Provided herein are improved methods for estimating the flow velocity of a fluid in a vessel. Systems and methods are provided herein related to making and/or refining velocity measurements for flowing fluids, both single and multi-phase fluids, in vessels, such as pipes or conduits, utilizing contrast media property agent variations. In one aspect, this disclosure provides a method of determining a flow velocity of a fluid flow in a vessel including: providing a fluid flow having contrast media, the contrast media having a contrast media property variation; providing a detectable signal corresponding to the contrast media property variation; collecting the detectable signal at an upstream receiver to produce a first received signal; collecting the detectable signal at a downstream receiver to produce a second received signal, the downstream receiver being located downstream of the upstream receiver at a distance (L); filtering the first received signal and the second received signal through a contrast media variant filter to produce a first filtered signal and a second filtered signal; cross-correlating the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal to determine a time shift (Δt) between the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal; and estimating the velocity of the fluid flow using this relationship vflow=L/Δt.

Real-time production optimization requires measurements of fluid flows from individual wells or different zones within a well. Attempting to measure and/or estimate the flow velocity of a fluid flow using a simple, non-intrusive method can pose a variety of challenges and complications.
Multi-phase fluids, for instance, often have a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase; components in the discontinuous phase can complicate accurate flow measurements for the multi-phase fluid because they have contrasting properties to the continuous phases of the fluids. These contrasting properties can create noise within the measurements, making those fluid flow measurements inaccurate, especially if not filtered out correctly, preferably without interference from the testing mechanisms. Even single-phase fluids can be subject to such noise that complicates flow measurements due to the inclusion of various components in the fluid.
Many methods of measuring fluid flow in a vessel have drawbacks. For instance, some involve diverting flow from a designated vessel for testing. Such diversion methods often involve waiting multiple weeks or months between characterization events and can present difficulties when attempting to optimize fluid flow. Another method involves installing commercially available flow meters in the vessels, but most are often inaccurate when compared to direct measurements and require an inordinate amount of time and effort for the installation. Still other alternatives for determining a flow velocity can be based on methods that involve substantial training for the operator and/or specialized equipment that is typically more suited for laboratory use (e.g., nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging or gamma ray imaging).
Another method that can be used to measure fluid flow is a cross-correlation method, which estimates the velocity of contrast media in a given fluid flow. A traditional cross-correlation technique requires a signal emanating from suspended or dissolved material within the continuous phase to be measured by two receivers placed within the fluid flow, or external to a vessel containing the fluid flow, for the purposes of measuring the continuous phase flow velocity at those receivers. For purposes herein, the term "signal(s)" refers to acoustic, electromagnetic, or radioactive signals, and the source of such signals could be either passive or actively induced. In traditional cross-correlation methods, the receivers can be positioned such that there are two receivers that both record emanating signals over some amount of time. The signal a receiver measures entirely depends on the relative spatial position between the contrast media within the flow and the position of the receiver. Therefore, in situations where the two receivers are placed within a sufficient distance from another such that the flow does not significantly alter the configuration of the contrasting media, then the two receivers should observe signals similar signals, albeit separated in time from each other. Flow velocity can then be estimated using a traditional "cross-correlation" method, known to those skilled in the art, which estimates the velocity of contrast media entrained in the flow through an analysis of an upstream signal and a downstream signal in a fluid flow and then determining a time shift ("τ") by cross-correlating the upstream signal with the downstream signal, wherein the downstream received signal has been shifted by some amount of time ("Δt"). By measuring the time shift, τ, between the two receivers, the flow velocity can be determined using the expression vflow=L/τ.
Although relatively easy to implement, this cross-correlation method is prone to error when used to estimate the flow velocity of a continuous phase in a multi-phase fluid because the technique is sensitive to the velocity of entrained contrast media in the fluid flow, especially when such contrast media move at a different velocity than the continuous phase of the fluid. Consider a couple of examples to highlight potential short-comings of the technique. Both examples comprise active acoustic sources and the contrasting media is either sand or air bubbles within the flow, which necessarily have different sizes and other characteristics that affect their flow within the fluid flow. In either case, the value of τ measures the time it takes the sand grains or air bubbles entrained in the fluid flow to move from an upstream receiver to a downstream receiver. For instance, in a vertical flow involving centimeter sized air bubbles, the air bubbles can move at velocities 10 times that of the continuous phase flow velocity. In a horizontal flow involving sand, the sand can settle near the bottom of the pipe and swirl, and on average, have velocities much slower than the continuous phase flow velocity. If the signals focus on either of these, the calculated flow rate is flawed because the contrast media do not flow at the same rate as the continuous phase.
Where the cross correlation technique is able to accurately measure the flow velocity of the continuous phase is when the contrast media moves at the same velocity as the continuous phase. However, if some of the contrast media have the same velocity as the continuous phase and other contrasting media (also present in the flow) have different velocities, then errors may occur. Consider the prior example of air bubbles entrained in a vertical flow, where in this case both small and large air bubbles are present. For very small air bubbles (microns in size) they will move at the velocity of the continuous phase, but large air bubbles will not. In cases where the large air bubbles contribute more to the received signal, then the technique will give an estimated flow velocity equal to the velocity of the larger air bubbles and not the continuous phase. Therefore, the true limitation of the technique is that contrasting media moving at the velocity of the continuous phase can really only be used to estimate a flow velocity of the continuous phase.
If some of the contrasting media have the same velocity as the continuous phase and other contrasting media (also present in the flow) have different velocities, then errors are likely to occur. For example, consider the prior example of air bubbles entrained in a vertical flow, where in this case both small and large air bubbles are present. For very small air bubbles (microns in size) they are likely to move at the velocity of the continuous phase; but larger air bubbles will not. In situations where these large air bubbles contribute more to the received signal, then the technique will give an estimated flow velocity equal to the velocity of the larger air bubbles, which is likely not indicative of the flow of the continuous phase.
What are needed are cross-correlation methods that are sensitive to contrast media moving at the continuous phase flow velocity in a fluid flow in a vessel, such as a pipe or conduit, and corresponding systems to facilitate such methods. The methods should be performed and/or the systems should be able to be installed and used without requiring replacement of a section of the vessel. Additionally, the methods can preferably be performed and/or the systems can preferably be used without requiring substantial training of an operator. Further, the systems and methods should allow for characterization of the flow velocity of a fluid flow in spite of the potentially unpredictable composition and/or characteristics of the fluid flow, especially the noise created by the contrasting properties in the discontinuous phase.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0238260 describes an ultrasonic flow meter that measures a flow volume of a primarily single phase fluid by sending an ultrasonic signal to the fluid and receiving a transmission signal or a reflection signal obtained from the fluid. The received transmission signal can be used to determine a first flow volume while the reflection signal can be used to determine a second flow volume. The first flow volume or second flow volume can then be selected for output to the user based on a volume of air bubbles in the fluid, as determined by a correcting unit.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0096599 describes a method and apparatus for determining a flow rate of a fluid and detecting gas bubbles or particles in the fluid. The gas bubbles or particles are detected based on a collapse of an amplitude of an ultrasonic signal. The flow rate can be determined based on a travel time of the ultrasonic signal in the fluid. A plurality of transmitters and receivers can be used to allow for averaging of a plurality of determined flow rates in order to reduce errors in the flow rate determination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,244 describes a method and apparatus for using a pair of transducers to determine a flow rate in a fluid. In some aspects, the transducers can be configured so that one is upstream relative to the other to allow for a measurement of flow rate based on both a Doppler shift and a time of propagation for an ultrasonic wave.
An article by R. Velmurugan et al. in the International Journal of Computer Applications (Vol. 66, No. 10, March 2013) describes an ultrasonic flow meter using a cross-correlation technique. Two pairs of ultrasonic transducers are used that operate at the same frequency. The signals transmitted through the fluid are detected and then correlated using a cross-correlation technique to determine the time shift between the detected signals that corresponds to the highest correlation. As noted in the journal article, clamp-on transducers are not preferred for this type of system. This is due to restrictions on the dynamic range of a clamp-on flow meter due to acoustic short circuits between the ultrasonic transmitters and demodulator. The journal article states that in a continuous wave cross-correlation meter, the sensors must be acoustically isolated from the pipe walls to eliminate the short-circuit effect, which usually excludes the use of a clamp-on arrangement. Additionally, clamp-on transducers also have difficulties due to the dependence of beam spacing and orientation on acoustic transmission through pipe walls, where imperfections distort and refract the beams.
An article, Worch., Meas. Sci. Technol. 9 (1998) 622-630, describes a clamp-on ultrasonic cross correlation flow meter for one-phase flow. The correlation technique presented offers a method measuring the average rate of flow of fluids through pipes using ultrasonic sensors, and transforming the natural, stochastic fluctuations of velocity, pressure and density into two signals with a delay time T, and a real-time correlator, extracting the delay time from the signals and calculating the average rate of flow of the fluid.

Estimates of flow velocity with controlled spatio-temporal variations in contrast media properties

ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company


A footwear includes a main shoe body provided with a recess on a bottom thereof; an upper body fixed to the recess and having a plurality of magnets arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction; a lower body having a plurality of magnets arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction, and connected with the upper body to be rotatable relative to the upper body; and rollers mounted to the lower body. The magnets of the upper body and the lower body are arranged so as to return the rollers always to a regular position by magnetism acting between the magnets of the upper body and the magnets of the lower body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to footwear equipped with rollers in a bottom thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent increase of leisure activities, roller skating using roller skate shoes such as roller skates, roller blades and inline skates are becoming popular. Generally, such roller skate shoes dedicatedly include a roller assembly at their bottoms. Therefore, in order to enjoy roller skating, a rider has to carry the roller skate shoes to a predetermined place and change his/her walking shoes into the roller skate shoes. After enjoying the roller skating, the rider now has to change back to the walking shoes. These processes are bothersome for the rider.
Nowadays, a variety of shoes equipped with rollers are being introduced to overcome such bother. A conventional roller shoe is disclosed in KR Utility Model No. 20-0378784 registered on May 3, 2005.
The conventional roller shoe is shown in FIG. 1 (corresponding to FIG. 3 in the publication). Since rollers 400 of the conventional roller shoe are rotatable by 360°, the rider can make a turn by 360°. However, in the conventional roller shoe, the rollers 400 cannot automatically return to the initial position after the turning.
Thus, the rollers 400 are often displaced from the initial position. When the rider starts in this state, the rider may even fall down because the rollers 400 would not roll smoothly and promptly due to resistance against the ground surface.


Provided herein is an animal head protection device, or a protective dog collar assembly including an upper stabilization element and a lower support structure. The upper stabilization element is a hexagonally-shaped halo designed for encircling a neck of a dog. The lower support structure is a smaller hexagonally-shaped halo and includes a blocking element to restrict downward movement of a head of the dog.

Protective dog collars, often called "Elizabethan" collars, have long been used in veterinary medicine to protect against contact between an animal's head and other parts of its body. The collars are mostly used after a medical treatment or procedure, such as surgery, in order to prevent an animal from biting or chewing at sensitive areas and/or dressings or areas below its neck, or from pawing or scratching at dressings or areas on or about its head.
Frequently such collars have taken the general form of truncated cones. Such collars have been closed and thereby retained in place around the animal's neck by such things as interlocking tabs, snaps, lacing, staples, and the like. Such collars frequently need to be offered in a variety of sizes or size ranges to accommodate animals of various sizes, and the effective size range of a particular collar is often limited by the closure mechanism used. Such closure mechanisms are also frequently cumbersome and time-consuming to use.
These cones can be flat-packable device worn mainly by cats and dogs to limit and restrict them from licking, biting, or irritating any incisions, stitches, or wounds on their paws, hind, or back. Although the cone does restrict the animal from reaching, it causes many more problems hindering them from living comfortably. Eating and drinking are almost impossible tasks which cause many pet owners to have to take off the cone to let their pet eat and drink. Climbing and descending stairs can also be extremely dangerous for a pet wearing a protective cone. Further, the shape of the cone causes sound to increase in volume and adversely effects the pet's hearing. The cones also limit the animal's vision to only 15 degrees peripherally. Still further, the cone sits on the neck of the animal and causes redness, itching, and irritation. The animal must be wearing the cone continuously for up to seven days, traditionally.
In addition to the physical restrictions and irritations caused to the pets, pet owners also experience feelings of anxiety and guilt making the pet wear the cone. Many pet owners realize just how awful the cone is for their pet some even have resorted to creating "do-it-yourself" cones using bath towels, duct tape, pool noodles, or even paper plates, which can also cause harm to the pet.
While the Elizabethan cone's functionality has a modicum of success, improvements in both functionality and comfort level of the pet is highly desirable. The cones are not suitable for allowing the animal to eat and drink, go up and down stairs, and sleep comfortably or without danger. The shape of the cone amplifies sound and limits vision causing them to get caught on walls, doorways, stairs, and other obstructions they cannot see. This increases the risk for injury because of the device tremendously. Some patents showing examples of such collars include PCT Publication No. WO 95/22891, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,013,530, 3,072,098, 3,036,554, 3,942,306, 4,328,605, 4,476,814 and 8,181,609.
Cone devices currently used block the dog's peripheral vision, leaving them with only 15 degrees of vision laterally. Moreover, the shape of the cone amplifies sound which is disquieting to the dog. The cone sits around the dog's neck and can cause irritation and abrasion. These factors make the dog uncomfortable and uneasy while they are trying to heal post-surgery or from an injury.
Many owners are motivated to remove the cone off their dog while the dog is eating because the length of the cone makes it difficult to reach the food bowl. Owners tend to feel guilty about putting their dog in the cone because it is clear that the cone is uncomfortable for the dog.
There is therefore a need for a collar that is comfortable for a pet to wear, less irritating to the pet, and one that is easily stored, and quickly and easily fitted onto a dog, as well as removed.


Provided is a method of producing a member for electrophotography capable of providing a high-quality electrophotographic image. The method of producing a member for electrophotography is a method of producing a member for electrophotography having an electro-conductive support, an elastic layer, and a surface layer, the method comprising: a first step of forming, on a surface of the elastic layer, a coat of a surface-layer coating liquid containing a hydrolyzed condensate of a hydrolyzable silane compound and a chelate titanium compound represented by the following general formula (2); and a second step of crosslinking the hydrolyzed condensate in the coat through cleavage of an epoxy group in the hydrolyzed condensate to form the surface layer:

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a member for electrophotography and a coating liquid used in formation of a film containing a polysiloxane.
Description of the Related Art
A time period for which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member are in contact with each other has become relatively short in association with an increase in speed of a process for forming an electrophotographic image in recent years. This is a disadvantageous for stable and secure charging of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-154353 describes that a surface layer formed from a surface-layer coating liquid containing a condensate formed of a hydrolyzable silane compound and a hydrolyzable titanium compound increases a relative dielectric constant and improves charging performance of a charging member.

Method of producing member for electrophotography


A surgical table including a patient support structure and a base assembly including a first and a second support column supporting respective ends of the patient support structure. The patient support structure including a head end section and a foot end section, the head end section coupled at a pair of outer ends to the first support column, the foot end section coupled at a pair of outer ends to the second support column, the head and foot end sections each comprising a pair of inner ends that are pivotally and slidingly coupled together at an inward articulation, each of the inner ends of the head end section comprise a slot at the inward articulation, each of the inner ends of the foot end section are coupled with the respective slot via a hinge pin that engages the slot, the hinge pin configured to pivot and slide within the slot.

From scalpels to surgical tables, surgeons rely on a multitude of specially designed tools and apparatuses to perform surgical procedures. In any number of procedures, a surgeon may need to position a patient in various positions (e.g., roll, Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg, raise and lower, flex and extend) throughout the surgery in order to perform various steps of the procedure. Positioning the patient in the various positions may require the use of a specialized table or support structure that is uniquely designed to facilitate the required movements for the procedure. With certain support structures, articulating different portions of the support structure poses problems. In particular, support structures with certain types of articulating hinges fixed between head and foot end sections of a suspended patient support structure tend to require the use of a "trunk translator" or other device that allows the patient's torso to slide on the head end section of the patient support structure when the structure pivots about the hinges. In doing so, significant translation of the patient's head and torso are required with respect to anesthesia. In addition to adding an assembly to the support structure, such devices are often not radiolucent, which also poses problems for generating medical images. And, since certain procedures (e.g., spinal surgery) may require the patient to undergo medical imaging during the procedure, it is desirable for the patient support structure to be made from radiolucent materials (e.g., carbon fiber, PEEK, polymer, among other materials). In addition to the various positioning and materials requirements on surgical support structures, laws and regulations may provide additional requirements for safely positioning patients during a surgical procedure that must be considered.
With these thoughts in mind, among others, aspects of the surgical table with a pivoting and translating hinge disclosed herein were conceived.

Surgical table with pivoting and translating hinge


A circuit breaker with overload and short-circuit protection functions for a motor, on which is mounted a thermally actuated overload tripping device including an adjustment dial to set a value corresponding to a rated current value of the motor on a scale. The dial has a standard setting pointer mark and a correction setting pointer mark side-by-side along a perimeter. The standard setting pointer mark applies to using the circuit breaker as a single item. The correction setting pointer mark applies to using a number of circuit breakers arranged in a line in close contact with each other. By setting a mark selected according to the arrangement of the circuit breaker at the rated current value, the steady state current value of the tripping device can be adequately set to correspond to the rated current value of the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit breaker that can be applied in a motor circuit for protecting a motor from overload and short-circuit, and in detail, to an adjustment dial for setting a steady state current value of a thermally actuated overload tripping device mounted on such a circuit breaker.
2. Background Art
It is known to use a type of circuit breaker commonly referred to as a "manual motor starter" for a switching device employed in a protecting and controlling circuit of a motor. The manual motor starter (abbreviated as "MMS") is a circuit breaker compactly integrating the functions of a circuit breaker and a thermal relay (see JP-A-2003-100195, for example). Such a circuit breaker is ordinarily further combined with an electromagnetic contactor so as to carry out short-circuit and overload protection and operational control of a motor. An outline of the arrangement of the circuit breaker (MMS) is shown in each of FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5. FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a circuit breaker (MMS) with a case cover thereon, FIG. 4B is a plan view showing the inner mechanism of the circuit breaker (MMS) shown in FIG. 4A with the case cover removed, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a unit assembly of a thermally actuated overload tripping device shown in FIG. 4B. Firstly, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, reference numerals 1 and 1a denote a main body case and case cover, respectively of a circuit breaker having a molded resin case. Reference numerals 2 and 3 respectively denote power source side terminals and load side terminals of the main body case 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a switching mechanism carrying out a switching operation of a contact section of a main circuit. The switching operation of the switching mechanism 4 is performed by a lever 5 (a rocker system). Reference numeral 6 denotes an electromagnetic overload tripping device detecting a short-circuit current of the main circuit to instantaneously trip the circuit breaker, and reference numeral 7 denotes a thermally actuated overload tripping device detecting overload and open phase conditions to trip the circuit breaker. The contact section of the main circuit, though not shown, is incorporated in the main body case 1 on the bottom side thereof. Here, the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7, as shown in detail in FIG. 5, is a unitary assembly that combines a main bimetallic element 8 as a thermally actuated element corresponding to each phase in the main circuit, a differential shifter mechanism 9 including a differential lever linked to an operational end of the main bimetallic element 8, a push shifter and a pull shifter, a compensating bimetallic element 10 for ambient temperature compensation that also serves as a release lever linked to a latch catcher of the switching mechanism 4, with one end thereof made opposed to an output end 9a of the differential lever of the differential shifter mechanism 9, and an adjustment dial 11 for setting the steady state current value of the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7 to a capacity (rated current value) of a motor. In addition, for each phase, reference numeral 8a denotes a heater for heating the main bimetallic element 8.
The compensating bimetallic element 10 is held by a compensating bimetallic element holder 12a, which is pivotally held by a dial holder 12. The adjustment dial 11 is held by the dial holder 12 and is positioned so that the head of the adjustment dial 11 is aligned with an opening in the case cover 1a of the main body case 1 (see FIG. 4A) with a dial cam 11e, formed on the shaft of the adjustment dial 11, made to butt against the butting face (not shown) of the compensating bimetallic element holder 12a. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing an adjustment dial mounted on the circuit breaker shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIG. 6B is a plan view showing an example of setting the setting pointer mark on the adjustment dial at a steady state current value in the circuit breaker. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the adjustment dial 11 has an arrow-shaped setting pointer mark 11a on the upper face of the head thereof. The setting pointer mark 11a is formed for setting a steady state current value with the setting pointer mark 11a to be set at the steady state current value on a current value scale 13 shown along a periphery of an opening in the case cover 1a. The setting pointer mark 11a is preferably formed as a slot into which the tip of a slotted screwdriver is inserted so as to turn the adjustment dial 11. A numeric character presented on the current value scale 13 represents the rated current value (A) of a motor. The setting range of the rated current value in the example shown in FIG. 6B is from 0.16 A to 0.25 A. The rated current value of the motor to be used is within this range in the example, and the setting is carried out so that the setting pointer mark 11a on the adjustment dial 11 is set at the rated current value. The operation and the function of the circuit breaker (MMS) is described in detail in the JP-A-2003-100195. Here, however, an explanation will be made relating to the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7. Specifically, when the circuit breaker is in actual use, the bending of the bimetallic element 8 heated by a current flow in a main circuit transfers the displacement due to the bending to the compensating bimetallic element 10 through the differential shifter mechanism 9. An overload state of the main circuit, that is, an increase in the current value in the main circuit larger than the steady state current value set beforehand by the adjustment dial 11, increases the displacement due to the bending of the main bimetallic element 8. The increased displacement due to this bending causes the output end 9a of the differential shifter mechanism 9 to push the compensating bimetallic element 10 to release the engagement between a latch and a latch catcher in the switching mechanism 4. This causes the switching mechanism 4 to be tripped to open the contact section in the main circuit.
The adjustment dial 11 is provided to set the steady state current value to the rated current value of a motor. The setting of the setting pointer mark 11a of the adjustment dial 11 shown in FIG. 6B at the position on the current value scale 13 corresponding to the rated current value of the motor, by turning the adjustment dial 11, causes the compensating bimetallic element holder 12a to turn on the dial holder 12 through the medium of the dial cam 11e of the adjustment dial 11. This displaces one end of the compensating bimetallic element 10 to cause play between the compensating bimetallic element 10 and the output end 9a of the differential shifter mechanism 9 to vary to be adjusted in correspondence with the set current value.
When the rated current adjustable circuit breaker (MMS) is used in a panel such as a control panel, the overload protection characteristic of the circuit breaker varies depending on how it is arranged. More specifically, the amount of bending of the main bimetallic element 8, as a thermally actuated element of the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7 contained in the main body case 1 of the circuit breaker, depends on the temperature of the bimetallic element. More specifically, the amount of bending depends on the temperature of the bimetallic element raised by applying an electric current to the bimetallic element. The temperature of the bimetallic element at this time varies according to ambient temperature conditions and, besides this, also according to the heat dissipation characteristic of the main body case 1 of the circuit breaker for dissipating the heat into the surroundings therefrom. The following is a comparison of the case of using one circuit breaker as a single item with the case of using a plurality of circuit breakers laterally arranged in line with adjacent ones in close contact with each other without providing any spacing. In the latter case, the heat dissipation from the main body case 1 of each circuit breaker is prevented by main body cases of the adjacent circuit breakers on the right and left sides lowering the heat dissipation characteristic of the main body case 1. This causes generated heat to be stored in the main body case 1 to excessively raise the temperature of the main bimetallic element 8, which results in a large amount of bending of the main bimetallic element 8. In such a state, even though the current value of the main circuit (the load current value of the motor) is equal to or less than the steady state current value set beforehand with the adjustment dial 11, there is a possibility of causing the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7 to be operated to accidentally bring the main circuit of the circuit breaker to an opened state, which causes an emergency stop in operation of the motor, to making adequate operational control impossible.
The circuit breaker as a product is provided so that steady state current values shown on the current value scale 13 are determined on the basis of the operating arrangement for a single item and an ambient temperature of 20° C. Thus, in the instruction manual accompanying a product delivered from the manufacturer, a caution is given such as "provide sufficient spacing between adjacent circuit breakers when mounting a plurality of circuit breakers in the same panel." Nevertheless, in some cases in which mounting of additional circuit breakers is carried out by the user, limited space in a control panel may make it necessary to mount a plurality of circuit breakers on a mounting rail in the panel arranged in line with adjacent ones in close contact with each other and little spacing provided in between. The use of the circuit breakers in such an arrangement introduces a possibility of causing malfunction of the thermally actuated overload tripping device to accidentally bring the main circuit of the circuit breaker to an opened state even though the load current value of the main circuit is equal to or less than the steady state current value set beforehand. As was explained in relation to FIG. 5, the related thermally actuated overload tripping device 7 is provided with the compensating bimetallic element 10 to reduce the influence of variations in ambient temperature (standard temperature: 20° C.) on the operating characteristics of the circuit breaker. The compensating bimetallic element 10, however, has a limitation in its functionality. More particularly, in the arrangement of rated current adjustable circuit breakers (MMSs), in each of which the steady state current value is set at the rated current value of a motor by means of the adjustment dial, in line in a panel with adjacent ones in close contact with each other, there is a possibility that the compensating bimetallic element 10 cannot by itself prevent the malfunction of the thermally actuated overload tripping device 7 to accidentally bring the main circuit of the circuit breaker to an opened state.
In one method that can be used to counter this problem, an adequate correction value for a steady state current is calculated on the basis of a relation between the temperature rise of the main bimetallic element and its operation characteristic, which relation varies depending on whether a single item of the circuit breaker is used or a plurality of the circuit breakers are arranged with adjacent ones in close contact with each other, and the adjustment dial is reset to the corrected value. This measure, however, is troublesome and additionally necessitates expert knowledge. Thus, such a measure cannot be commonly applied. The invention was made in view of the foregoing with an object of providing a circuit breaker which is capable of adequately setting the steady state current value of a thermally actuated overload tripping device by a simple adjustment dial operation of only setting a setting pointer mark at the steady state current value on a current value scale corresponding to the capacity of a motor, whether one circuit breaker is used as a single item or a plurality of circuit breakers are arranged in line with adjacent ones in close contact with each other.

Thermally actuated overload tripping device

Fuji Electric Fa Components & Systems Co., Ltd.


Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

Optical fibers are used ubiquitously in lighting and imaging applications, as well as in the telecommunication industry, where they provide higher data transmission rates over longer distances as compared to electric wiring. In addition, optical fibers are more flexible, lighter, and can be drawn into thinner diameters than metal wiring, allowing for higher-capacity bundling of fibers into cables. Surface coatings, applied via an ultra-violet (UV) curing process, are employed to protect optical fibers from physical damage and moisture intrusion, and to maintain their long-term durability in performance. As a uniformity of curing of the surface coatings increases, a durability of the optical fibers may also increase. However, it is often difficult to provide sufficiently uniform curing of the surface coatings. One approach is to arrange a workpiece, such as an optical fiber, proximate to a UV light source, with the surface coatings being cured via UV light emitted by the UV light source. To increase an efficiency of the curing, a reflector may be used to direct a portion of the UV light back toward the workpiece. However, the UV light may be dispersed by the reflector in directions away from the workpiece, which may result in efficiency losses. Additionally, as a size of the reflector is increased, a distance of the workpiece from the UV light source may also increase, resulting in a reduction of UV light absorbed by the workpiece.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a curing device, comprising: a larger, first elliptic cylindrical reflector and a smaller, second elliptic cylindrical reflector, with the second elliptic cylindrical reflector nested within an interior of the first elliptic cylindrical reflector, and with the first elliptic cylindrical reflector and the second elliptic cylindrical reflector arranged to have a co-located first focus. In this way, the first elliptic cylindrical reflector and the second elliptic cylindrical reflector nested within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector may each reflect light from a light source to a workpiece arranged at the co-located first focus.
As one example, an entirety of the second elliptic cylindrical reflector may seated within the interior of the first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with the co-located first focus arranged at a first opening of the second elliptic cylindrical reflector, between a closed end of the first elliptic cylindrical reflector and an opposing, second opening of the second elliptic cylindrical reflector. As a result, the workpiece arranged at the co-located first focus may be positioned closer to the light source, and a size of the curing device may be decreased.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Nested elliptic reflector for curing optical fibers


This invention relates to novel lytic peptides which are effective in treating citrus plant diseases including canker and greening. The invention also relates to antimicrobial compositions comprising lytic peptides and the use of such compositions in methods for treating diseases of citrus plants.

Citrus fruit is produced all over the world. It is the highest value fruit crop in international trade. Essentially, there are two citrus markets: fresh and juice. Generally citrus types include oranges, grapefruit, limes, lemons and tangerines. Many countries experience serious citrus disease problems, especially those caused by canker and greening. There have been no satisfactory treatments for these citrus plant diseases as reported in Brlansky, R. H., K. R. Chung, M. E. Rogers. 2005. 2006 Florida citrus pest management guide: Huanglongbing (citrus greening) and UF/IFAS Extension.CAB International. 2000. Crop protection compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
These diseases are an immediate threat to the future of the citrus industry in Florida. The greening disease is of more recent origin in Florida, having arrived there in September of 2005. Canker has been around much longer. Canker is basically airborne spread, mainly through wind, and especially those of hurricane velocity. Greening, on the other hand, is spread through a small insect known as the Asian citrus psyllid. Both canker and greening are bacterial pathogens.
Plants do not possess a complex immunoglobulin-based system such as that found in higher vertebrates to defend themselves against attacking microbial pathogens; however, they do have a wide variety of innate host defense mechanisms at their disposal. These include the production of antimicrobial reactive oxygen species (ROS), secondary metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes, and a wide array of antimicrobial proteins and peptides. Recombinant DNA technologies and plant transformation procedures have been used to introduce and express genes encoding these types of antimicrobial agents in plants in an effort to increase host resistance to plant pathogens. Of particular interest has been the identification and characterization of ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The introduction of antimicrobial peptide genes into plants with demonstrated enhanced pathogen resistance by expression of their encoded peptides has been reported in Destefano-beltran L, Jaynes J M, Clark C. 1987. Effect of novel lytic peptides on plant pathogenic bacteria. Phytopathology 77, 1768 and Jaynes J M, Xanthopoulos D. Destefano-beltran L, Dodds J H 1987 Increasing bacterial disease resistance in plants utilizing anti bacterial genes from insects, Bioessays, 6, 263-70. As an example , D4E1 (AgroMed) has been tested extensively by a number of labs throughout the world and has been found efficacious in limiting pathogens of cotton, poplar and pome fruits such as pears and apples.


A nitride phosphor particle dispersion-type sialon ceramic of the present invention includes a matrix formed of a sialon-based compound; and at least one nitride phosphor which is dispersed in the matrix and contains a luminescence center element.

In recent years, blue light-emitting diodes (blue LED) have come into practical use and white LEDs using these blue LEDs have been developed. Since white LEDs have lower power consumption than white light sources of the related art and have a long lifetime, white LEDs are used for backlights for liquid crystal display devices and indoor and outdoor lighting equipment.
A white LED includes, for example, a blue LED and a nitride phosphor which is used for coating the surface thereof.
Since the above-described nitride phosphor is powdery, the nitride phosphor is dispersed in a light-transmitting resin and fixed to the surface of a blue LED. In this case, the luminous efficiency of a white LED is degraded due to scattering of light caused by a difference in refractive index between the nitride phosphor and the resin.
It is considered that such a problem can be solved by obtaining a transparent mass (bulk body) formed of only a nitride phosphor. In order to make the mass formed of a nitride phosphor transparent, it is necessary to promote sintering of raw material powder of the nitride phosphor and to remove pores which are present in a sintered body and serve as sources of scattered light. Further, the nitride phosphor has a high refractive index. Accordingly, the transparency of the sintered body is degraded in a case where a glass phase with a low refractive index remains in the sintered body obtained by sintering of the nitride phosphor. However, a method of removing pores from the sintered body formed of a nitride phosphor and a method of preventing a glass phase from remaining in the sintered body formed of a nitride phosphor have not been established.
Meanwhile, a method for producing a nitride phosphor which is a transparent bulk body having fluorescence by adding an appropriate sintering aid to raw material powder of a nitride phosphor and performing an appropriate sintering process has been known (for example, see PTL 1).

Nitride phosphor particle dispersion-type sialon ceramic, fluorescent member, and method for producing nitride phosphor particle dispersion-type sialon ceramic

KANAGAWA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION YOKOHAMA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY


A system is provided for remote control of electronic devices. An automation controller can be used to control electronic devices via a network. A communication port for the automation controller is used to provide control signals for at least one electronic device via the network. An analog receiver module receives analog video signals from analog sources. A digital display module can receive a digital control interface from the automation controller. The digital control interface can include automation graphical interface controls. A display module, coupled to the automation controller, is used to composite the digital control interface received from the digital display module into a composite image with analog video signals.

The price of electronic devices has continued to decrease dramatically. The variety of consumer electronic components and automation electronics that can be purchased has continued to increase. For example, digital video recorders, DVD players, large screen TVs, multi-carousel CD players, MP3 players, video games consoles and similar consumer electronic items have continued to drop in price and become more widely available. Other examples of home electronics that are widely available include: remotely controlled light switches and dimmers, wireless networks, wireless power controls, wireless switches, remote controlled fireplaces, garage doors and even appliances. The decreases in price and increased availability have made home audio, home video, and automation electronics more available to end users.
The availability of electronic equipment has also increased consumer interest in networking such devices together. It has become easier and less expensive to buy many networkable components that can be used to control lighting, monitor appliances, access environmental controls, and provide high quality audio-visual entertainment through broadcast television, satellite programs, cable programs, and internet connections for an automation network.
The increasing availability of wireless networks has enabled a wide variety of devices to be centrally controlled through the use of wireless automation networks. However, even with the ever increasing availability of wireless networks, automation networks are still only installed in limited numbers.
Remote controls used to remotely control fixtures, devices, etc., have proven to be expensive, as well as difficult to program and use. Remote controls are often operable through either radio frequency or an infrared link to transmit control signals to the device to be controlled. More recent developments allow the use of Bluetooth® wireless technology and other technologies and methods for remote control signaling and operation. Each manufacturer of a controllable device usually provides its own remote control apparatus for the device to be controlled. The proliferation of remote controls further complicates their usage as the homeowner becomes confused as to how each remote control device operates or how the control device is to be programmed.
Some manufacturers provide a universal remote control device that is operable to control the operation of more than one electrical or electronic device. By properly programming such a universal remote control device, the remote control can provide the proper control signals to effectuate the remote control of at least two devices. However, universal remote control devices are known to be difficult to program and confusing to use.
Typical remote controls are often based on a button-centric paradigm and usually contain a large number of buttons and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. This can cause a crowded layout which in turn can lead to considerable confusion and intimidation. Users may have difficulty finding a desired button. Often the lighting is dim in a room in which the remote control is used. This can make it difficult to read the legends on the crowded button layout. The success of remote control devices has been limited at least in part by the inclusion of a large number of buttons or use of an LCD screen which results in increased complexity and a higher cost.

Automation Control of Electronic Devices


An exercise machine includes a base having a seat fixed thereto and a backrest pivotal to a number of positions. A chest developing unit pivots with the lower portion of the backrest. The chest developing unit includes bilateral handles which are linked by a rack and pinion mechanism and resisted by an elastic band. A top exercise unit is mounted between horizontal supports extending from the top of the backrest. The top exercise unit is likewise resisted by elastic bands.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise machine, and more specifically to an exercise machine with multiple fixtures and multiple functions enabling it to be operated in different ways by a user.
2. Description of Related Art
Exercise in-doors has become more and more prevalent in the modern society. An exercise machine that provides multiple functions to users is one of the most popular facilities for in-door exercise. The traditional exercise machine is either compact and simple in structure but limited in its capability or is very versatile with a large and complex structure.


An aerodynamic control apparatus for an air vehicle improves various aerodynamic performance metrics by employing multiple spanwise flap segments that jointly form a continuous or a piecewise continuous trailing edge to minimize drag induced by lift or vortices. At least one of the multiple spanwise flap segments includes a variable camber flap subsystem having multiple chordwise flap segments that may be independently actuated. Some embodiments also employ a continuous leading edge slat system that includes multiple spanwise slat segments, each of which has one or more chordwise slat segment. A method and an apparatus for implementing active control of a wing shape are also described and include the determination of desired lift distribution to determine the improved aerodynamic deflection of the wings. Flap deflections are determined and control signals are generated to actively control the wing shape to approximate the desired deflection.

This invention relates to the field of aeronautics and more specifically to enhancing the efficiency and performance of air vehicles.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is a United States government agency that is responsible for science and technology related to air and space. When NASA started in 1958, it began a program of human spaceflight. The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs helped NASA learn about flying in space and resulted in the first human landing on the moon in 1969. NASA has helped develop and test a variety of cutting-edge aircraft. These aircraft include planes that have set new records. Among other benefits, these tests have helped engineers improve air transportation. NASA technology has contributed to many items used in everyday life, from smoke detectors to medical tests.
There is an increasing global awareness of greenhouse gas emission due to ever-increasing fossil fuel consumption in many sectors of the global economy. The transportation sector is one of leading contributors to the environmentally harmful emission and the escalating fuel consumption. Thus, it is realized that solutions to this global challenge must be developed through engineering innovations in all economic activities. To date, the ground transportation sector for consumers has witnessed many new energy-efficient technologies developed by the automotive industry, such as, hybrid vehicles and all-electric vehicles. In this same context for air transportation, NASA is taking a lead role in developing a "green" aviation initiative that seeks technology development for environmentally responsible future aviation systems to meet national and global challenges of improving aircraft fuel efficiency while reducing noise and emissions. NASA leadership in this area is important to maintain its preeminent heritage and future leadership in aeronautics.
Green aviation focuses on new aeronautic technologies that may potentially revolutionize aviation systems that may lead to improved aerodynamic efficiency, less fuel burn, and reduced noise and emissions. These important goals represent current challenges in the present aviation systems in response to the emerging needs for innovative aircraft design that may address future aviation systems. In the context of commercial aviation, civilian aircraft remains the largest U.S. export category ($9.4 billion, "U.S. Export Fact Sheet, March 2009).
Therefore, the increasing demand for fuel-efficient aircraft for global commerce prompts the aircraft industry to address improved fuel efficiency as a top national and global challenge. Air transportation is projected to increase rapidly in the future. As a major source of fossil fuel consumption, any small increase in aircraft's aerodynamic efficiency may translate into significant cost savings for the air transportation industry. Aerodynamic efficiency, which is defined as the ratio of lift to drag, is one of the most important considerations in aircraft design. To achieve aerodynamic efficiency, aircraft designers conduct detail aerodynamic design and analysis of the geometry of an aircraft in order maintain aircraft drag to a minimum.
Typically, a major source of aircraft drag is derived from the aircraft wing. In flight, the wing provides most of the lift force to balance the aircraft weight as it is airborne. As the wing generates lift, it also generates a source of drag known as induced drag. This drag source is dependent on the wing lift. A parabolic relationship between the wing lift coefficient CL and the drag coefficient CD, also referred to as a drag polar, is usually employed in aerodynamic analysis as follows:CD=CD0+CL2/πARε
The quantity ε is called the span (or Oswald's) efficiency factor. When the lift distribution is most optimal over a wing, this factor is equal to unity. When the wing lift is less than optimal, it is less than unity. A typical value may be between 0.8 and 0.9 for a very efficient wing design. Thus, aircraft drag may be reduced by having an aerodynamically efficient wing design with the span efficiency factor as close to unity as possible.
Yet, another indirect way of reducing drag is to reduce aircraft weight. As the aircraft weight is reduced, the wing lift is also reduced as the aircraft weight is always in balance with the wing lift in steady-state flight. The drag polar reveals that as the wing lift coefficient decreases, the drag coefficient also decreases quadratically. Modern aircraft is designed to achieve as much weight savings as possible in order to realize this important objective.
One aspect of weight savings is accomplished by employing lightweight advanced engineered materials in aircraft structures. An important aircraft structure is the aircraft wing. As a consequence of the use of lightweight materials in aircraft structure, aircraft wings become much more flexible. The main objective of a lightweight airframe design is to reduce the wing lift requirement which in turn reduces drag. However, as the aircraft wings become flexible, potential adverse impacts on aerodynamic efficiency may exist.
An aircraft wing is normally designed for optimal aerodynamic performance at only one point in a flight envelope by tailoring a wing lift distribution to achieve the best span efficiency possible. This design point is usually at the mid-point in a design cruise range, typically when the fuel stored inside aircraft wings is half-way spent. Due to the effect of aeroelasticity (structural interactions with aerodynamics), aircraft wings tend to deflect in flight by exhibiting a combined bending and twisting motion. If the wings become much more flexible due to the use of lightweight materials in the construction, the deflection may change the optimal wing shape which in turn changes the optimal wing lift distribution. Consequently, the span efficiency may decrease as the aircraft wings deflect significantly from the optimal wing shape at the design point. This reduction in span efficiency therefore causes an increase in drag which may potentially negate the original goal of employing lightweight airframe design for drag reduction.
Thus, it is realized that there is an unfulfilled need to have an ability to improve aerodynamic efficiency and reduce drag of aircraft due to non-optimal wing shape in flight. More specifically, when an aircraft's optimal wing shape is deviated from its design shape due to any reasons such as wing flexibility, or when an aircraft wing is not at its optimal aerodynamic performance such as high lift requirements at any point inside a flight envelope, what would be needed is an ability to alter the wing shape in a such a manner as to increase the aerodynamic efficiency and the aerodynamic performance at any point in a flight envelope. This ability would achieve a drag reduction objective while enabling aircraft wings to be adaptable to any given performance requirements throughout a flight envelope. Furthermore, this ability may be viewed a key enabling feature for lightweight airframe design, for otherwise the drag benefit of a lightweight airframe design could be significantly offset or completely nullified without this ability.

Variable camber continuous aerodynamic control surfaces and methods for active wing shaping control

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)


A rake combiner for a CDMA rake receiver, the combiner comprising a receiver for receiving a plurality of multipath components of a signal; a memory; a controller arranged to store a first multipath component in the memory; a summer for summing the first multipath component with a second multipath component to provide a combined signal; wherein the controller is arranged to store the combined signal in the memory.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rake combiner, in particular a rake combiner for a CDMA rake receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multiple access communication systems allow a large number of users to establish wireless communication channels over a relatively limited frequency spectrum. One multiple access communication system that has become increasingly prominent is the spread spectrum multiple access telecommunication system, otherwise known as code division multiple access (CDMA).
Multiple access in a CDMA system is achieved by assigning each user in the system a pseudo-random code, where the assigned pseudo random codes have good auto and cross-correlation properties. In use the assigned pseudo-random code is modulated with a user's hit rate signal. The bandwidth of the modulated signal incorporating the pseudo-random code is much larger than the bandwidth of the user's bit rate signal, thereby spreading the user's relatively narrowband signal into a wide-band spread spectrum signal.
On receipt of the signal by a designated receiver the wideband signal is converted back into a narrow band signal using the original pseudo-random code to 'de-spread' the signal.
By ensuring the pseudo-random codes have good auto and cross correlation properties 'spread' signals from other users remain as wideband signals, thereby minimizing interference with the required 'narrow' band signal.
An advantage of a CDMA system is its ability to allow separate multipath signals to be combined using a rake receiver. Multipath signals arise from reflections of a signal from obstacles in the environment. The multipath signals are copies of the same transmitted signal but typically have different amplitudes, phases and delays. The time delay difference between the first and the last received multipath component is typically known as the maximum delay spread of the multipath signals.
A rake receiver has a plurality of rake fingers where each finger is allocated to receive a designated multipath component. To equalize the delays between the different multipath components etch finger has a delay equalization memory. The memory in each finger is used to store respective multipath components (i.e. the first multipath component received by a rake finger is stored in the received rake finger's memory until the last multipath component is received by a different rake finger). The delayed equalized multipath components are then combined via a rake combiner and written to memory before being decoded.
However, the use of memory in each rake finger to perform delay equalization can result in an increase in cost and complexity of the rake receiver. Further, the use of memory in each rake ringer to perform delay equalization limits the combination of multipaths to those that are shorter than the maximum delay of the rake finger memory.
It is desirable to improve this situation.


A speaker including a magnetic circuit formed by an annular yoke and an annular magnet which are concentric around a central axis and face each other across a gap. The magnet includes an N pole region and an S pole region successively arranged along the central axis direction and divided by an imaginary boundary line. At rest, a first coil is positioned in the gap in the N pole region, and a second coil is positioned in the gap in the S pole region. When the coils are driven by an excessively large current, a portion of the first coil moves beyond the boundary line to enter the S pole region, thereby causing a gentle first damping force on the first coil to prevent an excessive displacement. Likewise, the excessive current causes the second coil to move beyond the boundary line to enter the N pole region, thereby causing a second damping force which is opposite in direction to the first damping force. The damping forces limit a displacement range of the coils such that a damper does not collide with the magnet and similarly, the lower end of a bobbin does not collide with a frame of the speaker, thereby preventing collision sounds. The damping forces also prevent excessive stretching or contraction of a suspension, thereby preventing sound distortions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speaker having a diaphragm, a coil and a magnetic circuit, and more particularly, to a speaker which provides magnetic damping when amplitudes of the diaphragm and coil become large.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a conventional dynamic-type speaker typically used, for example, as a vehicle-mounted speaker; FIG. 6A is a sectional view showing a magnetic circuit of the conventional speaker; and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the magnetic flux density produced in the magnetic circuit.
The conventional speaker shown in FIG. 5 includes a frame 1 made of metal, and a diaphragm 2 supported within the frame 1. The diaphragm 2 is cone-shaped and made of a paper material. A semispherical dome portion 3 is attached over an opening formed in a central portion 2a of the diaphragm 2. A suspension 4 is attached between the frame 1 and an outer portion 2b of the diaphragm 2. The suspension 4 is provided separately from the diaphragm 2 along the circumference of the edge of a outer portion 2b of the diaphragm 2. The suspension 4 includes a substantially semi-circular (semicylindrical) cross sectional configuration with a predetermined curvature. An inner edge of the suspension 4 is bonded to the diaphragm 2 and an outer edge is bonded to an outer edge 1a of the frame 1.
The outer periphery of the central portion 2a of the diaphragm 2 is supported by the frame 1 through a damper 5. The damper 5 is corrugated to form multiple ridges which are concentric about a central axis (Y-axis) of the speaker. An inner edge of the damper 5 is bonded to the central portion 2a of the diaphragm 2 and an outer edge thereof is bonded to the inner surface of the frame 1. The diaphragm 2 is supported by the suspension 4 and the damper 5 such that it can vibrate in the Y-axis direction.
A magnetic circuit A is provided between a bottom 1a of the frame 1 and the central portion 2a of the diaphragm 2. The magnetic circuit A is composed of a cylindrical yoke 6 made of a magnetic material, a ring-shaped magnet 7 positioned at the outer periphery of the yoke 6 and ring-shaped magnetic pole pieces 8a and 8b which joined to upper and lower ends of the magnet 7. The magnet 7 has magnetic anisotropy in the Y-axis direction such that a north (N) pole is formed near the upper end of the magnet 7 and a south (S) pole is formed near the lower end of the magnet 7. The yoke 6 and ring-shaped magnetic pole pieces 8a and 8b are formed of a material having a high magnetic permeability such as soft iron. Gaps G1 and G2 are respectively formed between the inner peripheral surfaces of the ring-shaped magnetic pole pieces 8a and 8b and the outer peripheral surfaces of the yoke 6.
A bobbin 9 is joined to the central portion 2a of the diaphragm 2 and extends into the gaps G1 and G2. Coils Cl and C2 are mounted on the bobbin 9 and are spaced apart in the Y-axis direction such that the coil Cl is positioned within the gap GI and the coil C2 is positioned within the gap G2.
The coils Cl and C2 are connected in series and wound such that they generate electromagnetic forces in the same direction when a predetermined voice current is applied thereto.
FIG. 6A shows an enlarged magnetic circuit A of the conventional speaker. As described above, in the conventional magnetic circuit A, the gaps G1 and G2 are respectively formed where ring-shaped pole pieces 8a and 8b face the yoke 6. Thus, within the widths W of the gaps G1 and G2, the magnetic flux density between the yoke 6 and the ring-shaped pole pieces 8a and 8b is high, and the magnetic flux density decreases substantially outside the widths W of the gaps G1 and G2, even when the distance outside the widths W is small.
FIG. 6B shows a change in the magnetic flux density in the Y-axis direction. It is apparent from this drawing that the magnetic flux density within the range of the widths W greatly differs from that in the range outside the widths W. When the coils C1 and C2 each having the width B in the Y-axis direction fall within the widths W of the gaps G1 and G2, the magnetic density crossing the coils C1 and C2 is substantially uniform, and a linear electromagnetic force acts on the coils.
However, as shown in FIG. 6B, substantially both ends of the widths W of the gaps G1 and G2 are sudden change points "a" where the magnetic flux density falls off suddenly. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6A, when vibration of the diaphragm 2 causes the coils C1 and C2 to be located outside of the widths W of the gaps G1 and G2, a linearity of the electromagnetic force acting on the coils C1 and C2 is extremely deteriorated by an influence of the sudden change points "a", thereby causing sound distortion.
A vehicle-mounted speaker and the like is conventionally used for amplifying a radio sound and reproduced sound stored on a magnetic tape. Recently, however, these speakers have been used for reproducing music signals from sources such as compact discs (CDs).
In reproducing such music signals, an amplifying peak of the sound is often increased due to extension of a dynamic range, thereby repeatedly applying excessive input signals to the speaker. These excessive input signals cause the coils C1 and C2 to move outside the widths W of the gaps G1, G2 such that sound distortion frequently occurs.
In addition, when the vibration amplitudes of the diaphragm 2 and bobbin 9 in the Y-axis direction become large due to the excessive input signals, the damper 15 impacts the upper surface of the ring-shaped pole piece 8a, or the lower end 9a of the bobbin 9 impacts the inner wall of a bottom lb of the frame 1, thereby causing frequent impact sounds. When an extremely large input is provided, the damper 5 and bobbin 9 may be damaged by these impacts.
In addition, when the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 2 in the Y-axis direction becomes large, the amplitude cannot be absorbed by the suspension 4, and the semicylindrical portion of the suspension 4 is excessively stretched or contracted such that sound distortion is caused. Further, when extremely large input signals are intermittently provided, the suspension 4 may be damaged.

Speaker with magnetic structure for damping coil displacement


The present invention is to provide an optical module that installs a laser diode and a Peltier device, and to provide a method for manufacturing the optical module. The invention may relax the restriction of the solder used in the assembly thereof and may prevent the thermoelectric device from degrading the performance and the reliability thereof. The laser module includes a base, the thermoelectric device, and the carrier. The thermoelectric device is fixed to the base with a first solder, while the carrier is fixed to the thermoelectric device with a second solder whose melting point is smaller than the melting point of the first solder. When the first solder is melted to fix the thermoelectric device, the second solder is also melted to fix the carrier on the thermoelectric device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser module and a method for manufacturing the laser module.
2. Related Prior Art
A Peltier device has been used to be installed within the laser module to cool down the laser diode (hereinafter denoted as LD). The Japanese patent published as JP-2002-094171A has disclosed a method for manufacturing an optical module that installs a laser diode and a Peltier device with a small-sized package. The method disclosed in the prior patent applies a soldering to install the laser diode on the Peltier device.
Another Japanese patent published as JP-2003-158328A has disclosed a method for assembling the laser diode on the Peltier device, in which a collet that handles the LD chip provides a heating means to raise the temperature of the solder between the LD chip and the chip carrier for the LD. Still another patent published as JP-2002-076501A and U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,624, have disclosed a method for assembling the Peltier device, in which a bottom of the Peltier device is fixed with a solder, types of which is PbSn, while the upper plate thereof mounts the LD chip with a solder of BiSn. Because the BiSn may be easily oxidized, the process using the BiSn solder is carried out within a hydrogen atmosphere. However, recent electronic equipments are strongly requested that a solder without lead and its compounds, the use of PbSn solder should be avoided. Not only a butterfly package with the box shape but a co-axial package with the. cylindrical shape comes to install the Peltier device therein. Japanese patent published as JP-2004-253779A and a conference paper by Atsushi Miki et. al., titled by "Extremely Compact DFB Laser Module for the DWDM and CWDM Systems in the Wide Temperature Range", ECOC 2004, Th. 2. 4. 4, have disclosed such laser module with the co-axial package.
As commented, a trend to use a lead free solder in electronic equipments has recently and globally accelerated. Conventionally, when a LD chip is mounted on the chip carrier with the good heat conductivity, the PbSn solder, whose melting point is about 180° C., can be used. However, the above trend to avoid the lead compound may hesitate to use this solder. Although a first substitution may be SnZn whose melting point is about 200° C., this increase of 20° C. of the melting point causes various subjects to be solved.
The Peltier device generally causes a large temperature difference between the upper and lower plates thereof because the material used is one type of thermal insulator. Rather, a superior Peltier device makes the larger temperature difference between the plates. Due to this temperature difference, a type of solder applicable in the assembly of the laser module is restricted. That is, in a case that the Au0.8Sn0.2 with a melting point of about 280° C. is applied for fixing the Peltier device in the lower plate thereof to the base, while the LD is fixed to the LD carrier with a SnZn solder, which does not contain the lead (Pb) and the. melting point is about 200° C., to fix the LD carrier on the upper plate of the Peltier device is restricted to use a solder whose melting point between that of the Au0.8Sn0.2 and the SnZn. One typical example for such solder may be Au0.1Sn0.9 and SnSb with the melting point of 220° C. and 240° C., respectively.
However, in the case that the SnSb solder (melting point: 240° C.) is used between the upper plate of the Peltier device and the LD carrier, the temperature of the base and the lower plate of the Peltier device is necessary to be raised nearly to the melting point of the Au0.8Sn0.2 solder laid therebetween in order to heat up the upper plate of the device to the melting temperature of SnSb, 240° C., to solder the LD carrier on the upper plate of the Peltier device due to the thermally insulating characteristic inherently attributed to the Peltier device. In such case, the softening of the Au0.8Sn0.2 solder may occur to cause a misalignment between the Peltier device and the base that affects the optical coupling between the LD and the optical fiber.
Another solder with a lower melting points, such as Au0.1Sn0.9 (melting point: 220° C.), is applied may solve the subject above mentioned that the softening of the first solder between the base and the Peltier device. However, this case may not assure a temperature difference between the solder, the SnZn (the melting point: 200° C.), between the LD carrier and the LD chip, so the wettability of the upper surface of the LD carrier, where the LD is to be mounted thereon, may not be secured and degrade the reliability of the assembly.
For the process of heating the collet disclosed in the JP-2003-158328A, although this process may be escaped from the restriction of the solder and increase the variation of the soldering process, the equipment used in the process becomes complicated to enhance the process cost. Moreover, processes disclosed in prior arts listed above are necessary to solder twice, that is, the first soldering between the base and the lower plate of the Peltier device and the second soldering between the upper plate of the device and the LD carrier after the first soldering, and both soldering accompany with the rapid increase and decrease of the temperature which degrades the performance of the Peltier device and the reliability thereof.
The present invention is performed to solve the above subject, that is, even when the SnZn solder as the lead free material is applied for the fixing of the LD to the LD carrier, the invention may relax the restriction of the solder used for fixing the Peltier device to the base and the LD carrier to the Peltier device and may prevent the Peltier device from degrading its performance and reliability by the heat cycle.

Semiconductor laser module and a method for manufacturing the same


A pattern matching apparatus comprising: means for storing photographed image data of a semiconductor device; means for storing CAD data of said semiconductor device; an information input means for inputting information on the white band width contained in said image data; a pattern extracting means for extracting a pattern on the semiconductor device from said image data by using the white band width information; and a matching means for matching said pattern with the CAD data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern matching apparatus and a scanning electron microscope which extracts a pattern of a semiconductor device from a photographed semiconductor device image and matches CAD data of the semiconductor device with the pattern extracted from the photographed image of the semiconductor device, thereby making it possible to evaluate the pattern and search for an inspection position.
2. Related Art
Recently, minute patterns that are smaller than the wave length of a light source of an exposure device have been processed during a semiconductor manufacturing process by executing the optical proximity correction (OPC) of the reticle (an original pattern for exposure). The effects of such corrections are verified by matching the image of the semiconductor device photographed by a scanning electron microscope (hereafter, referred to as SEM) with CAD data information representing on the pattern.
In measuring a pattern on the semiconductor device, a pattern matching process that uses a template registered beforehand is conducted in order to identify a measuring position on the image photographed with the SEM. Generally, prior to the measuring inspection process, an image photographed with the SEM, the image being photographed of the vicinity of the measuring section on the semiconductor device is registered as the template; during the inspection process, the position that matches the template is searched for from the image of the semiconductor device photographed with the SEM. Then, measurement is conducted at the identified inspection position. However, frequently photographing images for templates during the measuring process results in significantly decreasing the throughput of the entire inspection process. Accordingly, it is required that templates be created by using CAD data, thereby eliminating the prior process and increasing the throughput of the entire inspection process.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 06-104320    [Patent document 2] Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-293690
A method or device disclosed in patent document 1 (Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 06-104320) and patent document 2 (Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-293690) conducts a pattern matching process by using the above-mentioned CAD data and an image of the semiconductor device photographed with the SEM. However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 06-104320, a threshold value is provided to isolate SEM-specific noise from the pattern when extracting the pattern from the semiconductor device image photographed with the SEM. However, SEM noise changes according to the condition of the SEM imaging section or the condition of the specimen. Therefore, the threshold value must be frequently changed during the semiconductor inspection process, which may cause efficiency decreased in the inspection process. Also, the setting of the threshold value cannot be intuitively determined from the SEM image, and knowledge and experience of the image processing technique are required. As a result, there is a problem in that it is difficult for a SEM operator to make the settings.
Furthermore, Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-293690 does not provide specific descriptions of the technique for extracting a pattern from the SEM image; the technique is important for conducting the matching process.
A SEM emits an electron beam onto a specimen, collects secondary electrons emitted from the irradiated surface of the specimen, amplifies them, and modulates the brightness thereby forming an image. Due to influences of noise generated by irregular thermal motion of electrons in the specimen or noise generated in peripheral circuits, random noise superimposes on a photographed image. Therefore, a pattern extracting technique that accurately separates noise from the pattern is required.
As stated above, when conducting a pattern matching process for the semiconductor inspection by using CAD data and a semiconductor device image photographed with the SEM, it is important to accurately isolate noise contained in the SEM image from the pattern. Also, in terms of inspection efficiency, image processing parameters used for the pattern matching process should be easily set without needing special knowledge about the image processing technique.

Pattern matching apparatus and scanning electron microscope using the same


A method for compensating for overcharging of at least one battery includes calculating a charge rate for the at least one battery, comparing an overcharge accumulator value for the at least one battery with a maximum time limit value, comparing the calculated charge rate with a nominal charge rate for the at least one battery, if the overcharge accumulator value is less than the maximum time limit value, incrementing the overcharge accumulator value if the calculated charge rate is higher than the nominal charge rate, if the overcharge accumulator value is less than the maximum time limit value, decrementing the overcharge accumulator value if the calculated charge rate is lower than the nominal charge rate (if the overcharge accumulator value is less than the maximum time limit value), setting the charge rate for the at least one battery to the calculated charge rate (if the overcharge accumulator value is less than the maximum time limit value), and setting the charge rate for the at least one battery to the nominal charge rate, or to a charge rate lower than the nominal charge rate, if the overcharge accumulator value equals or exceeds the maximum time limit value. In this manner, battery life may be prolonged.

Multiple battery charging stations for rechargeable batteries are known in the art. It is common for batteries to be placed in the charging station with varying charge levels still in the batteries. The time required for each battery to be charged again to a useful level is thus also variable. However, many early conventional charging stations charge all of the batteries at the standard or nominal charge rate at the same time. Thus, batteries closer to their useful charge level can be overcharged, affecting the battery's life. However, to avoid overcharging these batteries, the batteries farther from their useful charge level are undercharged, limiting the time they can power a device.
One conventional approach to this problem is to charge the batteries with the lowest charge level first or at a higher charge rate than the other batteries, until all of the batteries are at the same charge level. Then, all of the batteries are charged at the same charge rate. However, with this approach, even if one of the batteries is close to its useful charge level, a user must still wait until the charge levels of the other batteries "catch up", before a battery is available for use.
In addition, multiple battery charging stations can result in power distribution and thermal problems. Some conventional charging stations provide maximum continuous charge to all batteries, whether or not it is required at a particular time. This places a large demand on the charging station's power supply. In stations with a large number of batteries, the power required can exceed the AC line current capacity.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved method for multiple battery charge control. The method should prioritize the charging of the batteries depending on the status of the battery. It should decrease the time required for at least some of the batteries to be at a desired charge level and available for use as quickly as possible. It should also assist in preserving battery life and manage the charge rates so that the power required by the charging station does not exceed the AC line current capacity. The present invention addresses such a need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Battery overcharging compensation system and method

International Business Machines Corporation


In order to provide an electric part with illumination in which unevenness of illumination is eliminated, the illumination efficiency is improved, and good assembleability is achieved, an illumination member is retained on a base, and the base is retained by an operating member and a movable contact for electrically connecting an electrode on the illuminating member and a power feed pattern is retained on the operating member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric part with illumination and, more specifically, to an electric part with illumination which can introduce light from an illuminating member to illuminate an operating member.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an electric part with illumination used for vehicles or the like, structures disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-102234 (hereinafter, referred to as a prior art) and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication No. 1-160806 (hereinafter, referred to as another prior art) are known, and the prior art is shown in FIG. 12 to FIG. 15, and another prior art is shown in FIG. 16.
The prior art will be described first. In FIG. 12 to FIG. 15, reference numeral 200 designates an upper case of a case, and reference numeral 210 designates a lower case (or a holder) of the case. An inner partition plate 211 of the lower case 210 includes terminals 212 fixed thereto, and the inner partition plate 211 also includes a light source 220 detachably mounted thereto.
Reference numeral 230 designates an inner case which is a separate member from the upper case 200 and the lower case 210, and reference numeral 240 designates an insulative circuit board. The circuit board 240 is formed of, for example, a printed circuit board (P.C.B). An upper surface of the circuit board 240 is provided with an electrically-conductive conductor by printing.
Reference numeral 250 designates a slider for a four-direction switch. The four-direction slider 250 is disposed so as to be capable of sliding in four directions in the upper case 200 between the inner case 230 and the circuit board 240.
Reference numeral 260 designates an actuator of the four-direction switch. The actuator 260 is supported by the case (the upper case 200, the lower case 210, and the inner case 230) so as to be capable of tilting in four directions for sliding the four-direction slider 250 in four directions.
A lower surface of an engaging portion 261 of the actuator 260 opposes the single light source 220 via a through hole 241 of a small square shape formed on the circuit board 240. The actuator 260 also constitutes a transmitting member for allowing light from the single light source 220 to be transmitted to a mark 281 on a four-direction switching knob 280 described later.
Reference numeral 280 designates the switching knob of four-direction switch. The four-direction switching knob 280 is fixedly fitted to an upper end of a shaft portion 262 of the actuator 260. Reference numeral 290 designates an automatic restoration spring for the four-direction switch.
Reference numeral 300 designates a slider for two-direction switch. The two-direction slider 300 includes an operating rod 301 at a substantially center of an upper surface thereof so as to project integrally upward in the vertical direction. A lower surface of the two-direction slider 300 is integrally provided with four hollow cylindrical storages 302 opening on the bottom sides thereof. The two-direction slider 300 is arranged in the upper case 200 between the upper case 200 and the upper surface of the circuit boards 240 so as to be capable of sliding in the linear direction.
The lower surface of the two-direction slider 300 opposes a conductor 310, described later, through the small rectangular through hole 241 of the circuit board 240. The two-direction slider 300 constitutes a part of two-direction switch, and also constitutes a transmitting member for allowing light from the single light source 220 to be transmitted to a mark 321 of a two-direction switching knob 320 via the light guiding member 310.
The two-direction switching knob 320 is fixedly fitted to an upper end of the operating rod 301 of the two-direction slider 300. The two-direction switching knob 320 includes, for example, a light-transmitting synthetic resin (acrylate resin (PMMA: polymethylmethacrylate)) and formed substantially into an L-shape. The mark 321 having light transmitting property is provided at substantially a center of a top of the two-direction switching knob 320. The above-described mark 321 is illuminated by light from the single light source 220, which is guided by the light guiding member 310, described later, and transmitted through the two-direction slider 300 as the transmitting member.
Reference numerals 350 and 360 designate ball and spring as s switching mechanism. The spring 360 is stored on one side surface of the two-direction slider 300 in an compressed state, while the ball 350 is provided between the spring 360 in the compressed state and s switching groove (not shown) provided on an inner surface of the upper case 200. The switching mechanism retains a state in which the two-direction switching knob 320 and the two-direction slider 300 are positioned at a neutral position, a first position, and a second position, and function to give a tactile feedback of switching operation of the two-direction switching knob 320 and the two-direction slider 300.
Reference numeral 370 designates a contact of the two-direction switch. The two-direction contact 370 includes four coil springs 371 for contact points, two plate contacts 372, and four contact point balls 373. The four contact balls 373 of the two-direction contact 370 are constantly in press-contact with the circuit board 240 via the plate contacts 372 by a coil spring 371, and is moved in two linear directions on the circuit board 220 via the two-direction slider 300 by two-direction operation of the two-direction switching knob 320 into contact with the fixed contact point of the circuit board 240, whereby a first circuit and a second circuit are formed respectively.
Reference numeral 310 is the light guiding member. The light guiding member 310 is formed of transparent synthetic resin (acrylate resin) of light transmitting property, and causes the mark 321 of the two-direction switching knob 320 to be illuminated by light from the single light source 220 via the two-direction slider 300. The light guiding member 310 is stored in a space between an upper surface of the inner partition plate 211 of the lower case 210 and a lower surface of the electric circuit board 240, and includes a light receiving surface 312 provided at one end of a light guiding member 311 and formed into a L-shape opposing to the single light source 220, and a rectangular light projecting member 313 provided at the other end of the light guiding member 311, and fitted into a small rectangular hole 241 of the circuit board 240 so as to oppose the lower surface of the two-direction slider 300.
The electric part with illumination in the prior art is configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described below. In the operation of the two-direction switch, when the two-direction switching knob 320 located at the neutral position is moved toward the left (a dashed line in FIG. 14) or toward the right (a solid line in FIG. 14), the moving force of the two-direction switching knob 320 is transmitted to the two-direction slider 300, and the two-direction slider 300 slides in the same direction between the upper casing 200 and the circuit board 240, whereby the two-direction slider 300 is located at the first position or the second position.
The electric part with illumination in the prior art is configured in such a manner that the single light source 220 is illuminated, partial light from the single light source 220 passes through the small square through hole 241 of the electric circuit board 240 and advances from the lower surface to the upper surface of the transparent actuator 260, and reaches the four-direction marks 281 via the four-direction switching knob 280 to illuminate the four-direction mark 281. On the other hand, the remaining light passes through the light guiding member 311 from the light receiving surface and reaches the light projecting member 313, then, from the light projecting member 313, advances from the lower surface to the upper surface of the transparent two-direction slider 300, and reaches the two-direction mark 321 via the two-direction switching knob 320 to illuminate the two-direction mark 321.
Subsequently, another prior art will be described. As shown in FIG. 16, reference numeral 500 designates an illuminating section such as a light-emitting diode, reference numeral 501 designates an operating element (knob) having the illuminating section 500 inserted therein and retained at an upper end thereof, and reference numeral 502 designates a power feed sliding member provided on a lower surface of the operating element 501.
Then, the operating element 501, although not shown, is slidably stored in an enclosure with an upper portion of the operating element 501 projected therefrom. The power feed sliding member 502 of the operating element 501 slides on the fixed contact pattern formed on the bottom surface in the enclosure and is supplied with power.
In the slide-type electric part with illumination in the prior art as described above, since the longitudinal direction of the rectangular light projecting member 313 of the light guiding member 310 opposing the lower surface of the two-direction slider 300 coincides with the sliding direction of the two-direction slider 300, as shown in FIG. 14, even when the two-direction switching knob 320 is switched linearly to the left and right, the rectangular light projecting member 313 of the light conducting member 310 constantly opposes the lower surface of the two-direction slider 300 and supplies light from the single light source 220 to the two-direction switching knob 320 via the two-direction slider 300. Consequently, even when the sliding switch mechanism is used as the two-direction switch, the mark 321 of the two-direction switching knob 320 is constantly illuminated.
In the prior art, since the illumination is established over the entire area of the sliding movement of the two-direction slider 300, it is necessary to illuminate the unnecessary portion, and hence efficiency may be lowered. Also, since the two-direction slider 300 moves to the center, left and right positions, the distance from the light source 220 varies, and hence there was a problem that unevenness of illumination is generated.
Also, assembleability of the contact 370 of the two-direction switch was not good since the four coil springs 371, the two plate contacts 372, and the four contact point balls 373 are stored in a storage 302 formed on a lower surface of the slider 300 in a separate state.
The above-described problem does not exist in the slide-type electric parts in the arrangement shown in FIG. 16, since the illuminating section 500 is retained in the operating element 501 and is connected to the power feed patterns provided on the enclosure (fixed portion). However, in the arrangement of FIG. 16, there are problems that the cost is high since the illuminating section 500 is inserted into an upper portion of the operating element 501, the workability is low since the LED is inserted into the operating element 501 when assembling the LED as the illuminating section 500.

Electric part with illumination having an illuminating member movable integrally with an operating member and being superior in assembleability