A folding seat apparatus for a vehicle comprising a slide mechanism for slidably moving a seat in a front-and-rear direction, and a pop-up mechanism for popping up a seat cushion. The slide mechanism and pop-up mechanism are connected to the control lever. The controller controls the actuator so that the control lever rotates in the forward or reverse direction. The pop-up mechanism is unlocked by rotating the control lever in a first direction, and the slide mechanism is unlocked by rotating the control lever in a second direction.

Foldable vehicle seats for providing more vehicle interior space and facilitating the loading and unloading of passengers are known in the art.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-210009 discloses a folding seat apparatus in which the seatback is tilted forward so as to springably reposition the seat cushion and to slidably reposition the seat.
In accordance with this seat apparatus, the reclining mechanism of the seatback is operated to unlock the seatback and tilt the seatback forward. The pop-up mechanism of the seat cushion and the slide mechanism of the seat are unlocked by tilting the seatback forward.
When the pop-up mechanism is unlocked, the seat cushion pops upward due to the spring force of a pop-up spring. The seatback and seat cushion are thereby folded into a mutually erect orientation.
The folded seat can be slidably moved toward the front of the vehicle because the slide mechanism is unlocked when the seat is tilted.
More vehicle interior space can be obtained and the loading and unloading of passengers can be facilitated by folding the seat in this manner.
However, the folding seat apparatus can potentially be made even easier to use because the reclining mechanism is manually unlocked.
It is possible to consider a method in which the seat is automatically folded as a way to make the apparatus easier to use.
In this case, when the seat is to be folded, the seatback is first tilted forward, the seat cushion pops up, and the seatback and seat cushion are folded into a mutually erect orientation.
Next, the folded seat is slidably moved in the forward direction of the vehicle.
In other words, the slide mechanism must be unlocked later than the reclining mechanism and the pop-up mechanism in order to automate the folding of the seat.
Thus, an actuator for unlocking the slide mechanism lock and an actuator for unlocking the pop-up mechanism lock must be separately provided in order to delay the unlocking of the slide lock.
For this reason, a plurality of actuators is required in order to automatically fold the seat, and this fact may become an obstacle to reducing costs and making the system more lightweight.
In view of the above, there is a need for a folding seat apparatus in which a seat can be automatically folded and the number of actuators reduced.


A method, apparatus and system of a self-test output for high density BIST are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes one or more memories, a BIST controller coupled to the one or more memories to perform write operation and to receive a PASS/FAIL signal from each embedded memory and one or more comparators coupled to the one or more memories latch mutually identical outputted data coming from the memories upon a rising edge of an ORDY signal. In addition, the comparators may compare the latched mutually identical outputted data and output associated PASS/FAIL signal to the BIST controller. The BIST controller registers the received PASS/FAIL result upon receiving the PASS/FAIL signal from the comparators. The integrated circuit may include output registers coupled to the BIST controller and the comparators output a data log substantially serially upon receiving a SHIFT/CLK signal from the BIST controller.

Most VLSI (very large scale integrated) circuits may have embedded memory arrays. Total size of these memories may range within certain limits (e.g., from 3 to 80 megabits) and/or may have defined range of instances (e.g., over 600 instances) of such memories of an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) device. Design effort and/or silicon overhead for a design for test (DFT) of VLSI circuits have become a significant part of semiconductor chip design. Unlike memory ICs, embedded memory ports may not have a privilege of direct access through integrated circuit (IC) pins. This may result in use of BIST (Built-In -Self Test) as a widely accepted on-chip memory test solution. There may b e many variants of BIST based on capability and/or features.
In all cases, outputs may be tested against expected outputs and may place a requirement for the BIST to produce and/or synchronize expected versus actual memory test outputs. For wide-word width memories, outputs may need to be sliced into smaller segments to fit within the BIST comparator's data bandwidth. In order to complete the test, repeated read cycles may be necessary to cover all the outputs. Multiplexers may be needed to select an appropriate output segment of the memory for a compare function.
Timing closure may be a big challenge for ICs with large members of embedded memory arrays, along with reduction of silicon area for BIST. Other problems in conventional use of BIST in complex VLSI circuits may include complex read architecture, backward data path to the controller for feeding the outputs for compare and/or large product design cycle times due to a need for extensive timing verification.


A composite laminate for an airframe lifting surface including: at least two sides and one ramp area defined by a decreasing staggered laminate extended along a ramp direction, wherein the composite laminate includes: first plies formed by tapes arranged parallel to the ramp direction, second plies formed by tapes arranged orthogonal to the ramp direction, third plies formed by tapes arranged in a first laying up direction, being the first laying up direction different from the ramp direction and the direction orthogonal to the ramp direction, and fourth plies formed by tapes arranged in a second laying up direction, being the second laying up direction different from the ramp direction, the direction orthogonal to the ramp direction and the first laying up direction; wherein in the ramp area, the tapes forming the third and/or fourth plies are extended from one laminate side to another laminate side.

As shown in FIG. 1, a composite airframe lifting surface (1) typically includes a composite laminate (2) skin stiffened by stringers (8). The composite airframe lifting surface (1) may be embodied as a torsion box, a horizontal tail plane, a vertical tail plane, a rudder, an elevator, an aileron, a spoiler, and a flap.
These composite airframe lifting surfaces are conventionally manufactured with standard pre-preg materials by means of 'Automated Fiber Placement' (AFP) or 'Automated Tape Laying' (ATL) technologies. Both ATL and AFP processes are functionally similar. They involve applying resin-impregnated fiber material (so called 'prepreg').
ATL and AFP may be used differently to achieve specific structure construction goals to provide strength or stiffness where needed. The use of one or the other mainly depends on the geometry complexity of the part to manufacture. AFP allows higher curvatures in parts than does ATL. In both methods, the lay-up processes require many labor hours, even though some steps of the process have been automated. To achieve a high production rate of products produced by ATL or AFP processes a big investment is needed in terms of machines and shop floor to compensate for the large lead time needed to perform the manually intensive lay-up processes.
High deposition pre-preg material formats are known in the aeronautical field to those formats and technology able to substantially reduce the lay-up time needed to obtain these composite structures. These high deposition pre-preg materials are pre-impregnated composite fibers materials where a thermoset polymer matrix material or a thermoplastic resin is already present. The technology design of these material formats allow a quick lay up of tapes (tows) of pre-preg material because they are provided in a wide format, e.g., tows wider than 1.5 inches (3.81 cm), which is wider than conventional standard pre-preg material formats. These wide format tows may also be thicker than conventional standard pre-preg material formats.
High deposition pre-preg technology are not considered suitable for the manufacture of the current composite airframe lifting surfaces due to the irregularities and loss of quality that appear in the composite laminate of the lifting surfaces once they are cured.
The irregularities include an undesired saw teeth effect on the ramp portions of the composite airframe lifting surfaces. The saw teeth effect occurs at the ends of the tapes forming each ply of the laminated ramp. The saw teeth effect results from the tapes not being at an angle to the ramp direction, e.g., not parallel or perpendicular to the ramp direction. The ends of the tapes leave form triangles forming a "saw teeth" pattern as shown in FIG. 2. The direction of the ramp is the direction of decrease of the lifting surface thickness along the ramp portion of the composite laminate.
The saw teeth effect in the ramp produces deviations on the obtained composite airframe lifting surfaces from with the theoretical lifting surfaces. When the airframe lifting surfaces are manufactured with current material formats, the saw teeth effect is minimal. The saw teeth effect worsens (in depth and size of the teeth) when the composite airframe lifting surface is manufactured with high deposition pre-preg formats due to the wide tapes and possibly thick tapes.
The saw teeth effect reduces the quality of the surface of the composite material resulting from high deposition pre-preg. The reduce quality of the surface may affect the interface between a lifting surface formed by a high deposition pre-preg format and other parts or components. FIG. 3 shows an example of the irregular surfaces resulting from the saw teeth effect, where section AA creates a peak, and section BB creates a valley.
The interfaces between components or parts may be co-cured, co-bonded or fastened. The irregular surface at the interface may derive in compaction issues (porosity and wrinkles) in a co-cured process; irregular adhesive thickness distribution in a co-bonded process (bonding issues); and irregular gaps to be shimmed in a fastened interface with huge lead time and labor increase.

Composite laminate for an airframe lifting surface and method for manufacturing thereof


There are provided an electronic component module capable of increasing a degree of integration by mounting electronic components on both surfaces of a substrate, and a manufacturing method thereof. The electronic component module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a plurality of electronic components mounted on both surfaces of the substrate; connection conductors each having one end bonded to one surface of the substrate using an conductive adhesive; and a molded portion having the connection conductor embedded therein and formed on one surface of the substrate, wherein the connection conductor may have at least one blocking member preventing a spread of the conductive adhesive.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic component module and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic component module having an increased degree of integration by mounting electronic components on both surfaces of a substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.
Market demand for portable terminals has recently increased in the field of electronic products. Accordingly, processes of miniaturization and lightening of electronic components mounted in electronic products have been required on an on-going basis.
In order to realize the miniaturization and lightening of electronic components, various types of technology, such as system on chip (SOC) technology for installing a plurality of individual elements on a single chip, system in package (SIP) technology for integrating a plurality of individual elements in a single package, and the like, as well as a technology for reducing respective sizes of the mounted components, are required.
Meanwhile, in order to manufacture an electronic component module having a small size and high performance, a structure in which electronic components are mounted on both surfaces of a substrate has also been developed.
However, in the case in which electronic components are mounted on both surfaces of a substrate, it may be difficult to form an external connection terminal on the substrate.
That is, since the electronic components are mounted on both surfaces of the substrate, a position in which the external connection terminal is to be formed is not clearly specified. Therefore, a double-sided mounting type electronic component module allowing for an external connection terminal to be easily formed and a manufacturing method allowing for the electronic component module to be easily manufactured has been demanded.

Electronic component module and manufacturing method thereof


A polyolefin microporous film comprising polyethylene and polypropylene having a viscosity average molecular weight of 100,000 or higher, the polypropylene being contained in an amount of 4 wt % or more and the terminal vinyl group concentration per 10,000 carbon atoms in the polyolefin constituting the microporous film being 2 or more as measured by infrared spectroscopy. The microporous film has both of a good film breaking resistance and a low thermal shrinkage, is excellent in fuse property, and has a uniform film thickness. Particularly, the microporous film can retain safety in the oven safety test at 150° C. for a battery which is required for use as a lithium ion battery separator.

Polyolefin microporous films are used as microfiltration membranes, separators for batteries, separators for condensers, materials for fuel cells, etc. Among these applications, the use of the microporous films as separators for batteries, particularly separators for lithium-ion batteries, requires that the polyolefin microporous films are excellent in ionic permeability, mechanical strength and the like.
In addition, separators for recent high capacity batteries have been required to have a "fuse effect", "film-rupture resistance" and "low heat shrinkability" to secure the safety of the batteries and to be less variable in film thickness to reduce the variation of battery characteristics.
The "fuse effect" refers to a mechanism in which, when the inside of a battery is overheated during overcharge or the like, the separator melts, forms a coat covering an electrode and interrupts the current to secure the safety of the battery. For a polyethylene microporous film, the fuse temperature, i.e., the temperature at which the fuse effect is exhibited, is known to be roughly in the neighborhood of 140° C. However, a lower fuse temperature is considered to be better to stop a thermal runaway reaction and the like in the battery as soon as possible.
The "film-rupture resistance" refers to the performance of the separator, in which film breakage is prevented even when the separator is heated to not less than the fuse temperature. In addition, the "low heat shrinkability" refers to the performance thereof, in which heat shrinkage occurs only slightly even when the separator is heated to not less than the fuse temperature. Both performances are considered to be necessary for maintaining the shape thereof even after melting to keep the insulation between the electrodes.
Separators for batteries are each required to have a performance satisfying the safety evaluation criteria for batteries as prescribed in "Standard for Lithium Batteries" of U.S. standard UL1642 to assure the battery safety at 150° C. The evaluation is carried out by keeping a separator in an oven at 150° C. for 10 minutes. To achieve the criteria, it is desired that the separator is made non-porous by fusing at 130° C. to 140° C. and is not broken with minimal heat shrinkage even when heated at 150° C. or higher, thereby maintaining the shape thereof.
The "a small variation in film thickness" is an important performance for stably obtaining the above battery performance. The variation in film thickness of the separator has sometimes made it impossible to stably achieve the above fuse effect, film-rupture resistance and low heat shrinkability. The change of the distance between the positive and negative electrode plates also leads to the variation of the performance of individual batteries; for example, the use of the film causing the changed distance in pack batteries in notebook computer applications has further increased the variation in some cases, resulting in a reduction in yield. The film formation itself has also sometimes been difficult, leading to a decrease in yield.
Known techniques in which the film-rupture resistance of polyolefin microporous films has been improved include, for example, those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.
Patent Document 1 discloses a polyolefin microporous film whose shape retention during melting is improved by blending polypropylene, which has a melting point higher than that of polyethylene. However, in the Example using the technique, a quality disadvantage has been found that particles are left in the resultant polyolefin microporous film because of the blending of a polyolefin composition containing a polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of more than 2,500,000 with a polypropylene having a weight average molecular weight of the order of 500,000.
Patent Document 2 discloses a polyolefin microporous film characterized in that it contains as essential components a polyethylene having a certain viscosity average molecular weight and 7 to 50 wt % of polypropylene and in that the correlation between the molecular weight and terminal methyl group concentration determined using GPC/FTIR satisfies a particular relationship. However, this invention is intended to improve the oxidation resistance of the separator; it is hard to say that the film thickness uniformity and the lower heat shrinkage of the separator have been sufficiently achieved.
In addition, techniques in which it has been tried to uniformize the thickness of a polyolefin microporous film while improving the film-rupture resistance include that described in patent document 3. This document discloses a polyolefin microporous film containing a polypropylene having a weight average molecular weight of 500,000 or more and a melting heat of 90 J/g or more as measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The microporous film is described to feature excellence in film thickness uniformity. In the invention, the use of the polypropylene having a melting heat of 90 J/g or more can be interpreted to make excellent the dispersibility of polypropylene, thereby enabling the improvement of the film thickness distribution. However, blending polyethylene and polypropylene broadens the film thickness distribution owing to reduced melt viscosity, which has not been improved yet. In addition, it is described in the Examples that the standard deviation of the film thickness distribution (film thickness variation) achieved in the present invention was 1.7 to 2.8; however, these values have been unsatisfactory for improvement of the film thickness distribution.
With respect to low heat shrinkability, a method such as that described in patent document 4 is known which involves subjecting the separator to heat setting and thereby reducing the heat shrinkage. However, although the heat setting of the separator can reduce heat shrinkage at up to around the melting point of polyethylene, it has had a problem that the separator thermally shrinks inside the battery when reaching the temperature of 150° C. required in the safety criteria, which results in the short circuit between the electrodes. Thus, there has been a need for development of a separator having lower heat shrinkability.
It is also hard to say that the separators obtained in the above patent documents 1 to 4 have fuse effects improved compared to before; the characteristics cannot be said to have reached a satisfactory level.
As a technique for improving the film-rupture resistance, the present inventor discloses, in patent document 5, a polyethylene microporous film comprising a high-density or linear copolymer polyethylene having a terminal vinyl group concentration of 2 or more/10,000 carbon atoms in the polyethylene as determined by infrared spectroscopy. The microporous film has good film-rupture resistance, which has, however, been less than sufficient yet. Neither indication nor disclosure of a method for thinning the microporous film and narrowing the film thickness distribution is also not given.
Thus, it has represented a challenge to develop a separator combining improved film-rupture resistance, a good fuse effect and low heat shrinkability and also having uniform film thickness.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3699561    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-2005-200578    [Patent Document 3] JP-A-2004-196870    [Patent Document 4] JP-A-09-012756    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent No. 3177744


A SQUID measurement apparatus for detecting weak magnetic field signals that change over time such as from a biomagnetic field source includes at least one measurement channel, a SQUID, and a superconductive flux transformer disposed in front of the SQUID that includes at least one detection loop for receiving the weak magnetic field signals. The apparatus also includes at least one connection conductor coupled to the detection loop and electromagnetically shielding for at least the at least one connection conductor of the flux transformer. The shielding includes at least one superconductive shielding element that extends in a direction substantially parallel to the at least one connection conductor and substantially equidistant from the at least one detection loop. The shielding element has a discontinuity at a separation point in a region of the detection loop.

The invention relates to a SQUID measurement apparatus for detecting weak magnetic field signals that change over time such as from a biomagnetic field source. The apparatus includes at least one measurement channel having a SQUID, a superconductive flux transformer arranged in front of the SQUID that has at least one detection loop for receiving the field signals and at least one connection conductor connected to this loop. Shielding means are assigned to the connection conductor of the flux transformer. Such a SQUID measurement device is disclosed in EP-B-0 185 186, for example.
Using superconductive quantum interferometers, which are also known as "SQUIDs" (which is an abbreviation of Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices), extremely weak magnetic fields can be measured (cf. "IEEE Trans. El. Dev.," Vol. ED-27, No. 10, Oct. 1980, pages 1896 to 1908, for example). For this reason, medical diagnostics is considered a preferred area of application for SQUIDs, since the biomagnetic signals that are produced, e.g. the magnetic fields generated by the human heart or the human brain (magnetocardiography or magnetoencephalography), provide field intensities that are only in the pT range.
An apparatus for detecting and processing such weak magnetic fields that are dependent on time and special location contains at least one measurement or detection channel. This channel has a so-called flux transformer with at least one antenna formed as a gradiometer or magnetometer and, if necessary, it also has a coupling coil. Furthermore, a SQUID circuit is arranged after the flux transformer, which generally includes a SQUID, a modulation coil integrated into the circuit, and an amplifier and evaluation electronics. Except for the amplifier and the evaluation electronics, the above-mentioned components are formed from a superconductive material and are housed in a corresponding cryosystem in order to provide a superconductive operating environment. The antenna is formed from at least one detection loop for detecting the field signals of the field source. The corresponding measurement signal reaches the SQUID circuit via at least one superconductive connection conductor connected with the detection loop. For measuring the flux coupled into this circuit, or for measuring flux gradients, both RF SQUIDs (high-frequency or radio-frequency SQUIDs) as well as DC SQUIDs (direct current SQUIDs) are used. A measurement device having a plurality of correspondingly structured measurement channels is disclosed, for example, in the publication "Cryogenics," Vol. 29, Aug. 1989, pages 809 to 813.
In the operation of open SQUID measurement devices, for making biomagnetic measurements, for example, in which the field sources are located outside the cryosystem there are significant problems which result from high-frequency electromagnetic interference that radiates into the field-sensitive parts of the measurement device. The high-frequency interference, which mainly reaches the SQUID via connectors of the flux transformer which are difficult to filter, blur the structure of the non-linear SQUID characteristic and thereby reduce the signal delivered by the SQUID. This results in increased noise in the measurement device, in an undesirable detection of frequency and amplitude of the most unstable interference generator, or in some cases even in complete failure of the corresponding measurement channel.
Since no effective high-frequency filters can be inserted in the lines of the flux transformer, and in addition, since most measurement structures cannot be designed to properly take high frequencies into account due to the low frequencies to be detected, passive shielding techniques have been mainly used until now. However, these shielding techniques were generally not carried out in the immediate vicinity of the flux transformer, particularly in the vicinity of the detection loop, since at this location, the use of normal conductive materials leads to an increase in noise in the measurement channel due to thermal fluctuations, while superconductive materials distort or completely displace the field signal to be detected. For this reason, the measurement device disclosed in EP-B-0 185 186, mentioned above, provides shielding only by means of a superconductive track along the connection conductor of the flux transformer.
Because of the above-mentioned problems, the entire measurement space may be housed, for example, in a shielding chamber (cf. the reference from "Cryogenics" as cited, or "Biomagnetism--Proceedings Third International Workshop on Biomagnetism, Berlin, May 1980," pages 51 to 78). In this case, however, complicated filters for electrical supply lines or optical data transmission parts are required. Also, another known method includes temporary shielding with aluminum foils on the outside walls of a SQUID measurement system. Such shielding is not very effective, however, and furthermore, increases the noise.
The problem with the prior art is that there is no measurement device having detection loops forming magnetometers or gradiometers that provide simplified shielding measures in comparison to known methods of shielding.

Squid measurement apparatus with a flux transformer having shielding with a discontinuity


A jukebox system to prioritize the playing of a selected recording is provided. A microprocessor-controlled jukebox allows a user to move a selected recording to next on a list to be played, by paying an additional fee.

Jukeboxes typically consist of a cabinet which contains a display of the available recordings, a mechanism for accepting valid currency, a mechanism for making selections from the available recordings, a mechanism for conveying selected recordings to a player capable of playing the recordings, some form of control unit, and the necessary audio (or audio and video) circuitry and output devices to publicly perform the selected recording.
Historically, prior to the advent of microprocessors, jukeboxes would play selections in the order that they occurred in the magazine holding the records. Each time a selection was made a flag would be tripped at that record indicating that it should be played. As the magazine was rotated, looking for a record to play, it would stop on the first flag it passed. Later, as microprocessors took over the task of controlling jukebox mechanisms, other methods of sorting the order of selections came into being, including playing them in the sequence they are made or playing them in random order.
Typically, jukeboxes provide the customer with no way of knowing how much time will pass between when a selection is made and when it is actually played. It is an object of the present invention to provide the customer with a means to ensure that his selection will be played next. The customer pays extra for this added service, which enhances the earnings of the jukebox without actually playing more selections, thus benefitting both the customer and the operator.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.


A method of forming a semiconductor device comprising a fuse is provided including providing a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure comprising an insulating layer and a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer, forming raised semiconductor regions on the semiconductor layer adjacent to a central portion of the semiconductor layer and performing a silicidation process of the central portion of the semiconductor layer and the raised semiconductor regions to form a silicided semiconductor layer and silicided raised semiconductor regions.

1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to SOI devices. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to e-fuses formed in SOI configurations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits formed on semiconductor wafers typically include a large number of circuit elements, which form an electric circuit. In addition to active devices such as, for example, field effect transistors and/or bipolar transistors, integrated circuits can include passive devices such as resistors, inductors and/or capacitors. In particular, during the fabrication of complex integrated circuits using CMOS technology, millions of transistors, i.e., N-channel transistors and P-channel transistors, are formed on a substrate including a crystalline semiconductor layer.
A field effect transistor, irrespective of whether an N-channel transistor or a P-channel transistor is considered, typically comprises so-called PN junctions that are formed by an interface of highly doped regions, referred to as drain and source regions, with a slightly doped or non-doped region, such as a channel region, disposed between the highly doped regions. In a field effect transistor, the conductivity of the channel region, i.e., the drive current capability of the conductive channel, is controlled by a gate electrode formed adjacent to the channel region and separated therefrom by a thin insulating layer. The conductivity of the channel region, upon formation of a conductive channel due to the application of an appropriate control voltage to the gate electrode, depends on, among other things, the dopant concentration, the mobility of the charge carriers and, for a given extension of the channel region in the transistor width direction, the distance between the source and drain regions, which is also referred to as channel length. Hence, in combination with the capability of rapidly creating a conductive channel below the insulating layer upon application of the control voltage to the gate electrode, the conductivity of the channel region substantially affects the performance of MOS transistors. Thus, as the speed of creating the channel, which depends on the conductivity of the gate electrode, and the channel resistivity substantially determine the transistor characteristics, the scaling of the channel length is a dominant design criterion for accomplishing an increase in the operating speed of the integrated circuits.
In order to improve the product yield, a technique has been developed of "trimming" or electrically excluding circuit blocks which are no longer operable. This technique, particularly used during manufacturing of memory arrays, relies on redundant circuit blocks which can be incorporated into the main integrated circuit and activated once a defective circuit portion has been detected. On the other hand, the defective circuit block may be trimmed or electrically removed by blowing a fuse or a group of fuses which can electrically disconnect the defective block from the main circuit when in the open configuration. Reprogramming of an integrated circuit is thus rendered possible in a dynamic manner, even after the chip has been manufactured.
Electronic fuses (e-fuses; the terms "fuse" and "e-fuse" are used as interchangeable terms herein) may be used in complex integrated circuits as important mechanisms to allow adapting the performance of certain circuit portions to comply with performance of other circuit portions, for instance after completing the manufacturing process and/or during use of the semiconductor device, for instance when certain critical circuit portions may no longer comply with corresponding performance criteria, thereby requiring an adaptation of certain circuit portions, such as re-adjusting an internal voltage supply, thereby re-adjusting overall circuit speed and the like.
Electronic fuses provided in the semiconductor devices represent electronic switches that may be activated once in order to provide a desired circuit adaptation. Hence, the electronic fuses may be considered as having a high impedance state, which typically represents a programmed state, and having a low impedance state, typically representing a. non-programmed state of the electronic fuse. Since these electronic fuses may have a significant influence on the overall behavior of the entire integrated circuit, a reliable detection of the non-programmed and the programmed state has to be guaranteed, which is accomplished on the basis of appropriately designed logic circuitry. Furthermore, since typically these electronic fuses may be actuated only once over the lifetime of the semiconductor device under consideration, a corresponding programming activity has to ensure that a desired programmed state of the electronic fuse is reliably generated in order to provide well-defined conditions for the further operational lifetime of the device.
The programming of an e-fuse typically involves the application of a voltage pulse, which in turn induces a current pulse of sufficient current density in order to cause a permanent modification of a specific portion of the fuse. Thus, the electronic behavior of the fuse and the corresponding conductors for supplying the current and voltage to the fuse have to be precisely defined to obtain a reliable programmed state of the fuse. For this purpose, polysilicon is conventionally used for the fuse bodies, for instance in combination with a metal silicide, in which electromigration effects, in combination with other effects, caused by the current pulse, such as a significant heat generation, may then result in a permanent line degradation, thereby generating a high-ohmic state of the fuse body.
However, in the course of aggressive downscaling, for example, in the context of sub 28 nm or even sub 22 nm, Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Circuits CMOS technologies, the conventional manufacture of e-fuses proves to be very complicated and bears the risk of severe failures. Moreover, conventionally formed e-fuses have a demand for relatively large areas and e-fuses realized in back end-of-line (Beol) stacks typically suffer from the need for relatively high currents for blowing the fuses. In addition, the conventional manufacturing process for e-fuses cannot readily be integrated in the process flows used for manufacturing Fully Depleted SOI devices including High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) transistor devices.
Therefore, the present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing an e-fuse that can readily be integrated in advanced VLSI CMOS manufacturing and an e-fuse with a simplified design and more reliable operation as compared to the art.


A card connector assembly (100) for insertion of an electronic card (5), includes an insulative housing (1) defining therein a slot (11) and a number of passageways (131) communicating with the slot, and a number of terminals (2) retained in the passageways. Each terminal includes a contact portion (21) exposed in the slot for contacting with the electronic card, and a deformable resilient beam (22) having a depressible portion (221) away from the contact portion. The depressible portions are outwardly depressed due to an insertion of the electronic card, and are inwardly relaxed due to an extraction of the electronic card.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector assembly, and particularly to a card connector assembly detachably receiving an electronic card.
2. Description of Related Art
A connector described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,804 was issued on Apr. 10, 2001. The connector for receiving a semiconductor comprises a housing defining an insertion slot for insertion of the semiconductor, a plurality of terminals assembled lengthwise along opposite sides of the insertion slot, and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism comprises a carriage component and a spring mounted below the carriage component for upholding the carriage component and supporting a movement of the carriage component. The terminal comprises a strip-like body portion, a contact portion formed on one end of the body portion for contacting with the semiconductor, and a tail portion formed at the other end of the body portion for soldering onto a circuit board. The contact portions of the terminals are forced to spread outwardly for permitting an insertion of the semiconductor.
A connector described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,487 was issued on Mar. 21, 2006. The connector adapted for receiving a circuit board comprises an insulative housing, a slider having an inclined face, two rows of terminals assembled to the slider, and a lever adapted for upwardly moving the slider. Each terminal comprises a contact portion for contacting with the circuit board and an end portion slidable on the inclined face of the slider. When the slider is inserted downwardly into the insulative housing, the end portions of the terminals move downwardly along the inclined face. When the circuit board is pushed downwardly between two rows of the terminals, the contact portions of the terminals come to contact with the printed circuit. The circuit board is therefore fully inserted in the connector. When the slider is actuated upwardly by the lever, the end portions of the terminals climb up the inclined face to space the contact portions away from the circuit board. The circuit board is thereby withdrawn from the connector.
The contact portions of the terminals are forced to spread outwardly for permitting the insertion or the withdrawal of the semiconductor/circuit board. When the semiconductor/circuit board is inserted repeatedly, the connector terminals' conductive plating would experience excessive wear, resulting in unreliable electrical engagement with the inserted semiconductor/circuit board. Further more, such a terminal is nondurable for mating cycles exceeding 250 cycles.
Hence, an improved card connector assembly is required to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the related art.

Card connector assembly having improved terminal


A fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor comprises a plurality of first full-length fuel rods arranged in an orthogonal lattice, wherein each fuel rod is included in two rows of fuel rods perpendicular to each other, and a number of second fuel rods arranged in parallel with the first fuel rods and having the length considerably smaller than the length of the first fuel rods. The second fuel rods are arranged in the lower part of the fuel assembly in the space which is formed between a number of first fuel rods located adjacent to each other, that is, in a position which does not belong to the orthogonal lattice.

In a boiling water reactor, the fuel is in the form of fuel rods, each comprising a stack of pellets of a nuclear fuel arranged in a cladding tube. A fuel bundle comprises a plurality of fuel rods arranged in parallel with each other in a definite symmetrical pattern, i.e., 2, so-called lattice. Usually, the fuel rods are arranged in an orthogonal lattice, that is, each fuel rod is included in two rows of fuel rods arranged perpendicular to each other. By a fuel rod position is meant a position in the lattice. The fuel rods are retained at the top by an upper retaining member, for example a top tie plate, and at the bottom by a bottom tie plate. To keep the fuel rods spaced apart from each other and to prevent them from bending or vibrating when the reactor is in operation, a number of spacers are distributed along the fuel bundle in the longitudinal direction of the fuel assembly. A fuel rod comprises one or more fuel bundles, each extending along the main part of the length of the fuel assembly and being surrounded by a substantially square fuel channel.
The core is immersed into water which serves both as a coolant and as a neutron moderator. During operation, the water flows upwardly in the fuel assembly, whereby part of the water is transformed into steam. As a moderator, steam is inferior to water because of the lower density of steam. During operation, therefore, the moderation of the upper part of the feul assembly is not as good as that in its lower part. If the fuel is distributed uniformly along the longitudinal direction of the fuel assembly, a lower moderator/fuel ratio is obtained in the upper part compared with that in the lower part. A fuel assembly with a non-uniform moderator/fuel ratio has an inferior reactivity during operation, which contributes to an inferior fuel economy compared with a fuel assembly which has a uniform moderator/fuel ratio. To obtain a more uniform moderator/fuel ratio when the reactor is hot, the amount of fuel should thus be smaller and the lattice space, that is, the free space between the fuel rods, should be larger in the upper part of the fuel assembly than in its lower part. For a certain fuel design, a more uniform moderator/fuel ratio may be achieved, for example, by selection of the diameter of the fuel rods, the distance between the fuel rods, and the number of fuel rods.
One way of increasing the moderator/fuel ratio in the upper part of the fuel assembly is to replace some of the fuel rods in the lattice with part-length fuel rods. Part-length fuel rods extend from the bottom tie plate towards the top tie plate but terminate somewhat below the top tie plate in contrast to top full-length fuel rods which extend from the bottom tie plate to the top tie plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,068 discloses a fuel assembly in which the majority of the fuel rods are full-length rods and a minor number of the fuel rods are part-length rods. All the fuel rods in the fuel assembly, that is, both the full-length and the part-length rods, are arranged in an orthogonal lattice in which each rod is included in two rows of fuel rods perpendicular to each other. The distance between two adjacent fuel rods is the same irrespective of whether the fuel rod is a full-length rod or a part-length rod.
One disadvantage of having part-length fuel rods in certain fuel rod positions is that the lattice in the upper part of the fuel assembly becomes uneven with large openings. Because of the low flow resistance of the openings, part of the water which would otherwise have flown between the fuel rods will instead flow in these openings. This results/sin inferior cooling of certain fuel rods and in increased risk of dryout and possible fuel damage.
Another disadvantage is that the total length of all the fuel rods is reduced compared with a fuel assembly with full-length fuel rods in all fuel rod positions. This results in an increase of the linear load (power/unit of length) of the fuel rods, which in turn increases the temperature of the fuel and also increases the risk of PCI damage (PCI=Pellet-Clad Interaction) to the fuel while at the sane time increasing the emission of fission gases.
An additional disadvantage are the peaks in the neutron flux which arise at the top of the part-length fuel rods. The neutron flux peaks arise because the top part of the part-length fuel rods includes parts which neither contain any uranium nor any water. These parts are made up of the fission gas space and the top plug. In these uranium-free and moderator-free parts, no neutron absorption takes place, thus providing a surplus of neutrons which are instead absorbed in the uppermost fuel pellets in the part-length fuel rod and hence cause a power peak.

Fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor


A method of treating metastatic cancer, comprising the steps of (a) treating a metastatic cancer patient with an isolated therapeutic Cystatin C peptide, and (b) observing a reduction in tumor burden is disclosed.

The cystatins belong to a large superfamily of proteins, many of which inhibit cysteine proteases of the C1 class (cathepsins). Virtually all organisms produce one or more members of the cystatin superfamily, often multiple types. Basically, there are three major cystatin families, the types I, II, and III cystatins and a number of cystatin-related protein families (1). While new physiological processes are being tied to the cystatins, it is their links to several human pathologies which command the most attention. The use of Cystatin C as a marker of kidney function in various disease states is very well studied (2). Cystatin has also been linked to both cancer and Alzheimer's disease (3,4). While the cystatin link to Alzheimer's is still being worked out, a number of important studies have proposed cystatins as potent inhibitors of various cancers.
Metastasis or the spread and growth of cancer is the primary reason for cancer treatment failure and loss of life from cancer. Metastasis is very difficult to treat because metastatic cancers are usually resistant to cancer therapies and metastatic cancers spread systemically and relentlessly in the cancer patient, outstripping any treatment strategy. Currently, there are no purely anti-metastatic agents in clinical use. We first found that Cystatin C, a natural cysteine protease inhibitor, exhibits anti-metastatic effects on melanoma, one of the most metastatic of all cancers (5). We found that Cystatin C genetic overexpression inhibits melanoma cell migration and invasion (6). Another study by our laboratory showed Cystatin C overexpression inhibits metastasis by inducing higher levels of melanoma cell death in lungs of animals after melanoma cell injection (7). Work by other groups showed that Cystatin C is also anti-metastatic for a number of other cancers (glioblastoma, breast, prostate, and colorectal (cystatin D) when overexpressed (8,9,10,11). We believe that critical anti-metastatic effects derived from cystatin must be able to account for increased apoptosis of metastatic cancer cells and/or cancer cell migration inhibition. Of course intact cystatin, as a cysteine protease inhibitor, may also function as an inhibitor of cathepsin-type proteases and hence may partially inhibit invasion for some cancers. We do not believe, however, the protease inhibitory activity of cystatin is critical to cystatin's anti-metastatic action because of the partial inhibition of cancer cell metastasis shown by synthetic cysteine protease inhibitors (12).
Needed in the art an the improved method of treating metastatic cancer with Cystatin C.


Provided is a battery module in which a heat radiation effect and manufacturing efficiency are effectively improved. The battery module includes a cell assembly including at least one unit body, each unit body including at least two secondary batteries stacked in a first direction. Each unit body includes an integrated unit sheet folded to surround a top portion, a left surface, a right surface, and a bottom portion of the at least two secondary batteries, opposite ends of a top portion of the integrated unit sheet being positioned to contact each other on any one of the top portion, the left surface, the right surface, and the bottom portion of the at least two secondary batteries, and an electric insulating material coated on at least a part of a perimeter portion of the integrated unit sheet.

Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, etc. and the lithium secondary batteries thereamong are receiving attention according advantages of free charging/discharging, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density since a memory effect is barely generated compared to nickel-based secondary batteries.
Such secondary batteries are applicable to various product groups and have electric characteristics of high energy density. Such secondary batteries are applied not only to portable electronic devices, but also to electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles driven by electric power sources, power storage apparatuses, etc.
Such secondary batteries are receiving attention as a new energy source for enhancing environmental friendliness and energy efficiency in that the secondary batteries have primary advantage of drastically reducing the use of fossil fuel in addition to no by-product generated due to the use of energy.
A battery pack applied to an electric vehicle or the like has a structure in which a plurality of battery modules including a plurality of secondary batteries are connected to each other to obtain high output. Also, each secondary battery includes, as an electrode assembly, positive electrode and negative electrode current collectors, a separator, an active material, an electrolyte solution, etc. and thus is capable of being repeatedly charged and discharged according to an electrochemical reaction between components.
Meanwhile, as needs for a large-capacity structure in addition to utilization as an energy storage source have recently increased, demands for a plurality of battery modules in which a plurality of secondary batteries are connected in series and/or in parallel are increasing.
Since such a battery module is manufactured in such a manner that the plurality of secondary batteries are packed in a small space, it is important to easily discharge heat generated from each secondary battery to the outside.
In other words, in a process of charging or discharging the secondary battery, heat is generated by the electrochemical reaction. Accordingly, when heat of the battery module generated during charging and discharging processes is not effectively removed, heat accumulation may occur. Also, deterioration of the battery module is accelerated, and in some cases, ignition or an explosion may occur.
Also, when the plurality of secondary batteries are mounted inside one battery module, the density of the secondary batteries is rather very high due to spatial restriction. Also, since a heating value of the secondary battery is proportional to a square of a current, a temperature of the secondary battery is likely to rapidly increase during high-rate discharge. In particular, a heat island, in which heat is concentrated at an inner region (center region) of an arrangement structure of the secondary batteries mounted inside the battery module, easily occurs.
When such a heat island is continued for a long period of time, an output voltage of the secondary batteries electrically connected in a parallel structure is not uniform resulting in cell imbalance, and thus it is difficult for the battery module to exhibit its own performance. In this regard, a technique capable of improving heat balance is required to increase the performance and life characteristics of the battery module.
In addition, in the related art, a lot of time is consumed to stack or arrange the plurality of secondary batteries during processes of manufacturing the battery module. Also, since a pouch type secondary battery has a smooth outer surface, manufacture workability is low, for example, an operator may drop the secondary battery while stacking or arranging the plurality of secondary batteries or the arrangement of the stacked secondary batteries may be easily disrupted, and thus the manufacture efficiency may be decreased.


An apparatus and method for a cleaning process control is disclosed. The apparatus includes two parallel plates of glass that have a plurality of shims positioned therebetween and a means for clamping these plates of glass firmly against the shims. A contaminant is positioned between the plates of glass and the apparatus is cleaned using a selected cleaning process. The apparatus can then be inspected to determine the effectiveness of a particular cleaning process by peering through the transparent glass plates to inspect for any remaining contaminant. The apparatus can then be cleaned more extensively and used again to check a different cleaning process.

The present invention relates to cleaning processes that are used to remove residue from soldering components to printed wiring boards. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for evaluating the effectiveness of a selected cleaning process for cleaning printed circuit boards after the soldering process is complete. The manufacture of circuit card assemblies includes the step of adding separately manufactured component parts to the printed circuit board or printed wiring board (PWB). These component parts such as leadless ceramic chip carriers are often attached to the printed circuit board with an adhesive and then soldered to the printed circuit board. The component parts together with the printed circuit board form a circuit card assembly that is usually cleaned after the soldering process to remove excess solder and solder flux used to treat both the components and the printed wiring board for soldering. Failure to properly clean the printed circuit card assembly can result in solder shorts between the component leads and corrosion, both of which can cause long-term reliability problems.
Corrosion may occur if the circuit card assembly is not thoroughly cleaned. The flux used in the soldering process normally contain organic acids and activators containing halides. If the cleaning process is not adequate, traces of the chlorine, fluorine or bromine will be left along with the cleaning fluid. The introduction of moisture to an improperly-cleaned circuit card assembly can result in corrosion. Moisture may be introduced to the circuit card assembly in a variety of ways including humidity of the surrounding environment or condensation resulting from extreme temperature change.
Manufacturers of military electronics are often required to use specified fluxes during soldering operations such as rosin-based R or RMA fluxes. The removal of rosin-based R or RMA fluxes requires that the cleaning system make use of a solvent based on CFC-113 and methyl-chloroform. However, for environmental reasons manufacturers of military electronics have been either encouraged or required to make use of alternate solvents that do not contain chlorofluoro-hydrocarbons (CFC). Therefore, experimentation with cleaning solvents that do not contain CFC's is necessary so that alternate cleaning solutions may be identified and evaluated.
In addition to environmental concerns, experimentation with cleaning processes and cleaning solvents are often conducted to maximize the reliability of the completed circuit card assembly. Experimentation with the cleaning process is particularly important if changes are made to the circuit card assembly. These changes may involve the incorporation of newer technologies such as new electrical components that tend to have larger packages having larger numbers of leads and also fine pitch leads. Other changes to the circuit card assembly that may require adjustments to the cleaning process include new adhesives for attaching components and new solder fluxes for component cleaning. Therefore, to maximize the reliability of the completed circuit card assembly, experimentation is necessary with various cleaning processes and cleaning solutions so that excess solder or solder balls are eliminated, and corrosion is eliminated or minimized.
A known method for cleaning process control is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,371 to Pai and assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. Pai discloses the attachment of electrical components to a glass printed wiring board using a conventional soldering process. After attaching the components to the printed wire circuit board, the printed wire circuit board is cleaned using a selected process. Once the assembly and cleaning are completed, the effectiveness of the cleaning process is determined by visual inspection by peering through the glass printed wire board. The component is then desoldered from the glass printed wiring board and the adhesive is removed with a solvent. The components may be reused approximately ten times.
There is an ever present need for improved methods and apparatus by which the cleaning processes of the circuit card assembly can be tested in a cost-effective manner to determine the effectiveness of the cleaning process and to evaluate various cleaning solutions.

Method and apparatus to evaluate effectiveness of cleaning systems for high density electronics


A spacer or retainer secures two circuit boards in a back-to-back configuration. The spacer has opposite first and second sides, each having a peripheral rim against which the circuit boards fit. Each side is recessed to a depth enabling any component terminals or connections from rear surfaces of the circuit boards to be received in the recesses. Pins on ends of the spacer are received in apertures in the circuit boards to guide the circuit boards into position on the spacer. Two clips are positioned next to each other on one wall forming the peripheral rim. Each clip extends beyond an opposite side, and the clips have resilient tabs biased to press the circuit boards against the rims. The circuit boards are connected by electrical wire extending around an opposite wall of the peripheral rim. The spacer and circuit boards form a subassembly, such as for a vehicle instrument cluster.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combined spacer and retainer for properly spacing and retaining two circuit boards in a subassembly without the need for using screws or other time-consuming fastening methods.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Typical electronic assemblies requiring multiple circuit boards often secure the circuit boards together by using screws or bolts. This increases the time necessary to complete the final assembly and requires multiple parts, including fasteners and separate spacers. Product cost increases with the number of parts, and the chance of losing or misplacing necessary parts creates additional production problems and expense. Assembly line inefficiencies can occur if the circuit boards are not quickly and properly positioned relative to each other. Though interlocking elements for securing multiple circuit boards together do exist in the art, they are generally not compact and often not reliable. In vehicle instrument cluster assemblies, for example, there is very little room within instrument panels for the requisite electrical components that are mounted on the printed circuit boards. The circuit boards must be correctly separated and spaced to prevent the electrical components, such as connector modules, light emitting diodes and display devices, from interfering with each other. However, the circuit boards must electrically link together in a subassembly that can fit into a constrained area.


A method of coloring optical fibers during the optical fiber drawing that includes the steps of feeding a natural fiber coating material and a colorant to a mixer; mixing the natural fiber coating material and the colorant in the mixer to obtain a colored coating material; and supplying the colored coating material to a coating die. The feeding step includes exerting on the natural fiber coating a first gas pressure variable with at least one fiber drawing parameter; and exerting on the colorant a second gas pressure variable with at least one fiber drawing parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the manufacturing of optical fibers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a system for coloring optical fibers.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical fiber generally comprises a core surrounded by a cladding (hereinafter both collectively referred to as "optical waveguide"), said core and cladding being preferably made of glass, and at least one exterior coating.
In some instance the exterior coating is one (single coating), in others the exterior coatings are two (double coating). In the latter case, the exterior coating directly contacting the optical waveguide is called "first coating" or "primary coating" and the exterior coating overlying the first one is called "second coating" or "secondary coating". Typically, said first and second coatings are made of polymer material.
In telecommunications applications, many optical fibers are often bundled together, for example in multiple individual optical fiber strands that are packaged to form a ribbon or a cable. It is important, for the operators dealing with the installation and maintenance, to be able to distinguish the individual optical fibers in the ribbon or cable.
To aid identification and distinction of the optical fibers when many of them are packaged together, color coding of the optical fibers is adopted.
The coloring of the optical fibers is made during the fiber manufacturing, after one or more coating layers are applied to the drawn fiber. For example, one of the fiber coatings, e.g. the secondary coating can be colored.
A pre-colored coating material is applied onto the optical fiber, such pre-colored material being prepared by mixing a non-colored coating material with a colorant, typically a polymeric composition comprising a pigment before the application onto the fiber.
For example, in EP 1640347 an apparatus and method for color-coating an optical fiber are described, wherein mixing of the color concentrate with secondary coating is performed directly in the coating die. One or more color reservoirs are provided. The reservoirs are connected via relevant feed lines, to the coating die, which also receives, from a coating feed line, the secondary coating; a flow controller, like a positive-displacement pump, a reciprocating pump, a metering pump, a mass-flow controller, controls the flow of the delivered color concentrate. The speed of the flow controller is controlled or adjusted to be proportionate to the draw speed.
EP 354 289 discloses a method and an apparatus for the on-line, "on-the-draw" application onto an optical fiber of a two-package coating system. A first and a second liquid components, e.g. two liquid resins, a resin and a curing catalyst therefor, a resin and a modifier therefor such as a dye, are continuously mixed under controlled conditions and thereafter directly supplied to a liquid coater as a homogeneous liquid blend. The two liquid components are drawn from respective reservoirs through respective supply lines and precision positive displacement metering pumps, and are fed to a static mixer, which mixes the two liquid components to form a mixture continuously supplied to a coater. The rate of mixing and supply of the reactive liquid mixture to the coater is controlled by feedback from a pressure transducer attached to the coater. As the mixture is depleted by application to the fiber, the pressure drop in coater is sensed by the transducer and a feedback signal is transmitted to a programmable electronic flow controller.
WO 01/60757 describes a method for producing optical fibers. A coating composition is introduced into a liquid conduit via an inlet line. The colorant, either alone or in a suitable carrier, is introduced into the liquid conduit via a line. After introduction, the rate of flow of the coating composition through the liquid conduit and into a mixing zone is metered by a control system comprising a flow meter, a flow indicator controller and a valve controllable by the flow indicator controller. A second control system is provided to meter the colorant into the mixing zone. The colorant control system includes a colorant flow meter, a colorant flow indicator controller and a valve controllable by the colorant flow indicator controller. Based upon the flow rate of the coating composition provided by the flow meter, the ratio controller sends a signal to the appropriate colorant flow indicator controllers to affect the addition of specific colors, at certain flow rates. The colorants can be added to the coating composition at any point upstream of the mixing zone outlet. The mixing zone can be any environment capable of mixing the stock coating composition and colorants (static mixer being preferred). The mixing tank is provided with an inlet for admitting coating composition and an inlet for admitting colorant. The inlet(s) may be located at any position(s) upstream of the mixing zone. After the colorants are added and thoroughly mixed in the tank, a finished coating composition is provided. The finished coating composition exits the mixing tank, and is pumped through the liquid conduit to the device that applies the coating composition onto the optical fibers, commonly referred to as a draw tower. Between the tank and the draw tower, several components are optionally provided.

Method and apparatus for optical fiber coloring


An adjustable table extension includes a clamp member of sheet metal formed to compressedly engage a table top The clamp member includes a plurality of outwardly directed barbs or projections. A hanger member includes a vertical wall with slots for engaging the barbs, and a horizontal table surface A plurality of slots are formed to provide vertical adjustment of the hanger member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to extensions for existing tables, and in particular removable table extensions which are adjustable in height.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various arrangements have been proposed for extending a table top surface in a way which would accommodate people needing special considerations, such as physically handicapped persons who are confined to wheelchairs. Even if clearance is provided underneath a conventional table for the legs of a wheelchair patient, most wheelchairs have fixed arms which will not pass underneath a table, and accordingly, prevent a person in the wheelchair from assuming a conventional position at a dining table, with the mid-portion of the person's body positioned immediately adjacent an edge of the table. Despite the proposals for table attachments over the years, there is still a need to provide a table extension for persons confined to wheelchairs and others who cannot be positioned immediately adjacent a table edge, which is easily mated to a wide variety of existing table structures without requiring modification to the table, and which is adjustable to accommodate persons seated at different heights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,136 provides a pair of opposed desks for persons confined to wheelchairs. The desks are mounted to brackets resembling shelf standards, being suspended from a vertical panel carried on a wheeled cart. The desks are free-standing, and includes a pair of opposed desk surfaces to accommodate persons confined to wheelchairs, facing each other
U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,470 discloses an attachment to card tables, having a tongue portion inserted between the table top and underlying frame portion of a card table The attachments are located at corners of the card table, and are of a size to accommodate a drinking glass, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,332 discloses a serving tray for automobiles having a hook portion received in a door of an automobile, and a pair of adjustable legs which engage the interior panel of the automobile door, to adjust the table at a horizontal position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,301,406 and 4,311,101 disclose attachments for mating with a table leg. U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,406 discloses a spring wire having an upper portion for engaging a table top surface, and a pair of underlying finger portions which straddle the table leg and engage the underneath surface of the table top to hold the spring wire in position. A flat table member is coupled to the spring wire to receive cantilever support at a table corner. U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,101 is hooked onto a table leg at a table corner.
A number of patents have been directed to a screw-type clamping to a table. A certain amount of careful attention must be paid in aligning and testing the clamping to make sure the clamps are securely fastened to a table. Included are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,108,692; 2,558,323; 2,709,563; and 3,289,615.
It is known provide shelf arrangements where slotted hangers receive members having barbed projections to be received in the hanger slots. Included are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,631,821 and 3,965,826.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,280 discloses a special shelf extender to be received in a slotted edge of a shelf used to display merchandise in a store. The shelf extender is made of molded plastic, and includes a pair of opposed walls, with edges for engaging the shelf channel.
As has been mentioned above, the need still exists for a table extension which is easily installed without modification to a table, by untrained personnel, such as personnel employed in the foodservice and patient care industries.


A semiconductor memory device has bit lines, capacitors, bit contacts and capacitor contacts, wherein the bit lines are provided over a semiconductor substrate, the bit lines are connected to the semiconductor substrate through the bit contacts, the capacitors are connected to the semiconductor substrate through the capacitor contacts, and wherein in two adjacent bit lines, pitch d2 (first pitch) representing a pitch of portions provided with the capacitor contacts is larger than pitch d3 (second pitch) representing a pitch of portions provided with the bit contacts, and distance d4 between two such bit lines in the portions provided with the bit contacts is larger than width d5 of the bit lines in the portions provided with the bit contacts.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device.
2. Related Art
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a conventional DRAM. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. A DRAM 100 has bit lines 101, word lines 102, bit contacts 103, capacitor contacts 104 and capacitors 106. Each bit contact 103 connects the bit line 101 and a semiconductor substrate 105.
Each capacitor contact 104 connects the capacitor 106 and the semiconductor substrate 105. In the DRAM 100, two every adjacent bit lines 101 are aligned in parallel while keeping a constant pitch d1 (center-to-center distance).
A preceding technical literature relevant to the present invention may be exemplified by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H6-5811.
The present inventors have recognized as follows. In the DRAM 100, the pitch d1 is set as large enough as ensuring a necessary level of margin for alignment between the bit lines 101 and the capacitor contacts 104. More specifically, the pitch d1 is set large enough so as to avoid undesirable contact between the bit lines 101 and capacitor contacts 104, taking process error in the manufacturing into consideration. As a consequence, portions provided with the bit contacts 103 have an unnecessarily large space between the bit lines 101. This may result in lowering in density of arrangement of the bit lines 101, and increase in the chip size.


A device for transporting air with the aid of so-called electrical ion-wind, said device including at least one corona electrode (10), e.g. thread shaped, that extends transverse to the air flow path, and at least one target electrode (16) and one duct electrode (12) provided downstream of the corona electrode, said target electrode (16) and said duct electrode (12) being connected to respective terminals of a d.c. voltage source (11) having such a voltage that a corona discharge generating air ions occurs at the corona electrode. The duct electrode (12) is designed of both a current carrying frame and an electrically insulating casing therearound and hence the around the corona electrode (10) generated ions will not be able to reach the current carrying frame of the duct electrode (12).

The present invention relates to a device for transporting air with the aid of so-called ion-wind or corona-wind.
Such a device according to previously known technique includes in principle an air flow duct and a corona electrode and a target electrode arranged axially spaced from each other in the air flow duct, said target electrode located downstream of the corona electrode, seen in the desired air flow direction.
The corona electrode and the target electrode are connected to a respective terminal of a direct-current voltage source, the design of the corona electrode and the potential difference and distance between the corona electrode and the target electrode being such that a corona discharge occurs at the corona electrode. This corona discharge results in air ions having the same polarity as the corona electrode and possibly also charged so-called aerosols, i.e. solid particles or liquid drops present in the air, said particles or drops being charged upon collision with the charged air ions. The air ions move rapidly, under influence of the electrical field, from the corona electrode to the target electrode, where they relinquish their electric charge and again become re-charged air molecules. During this movement the air ions permanently collide with the non-charged air molecules and thus the electrostatic forces are transferred to these latter air molecules, which are thus drawn in a direction from the corona electrode towards the target electrode, thereby causing an air transport in the shape of a so-called ion-wind or corona-wind through the air flow duct.
Preferred designs of air transporting devices of the type mentioned above are described e.g. in the international patent application PCT/SE85/00236. In air transporting devices of this type the corona electrode can be designed e.g. as a wire-shaped electrode element, said wire-shaped electrode element extending across the air flow duct that has a rectangular or square cross-section, the wire-shaped corona electrode elements being provided transverse to the longitudinal axis of the duct.
Problems related to other types of corona electrode elements and the adherent design of the air flow duct, are of the same character as the problems that are solved by the present invention. Thus the below description of these problems are focused to embodiments having an elongated corona electrode as ion source, said design being the most frequent in practical tests.
As can be learnt from the international patent application mentioned above the efficiency of the air transport is directly dependant on the product of the ion current, i.e. the strength of the corona current and the distance between the corona electrode and the target electrode. Further the ion current should be as evenly distributed as possible across the whole cross-sectional area of the air flow duct. However, it has turned out that the walls of the air flow duct, said walls normally having an insulated inner side and a conducting earthed outer side, exert a disturbing action upon the corona discharge, and thus upon the corona current and the so-called ion-wind.
This screening and disturbing influence causes in practice that ion-wind devices are designed having relatively wide air flow ducts. The consequence of this is that the air flow velocity through the duct is very uneven and unfavourable in that the velocity is high in the center plane of the duct downstream of the corona electrode and a dramatically decreased air flow velocity as the distance to the centre plane increases.
As regards air cleaners designed according to the ion-wind technique this means that inter alia the separating part, i.e. the so-called precipitator, must be given dimensions based on very unfavorable air flow conditions. To use some kind of mechanical restriction of the air flow to achieve an even air flow through the precipitator of previously known devices is out of question from a practical point of view, since there is not sufficient generation of pressure in the device to compensate the drop in pressure that such a mechanical restriction would initiate.
Certain attempts have been made to reduce or eliminate the screening effect of the air flow duct, said attempts being described in the international patent application mentioned above. According to this application so-called exitation electrodes are provided on the inner side of the current carrying surfaces of the air flow duct, the purpose of said exitation electrodes is to improve the conditions for generating the so-called ion-wind in the air flow duct by connecting the exitation electrodes to a suitable voltage.
This method has a limited effect and rather than solving the problems described above said method creates electrically defined conditions in the duct including well defined electrode elements that in their turn have a screening effect in a more defined way than the dielectric surfaces of the duct. Especially in narrow flow ducts this method of solving the problems is not suitable.
The aim of the present invention is among other things to provide an air transporting device using so-called ion-wind or corona-wind, said device being free from the problem discussed above, the aim also being to essentially improve the efficiency of the ion-wind device both as regards the air transport and air cleaning as well as regards the simplicity and safety of operation compared to prior art. There are further aims of the present invention that will be described below.

Device for transport of air and/or cleaning of air using a so called ion wind


Separators are formed to have a rectangular outline. A coolant passage is formed in a portion of each separator, which is located around a fuel gas passage or an oxidant gas passage formed in a surface of each separator, and which is substantially parallel to a long side of each separator, so that a coolant flows in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of each separator.

This invention relates to a stack for polymer electrolyte fuel cells that use, as an electrolyte, a solid polymer having ion conductivity, and more particularly to a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack improved to have a large electrode area.
Attention is now being paid to fuel cells that serve as highly efficient energy converting devices. These fuel cells are roughly divided into a low-temperature operable fuel cell such as an alkali fuel cell, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a phosphoric acid fuel cell, etc., and a high-temperature operable fuel cell such as a molten carbonate fuel cell, a solid oxide fuel cell, etc.
Among the above-mentioned fuel cells, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cPEFCxe2x80x9d), which uses a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having proton conductivity, is expected to be used as a power supply for space or vehicle equipment, since it has a compact structure, provides a high output density and is operable by a simple system.
As the polymer electrolyte membrane (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cpolymer membranexe2x80x9d), a perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid membrane (e.g. Nafion: name of commodity, produced by Dupont Company), for example, is used. This polymer membrane is held between a pair of porous electrodes (an anode and a cathode) having a catalyst such as platinum, thereby constituting a membrane/electrode assembly. The polymer membrane and the porous electrodes are in the shape of a sheet, and have a thickness of about 1 mm or less so as to reduce the internal resistance thereof.
Further, the polymer membrane and electrode sheets are usually rectangular. The area of each electrode is determined on the basis of a current required for power generation and a current value per unit area, i.e. the current density. Most of the electrodes are set to have an area of about 100 cm2 or more, i.e. to have one side of 10 cm or more. The polymer membrane also has a function of preventing mixture of gasses supplied to the anode and the cathode, and hence is set to have a larger area than the electrodes.
To extract a current from the membrane/electrode assembly, current collectors are provided outside the anode and the cathode. The current collectors have a large number of grooves extending parallel to the surfaces of the anode and the cathode. These grooves serve as gas passages for supplying the anode and the cathode with a fuel gas and an oxidant gas required for reaction in the cell, respectively. Moreover, since voltage generated by a single membrane/electrode assembly is as small as 1V or less, a PEFC stack structure is formed by stacking a plurality of membrane/electrode assemblies and connecting them in series. This structure needs a cathode current collector and a cathode current collector, and therefore a separator is used, which includes collectors respectively provided at the anode side and the cathode side of the adjacent membrane/electrode assemblies, and formed integral as one body.
Each membrane/electrode assembly generates heat during reaction in the cell. It is a usually used cooling method to insert a cooling plate between a plurality of membrane/electrode assemblies and circulate cooling water in the cooling plate. This method, however, requires a separator for supplying the cooling water, in addition to a separator for supplying gases. This results in an increase in the thickness in the direction of stacking.
Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 10-21949 discloses, as a method for solving the problem, a method for forming cooling water passages around the gas passages to dispense with the cooling plate inserted between the membrane/electrode assemblies. More specifically, in the technique disclosed in this publication, passages 202 for circulating cooling water are formed in upper, lower, left and right four portions of a separator 200 which has grooves 21 formed as gas passages at a central portion thereof, as is shown in FIG. 1, and cooling water is circulated in the passages 202 to eliminate reaction heat.
However, the above cooling method has the following problems:
A first problem is that the reaction area cannot be enlarged. In the above-mentioned cooling method, heat generated from the membrane/electrode assemblies that hold the separator 200 is transferred to the separator 200 conducted in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the separator, and is removed by cooling water flowing through the passages 202. In other words, the temperature of a central reaction portion of the separator becomes higher than its peripheral portion.
Accordingly, if the reaction area is increased, the distance between the center of the reaction portion and each cooling passage increases, and a temperature difference, as above, also increases. On the other hand, increasing the thickness of the separator to thereby increase the cross section, i.e. the heat transfer area, can be contrived in order to reduce the temperature difference. This method, however, inevitably increases the thickness of the cell and hence the entire cell size.
A second problem is that a three-dimensional temperature distribution occurs in the separator plane. Specifically, in the above-described cooling method, the temperature is so distributed in the separator plane that it is higher at a central portion than at peripheral four sides. Therefore, even if the gas passages are formed flat, moisture created as a result of reaction condenses at a peripheral portion of the separator, and hence cannot be efficiently collected.
A third problem is that supply manifold and exhaust manifold for the fuel gas and the oxidant gas cannot be enlarged. Where cooling water passages are arranged around gas passages as shown in FIG. 21, the supply manifold and the exhaust manifold for the fuel gas and the oxidant gas must be arranged at the four corners, thereby reducing the cross sections of the supply manifold and the exhaust manifold than those of the cooling water passages.
This means that when the reaction area is enlarged and a great amount of fuel gas or oxidant gas is required, the fuel gas or the oxidant gas cannot uniformly be distributed to each cell of a fuel cell stack, since the cross section of the supply port, i.e. the cross section of a gas distributing manifold, inevitably reduces.
It is the object of the invention to provide a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack, which is compact but has a large reaction area, and can smoothly supply gas.
To attain the object, there is provided a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack including a plurality of cells stacked on each other, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane held between the anode and the cathode, the cells being stacked on each other via separators that each have at least one of a fuel gas passage for supplying the anode with a fuel gas, and an oxidant gas passage for supplying the cathode with an oxidant gas, characterized in that: each of the separators has a rectangular outline; and a coolant passage is formed in a portion of each separator, which is located around the fuel gas passage and the oxidant gas passage and is substantially parallel to a long side of each separator, such that a coolant flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of each separator.
Since in the invention constructed as above, each separator has a rectangular outline and has a coolant passage in a portion thereof substantially parallel to its long side, the distance between a central portion and the upper or the lower end of each electrode can be reduced. Accordingly, the temperature difference between the central portion and the upper or lower end of each electrode can be minimized. Further, heat generated during reaction is transferred vertically, and hence the temperature is almost constant horizontally. This means that even when the reaction area is enlarged, the temperature difference in each separator can be minimized. Furthermore, since it is not required to insert a cooling member in a direction in which cells are stacked, the thickness in the cell-stacked direction can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack including a plurality of cells stacked on each other, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane held between the anode and the cathode, the cells being stacked on each other via separators that each have at least one of a fuel gas passage for supplying the anode with a fuel gas, and an oxidant gas passage for supplying the cathode with an oxidant gas, characterized in that: each of the separator has a rectangular outline; and a plurality of coolant passages are formed in portions of each separator, which are located substantially parallel to opposite long sides of the separator, such that a coolant flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the separator.
Since in the invention constructed as above, a plurality of coolant passages are provided in portions of each separator substantially parallel to the opposite long sides of each separator, a more excellent cooling effect than that of the invention of claim 1 can be obtained.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack including a plurality of cells stacked on each other, each cell having an anode, a cathode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane held between the anode and the cathode, the cells being stacked on each other via a separator that has at least one of a fuel gas passage for supplying the anode with a fuel gas, and an oxidant gas passage for supplying the cathode with an oxidant gas, characterized in that: each of the separators has a rectangular outline; and a surface of each separator, which contacts the electrodes, has a plurality of cooling areas, a coolant passage being formed in a central portion of each of the cooling areas such that a coolant flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of each separator.
Since in the invention constructed as above, a coolant passage is formed in a central portion of each cooling area, reaction heat generated in each cooling area is removed by the coolant flowing through each cooling passage. In this case, the inner wall of each coolant passage serves as a heat transfer area. Since each coolant passage is situated at the center of each cooling area, its entire inner wall can be used as the heat transfer area. Accordingly, efficient cooling can be executed.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.


An automatic beam current limiting apparatus for limiting beam currents of R, G, and B colors separately without affecting the the CRT drive. In particular, the Average Picture Level (APL) of each of the R, G, and B color video signals at the preceding stage of a video power amplifier is detected and compared with a reference voltage. When the APL of the video signal is higher than the reference voltage, the amplitude of the video signal is controlled to limit the beam current driving the CRT. In addition, the G1 voltage, and G2 voltage may be compared with a reference voltage and a result calculated by the APL calculating circuit. When the result is higher than the reference voltage, the amplitude of the video signal is controlled to limit the beam current driving the CRT.

Generally, CRT displays include an automatic beam limiter (referred to as ABL hereinafter) for limiting CRT beam currents to less than a predetermined rate in order to prevent the radiation of X-ray and protect the CRT circuits.
Common ABL circuits are designed for detecting the beam current in a high-voltage generating circuit or a CRT cathode circuit and if the beam current exceeds a predetermined threshold, limiting the amplitude of a video signal.
Such a detecting process is implemented by a beam current detecting circuit mounted in a CRT driving circuit which drives video signals of R, G, and B colors before delivering to their respective CRT cathodes for display of an image, and adapted for detecting the beam current for each cathode and when the beam current exceeds a predetermined threshold, limiting the amplitude of its video signal. The arrangement and action of an automatic beam current limiting circuit in a color television receiver disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication H5-276461 are now explained referring to FIG. 7.
As shown in FIG. 7, the beam current detecting circuit denoted at 50 which detects the beam currents of R, G, and B colors is interposed between the cathode of a CRT 53 and a video power amplifier 52 for driving the cathodes with their respective R, G, and B video signals. A contrast control circuit 51 is connected between an input video signal 10 and the video power amplifier 52. The input video signal 10 is fed from the contrast control circuit 51 to the video power amplifier 52 where it is amplified and then transmitted via the beam current detecting circuit 50 to the CRT 53. The contrast control circuit 51 has a control terminal 58 thereof for receiving a control voltage to control the contrast. When the control voltage at the control terminal 58 is decreased, contrast control circuit 51 lowers its video signal output thus causing the CRT drive video signals or beam currents to be reduced.
The beam current detecting circuit 50 delivers the video signals to the CRT 53 and also detects the beam currents of their respective colors. The beam currents are then filtered and resultant DC voltages are fed to an ABL control circuit 55.
When any of the DC voltages derived from their respective R, G, and B beam currents is greater than a reference voltage Vref in the ABL control circuit 55, one of three transistors Tr1(B), Tr2(G), and Tr3(R) in the ABL control circuit 55 is turned on so as to flow current through a resistor R1 and a resistor R2. As a result, the voltage at the control input terminal 58 of the contrast control circuit 51 is reduced causing the R, G, and B video signals to be reduced in amplitude so that the beam currents are controlled.
Another example of the conventional circuitry method of limiting the peak value of beam currents for prevention of blooming in an image with the help of an ABL circuit is also known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication H5-191742 which is illustrated in FIG. 8A.
The arrangement and action of the peak brightness (or peak current) limiting circuit shown in FIG. 8A is explained in detail. A peak brightness limiting circuit 62 is provided upstream of a CRT 70 and a brightness signal processing circuit 67 which includes a video power amplifier for driving the CRT 70.
A video signal 10 is supplied via the peak brightness limiting circuit 62 to the brightness signal processing circuit 67 where it is amplified by the video power amplifier for driving the CRT 70.
An ABL control voltage generating circuit 72 is provided for detecting a beam current from the anode of the CRT 70 and delivering a corresponding ABL control voltage 74.
When the beam current from the CRT is great, representing a high level of brightness on the CRT 70, the ABL control voltage 74 of the ABL control voltage generating circuit 72 becomes lower. The ABL control voltage 74 is added with an output voltage of a contrast control voltage generating circuit 71 and fed to the brightness signal processing circuit 67 for attenuating the beam current. If the beam current of the CRT 70 is small, representing a low brightness level on the CRT, the sum of the voltage signals increases the beam current. The right half of FIG. 8A is the ABL circuit which comprises the CRT 70, the contrast control voltage generating circuit 71, the ABL control voltage generating circuit 72, a high-voltage generating circuit 73, and the brightness signal processing circuit 67 for detecting beam current from the anode of the CRT 70 and controlling the beam current.
The video signal 10 is supplied to an average picture level (referred to as APL hereinafter) detecting circuit 63 as well as the peak brightness limiting circuit 62. The APL detecting circuit 63 picks up and transmits an APL voltage to a comparator circuit 64. The ABL control voltage 74 is also fed to the comparator circuit 64.
The comparator circuit 64 examines the APL voltage and the ABL control voltage 74 and, when detecting an intermediate level between a high APL enabling ABL and a low APL disabling ABL (which may produce a dim image having regions of peak brightness), controls the peak brightness limiting circuit 62 to attenuate the gain of a high amplitude range of the video signal as shown in FIG. 8B. As the gain of the high amplitude range of the video signal has been attenuated, the beam current peak is controlled minimizing a blooming effect in an image.
It is known as a technological dilemma of CRT displays that problems may arise when the screen size or the horizontal scanning frequency is increased. For maintaining the brightness at an equal level on a larger size of the screen with the anode voltage remaining uniform, the beam current has to be increased corresponding to the ratio of enlargement of the screen. For increasing the horizontal scanning frequency, the frequency range of the video signal has to be proportionally increased thus demanding the use of a wider frequency range of the video signal processing circuit for driving the CRT. Accordingly, it is essential for increasing the screen size or the horizontal scanning frequency to employ the CRT driving signal of a high amplitude and a wide frequency range.
The conventional ABL circuit, where a detecting circuit is interposed between the video power amplifier and the CRT or connected ahead of the CRT, may be effective if the beam currents of three colors for the CRT are controlled separately. However, while the foregoing demand is involved, installation of the detecting signal in the video signal power circuit for handling the video signal of a high amplitude may increase a floating capacitance of the video signal power circuit thus reducing the frequency range characteristic of the CRT driving circuit.
Also, the output section of the video power amplifier for high amplitude and wide frequency range should employ as the power transistor a higher slew rate transistor which is unfavorable in the cost. It is known that the higher slew rate transistor in the video amplifier circuit enhances the frequency range characteristics when the amplitude of the video signal is small, allowing amplification of a wider frequency range and handling a higher amplitude of the video signal. It is understood, however, that such transistors, as capable of amplifying the wide frequency range of a high power signal passed between the video power amplifier and the CRT, are very expensive and may be commercially available with difficulty.
Furthermore, the conventional method in which the APL of video signals is detected and used for limiting the amplitude peak of the video signal to determine the peak value of beam currents at the preceding step of the video power amplifier for driving the cathode of a CRT is effective in the beam current limiting action for the CRT. It is true, however, that the linearity of screen brightness may be reduced and the detection of the R, G, and B beam currents is hardly conducted on the basis of each color due to the use of a CRT anode for the beam current detection.

Automatic beam current limit apparatus and methods of the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.