A field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch, which includes an electromagnetic coil body formed by winding an electromagnetic coil; a bobbin for supporting the electromagnetic coil body; a field core for receiving the bobbin and the electromagnetic coil body; a holder mounted to the electromagnetic coil body; and a thermal fuse installed to the holder to be connected to the electromagnetic coil body, wherein the holder having the thermal fuse installed thereto is provided with an elastic member for elastically supporting the thermal fuse upwards. Thus, the height of the thermal fuse installed to the holder can be adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch, and more particularly, to a field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch, wherein a thermal fuse is installed to a holder mounted to an electromagnetic coil body so that the height of the thermal fuse may be variably adjusted, thereby preventing damage in the thermal fuse which may be caused by a injection molding apparatus during an injection molding process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch is an electric apparatus, in which when electric power is supplied, the electromagnetic induction of a wound coil in the field coil assembly causes a magnetic field to be generated and the magnetic force accordingly causes a disc of a pulley and a hub disc of a driving shaft of a compressor to be connected to each other, so that the electromagnetic clutch may cause the driving force of the pulley rotated by an engine to be transmitted to the hub disc of the driving shaft of the compressor. As such, the field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch serves to intermit power applied to the compressor depending on whether or not the electric power is supplied to the wound coil, so that the operation of a cooling system in an air conditioning apparatus can be controlled.
The field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch as described above includes a thermal fuse for causing the coil to be shorted when the clutch of the compressor is overheated.
In addition, when the compressor is locked due to any abnormal reasons, the thermal fuse is shorted by slip heat of the clutch, which would be generated before the compressor is locked, to cut off the electric power supplied to the electromagnetic coil, thereby causing the load due to the lock of the compressor not to be applied to the engine as well as preventing a driving belt of the compressor from being damaged.
Specifically, since the disc of the pulley slips with respect to the hub disc of the driving shaft when the compressor is locked, the temperature is excessively increased in such slipping portions. Considering the foregoing, the thermal fuse is installed adjacent to the disc of the pulley so that the thermal fuse is shorted due to the abnormal increase in temperature of such slipping portions.
Patent applications concerning such a conventional field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch have been filed in the name of the present applicant. FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of a conventional field coil assembly for an electromagnetic clutch which has been proposed by the applicant.
As shown in FIG. 1, a field coil assembly 2 for an electromagnetic clutch includes an electromagnetic coil body 30 formed by winding an electromagnetic coil in a ring shape; a bobbin 20, which is made of a ring-shaped synthetic resin material and has one side being open, for receiving the electromagnetic coil body 30 therein to maintain the shape of the electromagnetic coil body 30; a field core 10, which has one side being open and receives the bobbin 20 through the open side in a groove 11 formed in the field core 10 to thereby protect the bobbin 20 and the electromagnetic coil body 30 in the bobbin 20 from an externally impact; and an epoxy injection molded body 40, which is injection molded into the field core 10 to fill a space between the bobbin 20 and the field core 10 and to fix the bobbin 20 and the electromagnetic coil body 30 into the field core 10.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, an outer surface of the electromagnetic coil body 30 provided in the field core 10 is provided with a holder 50, which is an insulating body formed of a circular-arc-typed plate corresponding to the outer surface of the electromagnetic coil body 30. The holder 50 is mounted with a thermal fuse 60 for disconnecting the electromagnetic coil body 30 when the clutch of the compressor is overheated.
The holder 50 is formed with a base 51 which is curved in a circular arc shape along the outer surface of the electromagnetic coil body 30. Mounting protrusions 52 are formed to protrude downwards along outer peripheries of both curved side edges of the base 51 so that the holder 50 can be fitted onto and coupled to the electromagnetic coil body 30. Two holes 51a are bored through one side of the base 51 so that two lead wires 31 of the electromagnetic coil body 30 are withdrawn toward both sides of an upper portion of the holder 50 through the holes 51a, respectively.
Further, protrusions 53 between which the thermal fuse 60 is inserted and seated are formed to protrude on the upper surface of the base 51 of the holder 50. Coupling protrusions 54, into which terminals 55 for allowing lead wires 61 of the thermal fuse 60 and the lead wires 31 of the electromagnetic coil body 30 to be electrically connected are fixedly inserted, are formed to protrude at both sides of the protrusions 53, respectively.
Meanwhile, the protrusions 53 protrude from the base 51 of the holder 50 in a vertical direction thereto and comprise a pair of plates which are spaced apart from each other on the base 51. Reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1 designates a connection protrusion, which is formed on the bobbin 20 and coupled for lead-out wires of the electromagnetic coil body 30 to be connected.
A process of assembling the conventional field coil assembly 2 for an electromagnetic clutch so configured will be described. First, the terminals 55 are fixedly inserted into the coupling protrusions 54 formed on the upper surface of the holder 50, and then, the mounting protrusions 52 at both the sides of the holder 50 enclose the outer surface of the electromagnetic coil body 30 which is received in the bobbin 20, so that the holder 50 is fixed to the electromagnetic coil body 30.
In such a state, the thermal fuse 60 is inserted and fixed between the protrusions 53 of the holder 50 and both the lead wires 61 of the thermal fuse 60 are press-fitted into both the terminals 55 as shown in FIG. 2 to thereby be electrically connected to the terminals 55, respectively. Further, both the lead wires 31 of the electromagnetic coil body 30 are also withdrawn through the holes 51a of the holder 50 and then press-fitted into both the terminals 55 to thereby be electrically connected to the terminals 55. As a result, the lead wires 31 of the electromagnetic coil body 30 are electrically connected to the lead wires 61 of the thermal fuse 60 through the terminals 55, respectively.
Finally, after the bobbin 20 in which the electromagnetic coil body 30 so coupled is provided is inserted into the field core 10, an epoxy resin is injected and molded into the field core 10 using an injection molding apparatus. Therefore, the electromagnetic coil body 30 and the bobbin 20 are fixed inside of the field core 10 as well as the electromagnetic coil body 30 and the field core 10 are insulated from each other.
Meanwhile, during such a molding process, the thermal fuse 60 is not completely embedded by the epoxy resin but is encapsulated so that one side thereof is exposed to the outside, whereby the accuracy of the temperature sensing function in the thermal fuse 60 can be further improved.
However, in the conventional field coil assembly 2 for an electromagnetic clutch so configured, the electromagnetic coil body 30 is formed by winding the electromagnetic coil several times. If the winding number of the electromagnetic coil or the overlapped type of the electromagnetic coil is varied, the height of the electromagnetic coil body 30 is not uniform, so that the protrusion degree of the thermal fuse 60 which is mounted to the electromagnetic coil body 30 through the holder 50 may vary.
Accordingly, if the protrusion height of the thermal fuse 60 from the electromagnetic coil body 30 is larger than a predetermined value, there is a problem in that when the epoxy injection molded body 40 is molded using an injection molding apparatus, the thermal fuse 60 may be pressed down by the injection molding apparatus to be damaged, thereby resulting in malfunction.

Field coil assembly for electromagnetic clutch


An air injection technique to evacuate and prevent from settling zebra mussels and other encrustaceous organisms from underwater vertical, horizontal or angular surfaces. Such surfaces located in fresh or salt water may be part of critical underwater components such as metering and monitoring devices.

1 . Field of Invention
The invention offers a method to control and eliminate the infestation of zebra mussels and other encrustaceous organisms attaching to underwater surfaces, structures, and critical devices. The infestation of these encrustaceous organisms has significant impact on the efficient operation of municipal and industrial facilities, and marine shipping. This zebra mussel problem will expand as it continues to proliferate in estuaries and rivers contiguous to the Great Lakes and other fresh water locations. Marine encrustations historically have been problematic for water users.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This bivalve mollusk Dreissena polymorpha commonly known as the zebra mussel colonized Lake St. Clair (Ontario, Canada) in 1986 as a result of ballast water discharge from sea going ships. It is now widely accepted that the zebra mussel has spread to all of the Great Lakes and will eventually inhabit most of the continent's freshwater areas unless a control can be found. The mussels present a problem because they clog water intake areas and equipment, diminishing water flow. It has been estimated that the mollusk could cost the Great Lakes Basin $500 million a year. This problem will continue to expand as the mussel continues to extend its range in estuaries and rivers contiguous with the Great Lakes and elsewhere. The zebra mussel infestation in both estuarine and riverine systems appears to be following the same explosive growth pattern as was evidenced in Lake Erie and other Great Lakes. Moreover, the entire Mississippi River drainage system is thoroughly infested or has an inoculum population of zebra mussels that will impact facilities across the Midwestern and eastern U.S.
The success of invaders and the problems they cause for utility facilities will depend largely on physical parameters like the hydraulic characteristics and availability of colonization sites of in-house underwater structural features. Some potential sites where zebra mussels have become problematic are strainers of all sizes and types including trash racks, metering and monitoring devices, direct connect cylinder recesses, valve recesses, vat and cistern walls, and many other sites. An important application of air injection is to reduce breeding populations of zebra mussels adjacent to water intakes, thereby substantially reducing the influx of veligers to the facility. Design characteristics of a specific device or treatment area will dictate the application and deployment strategy of the air diffuser. The diversity of interference points would ideally be suited by a utilitarian method of zebra mussel control. Air diffusers and injectors will not meet all of the mussel control needs, however, they will be effective for many applications. For clarification, air diffusers deliver a broad band of bubbles whereas air injectors deliver a focused stream of air bubbles. Air "injection" refers to both.
The air injection technique is focused at specific problematic sites in the industrial settling to prevent zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas) veligers from settling, and to evacuate adults that have previously colonized. The air injection method has the capacity of eliminating zebra veligers prevented from settling on critical underwater components such as metering and monitoring devices. Air injection is believed to be the first environmentally non-invasive technique to have definitively demonstrated zebra mussel control on a large scale. The principle of the technique and actual apparatus design are remarkably flexible, and thus will integrate well with a variety of different industrial site specific configuration requirements.

Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System on behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee


A noise masking device for a low-cost laser beam printer, a copier or the like for performing a noise masking with respect to a noise of a drive motor of an image forming apparatus while affording no psychological unpleasant feeling due to a frequency fluctuation thereof. The noise masking device of the image forming apparatus having the drive motor which becomes a source of the noise upon operation thereof includes signal generating means for generating a correlation signal which correlates with the noise, a speaker for generating a masking sound which masks the noise and masking sound control means for controlling the speaker to vary the masking sound corresponding to the variation in the correlation signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noise masking device and a noise masking method of an image forming apparatus such as an office automation equipment, a laser beam printer and an electrophotographic copier, using a drive motor which becomes a source of a noise upon operation thereof, and more particularly, to a noise masking device and a noise masking method for generating a noise masking sound which auditorily drowns out the noise produced by the drive motor of the noise source, to thereby drown out the noise which causes unpleasant feeling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a plurality of mechanical drive motors are utilized as drive motors for an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer and an electrophotographic copier. The recent digitization brings use of a special drive motor.
For example, an image carrier (document) is scanned by a fluorescent tube or an LED to read the image by a CCD in a digitized image forming apparatus. Recording of the image (making a document) is performed with an image recording apparatus by scanning a recording medium with a light beam from a light source such as a laser diode which is modulated with an image signal or a character signal. In this case, a light deflector which includes a polygon mirror having a plurality of reflecting facets on its outer peripheral and a drive motor for rotating the polygon mirror is used as a optical scanning device for scanning the light beam. An example of the drive motor of such light deflector will be subsequently explained.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view explaining a construction of a light deflector (an optical scanning device). In FIG. 12, designated at numeral 11 is a drive motor, 12 is a polygon mirror, 13 is a laser source, 14 is a collimator lens, 15 is a converging optical member (a converging lens) and 16 is a recording member (a photosensitive drum).
The construction of the light deflector in the image forming apparatus and the outline of the image forming method is schematically explained with reference to FIG. 12. On performing the image recording, the polygon mirror 12 is rotated by the drive motor 11 in the direction shown by an arrow A. The laser source 13 is constituted by a semiconductor laser or a gas laser. The light beam emitted from the laser source 13 is modulated with an image signal by a modulator not shown and is incident on one of the reflecting facets of the polygon mirror 12 through the collimator lens 14. The light beam reflected by the reflecting facet of the polygon mirror 12 is projected to the recording member 16 through the converging optical member 15. In this case, the reflected light beam is deflected in the direction shown by an arrow B for main-scanning the recording member 16 in accordance with the rotation of the polygon mirror 12 in the direction of the arrow A. With this main-scanning, the recording member 16 is rotated in the direction shown by an arrow C to perform sub-scanning, resulting in that a two-dimensional image is written on the recording member 16.
The drive motor used in such light deflector, for example, includes a rotational bearing such as a dynamic pressure air bearing or a ball bearing having a sleeve and a shaft mutually engaging, one of which is a rotational member and the other is a fixed member, a permanent magnet mounted to the rotational member and a magnetic circuit having an electromagnetic coil wound around a circular iron core mounted to the fixed member, whereby a rotational torque is generated. Namely, the drive motor has the magnetic circuit serving as a magnetic bearing for supporting the rotational member in an axial direction.
Therefore, a noise occurs due to the operation of the drive motor 11 when the above-mentioned image recording is performed. The noise produced according to the variation in the rotational speed of the drive motor is explained. As shown in FIG. 13, the noise is produced and varied in accordance with the rotational speed of the drive motor of the light deflector. FIG. 13 shows a process from when the power source of the image forming apparatus is turned on to when a series of image forming is terminated as a variation in the rotational speed (the noise) of the drive motor.
As shown in FIG. 13, when the power source is turned on, the rotational speed of the drive motor increases to a predetermined speed. If a predetermined operation does not start after keeping a constant rotational speed, the apparatus enters into a stand-by mode and decreases the rotational speed to enter into a resting state. Thereafter, when a beginning of procedures is instructed, a speed-rising of the drive motor is started. When the rotational speed of the drive motor increases to the predetermined speed, an operational drive of the drive motor is started for the predetermined procedures. After the operational drive of the drive motor is terminated, a part of fans stops rotating. The rotation in the predetermined period for cooling is continued and then the deceleration of the drive motor is started to decrease the rotational speed to that in the stand-by mode. Thereafter, the rotational speed of the stand-by mode is kept to maintain the stand-by state.
Namely, in the case where the procedures are not performed for a short while after the power source is turned on, the image forming apparatus is brought into the stand-by mode after a several to several ten seconds from the turning-on of the power source to restrain the consumption of electricity during the stand-by mode, so that almost all the mechanisms except for a radiation fan become in the resting state. Ordinarily, preparatory to the next operational drive, the light deflector during the stand-by mode is decelerated and driven at almost a half of the predetermined rotational speed in order to shorten a speed-rise period from when the drive motor starts up to when reaches the predetermined rotational speed. In recent years, there has been provided a type wherein the rotational speed falls down to zero in the stand-by mode in order to further reduce the consumption of the electricity during the stand-by mode.
When an operator pushes a button on a control panel to input a process start signal during the stand-by mode for performing the image forming process, the image forming apparatus is brought into an operational mode, whereby the drive motor of the light deflector is starting up to accelerate until reaching the predetermined rotational speed. At this time, it is necessary to rotate the drive motor of the light deflector at high speed in a short period from the viewpoint of an image forming cycle. Therefore, the drive motor of the light deflector is constructed to be used with the rotational speed higher than that of the general motor, so that the rotational speed of the drive motor of the light deflector is 5,000 rotations or more, and 10,000 rotations or more per minute according to the situation. Accordingly, a large electricity is sent to the drive motor upon starting-up to rapidly increase the rotational speed, to thereby produce a large noise. This noise is a fluctuating sound following the fluctuation of the rotational speed, and gets greatly on persons nerve to bring unpleasant feeling.
The image forming process is started to perform a series of procedures after the drive motor reaches the predetermined rotational speed. After the completion of the procedures, each mechanism of the apparatus enters into the resting state. In the case where the next procedure is not performed after a predetermined period, the image forming apparatus is changed over to the stand-by mode, and the drive motor enters a decelerated drive.
Conventionally, there has been proposed a technique for reducing the jarring noise occurring due to the frequency fluctuation. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. Sho 63-59797 (1988) and Hei 6-175443 (1994) propose such a technique. The former proposes a driving method for a stepping motor wherein a time variation of a frequency upon the speed-rise time of the drive motor is constructed to form a plurality of curve lines to ease a rapid change. Further, the latter proposes an image forming apparatus in which other operations of the image forming apparatus are separately and precedentially performed upon the speed-rise time of a driver motor for a polygon mirror so that the operational sounds overlap the sound of the drive motor for masking.
According to the above-mentioned conventional example, the time variation of the frequency is constructed to form a plurality of curve lines to eliminate psychologically unpleasant feeling due to the noise produced upon the speed-rise time of the drive motor of the light deflector, thereby being effective to some degree in easing the rapid change in the sound. However, the frequency fluctuation is almost recognized, so that it does not come to eliminate unpleasant feeling.
In the method according to the above-mentioned other conventional example in which the operational sound overlaps with the noise of the drive motor to mask the noise, the noise (sound volume) of the whole sound further increases to become noisy. Therefore, it is difficult to eliminate unpleasantness. During the period from when the power source is turned on or from when the image forming process is terminated to when the apparatus is changed over to the stand-by mode, the other portions of the image forming apparatus is continuously and separately operated, resulting in that it is unfavorable from the viewpoint of the reduction in the consumption of the electricity.

Noise masking device and method for use in an image forming apparatus


A mixture of a benzophenone derivative having hydroxyl and alkoxysilyl groups and a benzophenone derivative having silyloxy and alkoxysilyl groups provides a reactive UV absorber which is unlikely to gel, stable during shelf storage, and curable. A coating solution comprising the UV absorber cures at room temperature to form a UV-screening film which has adhesion to glass and plastic substrates, scratch resistance, and bleed resistance, and maintains a UV-screening function over time.

Among light emissions from sun, fluorescent lamps, Braun tubes and the like, UV rays in the short wavelength region of up to 400 nm have many detrimental effects, not only to the human body including sunburn, speckles, carcinogenesis and eyesight failure, but also to articles, including mechanical strength degradation, outer appearance degradation (e.g., fading), and discoloration of printed matter.
To address such problems, especially the problem that the UV transmitted by windows into buildings or automobiles causes degradation of interiors, fading of fabrics, and sunburn of the human body, it is required to control transmission of UV by windows. In such UV screening applications, there are used film, glass, and plastic articles which are provided with a UV-screening function by incorporating UV absorbers therein or by applying a coating solution containing a UV absorber onto a substrate to form a UV-screening film thereon. For the existing windows and substrates, it is a common practice to provide them with a UV-screening function by applying a coating solution containing a UV absorber thereto to form a UV-screening film.
UV absorbers used in the prior art include salicylic acid, benzophenone, benzotriazole and cyanoacrylate compounds. Since these conventional UV absorbers cannot form a coating by themselves, they are typically used as additives to binder components. Also, these UV absorbers will evaporate or volatilize off over a long period of service, resulting in substrates having a degraded UV-screening function. In order that coated substrates retain a UV-screening function for a long time, the UV absorbers must be used in larger amounts, which give rise to problems such as bleed-out of UV absorber onto the surface and clouding of the substrate.
It was thus proposed to incorporate silicon into UV absorbers for anchoring. Such approaches are successful to some extent. In order to incorporate UV absorbers into silicone resins with good heat resistance and light resistance, many attempts were made to react benzophenone UV absorbers with alkoxysilanes.
For instance, JP 4092522 discloses a curable UV absorber obtained from reaction of hydroxybenzophenone with an epoxy-containing alkoxysilane in the presence of an ammonium salt catalyst. JP-A 2000-160130 discloses a curable UV absorber obtained from reaction of tetrahydroxybenzophenone with an isocyanato-containing alkoxysilane in the presence of a tin catalyst. In these patents, links are formed in the structure of Ph-O—CH2—CH(OH)— and Ph-O—C(O)—NH—, respectively. In both cases, the final reaction products are highly hydrophilic and susceptible to hydrolysis, and form UV-absorbing films on the substrate surface which are insufficient in durable adhesion under humid atmosphere. In addition, the catalyst can be left in the final reaction product, exerting detrimental effects on shelf stability.
JP-A H07-278525 and JP 3648280 disclose a curable UV absorber having only one alkoxysilane obtained by converting hydroxybenzophenone into allyl ether form and reacting it with hydrosilane, and a UV-absorbing film comprising the same. Since the hydroxybenzophenone alkyl ether alkoxysilane is an alkoxysilane having a very large substituent, it has the drawback that it is rather unsusceptible to hydrolysis, ineffective to form a film by itself, and less adhesive.
JP-A S57-21390 discloses a UV absorber having an alkoxysilyl group incorporated into a benzophenone skeleton via an amide bond. However, a composition comprising the same is less adhesive to substrates. JP-A S57-21476 discloses a UV absorber encompassing the benzophenone derivative (I-a) according to the present invention. However, the UV absorber produced by the disclosed method has the serious problem that it tends to condensate into a polymer or gel. JP-A S58-213075 discloses a UV absorber which is similar to that of JP-A S57-21476, wherein the alkoxy group bonded to silicon is changed so as to prevent the compound from gelation. Undesirably the production process is complex.

Reactive UV absorber, UV-screen film-forming curable coating solution, UV-screen film, and substrate having UV-screening function


A gas burner assembly has a sheet metal base section having a generally constant wall thickness and a sheet metal burner cap also having a generally constant wall thickness. The burner cap includes a plurality of burner ports and the burner cap is removably secured to the base section to define a gas chamber. The removability of the burner cap allows easy cleaning of the burner ports as well as the rest of the burner assembly. The base section is secured to the cook top by a twist lock arrangement which simplifies removal of the complete burner assembly without the need for tools when cleaning or maintenance is required.

Conventional gas ranges are generally comprised of a planar range top having a plurality of apertures within each of which is mounted a sealed gas burner. The sealed burners are secured in place within each aperture with the outer periphery of the sealed burner mating with the range top such that any spillage of food during the cooking process cannot pass between the sealed burner and the range top and into the burner box below the range top. This type of a burner is an improvement over prior art gas burners which were mounted to the gas supply system which is located within the burner box and thus required an annular spacing between the burner and the edge of the aperture in the range top to enable the removal of the range top for cleaning and/or repairs. The improved sealed burner assembly provides a clean streamlined appearance which facilitates both the cleaning and maintenance of the range top.
A typical prior art sealed burner assembly includes a die cast metal burner body which is covered with a removable die cast metal top to form a gas chamber. The burner body includes a side wall having a plurality of burner ports formed therein and through which the primary air/gas mixture is passed to the exterior of the body for combustion. Other prior art sealed burner designs include a stamped burner top which is crimped to a stamped burner base to form the sealed gas chamber. In this design, the burner top normally includes the plurality of burner ports.
A major disadvantage to these prior art designs for sealed burners has been the difficulty of the procedure required when cleaning the range and the burner assembly. The burner assemblies having a removable top allowed access to the gas chamber and burrier ports formed in the burner body but removal of the burner body for cleaning of the range normally required some type of tool to release a specific fastener securing the burner body to the range top. The stamped burner designs have been manufactured such that they are removable from the range top but the designs for the crimped assemblies have severely limited access to the gas chamber and inside portion of the burner ports for cleaning.
In addition to the cleaning problems associated with these prior art sealed burners are the problems associated with the premixing of the air and gas. Generally, the gas/air mixer tubes for these sealed burners are shorter in length in order to accommodate the shallow burner box compartments. Extending the length of these gas/air mixer tubes means increasing the size of the burner box or extending the tube in the direction of the gas valve at the front of the range top. Increasing the size of the burner box creates a packaging problem for the range top and extending the tube towards the gas valve creates assembly problems due to the difficulty encountered in attempting to maneuver a long mixer tube through a relatively small burner opening in the range top in order to properly connect the tube to the gas valve.
The present invention provides the art with a stamped metal burner assembly which is comprised of a stamped burner base and a stamped burner cap. The burner base is attached to the range top using a twist lock connection between the burner base and the range top. The twist lock feature eliminates the need for any type of tool to remove the burner base for cleaning or maintenance. The elimination of the need for the tool also eliminates the possibility of causing the enamel of the range to chip and or marring of the rang top during removal of the burner body. The burner cap which includes the plurality of burner ports engages the burner base using a fluid tight slip fit such that the burner cap can be easily removed from the burner base with its associated burner ports. The burner assembly telescopically engages an air/fuel mixer tube which extends between the gas valve and the burner opening in the range top. The mixer tube is secured to a cross support member underneath the range top by a clip that allows the air/fuel mixer tube to move sufficiently enough to properly align with the burner body during assembly and dis-assembly of the burner. This telescoping arrangement also accommodates for the typical sagging of the range top which occurs when it is hot and loaded with cooking utensils. This sagging can be accommodated for without affecting the performance of the burner from an emissions standpoint.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the subsequent detailed description, appended claims and drawings.


A compensating element for supporting a fuel injector in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine has an annular design and is situated between a valve housing of the fuel injector and a wall of a receiving bore of the cylinder head. The compensating element includes at least two side pieces, which are supported on the fuel injector and the cylinder head.

From the German Patent German Published Patent Application No. 100 38 763 a compensating element is known which has a rigid first ring able to be placed around the circumference of the fuel injector, and a rigid second ring which is insertable into the receiving bore of the cylinder head. An elastomeric intermediate ring situated between the two rigid rings is permanently connected to the first rigid ring and the second rigid ring.
In addition, a compensating element for a fuel injector that is used to mount and support a fuel injector in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine is known from the German patent German Published Patent Application No. 101 08 466. It is in the form of an annular washer and arranged between a valve housing and a wall of a receiving bore of the cylinder head. The annular washer has a round or oval cross section and sets apart a shoulder of the valve housing from a shoulder of the cylinder head.
A special disadvantage of the compensating elements known from the aforementioned printed publications is the lack of a resulting compact design.

Compensating element for a fuel injector


A plasma-enhanced electron shower (62) for an ion implantation system (10) is provided, including a target (64) provided with a chamber (84) at least partially defined by a replaceable graphite liner (82). A filament assembly (67) attached to the target generates and directs a supply of primary electrons toward a surface (118) provided by the graphite liner, which is biased to a low negative voltage of up to -10V (approximately -6V) to insure that secondary electrons emitted therefrom as a result of impacting primary electrons have a uniform low energy. The filament assembly (67) includes a filament (68) for thermionically emitting primary electrons; a biased (-300V) filament electrode (70) for focusing the emitted primary electrons, and a grounded extraction aperture (72) for extracting the focused primary electrons toward the graphite surface (118). A gas nozzle (77) attached to the target (64) introduces into the chamber a supply of gas molecules to be ionized by the primary electrons. The direction of the nozzle is set with respect to the filament assembly (67) to maximize the ionization rate of the gas molecules.

Ion implantation has become the technology preferred by industry to dope semiconductors with impurities in the large scale manufacture of integrated circuits. A typical ion implanter comprises three sections or subsystems: (i) a terminal for outputting an ion beam, (ii) a beamline for directing and conditioning the beam output by the terminal, and (iii) an end station which contains a semiconductor wafer to be implanted by the conditioned ion beam. The terminal includes a source from which a beam of positively charged ions is extracted. The beamline components adjust the energy level and focus of the extracted positively charged ion beam on its way toward the wafer to be implanted.
A problem encountered in the use of such an ion implanter is that of wafer charging. As the positively charged ion beam continues to impact the wafer, the surface of the wafer may accumulate an undesirable excessive positive charge. Resulting electric fields at the wafer surface can damage microcircuitry on the wafer. The problem of accumulated surface charge becomes more pronounced as implanted circuit elements become smaller, because smaller circuit elements are more susceptible to damage caused by the resultant electric fields.
Another problem encountered in the use of such an ion implanter, especially in low energy applications, is a phenomenon referred to as beam "blow-up", which concerns the tendency for like (positively)-charged ions within the beam to mutually repel each other (also known as the space charge effect). Such mutual repulsion causes a beam of otherwise desired shape to diverge away from an intended beamline path. Beam blow-up is particularly problematic in high current, low energy applications because the high density of ions in the beam (high current) exaggerates the force of mutual repulsion of the ions, and the small velocities (low energy) of the ions allows more time for the repulsive force to act upon the ions before they reach the wafer.
A known solution to both wafer charging and the beam blow-up phenomenon is the use of an electron or plasma shower. Such showers may also be referred to as electron or plasma floods. Both electron and plasma showers generate low energy electrons and introduce these electrons into the beam. Plasma floods generate a plasma in an arc chamber and the ion beam potential extracts low energy plasma and electrons into the beam. Electron showers generate secondary (low energy) electrons which are used to enhance the beam to reduce space charge (beam blow-up) tendencies and wafer charging effects.
A typical electron shower includes a target chamber in which secondary electrons are generated and an extension tube connected downstream of the target chamber. As the ion beam passes through the target chamber, secondary electrons infiltrate and partially neutralize the beam. The partially neutralized beam passes through the extension tube toward the wafer to be implanted. The trapped low energy electrons thereby neutralize the net charge of the beam which in turn reduces the positive charge accumulation on wafer as the ion beam strikes the wafer surface. The neutralized beam is also less likely to experience detrimental beam blow-up characteristics. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,837 to Farley, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Secondary electrons are generated within the target chamber as follows. A filament within the target chamber is electrically heated so that it thermionically emits primary high energy electrons into the chamber. These primary electrons strike the inner surface of the target chamber which emits secondary electrons as a result of the impact. The target chamber is typically comprised of aluminum due to its high secondary electron yield. In addition, an inert gas such as argon or xenon is introduced into the target chamber and ionized, by means of collisions between inert gas molecules and the high energy electrons, to produce an ionized plasma. The presence of the ionized plasma enhances generation of secondary electrons by increasing the extraction rate of secondary electrons from the inner surface of the target chamber.
Because the high energy primary electrons produced by the filament possess too great an energy to be captured within the ion beam, they do not assist in reducing the tendency of beam blow-up as do the secondary electrons. In addition, primary electrons which reach the surface of the wafer can adversely negatively charge the wafer surface, possibly to the extent of causing damage to the wafer. It is therefore desirable that the primary electrons emitted by the filament become expended through collisions with either the inert gas molecules or the inner surface of the target chamber.
Additionally, in known electron shower target chambers constructed of aluminum, oxidation at the inner surface thereof creates an aluminum oxide coating. High energy electrons which impact the aluminum oxide cause a negative electrical potential to develop, which increases with the thickness of the oxide coating. Secondary electrons which are emitted from the coated surface as a result of the impacting high energy electrons assume energy levels consistent with the oxide potential. The energy level of the secondary electrons therefore drifts higher and higher as the oxide coating continues to thicken over time.
The effectiveness of a particular electron shower depends in part on the efficient generation of a sufficient supply of secondary electrons having consistently low and predictable energy levels. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electron or plasma shower which increases its secondary electron emission current while insuring that secondary electron energy levels are minimal and constant.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electron or plasma shower in which high energy primary electrons are efficiently utilized to create low energy secondary electrons, by directing the high energy electrons toward a desired target chamber surface and toward an inert gas stream introduced into the chamber, to maximally exhaust the supply of primary high energy electron and enhance the generation of low energy secondary electrons.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an electron or plasma shower having a target chamber constructed from a material which reduces oxidation on the surface thereof, to provide better control over the energy levels of secondary electrons emitted therefrom.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an electron or plasma shower having a target chamber having a configuration which resists back-sputtered contamination and which increases both the volume and density of an ionized plasma contained therein.

Ion implanter electron shower having enhanced secondary electron emission


The invention relates to a biocatalytic direct alcohol fuel cell comprising an anode chamber, one or more cathode chambers, and an ion exchange membrane between the chambers. The anode chamber contains a biocatalyst for oxidation of the fuel, and the cathode chamber contains a chemical catalyst, a biocatalyst or a combination thereof for reduction of oxygen or a corresponding oxidant.

The invention relates to small-size fuel cells and particularly to biocatalytic direct alcohol fuel cells, referring to both hybrid and completely biocatalytic fuel cells. In a biocatalytic hybrid fuel cell, one of the anode or cathode chambers is substantially biocatalytic and the other chemical. Both parts of a completely biocatalytic fuel cell are substantially biocatalytic. More particularly, the invention relates to biocatalytic direct alcohol fuel cells, their use and a method of producing electric power using such a cell. The invention also relates to monitoring the state of such a fuel cell.
A biocatalytic fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy directly to electricity. Suitable fuels, i.e. substrates, for cells of this type include different organic compounds, such as sugars and alcohols. The driving force of the cell is based on the redox reaction of the substrate when a live microorganism, cell-bound enzyme or isolated enzyme is used as catalyst. The operating principle of a biocatalytic cell is similar to that of a chemical fuel cell. The main difference is that the catalyst in a biological fuel cell is an enzyme (enzymes), and not a noble metal, such as platinum, and that the working conditions are mild. The temperature and pH of the solution are within the biological range, which refers to the operating conditions of the organism and enzyme(s).
Today, special attention is paid to energy sources that are suitable for portable, low-power electronic devices, such as mobile phones, computers, etc. The object is a better energy storage capacity and more environmentally friendly structural and material solutions than in batteries. Since the use of hydrogen as a fuel is not possible for safety reasons, direct-acting fuel cells (that work without a reformer) using logistic fuels have been the focus of interest. The drawback in chemical direct-acting fuel cells is that, to be powerful, they require intensive reaction conditions, such as a high temperature and strongly acidic or alkaline solutions. In most chemical fuel cells, an additional catalyst used is platinum or a platinum alloy, which is expensive and limitedly available. In addition, platinum is inactivated at very low carbon monoxide concentrations, carbon monoxide, in turn, being easily generated as a reaction product when any other fuel than pure hydrogen is used.
Biological fuel cells with an enzyme as the catalyst are previously known in the field. For instance, published U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,281 describes a biological fuel cell that uses human fluids or plant sap as the energy source and is therefore suitable for pacemakers implanted in a human, for example. According to the publication, an enzyme of a different type is disposed both on the anode and on the cathode.
US patent application publication 2002/0001739 discloses an electrically re-chargeable enzymatic battery. The fuel cell disclosed in the publication is not directly an alcohol fuel cell, but NADH (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is used as the fuel for providing the electrons. The enzyme, for instance dehydrogenases are mentioned as suitable, catalyzes the transfer of the electrons from the electron carrier, i.e. the NADH, to the mediator. Thus, the main reaction in the anode chamber is the oxidation of NADH. In addition, instead of the ion exchange membranes typically used in fuel cells, the publication employs a biologic proton pump, wherein the membrane is composed of a proton-transferring protein and the membrane is activated with a light diode.
Publication Enzymatic Fuel Cell: Biochemical Energy Conversion, Ranta, A., Zhang X-C. and Halme, A., Power Sources for the New Millenium, Proceedings of the International Symposium of ECS, 22-27.10.2000, Phoenix, USA, Proceedings Volume 2000-22, Ed. Ryan M. A. et al. The Electrochemical Society Inc., Pennington, USA, 2001, p. 108-117, discloses an enzymatic fuel cell, the fuel present in the anode chamber of the cell being subjected to enzymatic oxidation. The hydrogen ions, flowed through an ionselective membrane to the cathode chamber, react with atmospheric oxygen forming water. The enzyme is immobilized on the surface of the anode. Methanol can be used as the fuel in the cells, and either alcohol dehydrogenase or methanol dehydrogenase as the enzyme. The electrons released in the enzymatic reaction are transferred to the anode by means of the mediator. Phenazine methosulphate and phenazine ethosulphate are mentioned as suitable mediators.
Publication Study of Biological Fuel Cells, Halme, A., Zhang, X-C. and Ranta, A., Poster presentation at Small Fuel Cells 2000, New Orleans, USA, 26-28.4.2000, discloses an enzymatic fuel cell similar to the one in the above publication with the exception that the enzymatic oxidation of methanol takes place in the presence of coenzyme NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).


Twist kneading disks are arranged such that the width of a piece of disk is 0.1 to 0.5 times the cylinder inner diameter D, a helix angle θ as an angle between a vertex of the front surface side of the disk and vertex of the rear surface side of the disk at the tip portion is in a range of 0°<θ<90° in the reverse rotating direction of the screws as viewed from a cross section of the disk in the end direction of the screw shaft, and a phase angle E as an angle in correlation between the disks around the screw shaft is in a range of 0°<E<90°. The twist kneading disks are incorporated in the plasticization kneading portion at the length of more than 1.88 times the cylinder inner diameter D.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a kneading extruder, which is suitably applicable to a plasticization kneading extruder for plastic material.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of a plasticization kneading extruder for plastic material of related art is shown in FIG. 14. Twin screws 2 are provided in a cylinder 1 capable of heating and cooling. The screws 2 are coupled with a decelerator 4 and driven in the same rotating direction by a motor 3 coupled to the decelerator 4. The twin screws 2 are engaged with each other. The cylinder 1 has a feed port 5, a first vent 6a and a discharge port 7, which are placed in the order from the upstream of the cylinder 1. The screws 2 are configured by a solid transporting portion 8, a plasticization kneading portion 9 (a first kneading portion) and a molten material transporting portion 10 in the order from the upstream.
FIGS. 15A and 15B show another example of a plasticization kneading extruder for plastic material of related art.
In this case, twin screws 2 are provided in a cylinder 1 capable of heating and cooling. The screws 2 are coupled with a decelerator 4 and driven in the same rotating direction by a motor 3 coupled to the decelerator 4. The twin screws 2 are engaged with each other. The cylinder 1 has a feed port 5, first vent 6a, a side feeder 11, a second vent 6b and a discharge port 7, which are placed in the order from the upstream of the cylinder. The screws 2 are configured by a solid transporting portion 8, a plasticization kneading portion 9 (a first kneading portion), a first molten material transporting portion 10a, a molten kneading dispersion portion 12 (a second kneading portion) and a second molten material transporting portion 10b. A side feeder 13 is placed in the side feeder 11. The side feeder 13 is configured by a side feeder cylinder 14, a side feeder screw 15, a side feeder motor 16 and a side feeder decelerator 17. Two of the side feeder screws 15 are provided in the side feeder cylinder 14 to be able to generate the cooling. The side feeder screws 15 are coupled with the side feeder decelerator 17 and driven in the same rotating direction by the side feeder motor 16 coupled to the side feeder decelerator 17. The twin side feeder screws 15 are engaged with each other. The side feeder cylinder 14 has a side feeder port 18 from which solid sub-material (plastic, organic filler, inorganic filler, glass fiber, etc.) are supplied.
FIGS. 16A to 16C show typical disk type kneading wing disks configuring the plasticization kneading portion (the first kneading portion) 9 in FIG. 14, and the molten kneading dispersion portion (the second kneading portion) 12 in FIGS. 15A and 15B.
FIG. 16A shows a feeding wing (forward kneading: FK) functioning as forward kneading disks. FIG. 16B shows a return wing (backward kneading: BK) functioning as backward kneading disks. FIG. 16C shows a neutral wing (cross kneading: CK) functioning as cross kneading disks. With reference to each of the drawings, the left side is a side view of the wing, and the right side is a cross section view of the wing indicated by the arrows A-A on the left side view.
The FK is a kneading wing configured by five pieces of disks B, each of which is arranged at a phase angle E so that they are shifted in a position from one another in a flow direction of a plastic material H. The width of disk B is 0.1 to 0.9 times the diameter with respect to a cylinder inner wall F. Portions formed by flight vertexes of the disks B with respect to the cylinder inner wall F are tip portions G.
The BK is a kneading wing configured by five pieces of disks B, each of which is arranged at a phase angle E so that they are shifted in a position from one another in the backward direction opposite to the flow direction of the plastic material H. The width of disk B is 0.1 to 0.9 times the diameter with respect to a cylinder inner wall F. Portions formed by the flight vertexes of the disks B with respect to the cylinder inner wall F are tip portions G.
The CK is a kneading wing configured by five pieces of disks B, each of which is arranged at a phase angle E so that they are shifted at 90 degrees in a position from one another. The width of disk B is 0.1 to 0.9 times the diameter with respect to a cylinder inner wall F. Portions formed by flight vertexes of the disks B with respect to the cylinder inner wall F are tip portions G.
For the other types of kneading wings, there is a backward flight, a seal ring, a rotor and a kneading wing that flight tips are slanted at a helix angle θ to a screw shaft direction, as disclosed in JP-A-2005-35212.
Next, an operation will be described below.
In FIG. 14, a solid plastic material supplied from the feed port 5 is transported to the plasticization kneading portion 9 by the screws 2. The plasticization kneading portion 9 is configured by fitting together with the FK, BK and CK as shown in FIGS. 16A to 16C. The plasticization kneading portion 9 melts and kneads the solid plastic material within a short period of time. The molten plastic material at the plasticization kneading portion 9 is transported to the discharge port 7 while unnecessary volatile ingredients contained in the plastic material are removed through the first vent 6a of the molten material transporting portion 10. The molten plastic material is then discharged to an outside from the cylinder 1, with the material stranded in a shape from the discharge port 7. The molten plastic material discharged with the stranded shape is cut to pieces by a cutter (not shown) to form a pellet form. The cutter is placed directly on an exit of the discharge port 7 or on a position away from the exit. Unnecessary solid impurities contained in the molten plastic material may also be filtered by a screen 19 installed at front of the discharge port 7.
In FIGS. 15A and 15B, the solid plastic material supplied from the feed port 5 is transported to the plasticizing kneading portion 9 by the screws 2. The plasticization kneading portion 9 is configured by fitting together with the FK, BK and CK as shown in FIGS. 16A to 16C. The plasticization kneading portion 9 melts and kneads the solid plastic material within a short period of time. The molten plastic material in the plasticization kneading portion 9 is transported to the second kneading portion 12 while unnecessary volatile ingredients contained in the plastic material are removed through the first vent 6a of the first molten material transporting portion 10a. The side feeder 11 is installed at the first molten material transporting portion 10a. The side feeder 11 supplies solid sub-material (plastic, organic filler, inorganic filler, glass fiber, etc.) to the molten plastic material. The molten plastic material and solid sub-material are kneaded by the second kneading portion 12. The second kneading portion 12 is similar to the first kneading portion 9, and configured by the FK, BK and CK as shown in FIGS. 16A to 16C. The second kneading portion 12 melts, kneads and disperses the molten plastic material and solid sub-material within a short period of time. The molten, kneaded and dispersed compound material is transported to the discharge port 7 while the unnecessary volatile ingredients contained in the plastic material are removed through the second vent 6b of the second molten material transporting portion 10b, and discharged to the outside from the cylinder 1, with the material stranded in a shape, through the discharge port 7. The molten plastic material discharged with the stranded shape is then cut to pieces by a cutter (not shown) to form a pellet form. The cutter is placed directly on an exit of the discharge port 7 or on a position away from the exit. Unnecessary solid impurities contained in the molten plastic material may also be filtered by a screen 19 installed at front of the discharge port 7.
The plasticization kneading extruder for plastic material of related art has the structure as described above, and carries out the kneading for plasticization of solid plastic material, the melting, kneading and dispersion of the molten plastic material and sub-material within a short period of time, and then discharges the material.
The plasticization kneading portion 9 is configured by fitting together with a feed wing, a return wing and a neutral wing, in which the feed wing FK has a performance to transport the plastic material to the downstream of cylinder, the return wing BK has a performance to return it to the upstream of cylinder, and the neutral wing has no performance of transporting the material. These wings can be conformed to the property of plastic material and a demanded quality for the plastic compound material to be obtained from the kneading. The plasticization kneading portion 9 has a function of pushing the solid plastic material into a narrow clearance of the kneading wings, the clearance being formed between the cylinder inner wall F and the kneading wings by rotating the screws 2, while the solid plastic material transported from the solid transporting portion 8 is blocked to certain extent by the fitted together with kneading wings. The plastic material is then transformed to a molten state from the solid by the shear stress or energy generated at the clearance.
The molten kneading dispersion portion 12 for dealing with the molten plastic material and sub-material has also a function similar to that of the plasticization kneading portion 9. Thus, melting, kneading and dispersion are carried out at the clearance formed between the cylinder inner wall F and the kneading wings.
In the case of the respective kneading wings of disk type of related art which has the plasticization kneading portion 9 and molten kneading dispersion portion 12, in consideration of a piece of disk, this single disk has no performance to transport the material to the forward or backward in the cylinder, so that the plastic material may flow with a dwelling state caused by a pressure difference. For this reason, a great amount of the plastic material is blocked at the narrow clearance formed between the cylinder inner wall F and kneading wings, particularly at the tip portion G. Moreover, a local large force (inner pressure) is generated because the plastic material is pushed into the narrow clearance of the kneading wings owing to the rotation of screws 2. Particularly, there has been a problem that the cylinder inner wall F and/or the tip portion G is abraded away because the tip portion G of one kneading wing paired with the other tip portion G where a pressure is generated at both the tip portions of kneading wing, is contacted with the cylinder inner wall F.
In the molten kneading dispersion portion 12, there has also been a problem that the filler is condensed or clumped together, and the dispersion state of the filler becomes worse because of the force (inner pressure) generated at the tip portion G by the cylinder inner wall F and the tip of the kneading wing.
The kneading wing having the performance of the forward or backward transportation include types of a backward flight and a rotor. The backward transportation flight is a screw type kneading wing coupled with a flight having a performance of the backward transportation. Thus, there is no clearance between the disks in the disk type kneading wings of related art. The blocking performance against the solid plastic material is therefore high, and a relatively high pressure is generated at the clearance formed between the cylinder inner wall F and the kneading wings, in comparison with the disk type kneading wings of related art.
The rotor type is a screw type kneading wing coupled with a flight having a performance of the forward or backward transportation. The forward transportation rotor has no clearance between the disks in the disk type kneading wings of related art and has high performance of the forward transportation. Thus, the plastic material cannot be blocked by a single unit of the kneading wing. Because of this, in the case where the forward transportation rotor is incorporated in the plasticization kneading portion 9, the forward transportation rotor must be fitted together with the kneading wings having the blocking function. In this way, the forward transportation rotor can provide the shear stress or energy to the plastic material in such a way that the plastic material is blocked by the kneading wings having the blocking function. However, a great amount of the plastic material is pushed into the tip portions because the flights are coupled one another. Thus, a local large force (inner pressure) is generated at the tip portions. The backward transportation rotor has no clearance between the disks in the disk type kneading wings of related art and has high performance for the backward transportation. Because of this, the backward transportation rotor has a similar function to the backward transportation flight and generates a relatively high pressure in comparison with the disk type kneading wing of related art.


A HVAC system including a multi-function unit for conditioning and controlling the flow of refrigerant. The multi-function unit may be contained within a housing that houses a receiver/dryer, integral heat exchanger and thermal expansion valve.

Improving energy efficiency is a growing concern with vehicles because of the need to improve fuel economy while assuring acceptable vehicle performance. The HVAC system in a vehicle uses a substantial amount of energy that impacts fuel efficiency.
An internal heat exchanger (IHX) may be included in a HVAC system to transfer heat from the hot liquid refrigerant passing from the condenser to the evaporator to the cool vapor refrigerant passing from the evaporator to the compressor. Including an internal heat exchanger in an HVAC system before the compressor may cause an additional concern because there is a potential for higher refrigerant temperature at the compressor inlet due to the heat added by the internal heat exchanger. Higher refrigerant temperature at the compressor inlet can have a negative impact on compressor durability.
A receiver/dryer may be included in HVAC systems to remove moisture and debris from the refrigerant after leaving the condenser. The receiver/dryer may also store refrigerant to assure the availability of liquid refrigerant for the thermal expansion valve.
A thermal expansion valve (TXV) may be included in HVAC systems to control the flow of refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator based upon the temperature and pressure of the cool vapor refrigerant as it exits the evaporator.
Placing the IHX, TVX, and receiver/dryer components in the engine compartment of the vehicle may create potential issues with tube routing and leaking tube connections. Adding a receiver/dryer requires added space within the limited space available in the engine compartment
The above problems and other problems are addressed by this disclosure as summarized below.

Internal heat exchanger with integrated receiver/dryer and thermal expansion valve


A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a first compartment, a second compartment, a first door providing access to the first compartment, a second door providing access to the second compartment, and a beverage dispensing system operatively connected the cabinet. The refrigerator further includes a user interface operatively connected to the cabinet, the user interface having a display and being configured to identify a user of the beverage dispensing system and customize beverage settings and preferences associated with the user.

Consumers that desire a certain beverage are required to purchase, store, retrieve, or prepare the beverage to meet their taste. For example, pre-packaged beverages (such as beverages packaged in cans or bottles) may create storage space issues and issues with transportation. Where beverages are prepared by the consumer, there is the attendant inconvenience of preparing the beverage. In recent years, consumers are turning to single serve pods/cartridges to deliver their hot or even cold beverages through countertop or water cooler based systems. These pods typically may contain a powder, concentrate, or grounds that mix with a fluid to create the beverage. There are examples of current countertop systems that detect the type of pod or cartridge and configure the system accordingly. However, the use of such systems may limit the ability of a consumer to prepare beverages which match their taste. Even where such systems allow a consumer to adjust parameters affecting taste, doing so may be inconvenient and where multiple users are using the same beverage dispensing system may require each user to modify settings before each use. What is needed is a beverage dispensing system which assists users in preparing beverages according to their individual tastes in a way that is convenient to the users.

Beverage dispensing system with user customizable inputs


A hood hinge is disclosed herein. The hood hinge includes a body attachment member configured to be attached to a vehicle body, and a hood attachment member configured to be attached to a vehicle hood. The hood further includes a hinge mechanism connected to the body attachment member and the hood attachment member so as to enable hinged movement of the hood relative to the body. Also provided are methods for installing a hood in a vehicle. Many embodiments include structural features that make it easier to make small adjustments to the position of the vehicle hood relative to the vehicle body to ensure optimum fit.

Known hinges for attaching hoods to vehicles have limited adjustment. This adjustment is usually accomplished using loose tolerance on bolt holes and/or slots in the holes for bolts that connect the hood and the body of the vehicle to the hinge. This can be very time-consuming as it typically requires multiple iterations by a team of installers to fine-tune gaps between body panels and the hood of the vehicle.
Another known solution for automotive hinge alignment is to use shims to fine-tune fit of the hood. This is also a time-consuming and iterative process that requires the installation team to remove the hinge, add shims, and re-install the hinge.


Casing assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an annular cross section casing around which a plurality of layers of flexible material are wound. One or more rigid panels are positioned between the wound flexible material and the annular casing. The rigid panel provides enhanced containment of a detached fan blade or part of a fan blade by distributing the load of the detached blade across the wound flexible material.

Ducted fan gas turbine engines for powering aircraft conventionally comprise a core engine which drives a propulsive fan. The fan in turn, comprises a number of radially extending aerofoil blades mounted on a common hub and enclosed within a generally cylindrical casing.
There is a remote possibility with such engines that part or all of a fan blade could become detached from the remainder of the fan. This may occur as the result of, for example, the engine ingestion of a bird or other foreign body. It is, therefore, extremely important that the blade is retained within the casing and does not pass through and cause damage to the engine.
The use of containment rings for gas turbine engine casings is well known. Such rings have previously been manufactured from metal or alternatively glass fibre or carbon fibre, etc. They have normally formed an integral part of the compressor casing.
More recently the problem of fan containment has been addressed by winding strong fibrous material around a relatively thin fan casing. In the event that a fan casing becomes detached, it passes through the casing and is contained by the fibrous material.
The problem associated with such fibre wrap is that there is a danger that a blade could in certain circumstance cut though the fibre wrap and thereby pass straight through. This problem is addressed by GB 2159886B by the provision of fibrous patches positioned between the layers of material. The patches wrap around the blade during its passage through some of the material thus effectively blunting its leading edge and impeding it's progress through the remaining layers.
An additional difficulty with fan casing constructions is that in the interest of lightness the fan casing is made as thin as possible which leads to a lack of stiffness in the casing as a whole. This problem is particularly severe in large diameter fan casings. EP 0626 502 A1 discloses continuous lengths of material wound around rails which are mounted on the outer surface of the fan casing. The space between the rails is filled with discrete pieces of flexible material. Therefore, a detached blade initially breaks through the thin alloy casing, becomes `blunted` by the discrete pieces which become attached thereto and is then retained by the material wound around the rails.
However retaining the blade within the fibrous wrap can in some circumstances be difficult to achieve.


The invention provides tinted contact lenses that use a crescent-shaped pattern or pattern element to enhance the lens wearer's iris.

The use of tinted, or colored, contact lenses to alter the natural color of the iris is well known. Typically, these lenses use either or both opaque and translucent colors to change the color of an iris, as for example, from brown to blue. Additionally, tinted lenses have been manufactured that attempt to enhance the iris color without changing the color. These lenses are disadvantageous because either the color enhancement is too subtle to be noticed when the lens is on-eye or the enhancement lends an unnatural appearance to the wearer's iris.

Tinted contact lenses with crescent patterns


A method and apparatus for manufacturing a fuel injector comprising a glass substrate and a nozzle enclosed within the glass substrate, wherein the nozzle comprises at least one injection hole is provided. The method of manufacturing the fuel injector comprises defining (105) a shape of at least one injection hole in a glass substrate to obtain an at least one outlined injection hole and etching (110) the at least one outlined injection hole to obtain the at least one injection hole.

A fuel injector is a device to inject fuels either directly or indirectly into a combustion chamber. Fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines is improved and there is reduction of undesirable engine emissions (toxic emission), using a fuel injector, as the fuel is atomized (very small drops) as it enters or prior to entering the cylinder(s).
There are many fuel injectors or such devices available to inject fuels into a combustion chamber. There are fuel injectors available that have a nozzle with apertures that is made of metal. However, the holes of the nozzle have straight or slightly tapered injection holes with diameter equal or greater to 50-microns because of manufacturing limitations. On the other hand, there are few fuel injectors or devices available with holes smaller than 50-microns diameter. Smaller size of the injection holes which is less than 50-microns enables to improve the atomization and the fuel distribution process. Also, there is no fuel injector with holes that are substantially shaped to optimize atomization and fuel mist distribution.

Method of manufacturing a glass fuel injector


An axle bearing unit comprises an outer ring 23 secured to the end of an axle tube 1, an inner ring 26 supported in a freely rotational manner inside the outer ring 23 with a plurality of balls 9 therebetween, a pulser ring 17 secured to the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 26, a sensor 19 inserted in a mounting hole 18 of the outer ring 23 with its tip faced to the outer peripheral surface of the pulser ring 17, a pair of first sealing members 29a, 29b provided radially between the outer peripheral surface of the two ends of the inner ring 26 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 23.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an axle bearing unit with a rotational speed sensor for an automobile used to maintain an axle for an automobile wheel of a commercial vehicle or a small truck or the like in a freely rotatable manner, and to sense the rotational speed of the axle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rear axle of a normal front-engines, rear-wheel-drive vehicle (often referred to as FR vehicle) is provided to extend through an axle housing or axle tube which is maintained via a spring on the underfloor surface of the chassis, and both ends of the rear axle are maintained in a freely rotatable manner by means of single-row rolling bearings such as ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, or the like. The bearing for supporting one end of the rear axle is placed on the side closer to the differential gear, and the bearing for supporting the other end of the rear axle is on the side closer to the wheel.
The support structure shown in FIG. 7, for example, is disclosed in FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent First Publication No. H1-288619 as a conventional structure in which a rear axle 5 on an FR vehicle is supported in a freely rotatable manner with respect to an axle housing or tube by bearing 3. It will be noted that the bearing 3 is arranged together with a bearing housing 2 and a sealing member 29 etc. in one assembly. An axle housing or tube 1 is supported on the underfloor surface of an automobile through a leaf spring or the like and connected at one and to a casing of a differential gear (not shown), while the other end of the axle tube is provided with an open end section 1a on the side closer to the wheel (not shown) to allow connection to the bearing assembly as mentioned above.
In the bearing assembly provided on the wheel side, the cylindrical bearing housing 2 is secured by welding to the open end section 1a of the axle housing or tube 1. An outer ring 4 which forms part of the ball bearing 3 is fitted into the cylindrical bearing housing 2. The axle 5 is inserted through the above-mentioned axle tube 1 and has one end connected to the above-mentioned differential gear. An inner ring 6, which also forms part of the ball bearing 3, is fitted around at the other end, closer to the wheel, of the axle 5. A plurality of balls 9 is mounted between an outer ring raceway 7 on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 4 and an inner ring raceway 8 on the outer peripheral surf ace of the inner ring 6, so that the axle 5 rotates freely on the inside of the axle housing or tube 1.
One and of the outer ring 4 (the left end in FIG. 7) is abutted against a stepped section 10 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bearing housing 2, and the other end of the outer ring 4 (the right end in FIG. 7) is abutted against a retaining cover 12 via a backing plate 11 (a member which acts as a baseplate for a drum brake).
The retaining cover 12 and the bearing housing 2 are connected by means of a bolt 13 and a nut 14 to prevent the outer ring 4 from falling out of the bearing housing 2. One end of the inner ring 6 (the right end in FIG. 7) is abutted against a stepped section 15 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end, closer to the wheel, of the axle 5, and the other end of the inner ring 6 (the left end in FIG. 7) is abutted against the end of a securing ring 16, which is fitted around the axle 5, thus positioning the inner ring 6.
Japanese Patent First Patent Publication No. H1-288619 discloses, in FIG. 3, an integral structure of a single-row ball bearing with a mounting flange to improve the prior art structure as in FIG. 7.
Disclosed in Japanese Patent First Publication No. H2-60802 and Japanese Utility Model First Publication No. H2-83102 are a similar structure in that the outer ring is integrally formed with a mounting flange in a single-row ball bearing structure.
It should be noted, however, that no speed sensor is taken into consideration and combined with the bearing in these publications.
Accordingly, the bearing assembly on the wheel side as mentioned above with reference to FIG. 7 is conventionally modified as shown in FIG. 8 in the case where the rotational speed of the axle 5 is detected to control an antilock brake system (ABS) and a traction control system (TCS).
In FIG. 8, a pulser ring 17 which has its outer peripheral surface formed in a gear teeth shape is formed around the axle 5 and interposed axially between the inner ring 6 and the securing ring 16 to rotate with the axle 5. Also, at one end of the bearing housing 2, an installation hole 18 is formed at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the pulser ring 17.
A sensor 19 with a support arm 20 is inserted into the installation hole 18 from the outside of the bearing housing 2. The tip of the sensor 19 faces the outer peripheral surface of the pulser ring 17. In addition, the support arm 20 of the sensor 19 is secured to the outer peripheral surface of the bearing housing 2 by a stud 21 screwed into a nut 22.
When the pulser ring 17 secured to the axle 5 rotates during the operation of the vehicle, the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the pulser ring 17 and the tip of the sensor 19 changes so that the output e.g. the amount of magnetic flux of the sensor 19 changes. Because the frequency of this change is proportional to the rotational speed of the axle 5, the ASS and the TCS can be controlled by enputting an output signal from the sensor 19 to a controller (omitted from the drawings).
The conventional assembly shown in FIG. 8 has a large number of structural parts, therefore the management of the parts and the assembly operation are complicated, resulting in high manufacturing costs. In addition, because the weight, in particular, the weight supported by the springs, is increased, the ability of the wheels to follow irregularities in the road surface is worsened, which is believed to cause the comfort sensation of the ride to worsen. Further, even an increase in weight, although small, causes an increase in fuel costs.
On the other hand, for example, structures for unitizing an axle bearing for supporting a wheel axle, a sensor and a pulser ring for sensing rotational speed are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model First Publication Nos. S62-170363 and H3-30864; U.S. Pat. Publication Nos. 4,778,286, 4,864,231, 4,960,333, and 5,018,384; French Patent Publication No. 2653191; and the like.
In these prior art documents, the outer ring of the bearing is integrally formed with a sensor, but the outer ring of the bearing unit is connected to a knuckle-type support member extending from a chassis of an automobile to support the axle. This type of bearing unit has a double-row bell bearing because the axle to support the wheel is supported by the bearing unit only.
It should be noted that the support functions disclosed in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, No. H2-60802 and No. H2-83104 using a single-row ball bearing are quite different from those disclosed in the publications above using a double-row ball bearing. Specifically, in the former cases, the axle is supported at the opposite ends specifically at one end on the automobile wheel side by a single-row ball bearing with its outer ring connected to the axle tube or housing, and at the other end on the side of the differential gear box by another single-row ball bearing, while in the latter cases, the axle is supported only at one location by a double-row ball bearing.
In addition, the support type to which the bearing is applied is quits different between the bearing units in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, No. H2-60802 and No. H2-83104 using a single-row ball bearing and those in the publications above using a double-row ball bearing. Specifically, in the former cases, the bearing is mounted azid supported by the axle housing or tube containing oil therein, so that connecting means such as a mounting flange and sealing means for oil are required, while in the latter cases the bearing is mounted and supported by the knuckle-arm member, so that flange means connected to the axle housing or tube, and sealing means for oil in the axle housing or tube are not required.
Therefore, the bearing unit as mentioned in the publications using the double-row ball bearing could not be applied to a suspension system using the single-row bearing.
A structure for unitizing an axle-bearing, a sensor and a pulser ring for sensing rotational speed in a single-row roller bearing unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,936. In this U.S. patent, a single-row roller bearing is connected to an axle housing or tube, and has an outer ring through which a hole is provided to insert a sensor.
However, since the outer ring is presa-fitted into the axle tube the secured connection of the axle bearing unit with an axle tube is not sufficiently obtained while the axle bearing unit could not be easily disconnected from the axle tube for maintenance.
In addition, there is no seal means between the bearing and the axle tube, and between the axle tube and the outer ring, so that oil in the axle tube can be easily penetrate into the bearing and leak out of the arrangement.
Although the bearing unit of this U.S. patent has sensor inserted into a hole in the outer ring, it is still insufficient in reliability and maintenance operation.

Axle bearing unit with rotational speed sensor


The present invention relates to the use carbachol and other cholinergic substances for the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca, KCS) is a disease characterised in reduced secretion of tears. Cornea and conjunctiva suffer from an inferior function of tear supply resulting in structural changes as epithelial cell death, corneal infiltrations and others. Patients are afflicted with smarting pain, sensations of dust, occasionally reduced vision, aches, irritation and so on. In its classical form KCS appears as Sjogren's syndrom involving engagement of other serous glands but KCS is much more common in its less serious form. It has been estimated that about 25% of the patients in an eye clinic suffer from more or less chronically dry eyes (Scharf, J., Zonis, S., Perelman J. and Hit, E., Harefuah., 1975, 89, p 505).
Treatment of dry eyes is today a major problem in ophtalmology. So far tear substitutions have mostly been offered to patients. Tear substitutions normally consist of salt solutions with a lubricant e.g. methyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol and hyaluronic acid. One important disadvantage of this treatment is its very short time of action (Duke Elder, Systems of Ophtalmology Volume XIII Part II p 634, 1974). Another disadvantage of most tear substitutes is that they contain benzalkonium, which has a damaging impact on eyes of mammals (Pjister, R. R. and Burstein, N., Invest Ophtalmol. 15:246, 1976). Also, many pharmaceutical formulations are very poorly adapted to the natural specific composition or electrolytic status of natural tear fluid (Gilbard, J. P., Rossi, S. R. and Heyda, K. G., American J of ophtalmology 10 107:348-355, 1989).
Carbachol chloride is a well-known substance in the treatment of glaucoma. For this indication its ability of lowering intraocular pressure is employed. Here, carbachol chloride is normally used in a concentration of 3% and in combination with benzalconium chloride in order to obtain good penetration of the eye (Smolen, V. F., Clevenger, J. M., Williams, E. J. and Bergdolt, M. W., J of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1973, 62 p 958). Other than having this effect, benzalconium chloride in pharmaceutical mixtures has a preservative function. Other effects of carbachol chloride exposure to the eye are tear secretion, miosis and influence on the accomodatory ability of the eye. These so called cholinergic effects are in this context considered as side effects.
Substances having the same effects as carbachol chloride are methacholine chloride, methanecholine bromide, bethanechol chloride, furtrethonium iodide and arecholine.
Tear production can be stimulated also by other cholinergic substances such as acetylcholine, pilocarpine, physostigmine, neostigmine and others. These compounds, however, easily penetrate the cornea upon exposure, thereby activating cholinergically innervated intraocular structures such as the pupillary sphincter and the accomodation muscle, both unwanted side effects in cases where only extraocular effects are wanted. Such compounds, therefore, are less suited for this purpose than is carbachol.

Pharmaceutical composition containing carbachol and other cholinergic substances


A CaF2 buffer layer (3) is formed on a CaF2 (111) substrate (2) by an MBE method. Furthermore, a CuCl thin film is grown on the CaF2 buffer layer (3) by the MBE method while irradiating it with an electron beam to form an electro beam irradiation film (1a). Subsequently, a CuCl thin film is grown by the MBE method without the irradiation of electron beam to form an electron beam non-irradiation film (1b), thereby thus forming a CuCl thin film (a) including the electron beam irradiation film (1a) and the electron beam non-irradiation film (1b). Consequently, a CuCl thin film (1) exhibiting high planarity and crystallinity can be formed.

The progress in information society draws attention to optical communication technique as a technique that realize high-speed communication. Meanwhile, the optical communication technique has been studied to be improved to attain a faster-speed communication.
A super-high speed optical switch, which switches at a faster speed than conventional optical switches, is inevitable for attaining the faster-speed communication in the optical communication technique. In order to realize such a super-high speed optical switch, it is important to develop a material having a large optical non-linearity and a faster response speed.
Here, the non-linearity is a phenomenon that light irradiation changes absorption coefficient and refractive index of a material on which the light is irradiated. Thus, irradiation of light on a material having optical non-linearity can prevent another light from passing through the material, or change a direction of the another light. That is, the use of the material having optical non-linearity makes it easier to construct an all-opt switch, which controls light by using light.
However, conventionally-known materials having large nonlinear optical responses (optical non-linearity) have slow responding speeds. This hinders practical use of the all-opt switch. That is, a material having a large optical non-linearity and a fast responding speed is necessary to realize an all-opt switch.
Group I-VII semiconductors such as CuCl and the like have drawn attention as such a material having a large optical non-linearity and a fast responding speed. Group I-VII semiconductors (such as CuCl and the like) has a very small Bohr radius of exciton (approximately 0.7 nm), and a very large binding energy of exciton (approximately 200 meV). The very small Bohr radius of exciton and very large binding energy of exciton allow stable exciton state. Because of this, it is expected that optical non-linearity of group I-VII semiconductors becomes higher due to electric field or confinement of excitons. Therefore, optical properties of the group I-VII semiconductors have been extensively studied (see S. Yano, T. Goto, and T. Itoh, J. Appl. Phys. 79(1996) p. 8216).
For example, A. Ekimov, Al. L. Efros, and A. A. Onushchenko, Solid State Commun. 56 (1985) p. 921, and T. Itoh, Y. Iwabuchi and M. Kataoka, Phy. Stat. Sol. B 145 (1988) p. 567, CuCl studied optical properties of a structure in which single crystal particles are embedded in a glass matrix or NaCl matrix. G. R. Olbright and N. Peyghambarian, Solid State Common. 58 (1986) p. 337, R. S. Williams, D. K. Shuh and Y. Segawa, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A6 (1988) p. 337, A. Kahn, S. Ahsan, W. Chen and M. Damas, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 (1992) p. 3200, and A. Yanase, Y. Segawa, Surf. Sci. 278 (1992) L105 examined surface morphology and optical properties of CuCl epitaxial growth on various substrates such as NaCl (001) substrate, CaF2 (111) substrate, GaP (110) substrate, MgO (001) substrate, and the like.
Furthermore, recently it is theoretically predicted (see H. Ishihara, T. Amakata, K. Cho, Phys. Rev. B65, 2001, 035305) that a CuCl thin film (CuCl nano structure) having a nano-level planarity has a large optical linearity due to an internal electric field that is resonance-increased when the CuCl thin film has a particular size (film thickness of 26 nm). The prediction expects that wavelength of light coupled with electrons would be very short in the crystals and be interfered with even the film thickness of nano scales, and the interference would result in the increase in the internal electric field when the film has a film thickness that is near a particular film thickness. The particular film thickness that causes the resonance-increase of the internal electric field is unique to each material. It is expected that the value of the particular film thickness of a material be determined depending on contribution of the electronic resonance order in the material or dielectric constant of the material.
In view of this, there is a demand for a technique for producing, from a group I-VII semiconductor, a single crystal thin film that is excellent in planarity and crystallinity.
However, it is difficult to produce a single crystal thin film having a nano-level planarity (nano structure) from a group I-VII semiconductor such as CuCl or the like. That is, a technique has not been realized conventionally, which control a size, shape, planarity, and exciton attenuation constant in a thin film made from a group I-VII semiconductor such as CuCl or the like.
For example, a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method has been established as a method for producing a nano structure from a group III-V semiconductor, but not for a group II-VI semiconductor and a group I-VII semiconductor.
Group II-VI semiconductors and group I-VII semiconductors are more ionic than the group III-V semiconductors, thereby making it difficult to use the MBE method for the group II-VI semiconductors and group I-VII semiconductors. That is, in order to produce, on an ionic single crystal substrate, a flat single crystal thin film (flat single crystal super thin film) in a nano thickness from a group I-VII semiconductor, which is an ionic semiconductor, it is necessary to establish a technique different from the III-V semiconductor crystal growth which is applied for III-V semiconductor having a strong covalent bond.

Group I-VII semiconductor single crystal thin film and process for producing same


A window, with a hybrid sash counterbalance and assist mechanism, includes a frame having upper and lower sashes slidable within the frame. A sash coupling element extends between the upper and lower sashes. The hybrid sash counterbalance and assist mechanism is coupled with the sash coupling element. The window with the hybrid sash counterbalance and assist mechanism is operable in a sash counterbalance mode and in an independent sash movement mode. In the sash counterbalance mode, movement of the upper or lower sash causes converse movement of the lower or upper sash through the sash coupling element. In the independent sash movement mode, one of the upper and lower sashes is held static while the other of the lower or upper sashes is moved.

Counterbalanced windows provide assistance for lifting one or more sashes. For instance, user assistance may be needed to raise some larger window sashes (e.g., some sashes weigh fifty pounds or more), or to assist the elderly, or other users. Counterbalanced windows include individual counterbalance mechanisms and sash-based counterbalance mechanisms.
One example of a balance tube type counterbalance mechanism is provided in Trout, U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,445, entitled "Spring-Stretch-Reducing Window Sash Balance." In this example, a sash is coupled with a sash cable that extends around a pulley and a travelling pulley. The sash cable is anchored to a sash guide. As with a conventional double hung window, each of the sashes are separately operable, and a user is not able to operate both of the sashes through movement of a single sash. For instance, opening (e.g., raising) the lower sash does not cause opening (e.g., lowering) of the upper sash. For especially large (e.g., tall or wide) windows, such an arrangement may cause additional difficulty for the user as operation of the lower sash does not correspondingly operate the upper sash. Instead, in the case of especially tall windows, a user may have to use a step ladder, or other elevating tool, to reach the upper sash to lower it. Further, it may be difficult to apply leverage to the upper sash at its raised location, for instance from a ladder or while reaching from a standing position and on the balls of one's feet.
Another example of counterbalanced window is shown in Schimmel, U.S. Pat. No. 2,276,881, entitled "Counter-Balanced Window Sash." In this example, a window includes two sashes that are coupled together using a chain. The chain is wrapped around a pulley. With this mechanism, raising the lower sash lowers the upper sash, and conversely, lowering the upper sash raises the lower sash. This counterbalance arrangement prohibits independent opening and closing of the sashes. Stated another way, as the lower sash is raised to open the window, the upper sash lowers to provide openings at both the top and the bottom of the window frame. Because the movement of one sash results in opposed movement of the other sash, a maximized egress opening (e.g., with the lower sash raised and the upper sash remaining in the elevated and original closed position) is not possible.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Window sash counterbalance with independently operable sashes