery system, one or more agitators, and controls for selecting the cleaning mode. One such bare floor cleaning appliance, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,386 and incorporated be reference as if fully rewritten herein, has three cleaning modes, namely, wet scrub mode, wet pickup mode and dry pickup mode. The bare floor cleaning appliance is shifted between the various cleaning modes with the use of a slide switch to raise and lower the rotary agitators and to energize the agitator drive motor. A foot pedal is provided to raise and lower the suction nozzle in relation to the floor surface for proper suction nozzle height as required for some of the cleaning modes. Heretofore unknown in the art is a bare floor cleaning appliance having the plurality of cleaning modes such as those disclosed in the '386 patent wherein the control of the plurality of cleaning modes is accomplished through the use of a single mode selector. The present invention provides such as bare floor cleaning appliance having a plurality of cleaning modes controlled by a single mode selector.
Also known in the art is floor cleaning appliances having an accessory hose and/or wand for cleaning upholstery and the like. However, unknown in the art is a strictly bare floor cleaning appliance having an accessory hose and telescoping wand and cleaning accessories for cleaning other bare surfaces such as tile walls such as shower walls, hard to reach floor areas such as behind toilets, and the grout between tile. The present invention fulfills this need by providing a bare floor cleaner having an accessory hose and telescoping wand and accessories that is connected to the bare floor cleaning appliance through a connection port that connects both suction and cleaning solution to the accessory hose and telescoping wand.
It is an object of the invention to provide a bare floor cleaning appliance.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bare floor cleaning appliance having an accessory hose and telescoping wand.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a bare floor cleaning appliance having plurality of cleaning modes.
It is yet still another object of the invention to provide a cleaning appliance with a pivoting handle for compact storage.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cleaning appliance with a caddy for storing the accessory hose, telescoping wand, accessory tools and cleaning supplies.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Floor care appliance with a plurality of cleaning modes

Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited


A pressure rated well annulus fluid expansion storage device that is capable of managing pressure variation within a well annulus by removing or adding fluid to the well annulus. The well annulus fluid expansion storage device includes an annulus fluid expansion unit containing a well annulus fluid and a working fluid, the annulus fluid expansion unit further includes a moveable partition maintaining the working fluid and the well annulus fluid in separate chambers, a working fluid storage tank that stores the working fluid, an adjustable pressure control valve that maintains a pressure of the working fluid, a working fluid pump that feeds and pressurizes working fluid from the working fluid storage tank into the annulus fluid expansion unit, a check valve that allows flow of working fluid from the working fluid storage tank to the annulus fluid expansion unit, and a flow line for receiving and discharging well annulus fluid.

Subsea production wells are conventionally operated through metal tubes bundled together with electric power and control lines that are collectively called an umbilical. Umbilicals can cost upwards of a million dollars or more per mile. Installation can also be expensive and must be performed with great care to avoid crimping or damaging the metal tubes. The tubes can also have a tendency to foul or plug over time.
The metal tubes supply production chemicals to manage production fluid issues like asphaltene, wax, paraffin, scale deposition, hydrate formation, corrosion, etc. Typically, one metal tube is required for each chemical. The metal tubes also supply hydraulic control fluids to hydraulically operate a device such as a valve or a choke. Additionally, the metal tubes provide a well annulus venting function so the pressure build-up in the annulus may be managed during thermal cycling (start-up and shut-down) of the well.
The umbilical connects the subsea well back to a surface host facility. The host facility, among other functions, serves as the storage point for the production chemicals and hydraulic control fluids. The host also has pumps and other equipment to provide the necessary pressure to pump the fluids through the umbilical to the point of need at the subsea well. As the subsea tieback distances have been extended and the pressures required at the point of injection have continued to increase, umbilical costs have correspondingly spiraled upward.
The supply of chemicals and hydraulic fluids to the subsea well may be provided by a subsea liquid storage tank and pump based injection system, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,656,801, incorporated herein by reference. Such a system is capable of providing both the production chemical supply and the hydraulic control fluids by withdrawing the necessary chemical and/or hydraulic control fluids from local subsea pressure compensated storage tanks, boosting its pressure and injecting the liquid at appropriate points of use at or near the wellhead. Such systems have not been designed to handle well annulus vent functions, however.

Well annulus fluid expansion storage device


Systems for and methods for detecting samples and other compounds of interest are disclosed herein. The system can include an illumination source that is configured to emit light in a variety of different wavelength bands, an optical filter, a camera chip, and an optical path configured to direct the light emitted by the first illumination source at a target and direct the light reflected from the target to the at least one camera chip. The illumination source and the optical filter are transitionable between a first tuning state corresponding to a target tissue and a second tuning state corresponding to a background tissue. The system can be configured to record images at the different tuning states and generate a score image corresponding to the target tissue based on the recorded images.

Visualization of tissues and anatomical structures during surgery is critical to avoid unintended cutting or harming of tissue. Visualization of surgical sites is challenging for even the most experienced surgeons because of the presence of blood, fat, arteries, veins, muscle, and fascia, all of which obstruct the field of view. Real-time intraoperative imaging tools that are non-contact and reagentless are needed in order to assist surgeons in accurately visualizing surgical sites and locating obscured targets. Molecular chemical imaging has been used to visualize tissues and anatomical structures with technologies including conformal filters (CF), liquid crystal tunable filters (LCTF), and multi-conjugate filters (MCF). However, there is a continuing desire to further improve the visualization of tissues and anatomical structures in novel ways in order to provide better margins, depth of penetration, and identification of structures.

Systems and methods for discrimination of tissue targets


A magnet blower thermal conditioning system having a housing, a first blower subassembly in communication with a housing inlet for receiving an inlet fluid flow and a second blower subassembly in communication with the first blower subassembly as well as a housing outlet. Each of the blower subassemblies includes a sleeve shaped support, a plurality of spaced apart magnetic or electromagnetic plates extending radially from the sleeve supports. Conductive components are rotatably supported about the sleeve shaped supports, each incorporating a plurality of linearly spaced and radially projecting conductive plates which alternate with the pluralities of spaced and radially supported magnetic or electromagnetic plates. A motor or input drive rotates the conductive components relative to the magnetic/electromagnetic plates, creating high frequency oscillating magnetic fields and thermally conditioning the fluid flow as it is communicated in succession through the first and second blower subassemblies and through the housing outlet.

The concept of generating heat from magnets is generally known in the art and results from placing the magnetic material into a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field that causes the magnet's polarity switch back and forth at a high-enough rate to produce noticeable friction which is given off in the form of heat. As is further known, such an oscillating field can result from rotating the magnet at speed relative to proximally-located metal conductive element.
Other prior art induction heater devices include an electronic oscillator which passes a high-frequency alternating current through an electromagnet in order to generate eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material. In this fashion, the eddy currents result in a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field which causes the magnet's polarity to switch back and forth at a high-enough rate to produce heat as byproduct of friction.
One known example of a prior art induction heating system is taught by the electromagnetic induction air heater of Garza, US 2011/0215089, which includes a conductive element, a driver coupled to the conductive element, an induction element positioned close to the conductive element, and a power supply coupled to the induction element and the driver. Specifically, the driver applies an angular velocity to rotate the conductive element about a rotational axis. The power supply provides electric current to the induction element to generate a magnetic field about the induction element such that the conductive element heats as it rotates within the magnetic field to transfer heat to warm the cold air flow streams. The cold air flow streams are circulated about the surface of the conductive element and directed by the moving conductive element to generate warm air flow streams from the conductive element.
Also referenced is the centrifugal magnetic heating device of Hsu 2013/0062340 which teaches a power receiving mechanism and a heat generator. The power receiving mechanism further includes a vane set and a transmission module. The heat generator connected with the transmission module further includes a centrifugal mechanism connected to the transmission module, a plurality of bases furnished on the centrifugal mechanism, a plurality of magnets furnished on the bases individually, and at least one conductive member corresponding in positions to the magnets. The vane set is driven by nature flows so as to drive the bases synchronically with the magnets through the transmission module, such that the magnets can rotate relative to the conductive member and thereby cause the conductive member to generate heat.

Magnetic induction style furnace or heat pump incorporating forced air or fluid blowers


A data switch for transferring data from either actual line readings or from stored memory to the input of a relay tester. The device uses a digital switch set between the A/D converter and the CPU of an electronic relay. The switch permits technicians and engineers to either pass data to the CPU from the system through the A/D converter or, by switching, feed the CPU data from the RAM, which has been loaded with the archived data. In this way, the relay system software can be examined and tested using actual event data under ordinary conditions as desired, with relay settings changed between tests to verify the efficacy of the changed settings to perform as desired for the recorded conditions. The digital switch can be either a hard-wired element, or can be a soft switch, operated through software instructions.

Electrical power systems have relied on a system of protective relays to monitor and protect the expensive equipment used in electrical power transmission systems. Such systems have lines, transformers, busses, and feeders that supply power to the entire nation. Electrical faults caused by short circuits, lightning strikes or equipment failures cause disturbances on these systems. Protective equipment such as circuit breakers, line switches, capacitors and reactors operate automatically to cut off faults or to provide system stability as needed. To operate and monitor this equipment, a system of protective relays has been developed. These relays monitor current, voltage, frequency and other operating parameters and cause the protective devices to operate if a fault is detected. In the past, relays were electromechanical devices that had current and voltage detectors. Operation was mechanical: a rotating disk was energized by an overcurrent, for example. The disk then turned until a contact was made, causing the relay to trip, sending an alarm signal or a signal to operate a circuit breaker, for example. Relays were set to operate at the appropriate current level and in a specific amount of time. Today, many relays are electronic, they have programmable central processing units (CPU), volatile read write memory, typically referred to as "random access memory" (RAM), and input-output (I/O) circuits.
All relays must be set and tested before use. Testing of electronic relays follows the same basic course as was used for the mechanical designs. To test any relay, a test voltage or current is applied to the input circuits of the relay and its performance is monitored. For an overcurrent relay, for example, the current sent to the relay is gradually increased until the trip level is reached. Then, the time it takes for the relay to trip is monitored or set for the particular relay. For mechanical models, setting may take some time as it requires physical adjustments of the mechanism. In electronic relays, the settings can be programmed exactly and then tested using the test procedure described above.
To perform the tests, technicians or engineers use a test set that is connected to the relay circuits in the field. In this way, the circuitry of the system can be tested as well as the relay itself. An example of such a relay test set can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,419 to Fioentzis.
One of the features of the new digital electronic relays is that they are able to capture and record real-time event data. For example for any type of fault, the relay can record the voltages, currents phase angles, frequencies and other parameters as the event is unfolding. This data is useful in determining what caused the fault and whether the protection system operated properly during the event. In the past, this data was recorded on oscillographs, which produce a paper record of the event that could only be used for visual analysis. The storage systems available today store data in a portable computer readable form. Some relay test sets available today can read this stored data and then reproduce the stored waveforms in analog form. Although this is a marked improvement, using today's equipment to replay a stored event requires a test set that is capable of receiving the stored data and then converting it into the analog signals that the data represent in order to reproduce the archived event at the relay inputs. Since such test sets have high capital and operating costs, it is not always practical to test relays using stored event data.

Data transfer switching device and method of use therefore


A roof assembly for a vehicle includes a stationary part to be attached to the vehicle roof and at least one closure element movably supported by said stationary part. The element is movable between a closed position closing a roof opening, and an open, rearward position above a roof area behind the roof opening. At least one front guide track extends at least along the roof opening, whereas a rear guide track is mounted at least substantially rearward of the opening. A guiding device engages said rear guide track upon rearward movement of the closure element. The guiding device includes a lever which supports the element at least in the open position, the lever being rotatable around a pivoting axis and being provided with a loading member to load the lever at a distance from the pivoting axis at least when the element is in its closed position.

The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Aspects of the invention relate to a roof assembly having an opening in its fixed roof, comprising a stationary part to be attached to the vehicle roof and at least one closure element which is movably supported by said stationary part and which can be adjusted by means of a driving unit, wherein said closure element is movable between a closed position for closing the roof opening, and an open, rearward position for being at least partially above the roof area behind the roof opening, in which the roof opening is at least partially released or opened, wherein said stationary part is fitted with at least one front longitudinal guide track extending at least along the roof opening, whereas a rear longitudinal guide track is mounted at least substantially rearward of the roof opening, the closure element being supported near its front side by a front support which is movably guided by said front longitudinal guide track, and which is supported rearwards thereof by a rear support including a lifting device for moving the closure element in a vertical direction to and fro the closed position and a guiding device for engagement in said rear longitudinal guide track upon rearward movement of the closure element, the guiding device including a lever which supports the closure element at least in the open position
Roof assemblies are known from the prior art. In a prior art roof, the lifting device is active when the closure element is in its front position, and the guiding device is active when the closure element is in rearwardly slid positions.


A communication apparatus sets one authentication ID for connecting to a network based on user input, changes the set authentication ID to authentication IDs different from each other with respect to each of a plurality of states for communicating with at least any one of an imaging device and a light emission device in a network to execute a predetermined photographing processing, and communicates with at least any one of the imaging device and the light emission device using the changed authentication IDs with respect to each of a plurality of states to execute the predetermined photographing processing.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a communication apparatus, a control method therefor, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technique for issuing an authentication ID to prevent confusion of wireless communications, thereby preventing communications performed with unrelated devices is known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2000-228740). Further, a technique for issuing a plurality of authentication IDs for each intended use, and utilizing a plurality of networks depending on the intended uses is also known. However, in a case where a plurality of IDs is issued, users need to manage all of these authentication IDs.

Communication apparatus, control method therefor, and computer-readable recording medium


In an aircraft galley, a power network distributes power from a source to electrical consuming devices (oven, water boiler, coffee machine, trash compactor, etc.). A control unit is connected to and can individually address each of the devices via a databus. The control unit compares the actual existing power consumption to a prescribed maximum value. If the actual consumption reaches the maximum value, the control unit calls up a power reduction procedure from a catalog in a database, and provides corresponding control signals to one or more of the devices to reduce the power consumption below the maximum value. The individual devices receive power in a time-sharing, power-sharing, or time-staggered manner. An intelligent distribution of available power resources avoids power overloads, and allows optimal utilization of all galley devices without limiting the normal catering process.

Modern passenger transport aircraft typically include one or more on-board galleys outfitted with one or more electrical power consuming devices, such as ovens, water boilers, coffee machines, trash compactors, and the like. A power line network or branched feeder system receives power from the electrical system of the aircraft and distributes the electrical power to the various connected electrical consuming devices. In this regard, the power supply or distribution network is designed and laid out, so that all of the connected electrical consuming devices of the on-board galley can be operated at full power, i.e. full load, at any desired time, which means that the capacity of the power distribution network must be sufficient to simultaneously provide full power to all of the electrical consuming devices. This is rather inefficient, because in actual practice, the simultaneous full-load utilization of all of the electrical consuming devices arises only rarely in exceptional situations.
Also, such a design and lay-out of the power distribution network requires that the total sum of the connected loads of all of the installed power consuming devices of the on-board galley must always be smaller than the available supply power or connection power of the respective galley power supply system. In other words, the power supply system and its components are laid out for the worst-case all-devices-at-full-load situation, even though this situation would arise only rarely, if at all. This results in unnecessary weight, complexity, and cost of the power supply system and its components.
Especially in future applications in aircraft, in which the number of installed electrical power consuming devices or loads will increase, the conventionally designed power supply and distribution networks will no longer be suitable and able to ensure that all electrical devices will be adequately supplied with electrical power from the available limited electrical energy supply on-board the aircraft. In the field of electrical power consuming installations in aircraft, it is always a critically important consideration, that the available supply of electrical power is strictly limited, rather costly, and always a trade-off with respect to other power consumption in the total energy budget of the operation of the aircraft.
In future situations involving a greater number of electrical devices, it could be attempted, for example, to provide mechanical selector switches that provide an "OR coupling" of two or more electrical devices, whereby always only one of the electrical devices may be selected for operation at any one time by mechanically actuating the selector switch. Alternatively, it would be necessary to provide additional power distribution lines to supply the additional required power to the on-board galley, but this would increase the total dead weight of the aircraft, and would also increase the cost and complexity of the power supply system and potentially over-crowd the spatially limited power supply conduits or raceways.
German Patent Publication DE 195 07 039 A1, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,933 disclose an energy or power supply system that comprises a power bus as well as several electrical consuming devices connected by connector arrangements to the power bus. Furthermore, the known system includes a control unit, which constantly monitors the electrical consuming devices, and can correspondingly react in the event a faulty or erroneous operation or malfunction of a given device is recognized. Particularly, in the event of a malfunction or erroneous operation, or in the event of an excessive power consumption, the control unit can switch off the electrical consuming device that has the lowest supply priority. For this purpose, each one of the electrical consuming devices is equipped with a configuration code transducer, which contains or provides, for example, an information regarding the type of the electrical consuming device as well as its priority in the power supply scheme. In the event a fault, error, or malfunction in the power source leads to a reduction of the available power being supplied, the control unit sends a signal to the corresponding associated power switch of the electrical consuming device having the lowest priority, so as to switch off this lowest-priority device and thereby reduce the total power consumption of the total electrical system.
Thus, according to the prior art, the only possibility for reducing the total power consumption of the electrical system is to completely switch-off or remove one or more devices from the power supply system. That, of course, significantly detracts from the functionality and user-friendliness of the kitchen devices installed in the galley, because one or more of the devices will become totally inoperable when the overall galley is operating at or near full electrical load. This is especially inconvenient for the users of the galley, because such situations of high electrical load can arise especially when the users of the galley rely on and need the full functionality of all of the devices, for example during meal catering phases of a flight of the aircraft. It is just at such high utilization periods that the flight attendants or other personnel using the galley may find that one or more of the electrical consuming devices in the galley have been automatically switched off to avoid a power overload.

Intelligent power distribution management for an on-board galley of a transport vehicle such as an aircraft


A method and apparatus for providing a temporary utility zone in a disk drive. A disk surface has a write head associated therewith. The write head is used to write spiral servo information and a propagation state indicator onto the disk surface. The spiral servo information and propagation state indicator are used to perform a self-servo write operation on the disk surface.

Computer disk drives store information on magnetic disks. Typically, the information is stored on each disk in concentric tracks that are divided into sectors. Information is written to and read from a disk by a transducer that is mounted on an actuator arm capable of moving the transducer radially over the disk. Accordingly, the movement of the actuator arm allows the transducer to access different tracks. The disk is rotated by a spindle motor at high speed which allows the transducer to access different sectors on the disk.
A conventional disk drive, generally designated 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1. The disk drive comprises a disk 12 that is rotated by a spin motor 14. The spin motor 14 is mounted to a base plate 16. An actuator arm assembly 18 is also mounted to the base plate 16.
The actuator arm assembly 18 includes a transducer 20 mounted to a flexure arm 22 which is attached to an actuator arm 24 that can rotate about a bearing assembly 26. The actuator arm assembly 18 also contains a voice coil motor 28 which moves the transducer 20 relative to the disk 12. The spin motor 14, voice coil motor 28 and transducer 20 are coupled to a number of electronic circuits 30 mounted to a printed circuit board 32. The electronic circuits 30 typically include a read channel chip, a microprocessor-based controller and a random access memory (RAM) device.
The disk drive 10 typically includes a plurality of disks 12 and, therefore, a plurality of corresponding actuator arm assemblies 18. However, it is also possible for the disk drive 10 to include a single disk 12 as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram which illustrates a conventional disk drive 10 that is coupled to a host computer 33 via an input/output port 34. The disk drive 10 is used by the host computer 33 as a data storage device. The host 33 delivers data access requests to the disk drive 10 via port 34. In addition, port 34 is used to transfer customer data between the disk drive 10 and the host 33 during read and write operations.
In addition to the components of the disk drive 10 shown and labeled in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 illustrates (in block diagram form) the disk drive's controller 36, read/write channel 38 and interface 40. Conventionally, data is stored on the disk 12 in substantially concentric data storage tracks on its surface. In a magnetic disk drive 10, for example, data is stored in the form of magnetic polarity transitions within each track. Data is "read" from the disk 12 by positioning the transducer 20 above a desired track of the disk 12 and sensing the magnetic polarity transitions stored within the track, as the track moves below the transducer 20. Similarly, data is "written" to the disk 12 by positioning the transducer 20 above a desired track and delivering a write current representative of the desired data to the transducer 20 at an appropriate time.
The actuator arm assembly 18 is a semi-rigid member that acts as a support structure for the transducer 20, holding it above the surface of the disk 12. The actuator arm assembly 18 is coupled at one end to the transducer 20 and at another end to the VCM 28. The VCM 28 is operative for imparting controlled motion to the actuator arm 18 to appropriately position the transducer 20 with respect to the disk 12. The VCM 28 operates in response to a control signal icontrol generated by the controller 36. The controller 36 generates the control signal icontrol, for example, in response to an access command received from the host computer 33 via the interface 40 or in response to servo information read from the disk surface 12.
The read/write channel 38 is operative for appropriately processing the data being read from/written to the disk 12. For example, during a read operation, the read/write channel 38 converts an analog read signal generated by the transducer 20 into a digital data signal that can be recognized by the controller 36. The channel 38 is also generally capable of recovering timing information from the analog read signal. During a write operation, the read/write channel 38 converts customer data received from the host 33 into a write current signal that is delivered to the transducer 20 to "write" the customer data to an appropriate portion of the disk 12. As will be discussed in greater detail, the read/write channel 38 is also operative for continually processing data read from servo information stored on the disk 12 and delivering the processed data to the controller 36 for use in, for example, transducer positioning.
FIG. 3 is a top view of a magnetic storage disk 12 illustrating a typical organization of data on the surface of the disk 12. As shown, the disk 12 includes a plurality of concentric data storage tracks 42, which are used for storing data on the disk 12. The data storage tracks 42 are illustrated as center lines on the surface of the disk 12; however, it should be understood that the actual tracks will each occupy a finite width about a corresponding centerline. The data storage disk 12 also includes servo information in the form of a plurality of radially-aligned servo spokes 44 (or wedges) that each cross the tracks 42 on the disk 12. The servo information in the servo spokes 44 is read by the transducer 20 during disk drive operation for use in positioning the transducer 20 above a desired track 42 of the disk 12. Among other things, the servo information includes a plurality of servo bursts (e.g., A, B, C and D bursts or the like) that are used to generate a Position Error Signal (PES) to position the write head relative to a track's centerline during a track following operation. The portions of the track between servo spokes 44 are used to store customer data received from, for example, the host computer 33 and are referred to as customer data regions 46.
It should be understood that, for ease of illustration, only a small number of tracks 42 and servo spokes 44 have been shown on the surface of the disk 12 of FIG. 3. That is, conventional disk drives include one or more disk surfaces having a considerably larger number of tracks and servo spokes.
During the disk drive manufacturing process, a special piece of equipment known as a servo track writer (STW) is used to write the radially-aligned servo information which forms servo spokes 44. A STW is a very precise piece of equipment that is capable of positioning the disk drive's write head at radial positions over the disk surface, so that servo information is written on the disk surface using the disk drive's write head with a high degree of positional accuracy.
In general, a STW is a very expensive piece of capital equipment. Thus, it is desirable that a STW be used as efficiently as possible during manufacturing operations. Even a small reduction in the amount of data needed to be written by the STW per disk surface can result in a significant cost and time savings.
A STW is used to write servo information, by controlling the position of the disk drive's write head, on a disk surface in a circumferential fashion at each radius at which the disk drive's write head is positioned. During drive operation, the servo information is used to position the transducer of the disk drive over the appropriate data track and data sector of the disk. Accordingly, as the number of tracks per inch (TPI) increases, the amount of time necessary to write servo information increases. That is, the number of circumferential passes that a STW must make over a disk surface increases as TPI increases. Thus, unless more STWs are supplied, manufacturing times will continually increase as the TPI increases.
Instead of using a STW to write servo information in a circumferential fashion at each radius, the assignee of the present embodiments presently uses a STW to write servo information in a spiral fashion (in at least some if its disk drives). Specifically, the STW moves the write head in a controlled manner (e.g., at a constant velocity or along a velocity profile) from the outer diameter of the disk to the inner diameter of the disk (or visa-versa) as the disk spins.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a disk surface 210 having a first spiral of servo information 215 written thereon. The dashed line, identified by reference numeral 220, represents a track. The first spiral of servo information 215 may make multiple revolutions around the disk surface 210 (roughly two revolutions as shown in FIG. 4), but only crosses track 220 once.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a disk surface 210 having a first spiral of servo information 215 and a second spiral of servo information 225 written thereon. As shown in FIG. 5, the first and second spirals 215, 225 are interlaced with one another and are written approximately 180 degrees apart. Again, each spiral crosses track 220 only once.
Additional spirals of servo information may be written on the disk surface 210 depending upon the servo sample rate (that is, the number of servo samples required for each track 220 to keep the disk drive's transducer sufficiently on-track). For example, if a servo sample rate of 120 equally-spaced servo sectors per track was required, 120 equally-spaced spirals may be written on the disk surface 110. Accordingly, by writing servo information in a spiral fashion, the time necessary to write servo information on disk surface 110 using the STW is a function of the number of spirals of servo information to be written, rather than the number of tracks.
Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, the spirals of servo information are written by moving the disk drive's write head using the STW in a generally radial direction (more accurately, in a radial direction along an arc due to the position of the bearing assembly), while both the disk is spinning and the write head is enabled. The direction of disk rotation is indicated by an arrow as shown in each of FIGS. 4 and 5.
The disk drive's write head is enabled for its entire stroke (i.e., from OD to ID or visa-versa) while under the control of the STW. As a result, a continuous spiral of servo information is written.
Each of the spirals of servo information includes sync marks written at fixed time intervals by the disk drive's write head. As mentioned above, the STW is used to move the disk drive's write head at some fixed velocity (or velocity profile) in a generally radial direction across the disk surface. If the time interval between sync marks is known and the velocity of the disk drive's write head is known, the distance between sync marks along a spiral can be determined. Specifically, the following formula may be applied: Distance=(STW Velocity)(Time), where Distance represents the radial distance between sync marks, Velocity represents the radial velocity of the disk drive's write head (under control of the STW) and Time represents the interval between sync marks.
For example, the interval between sync marks may be set at 1 microsecond, while the write head may be controlled to move at a radial velocity of 1 inch per second along its stroke. Thus, the radial distance between sync marks can be calculated to be 1 microinch along each spiral.
Each sync mark along a given spiral corresponds to a unique radius. Accordingly, the sync marks may be used to accurately position a transducer of a disk drive over the disk surface.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/859,062 filed Jun. 2, 2004 (incorporated herein by reference) describes a method and apparatus for performing a self-servo write operation in a disk drive. Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which describes a self-servo write operation that is disclosed in the aforementioned patent application.
At a first station (e.g., a STW station), a STW is used to write spirals of servo information onto the disk surface by moving a write head in a controlled (closed-loop) manner (e.g., at a constant velocity or along a velocity profile) across the disk surface while the disk is spinning (step 610).
After all of the spirals have been written, a small band of conventional servo information (e.g., embedded servo information) is written onto the disk surface (e.g., near its inner diameter or the outer diameter) using the STW (step 620). In one case, a portion of the small band of conventional servo information is written at a radial location that overlaps with a radial location where spiral servo information has been written.
The small band of conventional servo information provides an absolute reference point (in both the radial and circumferential sense) on the disk surface. More specifically, conventional servo sectors in the small band of conventional servo information include both a track number (to provide a radial reference point) and a sector number (to provide a circumferential reference point). Final servo patterns may be written relative to this absolute reference point.
It should be understood that there are other techniques for providing an absolute reference point on the disk surface. One such technique is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/859,061 filed Jun. 2, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/475,126 filed Jun. 2, 2003 (from which the above-identified patent application claims priority) is also incorporated by reference.
Next, the disk drive is moved out of the first station and into another station, so as to free-up the STW for other disk drives. At the second station (e.g., a script write station), which includes a host connection, self-servo writing instructions and other information (e.g., drive firmware, self-test script, read channel parameter tables and defect management lists) are written into a utility zone, which is comprised of a portion (e.g., a few tracks) of the small band of conventional servo information (step 630).
In one case, the self-servo writing instructions and other information may be written to a temporary utility zone and then moved to a final (or permanent) utility zone as discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/859,058 filed on Jun. 2, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/475,097 filed Jun. 2, 2003 (from which the above-identified patent application claims priority) is also incorporated by reference. The temporary utility zone (or temporary utility area) and the permanent utility zone (or permanent utility area) are shown in FIG. 6A, which is described below.
It should be noted that, prior to writing any information into the utility zone, the read head becomes ready on the small band of conventional servo information and the small band of conventional servo information (including the utility zone) is scanned for defects. Areas containing flaws are mapped out, so that they will not be used.
There are several techniques for bringing the read head to a ready position on the small band of servo information. One technique is described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/475,039 entitled "BEMF Controlled Push Off/Acquire" filed Jun. 2, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Next, the disk drive is moved to a third station (e.g., a self-test station), where no host connection or other mechanical components need to access the drive. The disk drive is powered-on (e.g., with its normal supplies of +12V and +5V) and reads the self-servo writing information included in the utility zone, so as to undergo a self-servo write process using the spirals of servo information (step 640). In one embodiment, the final servo pattern looks like the conventional servo pattern of FIG. 3.
It should be noted that, prior to reading the self-servo writing information, the read head becomes ready (as in station 2) on the small band of servo information and locks to the absolute reference point (i.e., in time and position). Then, the drive code, manufacturing diagnostic code and self-test script (among which the self-servo writing information is included) are read.
Although three different stations were described, it should be understood that other configurations are possible. That is, more or less stations may be provided and certain operations may be combined or divided between stations.
It should also be understood that features described herein may be used in the absence of writing a small band of conventional servo information onto the disk surface.
FIG. 6A is a simplified diagrammatic representation of a portion of a disk surface 210, wherein the disk surface 210 is shown in linear, instead of arcuate, fashion for ease of depiction. The disk surface 210 has an inner diameter (ID), an outer diameter (OD), an area of STW-written servo information 660, an area of self-servo written servo information 670, a temporary utility zone 680 and a permanent utility zone 690.
The area of STW-written servo information 660 is the small band of conventional servo information, discussed above. The temporary utility zone 680 is located within the area of STW-written servo information 660.
The area of self-servo written information 670 formerly included spirals of servo information, discussed above. The permanent utility zone 690 is located within the area of self-servo written servo information 670. It should be noted that, for clarity, FIG. 6A is not drawn to scale.
At least one prior technique requires drives to be identified before the script write process. Such technique also requires the drives to be routed to use different sets of scripts, codes or even different production lines. One prior process flow is shown in FIG. 7.
Disk drives (both newly built and reprocessed drives) are delivered to the script write station (step 705). Each disk drive includes a serial number capable of being read by a bar code scanner (or similar device). At the script writer, each disk drive (regardless of whether it is a new built drive or reprocessed drive) is scanned by an operator using a barcode scanner (step 710). The serial number of the drive is cross-referenced with a FIS (factory information system) database. A determination is made, based upon the information in the FIS database, as to whether the drive is a newly built drive or not (step 715).
If the drive is a newly built drive, then the operator routes the drive to a new build line and the drive is processed with script B (step 720). More specifically, script B includes the information necessary for the drive to perform a self-servo write operation, which is written into the temporary utility area. The drive then undergoes self-test procedures and a determination is made as to whether the drive failed or passed such self-test procedures (step 725).
If the drive passes the self-test procedures, then the drive is considered to be a finished good (step 790). If the drive fails the self-test procedures, a disposition action is carried out based upon the reason for the failure (e.g., if the drive failed due to a bad head, then the head may be changed). Then, the drive is again delivered to the script write station (step 705).
After the drive's serial number is cross-referenced with the FIS database (step 710), a determination is made as to whether the drive is a newly built drive (step 715). In this case, since the drive is not a newly built drive, the operator routes the drive to a reprocess line, which is a different line in production.
A determination is then made as to whether the drive failed during the self-propagation (or fill) process (step 730). This information is provided from the FIS database. If the drive failed during fill process, the disk drive is processed with script A (step 735), which is different from script B. Script A includes the information necessary to perform a self-servo write operation.
The drive then undergoes self-test procedures and a determination is made as to whether the drive failed or passed such self-test procedures (step 740). If the drive passes the self-test procedures, then the drive is considered to be a finished good. If the drive fails the self-test procedures, a disposition action is carried out based upon the reason for the failure (e.g., if the drive failed due to a media problem, then the media may be changed and the media may be required to be sent back to the STW to have servo information placed on it). Next, the drive is again delivered to the script write station (step 705).
If the drive did not fail during the fill process of step 730, then the drive is processed with script C (step 745), which is different from script B and script A. Specifically, script C does not include information necessary to perform a self-servo write operation, since it is likely that the fill has already been performed.
The drive then undergoes self-test procedures and a determination is made as to whether the drive failed or passed such self-test procedures (step 750). If the drive passes the self-test procedures, then the drive is considered to be a finished good. If the drive fails the self-test procedures, a disposition action is carried out based upon the reason for the failure. Next, the drive is again delivered to the script write station (step 705).
The process described in connection with FIG. 7 has several disadvantages. First, two different manufacturing lines are required, namely, a new build line and a reprocess line. In one case, there may be seven new build lines and one reprocess line.
Second, three sets of scripts are required to be maintained (e.g., scripts A, B, and C). Accordingly, whenever a change is made to one of the scripts, corresponding changes must be made to the other scripts.
Third, operator intervention is required to determine whether the drive is a newly built drive or a reprocessed drive. Accordingly, valuable manpower is being wasted, as compared to using an automated system, and the process is subject to human error.
In view of the above, factory productivity may be reduced, resource costs may be increased, and the complexity of the process may be increased.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a method and apparatus for performing a spiral self-servo write operation in a disk drive using an auto detection scheme.

Method and apparatus for performing a spiral self-servo write operation in a disk drive using an auto detection scheme


An acupuncture needle container and dispenser to store and dispense a plurality of sterile acupuncture needles having a transparent top cover piece and an opaque colored bottom piece with a distal end, a proximal end and a middle portion. The transparent top cover piece fits over the opaque colored bottom piece and forms a semi-oval needle reservoir at the distal end, a cylindrical inserter at the proximal end and a channel formed between the semi-oval needle reservoir and the cylindrical inserter to allow for individual channeled movement of the plurality of acupuncture needles from the semi-oval needle reservoir through the formed channel and into the cylindrical inserter. The cylindrical inserter includes an insertion tube that may be magnetized to facilitate receiving and holding a single acupuncture needle in place until removed by a plunger from the dispenser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a container and dispenser for holding and dispensing needles. More particularly, the invention is a container and dispenser for the holding and the sterile dispensing of acupuncture needles.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of needles in the medical field is very common. Traditionally, acupuncture needles are provided with guide tubes, with the needles being threaded through the guide tubes before being used. The repeated use of guide tubes for threading needles fails to maintain sterility to the needles. Currently, acupuncture needles are available in blister packages, which provide sterility to the needles but are inconvienent and time consuming to use. The related art outlines the storage and dispensing of acupuncture needles and other types of needles.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0040767 published on Feb. 27, 2003, outlines the use of an acupuncture device with an acupuncture needle and guide tube having a transverse, preferably V-shaped slot through a tube wall. The slot is formed in the upper part of the guide tube and is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tube. The handle of the needle is firmly secured inside the guide tube by a small elongated stopper made of an elastic material such as plastic or thick paper, which is inserted into the V-shaped slot of the guide tube and squeezes the needle handle between its end and the inner wall of the tube opposite to the V-shaped slot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,384 issued to Tarello et al. on May 21, 1985, outlines the use of a medicament discharging device and an expandable clip thereon containing a plurality of medicament cartridges. Each of the cartridges have a container, a dosage of medicament in the container, a hypodermic needle sealingly contained in a sterile condition in cooperating relation with the container and a movable wall at one end of the container operable when moved through a discharging stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,938 issued to Kaye et al. on Jul. 30, 1985, outlines the use of an implanter device adapted for insertion of a solid or semi-solid pellet form medicament into a domestic animal and to an encasement containing a multiplicity of dosage unit pellets of the medicament. The encasement is specifically adapted for use in the implanter device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,035 issued to Grimm et al. on Aug. 7, 1990, outlines the use of a medicament implanter system with a single use needle pre-charged with medicament, a cartridge wherein a multiplicity of pre-charged needles may be packaged and an implanter applicator instrument adapted to remove a pre-charged needle into the cartridge. The applicator instrument is constructed so that a needle positioned therein is locked in a properly oriented position for expulsion of the medicament upon operation of an impeller, which forms part of the applicator instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,914 issued to Choi on Jul. 14, 1992, outlines the use of a combination container and dispenser and insertion tube for acupuncture needles that provides for the sterile storage, containment, dispensing and insertion of acupuncture needles. A storage portion of the container/dispenser is formed with an insertion tube along one edge and an internal passage between the two components.
Although each of these patents and publications outline the use of novel and useful devices, what is really needed is a container and dispenser for acupuncture needles that is both easy to use and provides for sterile acupuncture needles. Such a device would have a great demand and be well-received in the marketplace.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a acupuncture needle container and inserter solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Acupuncture needle container and dispenser


A method of determining the fullness of a compactor having a reciprocating ram and a container includes the steps of setting a target for the number of reciprocations of the ram required to fill the container to a preselected partial fullness. Each reciprocation of the ram is monitored and the total number is summed. The total number of reciprocations is compared to the target number, and the percentage fullness is calculated from those numbers. The percentage fullness is then displayed locally.

Industrial waste compactors normally utilize an hydraulically operated ram assembly in combination with a container. The ram is reciprocal for transferring waste from a charge box into the container in which the waste is compressed. The container may be removable from the ram assembly.
The compactor is typically located at a facility remote from the place at which it is to be emptied. There is usually a fee imposed for emptying the container, regardless of the degree to which the container is filled. Economics suggest that the container not be emptied until it has been filled, because to empty a partially filled container will unnecessarily increase costs for the user. These costs include not only the "tipping" fee for emptying the container, but also the cost for transporting the container to the place at which it is to be tipped. Most users of compactors are therefore interested in seeing to it that the container is not emptied until it has achieved a sufficient level of fullness, and so various fullness monitors have been proposed for that purpose.
The compaction of waste by a reciprocating hydraulic ram is a relatively uncontrollable activity on account of numerous factors. When a variable pressure pump is utilized, as in most large compactors, the output pressure is a function of the resistance exerted against the ram as it transfers the waste into the compactor in order to cause compaction. This resistance is not however uniform, and the ram pressure will typically experience a number of pressure excursions throughout the filling sequence. For example, the pressure output is relatively constant when the container is empty, because then the ram is merely pushing the waste into an empty container so that there is essentially no resistance applied. The transferred waste also initially tends to lie upon the floor of the container until the length of the container is filled. Once the floor has been filled, then at some point the column of waste breaks and some is then forced above that which preceded it. This filling and breaking cycle continues to occur as the container becomes filled, with the result that the pressure is elevated before the column breaks and then is reduced as the next column builds. Yet a further factor has to do with the compressibility of the waste, because it is not unusual for drums, pallets, boards, and like material to be deposited in the charging box. These materials will typically resist being compressed or broken until some limit is exceeded, with the result that the pressure before compression or breakage exceeds that after the event. Various other factors have an impact on the pressure which must be applied to the ram, such as the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, the type of material being compacted, and the like. Each of these factors has a somewhat unpredictable impact on the output hydraulic pressure, thereby complicating the task of trying to monitor the fullness of the container.
Various means have been proposed for monitoring the fullness of the container throughout the filling sequence. It has been proposed, for example, to utilize a pressure switch in the hydraulic line to measure the pressure exerted by the waste when the ram is in the extended or waste compacting position. Various devices have also been proposed for use within the container for monitoring fullness, but anything positioned within the container is subject to being damaged or interfered with as the container fills. It has also been proposed to monitor the hydraulic pressure or the motor current of the hydraulic pump during each reciprocation of the ram. Monitoring motor current or hydraulic pressure is not, however, an accurate means of determining fullness when the container is relatively empty, so that the fullness information may be quite inaccurate during the beginning of the filling cycle.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there is a need for a compactor fullness determining system which is able to accurately determine container fullness during all phases of the filling process. The system should be able to know when the container has been emptied in order to differentiate between a container which is empty and one which has recently experienced a downward pressure excursion. The disclosed invention meets these criteria, and also provides a local indication of the container fullness so that the operator may monitor the filling process.

Method and apparatus for determining the fullness of a waste compactor