The present invention is directed to a carrying case with an integrated power supply system for providing power to multiple electronic devices from a single power source. In addition to allowing quick access and storage of various electronic devices, the carrying case also allows the individual electronic devices to be easily connected to the power source and eliminates the need to carry multiple charging cords. In certain embodiments, the power supply system further includes an additional battery or other power source, which increases the runtime of connected electronic devices and reduces the need to carry additional individual batteries for the individual devices. With different connectors on the input to the power system, different AC or DC power sources may be utilized. Different connectors can also be used to provide power to different electronic devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to power adapters. More specifically, it relates to a universal power adapter that may be incorporated with a carrying case for supplying power to a computer and multiple other portable electronic devices.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The proliferation of portable and laptop computers has greatly expanded the need for consistent, reliable power sources. A laptop computer is limited by the power available from the internal batteries. When the batteries become discharged, a source of power is needed to recharge them. Typically, a laptop computer includes a power adapter for connecting the laptop computer to a power utility outlet for recharging the batteries and powering the computer. However, there are no standards for power adapters or laptop computers. Different brands of laptop computers require different power levels. Thus, power adapters are not interchangeable and can only be used with a specific brand or model computer. If a power adapter is lost or malfunctions, it cannot be easily replaced. Therefore, a need exists for a power adapter which can provide different voltage levels for use with different computers.
Furthermore, often travelers, who regularly use laptop computers, do not have access to a power utility outlet, such as when they are on an airplane or in a car. However, such locations have different types of power sources. Airlines have begun installing power connectors for providing DC power for passenger equipment. Automobiles have "cigarette lighters" or similarly designed power jacks which provide 12 volt DC power from the automobile battery. Regular laptop power adapters cannot utilize these power sources. Additionally, international travelers encounter utility power connectors which differ from those in the United States. For example, utility power in Europe is 220 volts compared to 110 volts in the United States. The power connections are also different. While computer manufacturers produce power adapters for a variety power sources including automobiles, airplanes and international sources, these power adapters have to be purchased separately. A traveler often has to carry a variety of power adapters to be utilized in different situations. Therefore, a need exists for a power adapter which can be used with different power sources.
While several different universal power adapters have been developed which operate with different power sources or which provide different power outputs, such devices provide a single power output. In addition to laptop computers, the number of other portable electronic devices has been expanding. People regularly carry cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDA's). Wireless email devices, MP3 players, digital cameras, and gaming devices have also become common. While many of these types of devices operate on batteries, they need to be regularly recharged. As with laptop computers, these devices generally have a power adapter for connecting the device to a utility power outlet for recharging. Of course, each device has its own power requirements which necessitates a specific power adapter. A person with multiple electronic devices requires multiple power adapters. Even if a power outlet is available, it only provides two connectors and cannot provide power to more than two electronic devices. Therefore, in order to recharge multiple devices, a multiple plug splitter is required in addition to the individual power adapters for each of the devices. Therefore, a need exists for a power adapter which can provide multiple power outputs for power to multiple devices.
With all of the electronic devices and power adapters which people regularly carry, a need exists for a carrying case to accommodate these devices. There are several types of prior art carrying cases for protecting and transporting portable computers. In addition to being designed for housing portable computers, many of these cases also provide compartments for storing additional electronic devices. However, the separate power adapters for each of the electronic devices need to be included in the case, which takes up substantial space and adds to the weight. As the need and desire to carry more portable electronic devices increases, the dimensions of a carrying case that is capable of accommodating them, as well as their power cords, must also increase.
In some prior art cases, integrated power systems for distributing power to multiple electronic devices are provided in the carrying case. These and other prior art cases allow a user to provided power several electronic devices from a single AC power source. Typically, however, these cases still require the user to carry and use the individual power cords that come with the electronic devices. Therefore, these systems often require the user to retrieve, remove and uncoil multiple power cords and then individually attach each electronic device to an internal or external power source. Therefore, a need exists for a simple carrying case and power adapter which accommodates multiple electronic devices and can provide power from multiple input sources.

Universal multiple device power adapter and carry case


A water spout is capable of providing laminar flowing fluid from a wall-mounted or faucet fixture body. The fixture body defines a cavity and a port for connection of a plumbing supply line. A cartridge assembly is disposed in the body cavity. The cartridge has a housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening in fluid communication with the port. The cartridge housing contains a plurality of elements between the inlet and outlet openings for smoothing the flow of fluid passing through the cartridge assembly. A nozzle, positioned adjacent the outlet opening of the cartridge, has a sharp-edged orifice through which fluid leaving the fixture can be projected in a single laminar stream. The nozzle can be removed from the fixture body after the fixture body has been mounted for use such that all of the flow smoothing elements can be removed at once by removing the cartridge assembly from the cavity.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to plumbing fixtures, and more particularly to water spouts that deliver a stream of laminar fluid.
Plumbing fixtures providing laminar flowing streams of water have previously been described. See e.g. U.S. Pat Nos. 3,730,440, 3,851,825, 4,119,276, 4,657,186, 4,730,786, 4,795,092, 5,160,086, 5,213,260, and 5,242,119. Laminar flow, as used herein, means fluid flow that is generally non-turbulent having essentially non-fluctuating local velocities and pressures such that the resulting stream has a generally rod-like appearance. Such laminar flow is desired for ornamental purposes because the outgoing stream typically appears to be like a clear glass rod.
Supply water is typically fed through a series of flow smoothing elements before exiting through a suitable nozzle orifice. The flow smoothing elements are usually perforated disks, screens and filters which are arranged in series downstream from the supply water connection. The flow smoothing elements alter the flow velocity and redistribute the velocity profile as needed to convert turbulent flow into laminar flow.
One problem with existing fixtures is that small openings in the screens, filters and perforated disks can become clogged over time from build-up of mineral deposits and gravel in the supply water. This can result in reduced and/or non-laminar flow. To correct this, the clogged elements may need to be periodically removed from the fixture to be cleaned or replaced.
Typically, the flow smoothing elements are separately assembled into the fixture such that to remove them one must disassemble the relatively tiny elements piece by piece. After being cleaned or replaced, each element then must be reassembled in the original order so as to provide the proper flow characteristics. This task can be tedious, be susceptible to error, require manual dexterity, and may (in any event) be beyond the skill level of some consumers (thereby requiring professional plumbing assistance). The task is even more arduous if the flow smoothing elements are not accessible from the interior of a room without breaking a permanent wall.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved water spout in which the flow smoothing elements can be more easily cleaned, serviced or replaced.
In one aspect the invention provides a water spout having a fixture body defining an open-ended cavity and a port leading to the cavity that is connectible to a plumbing supply line. A cartridge is removably disposed in the body cavity and has a housing with an inlet opening in fluid communication with the port in the fixture body and an outlet opening. The housing contains a plurality of flow smoothing elements positioned between the inlet and outlet openings for rendering the flow of fluid passing through the cartridge laminar. A nozzle is positioned adjacent the outlet opening of the cartridge and it has an orifice through which fluid leaving the spout can be projected in the form of a stream.
In preferred forms the housing is an open-ended housing and a cap is engageable adjacent the open end of the housing. The inlet opening is located in a recess of a rear wall of the housing opposite the cap, and the outlet opening is located in the cap. A pressure compensating flow regulator is disposed in the recess.
In other forms of the invention the plurality of flow smoothing elements are selected from the group consisting of screens and foam filters. Also, a screen can be disposed between a foam filter and a ring spacer in the cartridge.
In still other variants, the fixture body can be a cup-shaped member with one closed end and an opposite open end having a circumferential flange for assisting in clamping a wall if the spout is mounted through the wall. The port is disposed in a radial wall, and a flanged clamping sleeve telescopes into the body radially outside of the cartridge. This latter feature allows the assembly to be easily adjusted for walls of different thickness.
In yet another variant, the fixture body is a faucet body having a projecting stem that in part defines the cavity. The nozzle is engaged to the stem.
Another aspect of the invention is the provision of replacement cartridges containing the flow smoothing elements. Such replacement cartridges can be used in such lavatory faucet bodies, or in housings attachable to a vertical room wall.
The present invention thus provides a plumbing fixture that can deliver a laminar stream of water. A compact, easily replaceable cartridge contains all of the flow smoothing and pressure regulating elements that are needed, so that they can all be removed from the fixture at once (for cleaning, service or replacement). Moreover, the housings of the present invention are designed to provide easy access to the cartridge without requiring access to the backside of a room wall.
The foregoing and still other advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In that description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which there is shown by way of illustration preferred embodiments of the invention. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to judge the full scope of the invention.

Water spout with removable laminar flow cartridge


Implementations of customizable graphical user interfaces for data management in computing systems are disclosed herein. In one example, a computer application is executed on a computing device to provide a graphical user interface having a background containing multiple interface regions separate from one another and individually having a corresponding data source. Upon receiving a command from a user, the executed computer application can customize the graphical user interface by modifying a size, a relative placement, a data source, or a format of one or more of the multiple interface regions in accordance with the command from the user, and thus allowing customization of the graphical user interface.

Graphical user interface (GUI) is a form of machine-user interface or view that allows a user to visualize and interact with digital data through graphical icons surfaced on computer displays. For instance, an electronic calendar can provide various interfaces with graphical elements representing an appointment book, an address book, or a task list. In one example, an electronic calendar can have a grid-like interface with a row of blocks representing different days and multiple columns representing time slots for each day. The interface can also include rectangles, circles, dots, or other suitable icons that represent appointments or events for certain days/time slots on the grid-like interface. Through the surfaced grid-like interface of the electronic calendar, a user can view, add, edit, or delete appointment or events in the electronic calendar.

Customizable graphical user interface for data management


This invention relates to a vehicle wheel cover retention system for securing a wheel cover to a vehicle wheel using an adhesive. According to one feature of the invention, the wheel cover has a portion which extends to a backside of a window, the portion having a lip formed thereon which is received in a cut provided on the backside of the window in order to retain the wheel cover in place on the wheel for a time sufficient to enable the adhesive to cure in order to permanently secure the wheel cover to the wheel. According to another feature of the invention, the wheel cover has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface provided with a lip formed thereon which is received in a groove formed in an outboard face of the wheel in order to retain the wheel cover in place on the wheel for a time sufficient to enable the adhesive to cure in order to permanently secure the wheel cover to the wheel. According to yet another feature of the invention, the wheel cover has portion which covers a portion of a spoke of the wheel, the portion provided with at least one end which is provided with a lip which is received behind a rear surface of the spoke in order to retain the wheel cover in place on the wheel for a time sufficient to enable the adhesive to cure in order to permanently secure the wheel cover to the wheel.

This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and, in particular, to an improved vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing the same.
Full or partial vehicle wheel covers of the removable type are well known and have been used for many years to enhance the styling of conventional, stamped wheel discs. Also, it is known to permanently secure a full or partial wheel cover to a vehicle wheel using an adhesive.
One example of a vehicle wheel construction wherein an ornamental plastic wheel cover having a chrome-plated outer surface is permanently secured to an outboard facing surface of a wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,501 to Derleth. In the Derleth patent, the wheel cover includes an outer peripheral flange which overhangs the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel, an inner peripheral flange which seats against an outboard surface of a hub sleeve, and an intermediate portion which is spaced outwardly from the face of the wheel. An expanding adhesive material is applied to the outboard surfaces of the wheel. When the adhesive material is expanded, it is operative to fill the void between the wheel and the wheel cover to permanently secure the wheel cover to the outboard face of the wheel.
Another example of a vehicle wheel construction having an ornamental wheel cover permanently secured to an outboard facing surface of the wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,966 to Oakey. In the Oakey patent, a cast aluminum wheel cover is secured to a disc of a steel wheel using a-high density structural adhesive.

Vehicle wheel cover retention system and method for producing same


Disclosed is a thin-film solar cell which has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency and is provided with a substrate (1), a backside surface electrode layer (2) formed on the substrate (1), a p-type light-absorbing layer (3) formed on the backside surface electrode layer (2), and an n-type transparent conductive film (5) formed on the p-type light-absorbing layer (3). Voids (6) are formed at the interface of the backside surface electrode layer (2) and the p-type light-absorbing layer (3).

In recent years, a CIS-based thin film solar cell which uses a Group I-III-VI2 compound semiconductor of a chalcopyrite structure which contains Cu, In, Ga, Se, and S as a p-type light absorption layer has come into focus. This type of solar cell is comparatively cheap in manufacturing cost and further has a large coefficient of absorption in the wavelength range from visible to near infrared, so promises a high photovoltaic conversion efficiency. It is deemed as a promising candidate of next generation type solar cells. As typical materials, there are Cu(In, Ga)Se2, Cu(In, Ga) (Se, S)2, CuInS2, etc.
A CIS-based thin film solar cell is obtained by forming a metal backside electrode layer on a substrate, forming a Group I-III-VI2 compound, that is, a p-type light absorption layer, on that, and further forming an n-type high resistance buffer layer and n-type transparent conductive film forming a window layer successively on it.
The p-type light absorption layer is formed by forming a metal precursor film on the backside electrode by the sputtering method etc. and heat treating this by the selenization/sulfurization method. When using a metal precursor film constituted by a CuGa/In multilayer film, the p-type light absorption layer becomes a Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 layer. It is known that in this selenization step, Se reacts with the CuGa/In multilayer film (Cu+Se→Cu2Se, In+Se→In2Se3, Ga+Se→Ga2Se3) and that in the process, volume expansion occurs, strain occurs inside, and voids of several μm size are formed in the layer (for example, PLT 1, paragraph s (0005), (0006)).
It had been believed that such voids had a detrimental effect on the solar cell characteristics and were a cause of reduced photovoltaic conversion efficiency. Therefore, in the past, a method of production which prevented the formation of such voids as much as possible was employed.
On the other hand, in a crystalline Si solar cell which is made from a Si wafer, to further improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency, it has been proposed to make the electrodes point contact structures. This has actually been applied. The contact interface between the semiconductor layer and the electrodes is a part which is high in dangling bond and other crystal defect density and where the carrier recombination rate becomes the highest. Therefore, in the prior art, the semiconductor layer and the electrodes are made to contact each other by points to reduce the ratio of front surface recombination and to improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. At the major part between the semiconductor layer and the electrodes, a good quality oxide film with a small speed of front surface recombination which functions as a passivation film is formed to realize a point contact structure and reduce the carrier recombination rate (for example, see PLT 2). Due to this, it is known that the open circuit voltage, one feature of a solar cell, is improved.
However, in a CIS-based thin film solar cell, the above-mentioned point contact structure is not realized. When applying the art for the above crystalline Si solar cell to a CIS-based thin film solar cell, it is necessary to form an insulating film between the semiconductor layer and the electrodes, but the art of forming such an insulating film has not been realized yet. While there is a possibility of realization by future technical innovation, in this case, it is believed that the production process becomes complicated and the production cost increases.
Furthermore, in a conventional Si-based solar cell, in particular a thin film Si solar cell, the light absorption coefficient of Si is low, so use of a BSR (back surface reflection) structure is the general practice. With this structure, light which strikes the front surface of the solar cell and passes through the semiconductor layer is again reflected at the back surface back to the inside of the semiconductor layer, so the incident light can be efficiently absorbed. The back surface internal reflectance is determined by the refractive index (N) of the semiconductor and the backside electrode and the angle of incidence of light to the back surface.
In this regard, in a CIS-based thin film solar cell, as the material of the backside electrode, Mo, Ti, Cr, etc. which are superior in selenium corrosion resistance are used, but these metals react with Se or S at the time of formation of the p-type light absorption layer. For example, when using Mo, MoSe2, Mo(SSe)2, or other reaction layer which has a refractive index of the same extent as a CIS layer is formed on the front surface of the backside electrode layer. For this reason, the reflectance between the two is low and an effective BSR structure is not realized.
As explained above, in a conventional CIS-based thin film solar cell, various measures have been taken to improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency, but a point contact structure and BSR structure which are generally employed in solar cells made of Si and considered effective in improving the photovoltaic conversion efficiency have not been realized.    PLT 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-87234 A1    PLT 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-283779 A1


A video game apparatus for generating a captured image of a virtual camera set in a virtual space includes a virtual camera setting section configured to set an imaging direction of the virtual camera, a captured image generation section configured to change a transmittance of a transmittance variable object within the virtual space based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and generate a captured image of the virtual camera, and a display panel configured to display the captured image generated by the captured image generation section.

There have been conventionally known information processing systems for playing a game or performing simulation in a virtual space. In such information processing systems, a virtual camera is set within a virtual space, and a captured image of the virtual camera is displayed on a display device.
In the conventional information processing systems, the following situation occurs. When a captured image is generated with an imaging direction of a virtual camera being changed, and the generated captured image is displayed, an object that a user desires to see is obstructed by a front object, and does not appear in the captured image.
The present disclosure provides an information processing system for performing display control of an object within a virtual space by generating a captured image of a virtual camera set in the virtual space.
An information processing system of an example embodiment is an information processing system for generating a captured image of a virtual camera set in a virtual space, and this information processing system has a configuration including a virtual camera setting section configured to set an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and an image generation section configured to change a transmittance of a predetermined object within the virtual space based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and generate a captured image of the virtual camera. With this configuration, a captured image in which an object located behind the predetermined object is also visible can be obtained. Here, changing a transmittance includes not making transparent (transmittance of 0%), and also includes deleting the predetermined object (transmittance of 100%).
The virtual camera setting section may set an imaging direction of the virtual camera based on an operation performed by a user to an input device. With this configuration, even if the user changes an imaging direction of the virtual camera, a captured image in which an object located behind the predetermined object is also visible from the virtual camera can be automatically obtained.
The virtual camera setting section may set an imaging direction of the virtual camera based on one or more detection values of an orientation detection sensor and/or a motion detection sensor that are included in the input device. With this configuration, the user can set an imaging direction by moving the input device.
The input device may further include a display device configured to display the captured image generated by the image generation section. With this configuration, the user can perform an operation while seeing a captured image in the input device.
The information processing system may be included in the input device, and the input device may further include a display device configured to display the captured image generated by the image generation section. With this configuration, the user can see a captured image via the input device.
The image generation section may change a transmittance of the predetermined object based on a relation between a predetermined direction in the virtual space and an imaging direction of the virtual camera. With this configuration, a transmittance of the predetermined object can be changed according to an imaging direction of the virtual camera with respect to the predetermined direction in the virtual space.
The image generation section may change the transmittance based on an angle between the predetermined direction in the virtual space and an imaging direction of the virtual camera. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed according to an angle of an imaging direction of the virtual camera from a certain reference direction in the virtual space.
The image generation section may change the transmittance based on the angle when the angle is within a predetermined change range. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed when an imaging direction of the virtual camera is within a change range.
The image generation section may set the transmittance at the maximum when the angle is smaller than a lower limit of the predetermined change range. The image generation section may instead set the transmittance at the minimum when the angle is smaller than a lower limit of the predetermined change range. With these configurations, a transmittance can be changed with a lower limit being set on a change range of an imaging direction of the virtual camera.
The image generation section may set the transmittance at the minimum when the angle is larger than an upper limit of the predetermined change range. The image generation section may instead set the transmittance at the maximum when the angle is larger than an upper limit of the predetermined change range. With these configurations, a transmittance can be changed with an upper limit being set on a change range of an imaging direction of the virtual camera.
The image generation section may linearly change the transmittance from the maximum to the minimum according to the angle, when the angle changes from a lower limit to an upper limit of the predetermined change range. In addition, the image generation section may linearly change the transmittance from the minimum to the maximum according to the angle, when the angle changes from an upper limit to a lower limit of the predetermined change range. With these configurations, a transmittance can be gradually changed when an imaging direction of the virtual camera changes within a change range.
The image generation section may set the transmittance to be higher as the angle is smaller. With this configuration, a transmittance of the predetermined object can be set to be higher when the virtual camera sees down to the virtual space. The image generation section may instead set the transmittance to be lower as the angle is smaller.
The predetermined direction may be a direction in which the virtual camera sees down to the virtual space. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, with reference to a direction in which the virtual camera sees down to the virtual space.
The predetermined direction may be a gravity direction of the virtual space. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, with reference to a gravity direction of the virtual space.
The predetermined direction may be a normal direction of a field of the virtual space. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, with reference to a normal direction of a field of the virtual space.
The predetermined object may be one of the objects within the virtual space. With this configuration, a transmittance can be changed only for one of the objects within the virtual space.
The predetermined object may be a midair object within the virtual space. With this configuration, by changing a transmittance of a midair object, a captured image in which an object or the like that is located on a field behind the midair object is visible can be obtained.
The predetermined object may be an object having no influence on a game developed within the virtual space. With this configuration, changing a transmittance of an object can prevent a game from being affected even when the game is developed within the virtual space.
A plurality of the predetermined objects may be set in the virtual space, and a relation between an imaging direction of the virtual camera and the transmittance may be set for each of the predetermined objects. With this configuration, if there is a plurality of objects each having a variable transmittance in the virtual space, a transmittance of each object can be individually changed.
The image generation section may change the transmittance based on a position of the virtual camera within the virtual space. With this configuration, based on a position of the virtual camera, a manner of changing a transmittance based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera can be changed, or a change of a transmittance can be stopped.
The image generation section may change the transmittance based on a distance between the virtual camera and a player object within the virtual space. With this configuration, for example, if the virtual camera and a player object are located close to each other, control such as increasing a transmittance of the predetermined object can be performed.
A second aspect of the present technology is a device configured to display a captured image of a virtual camera set in a virtual space, and this device has a configuration including a sensor configured to detect orientation and/or motion, an image generation section configured to change a transmittance of a predetermined object within the virtual space based on one or more detection values of the sensor, and generate a captured image of the virtual camera, and a display device configured to display the captured image. With this configuration as well, a captured image in which an object located behind the predetermined object is also visible can be obtained.
A third aspect of the present technology is an information processing method for generating a captured image of a virtual camera set in a virtual space, and this information processing method has a configuration including a virtual camera setting step of setting an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and an image generation step of changing a transmittance of a predetermined object within the virtual space based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and generating a captured image of the virtual camera. With this configuration as well, a captured image in which an object located behind the predetermined object is also visible can be obtained.
A fourth aspect of the present technology is an information processing program for generating a captured image of a virtual camera set in a virtual space, and this information processing program has a configuration of causing a computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and an image generation step of changing a transmittance of a predetermined object within the virtual space based on an imaging direction of the virtual camera, and generating a captured image of the virtual camera. With this configuration as well, a captured image in which an object located behind the predetermined object is also visible can be obtained.

Information processing system, information processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium


The present invention provides a method of forming a capacitor in an integrated circuit. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer thereon. The partial conductive layer is removed to form an electrode. A plurality of first dopants are implanted on a surface of the electrode to form a first doped region. Then a plurality of second dopants are implanted into the electrode to form a second doped region below the first doped region. Then the capacitor is formed comprising the electrode. The first doped region and the second region can reduce voltage coefficient as well as increase capacitance of the capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming semiconductor device, and more particularly relates to a method of forming a capacitor with high capacitance and low voltage coefficient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is normally a function only of the area of the electrodes, the dielectric constant of the dielectric and the thickness of the dielectric. This assumes that both electrodes are metallic conductors. When one of the electrodes is a semiconductor and is formed at the semiconductor-dielectric interface, even in the absence of any externally applied voltage bias, the capacitance of such a structure is somewhat lower than both metallic electrodes. When voltage is applied across the above described device""s plates, the depletion layer in the semiconductor grows or shrinks, depending on the polarity, thereby reducing or increasing the measured capacitance. In other words, such a device has a high voltage coefficient, in some cases as high as 120 ppm/volt. This is not a problem in many integrated circuits, but this cannot be tolerated in many analog circuits (such as analog to digital converters, for example).
During the manufacture of integrated circuits where capacitors must be included, it has been common practiced to form capacitors in integrated circuits by sandwiching a layer of the silicon oxide known as IPO (or inter-poly oxide) between two layers of polysilicon. In earlier processes such as the standard 0.5 micron mixed-mode process, the two polysilicon layers used for the capacitors were sufficiently heavily doped so that they were electrically degenerate (that is, they exhibited metallic conductivity) and any depletion layer formed at the silicon-dielectric interface would be negligibly thin. More recently, with the development of the 0.35 micron process, changes in processing parameters make the polysilicon layers less heavily doped.
A number of prior art references describe capacitors for incorporation within integrated circuits but most do not address the voltage coefficient issue. Boerstler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,832, February 1995) describe capacitors formed from forward biased diodes. Sundaresan (U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,070, May 1991) describes a stacked CMOS SRAM with cross-coupled capacitors. Sato (U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,111, May 1996) teaches use of a trench-stacked capacitor. Himes et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,696, March 1988) address the voltage coefficient issue and disclose a three plate capacitor structure wherein two layers of dielectric are sandwiched between three conductive plates, the center plate being the semiconductor. Voltage is applied between the center plate and the two outer plates (which are connected to each other).
While this structure should exhibit low voltage coefficient, it requires three separate deposition steps for the electrodes and two separately deposited dielectric layers. The latter limitation can lead to serious problems in the absence of precise thickness and process control during deposition of the two dielectric layers. It also means that the standard manufacturing process will have to be modified if this structure is to be made part of an integrated circuit.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of forming a capacitor in an integrated circuit. Lightly doping implemented on the top surface of a bottom electrode can improve the capacitance of the capacitor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a plate capacitor. Heavily doping implemented in the center region of a bottom electrode can reduce the voltage coefficient of the plate capacitor.
The present invention provides a method of forming a capacitor in an integrated circuit. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer thereon. The partial conductive layer is removed to form an electrode. A plurality of first dopants are implanted on a surface of the electrode to form a first doped region. Then a plurality of second dopants are implanted into the electrode to form a second doped region below the first doped region. Then the capacitor is formed comprising the electrode. The first doped region and the second region can reduce voltage coefficient as well as increase capacitance of the capacitor.

Method of forming a capacitor with high capacitance and low voltage coefficient


An anion-binding hydrophilic epichlorohydrin and 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole copolymeric bile acid sequestrant, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and use thereof in the treatment of ailments or conditions in which a bile acid sequestrant and inhibitor of fat absorption is indicated.

Bile acid sequestrants (BAS) are a class of drugs employed chiefly as hypolipidemic agents. Each of the BAS is an anion exchanger which exerts its effect by binding bile acids and thus interfering with their recycling, or enterohepatic circulation. BAS hitherto developed have included several types of polymers. The BAS first marketed in the U.S., cholestyramine, a water-insoluble copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene characterized by trimethylbenzylammonium groups, has a somewhat limited capacity to bind bile acids, so very large quantities (upwards of twenty (20) grams per day) must be ingested in order to achieve desired lowering of plasma LDL levels. Colestipol hydrochloride which, like cholestyramine, is currently on the market in the U.S., is a water-soluble copolymer of diethylenetriamine and 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane. Colestipol hydrochloride contains secondary and tertiary amino groups and its bile acid binding therefore shows a marked pH-dependence. Other BAS are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,963, 4,557,930, and 4,777,042. A quaternary alkylammonium polymethacrylate BAS with higher in vitro bile acid binding properties than cholestyramine has recently been reported (Benson G. M. et al. "SK&F 97426-A; a novel bile acid sequestrant with higher affinities and slower dissociation rates in vitro than cholestyramine"; J Pharm Sci. 86:76-81 (1997)). In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,930 and 4,777,042 are described anion exchange resins (also described in Toda H. et al., "Bile acid binding and hypocholesteremic activity of a new anion exchange resin from 2-methylimidazol and epichlorohydrin", J. Pharm. Sci. 77:531-533 (1988)) having as functional groups imidazolium salts. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,963 are described various ion exchange resins. The inventions reported in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,557,930, 4,777,042 and 5,624,963 do not relate to the use of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole as a starting monomer for the synthesis of ion exchange resins.
Obesity can be defined as a syndrome in which a body weight higher than that which is optimally healthful is maintained. The primary cause of obesity remains elusive, but it is clear that obesity results from the expenditure of fewer calories than are ingested over a prolonged period of time. A higher-than-healthful body weight is thereafter maintained, and can lead to numerous life-threatening complications such as hypertension, insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemias including hypercholesterolemia and, consequently, cardiovascular disease and stroke. The subject of obesity is reviewed in chapters of Williams' Endocrinology, 8th ed., J. D. Wilson, D. W. Foster (eds). Philadelphia, Saunders, pp. 1335 ff. (1992) and Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed., K. J. Isselbacher et al. (eds). New York, McGraw-Hill, pp. 446 ff (1994).
It is difficult to estimate accurately the prevalence of obesity, but probably tens of millions of persons in the U.S. are obese. Indeed, some experts believe the incidence of obesity in the U.S. and in other industrialized nations is increasing. Treatment of obesity by diet, behavior modification, medication, or surgery has been in general dismally unsuccessful. Once an initial fluid-dominated weight loss is achieved, dieters find it extremely difficult if not impossible to keep weight off. Likewise, behavior modification, to alter subjects' responses to cues to overeat, has yielded uneven results at best. Despite hopes for the efficacy of a regimen of serotoninergic drugs, especially in combination with sympathomimetic agents, it is unclear whether long-term weight reduction will be achieved through such approaches. Significant morbidity and mortality have been associated with surgical procedures such as ileal resection, though gastric plication appears to succeed in eliciting weight loss in some surgical subjects. Nevertheless, an efficacious nonsurgical treatment for obesity is yet to be desired.
The tendency of a diet to promote weight gain, or to militate against weight loss, has been shown to be directly related to the diet's fat content. That is, other factors, including the total number of calories, being equal, a diet having more calories from fat, when consumed, will tend to promote weight gain more readily than its lower-fat counterpart. Hence it stands to reason that diminution of the proportion of fat in a diet available for absorption will make that diet more likely to promote weight loss.
One way to decrease fat absorption has been to inhibit lipase with a compound such as lipstatin or tetrahydrolipstatin as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,917. The long-term consequences of therapy with such agents remain unclear. On the other hand, bile acid sequestrants work by binding bile acids present in the intestinal lumen which are otherwise destined to be reabsorbed along with dietary lipids and the products of their digestion. The patient's response to bile acid sequestrants as a class is well-documented and complex, involving a reduction in the amount of dietary fat absorbed from the intestinal lumen, an increase in expression of the LDL receptor on hepatocytes, and other factors. Dietary lipids must form micelles in order to be acted upon by lipases and absorbed across the intestinal epithelium. Bile acid sequestrants limit micelle formation by removing bile acids, a crucial component of such micelles. Dietary lipids are thus absorbed sparingly and instead excreted. Current medical treatment for obesity does not employ a bile acid sequestrant as an inhibitor of fat absorption, but use of a bile acid sequestrant holds promise since it achieves the same therapeutic goal as ileal resection, viz., diminution of fat absorption, without the morbidity or mortality associated with surgery. Indeed, the clinical experience with bile acid sequestrants shows them to be in general well tolerated (Goodman & Gilman's, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed., J. G. Hardman et al. (eds). New York, McGraw-Hill, pp. 875 ff (1996)).
Thus, the removal of bile acids or bile acid salts from a patient by the employment of a bile acid sequestrant acts to inhibit the digestion or absorption of fat, acts for the treatment or prevention of obesity, and also acts as an effective prevention or treatment of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and ischemic heart disease.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic or recurring gastrointestinal disorder, afflicts as many as 24% of women and 19% of men in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and China. IBS produces abdominal pain or discomfort in its victims and accounts for about one-eighth of primary care and more than one-fourth of gastroenterology practice. IBS has tremendous societal and economic impact since persons with IBS symptoms miss three times as many work days as those without and incur 70% higher health care costs. The American Gastroenterological Association has recently underscored the importance of IBS by issuing both a position statement (American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology 112:2118-2119 (1997)) and a technical review (Drossman D A, Whitehead W E, Camilleri M., "Irritable bowel syndrome: a technical review for practice guideline development", Gastroenterology 112:2120-2137 (1997)) on IBS. The description herein of IBS is based chiefly on these documents and on other current literature (such as that reviewed in Snape W J Jr., "Irritable bowel syndrome", In: Bockus Gastroenterology, 5th edition (W. S. Haubrich, F. Schoffner, ed.) Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, pp. 1619-1636 (1995)).
IBS presents itself as abdominal pain accompanied by altered bowel habits. There is no established biological marker for IBS, which appears to result from faulty regulation in both the gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Once clinicians rule out other possible causes of IBS symptoms, they must devise a treatment plan based upon the severity and nature of the symptoms as well as other factors such as the degree of impairment the individual is experiencing in the activities of daily living. At present, treatment options range from education and dietary modification to drug therapy to psychological therapy. Drug and/or psychological therapy is called for in those 30% of IBS patients with moderate or severe symptoms. Given an IBS prevalence of 19% to 24%, IBS sufferers requiring such therapy represent 6-7% of the population at large, or well over 100 million individuals in continual need of such therapy in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and China.
The AGA position statement recommends antispasmodic (anticholinergic) medication for IBS pain and bloating, or a tricyclic antidepressant or serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor if the pain is severe. Dietary fiber is recommended (cisapride is also mentioned) for IBS constipation, whereas loperamide is recommended for diarrhea. For treatment of IBS patients presented with predominant diarrhea, the bile acid sequestrant "c!holestyramine may be considered for a subgroup of patients with cholecystectomy or who may have idiopathic bile acid malabsorption." Clearly, there is no single pharmacologic treatment appropriate to all IBS sufferers. However, it is equally clear that it is acceptable clinical practice to employ a bile acid sequestrant to treat diarrhea associated with IBS.
The technical review issued by the AGA states that treatment with the bile acid sequestrant "c!holestyramine should be considered in patients with IBS who have predominant diarrhea." Cholestyramine, a copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene possessing trimethylbenzylammonium groups, has a somewhat limited capacity to bind bile acids, so very large quantities (as much as 20 grams per day) must be ingested in order to alleviate symptoms.
According to the present invention, the prevention of diarrhea, constipation, dumping syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome, and pain aspects or symptoms thereof, are also ailments which may be treated or prevented by the employment of a bile acid sequestrant, and in particular the novel bile acid sequestrant of the present invention, which operates in the manner disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,522 for the treatment or prevention of IBS, using in that case a combination of polymeric substances comprising as essential components anion binding and hydrophilic polymers or chitosan, which acts as both. The present invention, involving as it does an entirely novel anion-binding polymer which is also hydrophilic, can be readily employed for the same purpose and to the same end.

Epichlorohydrin and 1-(3-aminopropyl) imidazole copolymer and its use in treating irritable bowel syndrome


A spring retainer for a camshaft phaser is provided that includes an axially extending portion and a disk portion. The disk portion has an axially extending retention tab that is formed integrally therewith. The axially extending portion includes a torsional fixing region configured to torsionally attach a bias spring to the spring retainer. In a first installed position, the retention tab is spaced apart from a straight side of the bias spring. In a second rotationally slipped position, the retention tab is configured to be engaged with the straight side of the bias spring. The spring retainer can be utilized as a timing wheel that is configured to cooperate with a camshaft position sensor to provide an angular position of a camshaft.

Camshaft phasers are utilized within internal combustion (IC) engines to adjust timing of an engine valve event to modify performance, efficiency, and emissions. Hydraulically actuated camshaft phasers can be configured with a rotor and stator arrangement. The rotor can be attached to the camshaft and actuated hydraulically in clockwise or counterclockwise directions relative to the stator to achieve variable engine valve timing. A spring retainer can be utilized within a camshaft phaser to retain a bias spring, house the bias spring, and serve as a means of attaching the bias spring to the rotor. The spring retainer can also be utilized as a timing wheel to facilitate tracking of a rotational position of the camshaft. Slippage of the bias spring relative to its attachment interface with the spring retainer can be detrimental to the function of the camshaft phaser.

Spring retainer retention tab for bias spring


An ink jet printer apparatus and method of printing wherein image data representing a predetermined number of gray levels of pixels to be printed are accommodated in an inkjet printer for recording on a receiver medium. The printer has the capability of producing fewer numbers of gray levels at respective pixel positions than the data requires. The inkjet printer prints an increased number of the gray levels by applying multitone printing to pixels locations on a reference raster and provides supplementary ink drops to respective adjacent pixel locations on a shifted raster.

The invention generally relates to ink jet printer apparatus and methods and more particularly relates to ink jet printers which are capable of providing variable ink drop volumes at different pixel locations.
An ink jet printer produces images on a receiver by ejecting ink drops onto the receiver in image wise fashion. The advantages of nonimpact, low-noise, low energy use, and low-cost operation in addition to the capability of the printer to print on plain paper and upon various coated papers are largely responsible for the wide acceptance of ink jet printers in the marketplace.
In this regard, xe2x80x9ccontinuousxe2x80x9d ink jet printers utilize selective deposition of drops through control of deflection of the drops from the printer nozzle. A gutter may be used to intercept drops that are not intended to reach the receiver sheet in accordance with a determination based on image data of whether a drop of ink is to be deflected or not deflected.
Another class of ink jet printers are referred to as the drop-on-demand ink jet printers which provide at every nozzle orifice a pressurization actuator that is used to produce the inkjet drops. The actuators used in drop-on-demand inkjet printers normally include heat actuators or piezoelectric actuators. With regard to heat actuators, a heater placed at a convenient location within the nozzle or at the nozzle opening heats the ink in selected nozzles and causes a drop to be ejected to the recording medium in those nozzles selected in accordance with image data. With respect to piezoelectric actuators, a piezoelectric material is used, which piezoelectric material possesses the property such that when an electrical field is applied to the material a mechanical stress is induced therein reducing the volume of a nozzle and causing a drop to be selectively ejected from the nozzle selected. Image data applied to the print head determines which of the nozzles are selected for ejection of a respective droplet from each nozzle at a particular pixel location on a receiver sheet. Some drop-on-demand inkjet printers described in the patent literature use both piezoelectric actuators and heat actuators.
As ink jet printers have advanced to the point where it is now possible to place different drop volumes of ink at different pixel locations, it is desirable that methods to optimize drop volumes and drop volume placement be used to optimize the image quality of hard copy images.
Given that ink jet printers are capable of rendering images using different drop volumes of ink at different pixel locations, is noted, however, that this capability is somewhat limited. It is desirable therefore to provide an inkjet printer and method of printing wherein the effective number of gray levels printable by an ink jet printer may be increased.
The above and other objects which will become apparent after reading the specification herein are accomplished in accordance with the subject matter described in the independent claims appended hereto.

Method and apparatus for increasing number of available printing gradations on an ink jet printer


A vibrating razor includes a handle, a razor blade and a flat-type vibration motor. The handle includes a front end having a receiving slot provided thereon; wherein the receiving slot includes a bottom wall. The razor blade is arranged at the front end of the handle. The flat-type vibration motor is arranged within the receiving slot and includes an outer shell with a cover; wherein the cover includes an external protruding dot on one side of an outer surface thereof. The flat-type vibration motor contacts the bottom wall of the receiving slot via the external protruding dot. Therefore, the external protruding dot can be utilized to increase the vibration strength of the razor blade as the flat-type vibration motor rotates to impact the bottom wall of the receiving slot.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a razor, in particular, to a vibrating razor and more particularly, to a horizontal vibration-type razor.
Description of Related Art
During shaving along the surface of the skin with a conventional razor equipped with razor blades, the movement of the razor blades tends to exert a force of pulling on the beard that is not being completely trimmed off, and it is necessary to completely trim off the beard in order to allow the beard to return to its original position. Therefore, it is common to find that users may feel a sense of pain during shaving as the beard is being pulled by the razor blades. To overcome such problem, electric razors and vibrating razors are developed and introduced to the market.
Although electric razors mostly use rotational razor blades such that the level of user manipulation by hand can be effectively reduced, they tend to leave behind incompletely shaved spots and are not designed to work with the application of liquid or gel type of shaving lotions, which are of less shaving comforts to users. Furthermore, electric razors are of much higher costs and are of heavier weights, making them less popular or common to users.
Vibrating razors are able to generate vibrations on the razor blades such that the razor blades are able to move quickly back and forth on the skin with a short distance in order to gradually shave the beard with a fast speed and to generate a smaller force of pulling on the beard; therefore, users may have a greater comfort during shaving. In other words, users using vibrating razors may feel much less pain and discomfort caused by pulling of the skin during shaving in comparison to the use of traditional razors. In addition, vibrating razors can work with liquid or gel type of shaving lotions such that the comfort during shaving can be greatly increased.
Nevertheless, as conventional vibrating razors mostly include a vibration motor that is of a relatively large size and tends to be arranged at a position far from the razor blades, the vibration force cannot be effectively transmitted to the razor blades, which in turn, unfavorably decreases the effect of shaving with such vibrating razors.


The invention relates to an arrangement of carbon brake disks for an aircraft brake unit comprising stators coupled to a torsion tube alternating with rotors coupled to the corresponding wheel. The arrangement is organized in two configurations corresponding to operation over two successive wear strokes of the pistons of the brake ring, with a first of the configurations comprising a central group of rotors and stators arranged between a front lateral stator and a rear lateral stator, and with a second of the configurations comprising the same front lateral stator and the same rotors and stators of the central group, but arranged between a spacer disk of thickness less than the wear stroke of the pistons, and a new rear lateral stator of thickness greater than that of the preceding rear lateral stator.

An aircraft brake unit usually comprises alternating stators coupled to a torsion tube and rotors coupled to the corresponding wheel, with a front lateral stator at one end adjacent to a braking ring fitted with pistons capable of travelling over a predetermined wear stroke, and with a rear lateral stator at the other end.
An objective of the manufacturers of such carbon disk brake units is to optimize the degree of wear on each individual disk while keeping axial size as small as possible, with a minimum wear stroke for the pistons of the braking ring. Over recent years, manufacturers of brake units have set about defining disk arrangements and ways of substituting disks that make it possible, after operation for a certain length of time, to reuse at least some of the disks so as to increase the operating lifetime of the disks used.
Documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,017 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,895 thus show one way of replacing some of the brake disks. Those documents teach that previously brake units had been used having a brake ring fitted with pistons capable of a long predetermined wear stroke, and that once said wear stroke had been reached, all of the rotors and stators making up the brake unit were replaced. Those patents teach that under such circumstances it is more advantageous to use rotors that are thicker than the stators, together with two end stators that are thinner than the central stators in the set of disks. Once the predetermined wear stroke has been reached, constituting 50% to 65% of the prior-art wear stroke, then the very thick rotors can have both of their worn faces re-machined and they can be conserved in a new set of replacement disks which then include new, thicker stators, so as to return the set of disks to substantially the same initial total length, and thus be in a position to use up a new wear stroke after reinitializing the piston assemblies. That teaching thus makes it possible to use the rotors twice over, after appropriate resurfacing, and to replace only the stators of the brake unit. Thus, by giving the disks of the brake unit several "lives", each individual disk is used to a considerable extent, while nevertheless retaining a wear stroke that is small.
That technique has the advantage of good equilibrium for the heat sink, but it suffers from the drawback of re-machining all of the contact faces when replacing the stators after a first wear stroke of the pistons, in order to avoid contact between a new face and a worn face on an adjacent disk, since that would give rise to expensive loss of carbon.
An analogous technique is described in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,534 in an arrangement that includes thick disks (at both ends and in the middle of the stack) and thin disks. At the end of a half-life, the thick disks change position within the stack to be reused as thin disks, and the thin disks are either discarded or else are associated with one another to build up new thick disks. This suffers from the same drawbacks as those mentioned for the preceding documents.
Another replacement technique is taught in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,880. In that technique, replacement is performed step by step by progressively shifting groups of worn disks rearwards, removing the rearmost disks that are the most worn, and putting into place a new group of thick disks at the front. These thick new disks thus move progressively rearwards from the front every time a substitution is performed after the pistons have used up a wear stroke, thereby enabling them to "live" a plurality of "lives" until they are very worn and at the rear, from which they are removed. An analogous technique is described in document CA-A-2 004 091.
That substitution technique with translation presents the advantage of a long period of use for the disks, while conserving paired faces for disks constituting a portion of a replacement group, thereby avoiding the need to machine off carbon and consequently avoiding the above-mentioned drawbacks of carbon losses. Nevertheless, such an arrangement is not always satisfactory from the point of view of thermal equilibrium for the heat sink in so far as the disks at the front are very thick while the disks at the rear are very thin. This effect is particularly marked in that the very thick disks are located in a zone that is less sensitive to heating because it is well ventilated, unlike the very thin disks disposed at the rear of the series of disks.

Arrangement of carbon brake disks for an aircraft brake unit and a method of assembling disks in such an arrangement


A turbine casing is provided and includes first and second turbine casing shells configured to be removably coupled to one another. At least one of the first and second turbine casing shells is formed to define an access slot. At least one service wedge is configured to be removably installed in the access slot.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbine casings and, more particularly, to turbine casings with access slots and at least one service wedge configured to be removably installed in the access slots.
Gas and steam turbine engines are typically designed with casing/shell splits along the horizontal centerline of the unit. For major maintenance inspections, parts replacements, etc., the upper half casings are normally removed. The disassembly and subsequent re-assembly process is mechanically very involved along with being resource and time intensive. For example, it is necessary to attach the upper half casing to a crane and to remove fastening elements along the entire axial length of both casing/shell splits so that the crane can lift the upper half casing away from the lower half casing.
For small to medium scale inspection, maintenance, repair or replacement operations, the ability of the operator to access the interior of casings/shells is often compromised. As such, it may be necessary for the entire removal process to be conducted even for relatively minor operations if internal access to parts is required. This issue can be especially resource and time intensive particularly as compared to the scope of the relatively small scale maintenance, repair or replacement operations.


A method of reducing cutting tool wear in a lubricated metal cutting operation has been developed. An electrical cutting cell is provided having an anodic conductive cutting tool and a cathodic conductive work-piece connected to a DC current supply; the lubricant contains platable wear reducing agents. The lubricant is located to bathe the contacting interface between the cutting tool and work-piece to constitute an electrolyte. Next, the electrical current flow through the contacting interface is controlled to be in the range of 25-500 milli-amps. Lastly, the cutting tool is moved into and along cutting contact with the work-piece while current flows there-between to electro-chemically deposit the wear reducing agents on at least the contacting interface to reduce cutting tool wear and improve ease of mass removal.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the technology of metal cutting and more particularly to reduction of cutting tool wear and vibration in a lubricated metal cutting operation using conventional cutting tool materials.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Manufacturing industries, particularly the automotive industry, utilize a significant amount of machining, including turning, drilling, tapping, etc., of aluminum, cast-iron, and steel to fabricate parts, such as cylinder heads, engine blocks, camshafts etc. These machining operations are performed generally using high-speed tool steel or tungsten carbide tools. These tools need to be replaced periodically for wear to maintain dimensional tolerance of parts and also to keep machine vibration under control; such removal results in machine downtime. Therefore, an improvement in tool life would mean less frequent tool replacement resulting in cost savings and reduced machine downtime.
During the past several years some improvement in tool life has been realized through use of more wear resistant materials, such as ceramics or vapor deposited hard coatings, but with higher costs. The present invention provides an alternate route to improve tool life by passing a small direct current through the tool/work-piece interface accompanied by a very little increase in cost but a significant increase in tool wear life. Investigations of the effectiveness of electrical currents, relative to wear elements, have been carried out in a limited capacity by the prior art. In 1969, Ellis and Barrow reported investigating thermally induced electromotive forces in an un-lubricated cutting operation; the electromotive force was augmented with an external circuit (see Annals of CIRP, Vol. XVII, page 39, 1969). The investigators could not confirm a reduction in wear. In 1987 an electrical current was employed to reduce friction in a lubricated bearing contact (i.e. piston and cylinder) by precipitating iron phosphate film from the lubricant (see U.S. Pat. 4,714,529). In 1997, in a wire drawing operation, a DC current was passed between a lubricated capstan sleeve and a copper wire prior to entering a drawing die; water in the lubricant was disassociated to form hydrogen gas which disrupted oxide film formation which allowed easier plastic deformation of pure copper and lower friction in the die (see U.S. Pat. 5,666,839).
None of these prior art approaches teach how to significantly reduce wear in a lubricated metal cutting operation by a reliable and economical technique.
An object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus that forms an anodic deposit on the tool cutting surface during a lubricated cutting operation, which increases the wear life of the tool and significantly delays the onset of vibration.
The invention, in a first aspect, that meets the above object, is a method of reducing wear in a lubricated metal cutting operation, comprising: (a) providing an electrical cutting cell having an anodic conductive cutting tool and a cathodic conductive work-piece connected to a DC current supply, the lubricant containing platable wear reducing agents and arranged to bathe the contacting interface between the cutting tool and work-piece to function as an electrolyte; (b) controlling the electrical current flow through the contacting interface to be in the range of 25-500 milli-amps; and (c) moving the cutting tool into and along cutting contact with the work-piece while current flows there-between to electro-chemically deposit the wear reducing agents on at least the contacting interface for reducing cutting tool wear and improving ease of mass removal from the workpiece.

Method of reducing wear in lubricated metal cutting operation


An imaging system is provided with an authentication data storage that stores a plurality of pieces of authentication data in relationship to user IDs respectively representing owners of the plurality of communication devices. Further included is a reading system that reads out one of the plurality of pieces of the authentication data corresponding to a user ID if the user ID is transmitted from the external device in relationship to the image data, and a searching system searches for a communication device with which a connection authentication is established using the authentication data read out by the reading system within a predetermined communication area with respect to the imaging system. An imaging system forms an image represented by the image data transmitted in relationship to the user ID from the external device when the communication device is detected by the searching system.

The present invention relates to a printing system including a printer and a plurality of terminal devices, which are interconnected through a network system.
Conventionally, a printing system including an image forming device such as a printer, and at least one external device interconnected through a network system has been known. Typically, the image forming device is located remote from the external device. In such a system, it may happen that a confidential document is to be printed, i.e., printing data of the confidential document may be transmitted to the image forming device through the network so that the confidential document is printed by the image forming device. In such a case, if the image forming device prints out the confidential document as soon as it receives the printing data through the network, there is a possibility that the printed out document may be viewed by a person who is not an intended recipient of the document.
To solve the above problem, the assignee has suggested, in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication P2001-217948, a printing system including a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) and a printer interconnected through a network. In this system, printing data and a password are transmitted to the printer, which are stored in a storage of the printer. Thereafter, when the password is transmitted from a cell phone to the printer, the printer starts printing of the stored printing data corresponding to the password.
According to the above configuration, even through the printer is remote from the PC and the printing data is transmitted to the printer, the printer does not starts printing until it receives the password corresponding to the printing data. Therefore, a confidential documents will not be printed out and therefore viewed by an unintended recipient.
However, according to the above system, it is necessary to certify the recipient, and for this purpose, it typically requires a password to be input through the cell phone, which is troublesome.
Another system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Application P2000-177212. According to this system, a printer receives printing data and an ID number of an intended recipient of the printout, and stores the same. The recipient always brings an ID card with him/her. The ID card has a signal transmitting/receiving function. The printer is configured to transmits an ID requiring signal to ID cards within a predetermined communication area. When a holder of the ID card comes inside the predetermined communication area, the ID card receives the ID requiring signal. Then, the ID card transmits the ID number to the printer in response to the ID requiring signal. Upon receipt of the ID number from the ID card, the printer checks whether it currently stores printing data corresponding to the received ID number, and if any, starts printing the data.
According to the above configuration, it becomes possible that a print job of the printing data is initiated when the recipient of the printing data is sufficiently close to the printer. Further, it is unnecessary for the recipient to manually input the password in response to the request from the printer.
According to this system, however, a recipient is required to always bring the dedicated ID card with him/her. It may be inconvenient since a dedicated ID card should be designed for the printing system. Further, every user of the printing system must bring the ID card only for the purpose of initiating a print job.
There is also known a printing system, which includes a plurality of PCs and a plurality of image forming devices such as a printer interconnected with each other through a network system.
In such a system, when a print job is executed, a user may designate an image forming device to be used using the PC. For example, when a user intends to print printing data using a printer, firstly, he/she controls the PC to display a list of printers available on the network system, and select one of them to be used. Then, the user starts a printing job, and the printing data is transmitted to the selected (designated) printer.
In the conventional system, however, a printer is selected based on the names of the imaging devices, IP addresses and the like. Therefore, it is necessary that the user should know a relationship between each image forming device as listed and location thereof in order to obtain a printout from an image forming device at a desired location.
In order to solve this problem, according to a network printer system disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication P2001-154822, operator ID for identifying an operator is used to designate a printer to be used.
Specifically, according to the system in this publication, the printer obtains an operator ID from a user in a setting mode, and broadcast the obtained operator ID together with the ID data (e.g., MAC address or the like) within the network. A work station (or PC) obtains, in a setting mode, the operator ID, and compares the operator ID included in the broadcast signal and operational ID with the broadcast data. If the input operator ID and the broadcast ID coincide with each other, the printer from which the operator ID is broadcast is selected as the printer to be used.
According to the system as above, without a troublesome setting operation, an appropriate printer can be selected and control the same to executed a print job.
However, according to the above-described system, if the user desires to switch a plurality of image forming devices, setting operations should be performed when the printers are switched, which is troublesome.
Further, when a plurality of users use the same printer in a shared manner, the confidentiality of the printout as aforementioned arises again. That is, when a user selects one imaging device, and control the same to print out a confidential document, if the image forming device outputs the document upon receipt of the printing data, the output may be viewed by an unintended recipient.
Still further, in a system including a plurality of image forming devices and a plurality of terminals interconnected with each other, it sometimes happens that a user requiring a print job (i.e., a demander) and a recipient of the output of the print job are different. If the demander and the recipient are the same, the demander selects, for example, a printer which is close to the demander. However, if they are different, it is necessary for the demander to know a location of the recipient. It is especially important when the recipient does not stay at the same position.
According to the JP provisional publication P2001-154822, which is mentioned before, the demander designates a printer to be used. Specifically, the printer requires the demander to input an information key, which is broadcast in the network together with the identification data (e.g., MAC address) thereof. A workstation requires the demander to input the information key, and compares the input information key with the broadcast information key. If the information keys are judged to be the same, the printer which broadcast the information key as the target printer, to which the print data is transmitted.
Thus, by modifying the system such that the demander inputs the information key through a PC and the recipient inputs the information key through a printer, it becomes possible to configure a system in which the printer closed to the recipient is controlled to executed the print job directed to the recipient.
According to such a system, however, it is necessary for the recipient to input the information key through the printer, which is relatively troublesome. Further, the information key input by the recipient must be identical to that input by the demander through the PC. Therefore, if the demander and the recipient are different, the information key should be notified from the demander to the recipient, which may not get along in a practical use.


An ultra-high-strength hot-rolled steel plate and steel strip having good fatigue and reaming properties and a manufacturing method therefor. The weight percentages of the components of the steel plate and the steel strip are: C: 0.07-0.14%, Si: 0.1-0.4%, Mn: 1.55-2.00%, P≤0.015%, S≤0.004%, Al: 0.01-0.05%, N≤0.005%, Cr: 0.15-0.50%, V: 0.1-0.35%, Nb: 0.01%-0.06%, Mo: 0.15-0.50%, Ti≤0.02%, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities. Such components need to meet: 1.0≤[(Cr/52)/(C/4)+(Nb/93+Ti/48+V/51+Mo/96)/(C/12)]≤1.6. The tensile strength of the ultrahigh-strength hot-rolled steel plate and steel strip is ≥780 MPa, the yield strength thereof is ≥660 MPa, the tensile fatigue limit (10 million cycles) FL thereof is ≥570 MPa, or the fatigue limit to tensile strength FL/Rm thereof is ≥0.72. The reaming rate meets: if an original hole is a punched hole, the reaming rate thereof is >85%; and if the original hole is a reamed hole, the reaming rate thereof is >120%.

"Lightweight" of automobiles can directly reduce emissions and reduce fuel consumption, which is a goal of development in today's automobile manufacturing industry. An important measure for "lightweight" of automobiles is to replace mild steel with high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel plates. The use of high-strength steel in a large scale may effect a weight reduction of 20-25%. In the past ten years, advanced high-strength steel with both high strength and high elongation has been widely used in body-in-white structural parts to achieve "lightweight", and excellent energy saving and emission reduction effects have been achieved. At present, the concept of "lightweight" is further applied to automobile chassis and suspension systems. The increasingly stringent environmental requirements and market demands also require the use of high-strength steel as an automobile chassis material to achieve "lightweight".
However, for the structural parts of an automobile chassis and a suspension system, the forming process requires the material to have a high reaming performance. In addition, the service characteristics of the structural parts of the chassis and suspension system also further require the material to have high fatigue performance. Although high-strength steel comprising a major structure of bainite has become a common steel grade for automobile chassis and suspension system parts due to its high strength and good reaming performance, it is extremely difficult to design and manufacture a steel material having high strength, good reaming performance and good fatigue performance at the same time, because the composition and structure of bainite steel are complex, and the three properties of high strength, high reaming rate and high fatigue limit restrict each other.
Chinese Patent Application No. CN102612569A discloses a high-strength hot-rolled steel plate with a tensile strength of greater than 780 MPa, a bending fatigue limit ratio of greater than 0.45 for 10 million loading cycles, and a reaming rate (the original hole is a punched hole) of 30-50%. Although the steel plate has a relatively high strength and a certain bending fatigue limit, the reaming rate is relatively low.
Chinese Patent Application No. CN103108971A discloses a high-strength hot-rolled steel plate with excellent fatigue resistance. The steel plate has a tensile strength of greater than 780 MPa and a tensile fatigue limit of 0.66 to 0.78 for 2 million loading cycles. However, this fatigue limit is only a fatigue limit under 2 million loading cycles. According to common knowledge, the fatigue limit is inversely proportional to the number of cycles. Therefore, if the number of loading cycles in the fatigue testing of this material is further increased, the fatigue limit will be further reduced. In addition, the reaming performance of the material is not considered in this patent application.
Chinese Patent Application No. CN101906567A discloses a high-strength hot-rolled steel plate with excellent reaming workability, wherein the tensile strength of the steel plate is greater than 780 MPa, and the reaming rate (the original hole is a punched hole) is between 43-89%. Chinese Patent Application No. CN104136643A discloses a high-strength hot-rolled steel plate with a tensile strength of greater than 780 MPa and a reaming rate (the original hole is a reamed hole) between 37% and 103%. However, neither of the above two patent applications considers the fatigue performance of the material.
In the aforementioned four patent applications, the Ti element is an optional or mandatory beneficial element to increase the strength of the material or inhibit the growth of original austenite grains. However, the Ti element will react at high temperatures with the N element, a common impurity in steel, to form large, brittle, and sharp-edged TiN particles in a square (or triangular) shape. These particles have a harmful influence on the forming performances of the steel, such as bending and reaming, and will reduce the fatigue limit of the steel material greatly. These adverse effects caused by the Ti element are not considered in the prior art.
In addition, for this type of material that has a tensile strength of the 800 MPa level, and comprises bainite as the main structure and carbide precipitates as the reinforcing phase (hereinafter referred to as this type of material), the strength, fatigue limit and reaming performance are three performances that restrict each other. First of all, the strength of the material is usually inversely proportional to the reaming performance. In order to obtain higher strength, especially yield strength, this type of steel urgently needs the precipitation strengthening effect of carbides. However, the precipitation and coarsening of a large amount of carbides will greatly impair the reaming performance of the material. In addition, generally speaking, the higher the yield strength of the material, the higher the fatigue limit of the material. However, for this type of material, the improvement of the yield strength greatly depends on the precipitation of a large amount of carbides, but the precipitation and coarsening of a large amount of carbides will also greatly reduce the fatigue limit of this type of material. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to design and manufacture this kind of material to achieve high strength, high reamability and high fatigue limit.

Ultrahigh-strength hot-rolled steel sheet and steel strip having good fatigue and reaming properties and manufacturing method therefor


A directional coupler type optical function element with a high extinction ratio, in which a junction of a 2-input/2-output directional coupler or 1-input/2-output directional coupler, formed of a semiconductor or dielectric, is formed by successively optically connecting, from the input side to the output side, a front-stage partial junction, front-stage partial junction with electrode, central partial junction, rear-stage partial junction with electrode, and rear-stage partial junction, each having a predetermined length. The connection state at the front-stage partial junction and an incidence-side lead section optically connected thereto and the connection state at the rear-stage partial junction and an emergence-side lead section optically connected thereto cancel each other, thereby equivalently providing a symmetrical connection state and preventing the extinction ratio for a cross mode from lowering. Moreover, by forming the central partial junction with a proper length, the extinction ratio for a through mode can be kept high enough. Thus, high extinction ratio characteristics can be enjoyed for both of the cross and through modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a directional coupler type optical function element of a novel construction, and more particularly, to a directional coupler type optical function element having very high extinction ratio characteristics and adapted for use as an optical switch, polarizing splitter, optical modulator, wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various optical function elements having a directional coupler of a waveguide type have been developed, and optical switches, polarizing splitters, optical modulators, wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer, etc. using these elements have been proposed.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show examples of conventional optical function elements of a directional coupler type. The element shown in FIG. 1 is a 2-input/2-output element, while the element shown in FIG. 2 is a 1-input/2-output element.
In FIG. 1, a junction C.sub.0 of a length L is formed by arranging two optical waveguides A and B of equal widths W close to each other in parallel relation, with a distance G for evanescent connection between them.
Curved optical waveguides D.sub.1, D.sub.2, D.sub.3 and D.sub.4 with a path width W and curvature radius R are optically connected to the respective incidence ends A.sub.1 and B.sub.1 and emergence ends A.sub.2 and B.sub.2 of the optical waveguides A and B of the junction C.sub.0, respectively, thus forming incidence-side lead section C.sub.1 and emergence-side lead section C.sub.2. Also, straight optical waveguides E.sub.1, E.sub.2, E.sub.3 and E.sub.4 with the path width W are optically connected to the curved optical waveguides D.sub.1, D.sub.2, D.sub.3 and D.sub.4, respectively, with a distance G.sub.0 between the respective path-width centers of the waveguides E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 and between those of the waveguides E.sub.3 and E.sub.4. Electrodes F.sub.1, F.sub.2, F.sub.3 and F.sub.4 are mounted on the optical waveguides A and B of the junction C.sub.0 so that electrical signals can be introduced from the electrodes into the waveguides. The distances between the electrodes F.sub.1 and F.sub.3 and between the electrodes F.sub.2 and F.sub.4 are substantially zero.
If the straight optical waveguide E.sub.1 is an incidence port, the straight optical waveguides E.sub.3 and E.sub.4 serve as a through port and a cross port, respectively.
The 1-input/2-output element of FIG. 2 is a modified version of the 2-input/2-output element of FIG. 1, in which one straight optical waveguide E.sub.0 is optically connected to only the incidence end A.sub.1 of the optical waveguide A in a direct manner. In this element, the straight optical waveguides E.sub.3 and E.sub.4 serve as a through port and a cross port, respectively.
In order to incorporate these elements in a fiber communication system, which is going to be practically used, it is necessary to prevent errors attributable to cross talk. Thus, the elements are expected to be subject to less cross talk, that is, to have high extinction ratio characteristics.
In the case of the element shown in FIG. 1, a theoretically perfect cross mode is established to heighten the extinction ratio without limitation by applying proper electrical signals from the electrodes F.sub.1, F.sub.2, F.sub.3 and F.sub.4. Connections at the incidence- and emergence-side lead sections C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 cannot, however, provide a perfect through mode, and in this case, the theoretical value of the extinction ratio ranges from about 20 to 30 dB at the highest.
In the case of the element shown in FIG. 2, moreover, the extinction ratio for the through mode can be made about 10 dB higher than that of the element shown in FIG. 1. For the cross mode, however, the extinction ratio ranges from only about 10 to 20 dB.
Thus, the conventional elements, which have a low extinction ratio for the through or cross mode, cannot exhibit high extinction ratio characteristics for both the through and cross modes.
The extinction ratio used here is a value given by the followed equation: 10 log.sub.10 (.vertline.r.vertline..sup.2 /.vertline.s.vertline..sup.2), where .vertline.r.vertline..sup.2 is the output power of the through port, and .vertline.s.vertline..sup.2 is the output power of the cross port.
Among optical function elements constructed in this manner, known examples of those which have relatively high extinction ratio characteristics include an optical switch with an extinction ratio of about 27 dB reported in Technical Digest Integrated and Guide-wave Optics '86 by P. Granestrand et al. and a polarizing splitter with an extinction ratio of about 28 db reported in the 1990 Autumn National Meeting C-216 of the Institute of Electronic Intelligence and Communication Engineers of Japan by H.M. Mak et al.
Meanwhile, those optical function elements which are practically used in an optical communication system are expected to have an extinction ratio of 15 dB or more.
To meet this requirement, intense studies have been made of the causes of low extinction ratios of directional coupler type optical function elements.
Among these studies, there is one whose results are described in Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Journal (IEEE. J.) of Quantum Electronics (Vol. 24, March, 1988) by Jean-Pierre Weber et al. This description indicates that the low extinction ratio is attributable to difficulty in refractive index control of the directional coupler for a required switching state.
L. McCanghan et al. also reported in in IEEE. J. of Quantum Electronic (Vol. QE-22, No. 6, June, 1986) that the low extinction ratio is attributable to the irregularity of the refractive index of optical waveguides with respect to the extending direction thereof (direction of light propagation).
Further, T. K. Findakly et al. indicated the following in Journal of Lightwave Technology (Vol. 6, No. 1, January, 1988). According to this report, the extinction ratio is inevitably lowered because switching state cannot be obtained in a through mode due to the existence of small connections at incidence- and emergence-side lead sections for connecting optical fibers.
Among the three causes described in these reports, the one reported by Jean-Pierre Weber et al. can be removed by properly selecting the method of driving the element and the material of the optical waveguides. Further, the cause reported by L. McCanghan et al. can be removed by improving film growth control during the formation of the optical waveguides.
The cause indicated by T. K. Findakly et al., however, is an unavoidable problem which cannot be solved unless the outside diameter of the optical fiber to be connected is reduced to several micrometers so that the element requires no lead sections.
In the case of the optical function element of the conventional construction shown in FIG. 1, the extinction ratio is lowered only for the through mode due to the connections at the incidence- and emergence-side lead sections C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 even though the element is a perfectly symmetrical directional coupler.
The extinction ratio characteristics of the optical function element depend on the lower one of the extinction ratios for the through and cross modes. Even in case the extinction ratio for the cross mode is unlimited, therefore, the whole element can enjoy only a low extinction ratio if that for the through mode is low.
In the case of the optical function element shown in FIG. 1, moreover, the extinction ratio for the cross mode can be also lowered if the incidence- and emergence-side lead sections C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 do not have the same configuration.
In many of practical versions of the element of FIG. 1, for example, the radius of curvature of the incidence-side lead section C.sub.1 is different from that of the emergence-side lead section C.sub.2, so that these sections are not symmetrical. In such a case, the extinction ratio for the cross mode, as well as that for the through mode, is lowered for the aforesaid reason.
Thus, in the conventional directional coupler type optical function elements, the extinction ratio for the through mode is low, and that for the cross mode is also lowered if the incidence- and emergence-side lead sections C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 are not symmetrical.

Directional coupler type optical function element