An intermediary layer is introduced between a lens and a wafer for an immersion lithography process. A non-supercritical gas is provided and condensed to form a layer of liquid between the lens and the wafer. The substrate may be irradiated through the lens and intermediary layer. In addition, the intermediary layer may then be evaporated. The non-supercritical gas may include superheated steam which may be condensed to form a layer of water between the lens and the wafer. The wafer may be irradiated with one of a EUV light and UV light. A system for introduction of an intermediary layer between a lens and a wafer for an immersion lithography process is also provided. The wafer for use in the immersion lithography process may includes a hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces to provide enhanced contact angles between the wafer and the intermediary liquid layer condensed on the wafer and to reduce light aberration provided from a light source through the intermediary liquid layer.

Current techniques for Ultra-Violet Lithography (UVL) are well known and established within the semiconductor fabrication industry. For example, ultra-violet (UV) light having a wavelength of 193 nm is used in the process of photo-etching a semi-conductor microstructure using combinations of positive and negative photo-resists (PR), UV sources, and lensing apparatus. One example of a lens used in this process is a fused silica glass (SiO2); however, technology in lens manufacture is investigating the use of lenses made of other materials, such as calcium fluoride. The continued use of technology employing fused silica lens becomes increasingly difficult due to absorption characteristics of the lens at wavelengths much below 193 nm. For example, the extreme ultra-violet (EUV) systems of 153 nm and less suffer from near total absorption by SiO2 lenses. As a result, there is continued interest in the development of a calcium fluoride lens.
The smallest structure that can be created by a "dry" lithography UV system is about 100 nm and is referred to as the resolution of the system. The resolution of a lithography system is limited by the nature of light passing from one medium to another, the resolving power of the lens used, and Rayleigh's Criterion. Rayleigh's Criterion is a function of the wavelength of a light source, the refractive index "n" of a lens, the physical diameter of the lens, and the angle separating the maximum and minimum points of diffraction of the light source through the lens.
One way of increasing the resolving power of a lens is to increase the diameter of the lens while maintaining a constant focal length, which in turn increases the numerical aperture of the lens (a term commonly used in photography to express capturing the detail of a subject by increasing the amount of light incident on a lens). However, according to Snell's Law of Reflection, the angle that a light ray can intercept the boundary layer between two refractory mediums before there is total reflection of the light ray within the medium with a higher refractive index is limited. Therefore, the practical size of lens that may be used in the dry process is restricted.
Because of the technical difficulties encountered developing EUV systems, "Immersion Lithography" is being investigated as an alternative to conventional dry lithography processes. Immersion Lithography is a "wet" process that uses water as an intermediary refractive layer between the lens and the wafer substrate being exposed to an UV light source. One advantage of IL is that water has a higher refractive index (e.g., about 1.4 at 29° C.) than air (e.g., about 1.0). The index of refraction of pure water is significantly closer to the index of refraction for a silica lens than air. Therefore, bending is reduced, a larger lens may be used, and the numerical aperture and the resolving power of the system are increased. As a result, the resolving power of the lens/water system is substantially greater than the lens/air system
The refractory properties of water in all of its physical states have been thoroughly investigated. The index of refraction of water is based on the physical system under which it exists and the wavelengths of light to which it is being exposed. The refractive index for water can be determined a number of ways, although direct observation for a fixed set of conditions is the most reliable. Good approximate values can be calculated for a wide spectrum of wavelengths using a derived formula first presented in a paper by P. Schiebener et al. and later modified by Levelt Sengers et al. The formula is as follows:(n2−1)/(n2+2)*(1/ρ)=ao+a1ρ+a2T+a3λ2T+a4/λ2a5/(λ2−λ2uv)+a6/(λ2−λ2IR)+a7ρ2
a0=0.244257733 a4=1.58920570×10−3 λUV=0.229202
a1=9.74634476×10−3 a5=2.45934259×10−3 λIR=5.432937
a2=−3.73234996×10−3 a6=0.900704920 T=normalized
(K)
a3=2.68678472×10−4 a7=−1.66626219×10−2 λ=normalized
ref-ρ*=1000 kg m−3 ref-T*=273.15° K. ρ=normalized
ref-ρ*=0.589 um
Values close to points of discontinuity may be approximated through extrapolation and checked through observation. The above formula uses reference values to derive dimensionless constants in order to take into account the variables of density, temperature, and wavelength. The formula itself was numerically derived using observed values and a curve-fitting algorithm. Extrapolated results have been demonstrated to give good approximate values. Other formulas to derive the refractive index of water using observed dielectric values may be found.
Two processes being investigated using water as an intermediary layer are briefly described in an IEEE article, "Chip Makings Wet New World" by Linda Geppart, Spectrum-IEEE Press, May 2004 and are briefly described here. One method uses total immersion lithography in which the lensing system and wafers are completely immersed in water during the lithography process. However, full immersion of the system provides slower processing times due to the inertial forces of the water. For example, the inertial forces affect the velocity of moving the wafer, fluctuations in optical properties due to currents in the water and temperature gradients, and the inability to properly control the creation of air bubbles either through cavitations of the moving mechanisms or air bubbles trapped on the wafer's photo-resist during immersion (which affect the number of defects created on the substrate during processing). In addition, particle and chemical contaminants are introduced in the liquid medium with one possible particle source being the photo-resist layer itself.
A second method being developed uses a water injection system whereby a layer of water is injected via nozzles located around the lens onto a wafer substrate. After the wafer has been exposed to the UV light source, the water is "sucked up" by the injector system. However, the water injection system also produces air bubbles within the water layer that are introduced by the injectors in addition to air bubbles trapped on the photo-resist as the water is sprayed over the surface and contaminants are introduced within the medium due to the injection of water directly onto the photo-resist resulting in photo-resist surface ablation.

Introduction of an intermediary refractive layer for immersion lithography


A looping method for production of MoO2, the method including reacting molybdenite feed with a substantially stoichiometric mixture comprising MoO3 and oxygen in a first furnace to produce MoO2 and SO2, removing a first portion of the MoO2 from the first furnace, transferring a second portion of the MoO2 from the first furnace to a second furnace, reoxidizing of the transferred portion of the MoO2 in the second furnace to MoO3; and looping the MoO3 from the second furnace to the first furnace for use as an oxidizing agent.

Molybdenum (Mo) metal is usually found as deposits of molybdenite (MoS2) in nature. Traditionally, the metal value is extracted from the sulfidic ore through various pyrometallurgical techniques. The primary application for Mo is in the steel industry, where it is used to produce high strength steel alloys. The Mo used in these applications is supplied to the steel manufacturers either as molybdenum(VI) oxide (molybdenum trioxide, MoO3) or ferromolybdenum, an iron-molybdenum alloy.
In producing molybdenum trioxide, or so called technical grade oxide, the molybdenite is oxidized in various multiple hearth roasting furnaces. For example, one conversion process, referred to as the Climax conversion process, uses a Nichols Herreshoff or Lurgi design multiple hearth furnace to slowly roast the MoS2 at temperatures in the range of 530 to 700° C. (L. F. McHugh, P. L. Sallade, Molybdenum Conversion Practice, Metec, Inc.: Winslow N.J., 1977; L. F. McHugh, J. Godshalk, M. Kuzior, Climax Conversion Practice III, The Metallurgical Society of CIM, 1977, 21-24). Over the course of roasting, the molybdenite is first converted to molybdenum(IV) oxide (molybdenum dioxide, MoO2) and then slowly converted to the trioxide, MoO3, in the lower hearths. In such a roasting operation, the lower hearths are maintained at lower temperatures to keep the highly volatile MoO3 from sublimating. The SO2 produced during conversion, which is highly diluted due to the significant amount of excess air used during roasting, is usually converted to sulfuric acid in a downstream process, which may result in some high pressure steam production.
The molybdenite host ore (unprocessed ore containing molybdenite) is usually concentrated prior to oxidation to upgrade the molybdenite concentration via an oil flotation method. A method has been described wherein the residual flotation oil can be removed in situ during roasting to produce technical grade oxide from the molybdenite without further purification (L. F. McHugh, D. E. Barchers, Roasting of Molybdenite Concentrates Containing Flotation Oils, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,948, issued Jun. 18, 1985).
In alternative incarnations of MoO3 production, microwaves have been used to heat molybdenite host ores in the presence of oxygen to convert them to oxides, followed by separation and recovery (P. R. Kruesi, V. H. Frahm, Jr., Process for the Recovery of Molybdenum and Rhenium from their Sulfide Ores, U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,089, issued Mar. 23, 1982). Chlorine can be substituted for oxygen and the metals recovered as chlorides. The conversion can be conducted in a flash roasting set-up wherein the molybdenite is converted to gaseous MoO3 and any slag-forming constituents are converted to a liquid slag that separates from the molybdenum, wherein the flash roasting is performed at 1600±200° C., and the technical grade oxide is later condensed at significantly lower temperatures (B. J. Sabacky, M. T. Hepworth, Flash Roasting of Molybdenum Sulfide Concentrates in a Slagging Reactor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,387, issued Nov. 26, 1985). High pressure oxidation carried out in an autoclave followed by leaching and recovery has also been described (R. W. Balliett, W. Kummer, J. E. Litz, L. F. McHugh, H. H. K. Nauta, P. B. Queneau, R.-C. Wu, Production of Pure Molybdenum Oxide from Low Grade Molybdenite Concentrates, U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,279, issued May 4, 2004).
It is more attractive to the steel industry to use MoO2 rather than MoO3 because the lower oxygen content means a higher Mo content, and less reducing agent consumption during the production of molybdenum steels. Additionally, the dioxide is less volatile than the trioxide. The use of MoO2 also eliminates the need to produce ferromolybdenum. Several authors have attempted to produce the dioxide from molybdenite concentrates using various techniques.
For example, by mixing stoichiometric amounts of powdered or pelletized MoO3 and MoS2, MoO2 can be produced at temperatures of 600 to 700° C. and pressure slightly in excess of atmospheric pressure, while liberating SO2 (R. Cloppet, Process for the Production of Molybdenum Dioxide, U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,100, issued Aug. 15, 1967). The molybdenum product was then further treated in an SO2 lean atmosphere to produce the final dioxide product. In a similar process, particulate MoO2 and MoS2 (weight ratio 2:1) were roasted at 700 to 800° C. in the presence of enough oxygen to facilitate the conversion of the molybdenite to MoO2 (B. J. Sabacky, M. T. Hepworth, Molybdenum Dioxide-Molybdenite Roasting, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,822, issued Jul. 31, 1984). A portion of the dioxide produced was recycled to convert the next charge of molybdenite. Some MoO3 is produced as a by-product. Pelletized MoO2 has been produced from MoO3 using a reducing H2 atmosphere in a reaction vessel that was able to control the exothermic reduction of the trioxide (H. W. Meyer, J. D. Baker, W. H. Ceckler, Direct Reduction of Molybdenum Oxide to Substantially Metallic Molybdenum, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,215, issued Aug. 30, 1977). The dioxide was further reduced to metallic Mo, or the dioxide was collected as a final product.
It has also been proposed to convert molybdenite to MoO2 using water steam (K. Y. Hakobyan, H. Y. Sohn, A. V. Tarasov, P. A. Kovgan, A. K. Hakobyan, V. A. Briovkvine, V. G. Leontiev, and O. I. Tsybine, "New Technology for the Treatment of Molybdenum Sulfide Concentrates," Sohn International Symposium Advanced Processing of Metals and Materials Vol. 4 to New, Improved and Existing Technologies: Non-Ferrous Materials Extraction and Processing, ed. by F. Kongoli and R. G. Reddy, TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society), pp. 203-216, 2006; H. Y. Sohn, Process for Treating Sulfide-Bearing Ores, U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,647, issued Mar. 15, 1983; K. Y. Hakobyan, P. A. Kovgan, A. V. Tarasov, A. K. Hakobyan, Eurasian Patent 002417, issued 2002; K. Y. Hakobyan, H. Y. Sohn, A. K. Hakobyan, V. A. Bryukvin, V. G. Leontiev, and O. I. Tsibin, "The Oxidation of Molybdenum Sulfide Concentrate with Water Vapor: Part I. Thermodynamic Aspects," Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (TIMM C), 116, 152-154 (2007); K. Y. Hakobyan, H. Y. Sohn, A. K. Hakobyan, V. A. Bryukvin, V. G. Leontiev, and O. I. Tsibin, "The Oxidation of Molybdenum Sulfide Concentrate with Water Vapor: Part II. Macrokinetics and Mechanism," Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (TIMM C), 116, 155-158 (2007)). In such a scheme, steam is reacted with the MoS2 feed to produce the dioxide and an H25 off-gas stream. Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas and is difficult to handle in downstream processes. A rotating furnace is used to treat molybdenite ores at 900 to 1,000° C. in a countercurrent flow of water vapor in an excess of 6 to 10 times the mass of the molybdenite. Residual sulfur is optimized to minimize the loss of MoO2 to MoO3 vapor formation.
Solid MoO3 has been used in a reaction between MoO3 and MoS2 to produce MoO2 (L. F. McHugh, D. K. Huggins, M. T. Hepworth, J. M. Laferty, Process for the Production of Molybdenum Dioxide, U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,749, issued Nov. 12, 1985). In this process the conversion to dioxide is carried out at temperatures low enough to favor dioxide formation and to produce an SO2-rich stream (750 to 950° C.). A portion of the MoO2 product was sent to a flash reactor where it was reoxidized to the trioxide at temperatures sufficient to sublimate the MoO3 (1,000 to 1,700° C.) and recycled to convert the next charge of molybdenite. In a similar process, the MoO2 is oxidized in a second step to MoO3 to recover rhenium from the final product; in this operation the MoO2 is not the final product (H. Y. Sohn, Process for Treating Sulfide-Bearing Ores, U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,647, issued Mar. 15, 1983).
Solid MoO3 has been proposed as an oxidant to molybdenite to achieve a high degree of desulfurization; the process required ca. 10% excess MoO3 to be mixed intimately with the molybdenite in order to achieve a low sulfur content product (L. F. McHugh, R. Balliett, J. A. Mozolic, The Sulfide Ore Looping Oxidation Process: An Alternative to Current Roasting and Smelting Practice, JOM, July 2008, 84-87; L. F. McHugh, Oxidation of metallic materials as part of an extraction, purification, and/or refining process, U.S. Patent Application 2008/0260612 A1, published Oct. 23, 2008). Some of the dioxide was then reoxidized in a flash furnace with oxygen to recycle MoO3 to the molybdenite charge (similar to as reported in L. F. McHugh, D. K. Huggins, M. T. Hepworth, J. M. Laferty, Process for the Production of Molybdenum Dioxide, U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,749, issued Nov. 12, 1985).
The methods described above all appear to use significant excess oxygen. While these methods produce MoO2 from molybdenite feeds, it has not been possible to produce a product without concomitantly producing some MoO3. When it has been used, oxygen has also always been in excess. A method that can produce exclusively MoO2 is desired.
There accordingly remains a need in the art for methods for the production of MoO2 from molybdenite. Producing MoO2 with lower amounts of MoO3 is considered particularly advantageous. It is further desired that the MoO2 productions methods allowed control of SO2 and energy consumption during production.

Sulfide oxidation process for production of molybdenum oxides from molybdenite


An implantable electrical lead having a lead body fabricated of a first, inner tube and a second, outer tube, the first, inner tube, mounted slideably within the outer tube, the outer tube overlapping the inner tube along at least a portion of its length; and having a conductor extendible along a portion of its length, mounted within and extending along the first and second tubes with the extendible portion of the conductor extending within a region in which the outer tube overlaps the inner tube and having an electrode mounted to a distal portion of the lead body, coupled to the conductor. The inner and outer tubes are preferably approximately the same length, and the extendible portion of the conductor preferably extends along a majority of its length. The extendible conductor may be a coiled conductor provided with an insulative coating.

The present invention relates to medical electrical leads generally and more particular to cardiac pacing and defibrillation leads.
When a cardiac pacemaker is implanted into a pediatric patient, the distal end of the lead carrying the electrode is anchored with respect to the heart and the proximal end of the lead is anchored to or near the pacemaker. As the patient grows, the distance between the pacemaker and the electrode at the distal end of the lead generally increases. It has long been recognized that it would be desirable to provide a mechanism to deal with this phenomenon. One proposed mechanism is to provide a sheath around the pacemaker in which the lead may loosely be looped, so that it may be pulled out of the sheath as the patient grows. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,081 issued to Kolenik.
An alternative approach is to provide a capsule or envelope in which the lead body may be loosely coiled or folded, allowing the lead body to be pulled from the capsule or envelope as the patient grows. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,587. A third approach is to provide a lead having a lead body which may be elongated, and a conductor therein which permits for some degree of stretch. One such lead is disclosed in European Patent application EP 0004667, in which the lead body is folded back upon itself to provide a concertina-type fold allowing for elongation of the lead body. In this lead, several such concertina folds are provided spaced along the length of the lead to allow for expansion at multiple individual locations along the lead.
In the context of leads employed in cochlear implants, as described in the article, Evaluation of Expandable Lead Wires for Pediatric Cochlear Implants, by ShiAng Xu et al, published in the American Journal of Otology, Vol. 14, No. 2, March, 1993, pages 151-160, an additional mechanism is proposed in which a generally straight, stranded conductor is coiled over a portion of its length and enveloped in an outer tube as a substitute for an envelope or enclosure.


The present invention is characterized in that the PDP drive means makes correction so as to decrease the emission intensity of green or to increase the emission intensity of blue as the display load factor increases compared with the case when the display load factor is lower. Or, the PDP drive means makes correction so as to increase the emission intensity of green or to decrease the emission intensity of blue as the display load factor decreases compared with the case when the display load factor is higher. Such a correction is effective when the monochromatic emission luminance of the fluorescent substance has such a saturation characteristic that the decrease in green is greater than blue as the emission frequency increases. Therefore, when the saturation characteristic is the opposite in terms of the relationship between green and blue, the increase/decrease of the emission intensity in the above correction must be the opposite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (hereafter PDP), and more particularly to a PDP which can keep color temperature or color deviation constant regardless the display load factor.
2. Description of the Related Art
PDP is a flat display panel which implements a 42 inch large screen. PDP has a gas discharge space where discharge gas is sealed between the front face side substrate and the rear face side substrate. By ultra-violet rays generated by the space charges, ions and electrons, which are generated by discharging in the gas discharge space, fluorescent substances formed inside are excited and the desired color display is implemented. Generally fluorescent substances for three primary colors, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) are formed in each pixel, and the color display based on the combination of the three primary colors is executed by controlling the each emission intensity in each pixel.
In this case, if the grayscale of RGB is 256, for example, a black display is executed when all the grayscales of RGB are 0, and the white display is executed when all the grayscales of RGB are 256. When the grayscales of RGB are less than 256 but are all equal, the white display with low luminance (gray) is executed.
FIG. 1 is a curve of color temperature. The abscissa is the x chromaticity coordinate, and the ordinate is the y chromaticity coordinate. The curve with 0 deviation is a black body radiation curve where the color temperature changes along the curve. Along this black body radiation curve, a bluish white is generated if the color temperature is high, and yellowish white is generated if the color temperature is low. Also, at each color temperature, a greenish white is generated if deviation shifts to the positive direction and reddish white is generated if deviation shifts to the negative direction.
For the color temperature of white created by three primary colors, it is generally said that 9000–10000K is the optimum for Japanese. And it is said that 6000K is the optimum for Europeans and Americans. White for PDP is desirable to be set to the above optimum color temperature values.
FIG. 2 are drawings depicting the relationship between the display load factor, color temperature value and color temperature deviation of a general PDP. FIG. 2A shows the relationship between the display load factor and the color temperature value of white to be displayed for three types of PDPs, and FIG. 2B shows the relationship between the display load factor and the color temperature deviation of white to be displayed for the same three types of PDPs. The display load factor is a ratio of the display load which depends on luminance and/or display area of a display image, where (1) when 256 grayscales, which is the maximum grayscale, of white is displayed on the entire display screen, and the display load factor is 100%, (2) the display load factor decreases as the ratio of white to black in the display screen decreases, and (3) the display load factor decreases as the grayscale value of white decreases even if the ratio of the white to black is the same.
As FIG. 2A shows, in the case of a PDP made by company B, for example, the color temperature value when the display load factor is 30% is 10000K, where roughly an optimum white is displayed, but as the display load factor increases, the color temperature value of white decreases and white becomes yellowish. This tendency is the same for the PDPs made by company A and company C.
As FIG. 2B shows, in the case of company A and company C, the deviation of the color temperature is almost 0 when the display load factor is about 30%, but as the display load factor increases, the deviation changes to the positive side and white becomes greenish.
It is a serious problem where white turns a color in this manner depending on the display load factor.

Plasma display panel with constant color temperature or color deviation


Disclosed are methods for preparing high-purity boehmite and porous gamma-alumina nano-powder, comprising: adding aluminum isopropoxide into water and stirring the aluminum isopropoxide added water, then adding aluminum hydroxide generated by hydrolysis of high-purity aluminum powder into that stirred water, stirring that aluminum hydroxide added water to obtain a mixed system; carrying out hydrothermal reaction on the mixed system, performing centrifuging, washing, drying and crushing to the reacted mixed system, obtaining high-purity boehmite; calcining the high-purity boehmite to obtain porous gamma (γ)-alumina nano-powder. By strictly controlling the addition of isopropanolic aluminum and the temperature as well as the duration of the hydrothermal reaction, the product boehmite γ-AlOOH obtains good character in terms of crystalline structure, purity, morphology and dispersion; γ-Al2O3 obtained after calcining remains basically the same morphology as that of boehmite powder with good powder dispersion and no major changes.

Over the recent years, much attention has been paid to the preparation of highly dispersed nano-alumina powders in view of their promising applications in the chemical, ceramic and battery industries. Currently various aluminum precursors are prepared by methods of gel-sol, precipitation and alcohol salt hydrolysis in the actual production process. Among these methods, the method of gel-sol is less popular since requiring highly in terms of equipment, raw materials and storage; the method of precipitation uncontrollably causes the problem of uneven particle sizes; and the method of alcohol salt hydrolysis exploits the solubility of metal alcohol salts in organic solvents and their easy decomposition into corresponding oxides or hydrated oxides in water to prepare alumina, although the method can be widely used in preparing ultrafine powders, so it is too expensive to be applied on a large scale.
Upon investigation, it is found that hydrothermal reaction and high temperature calcining techniques are more commonly used to prepare nano alumina powder materials. Shengnuo Optoelectronic Technology(QH) Co., LTD. prepares aluminum hydroxide by hydrolysis of high-purity aluminum powder; but the prepared aluminum hydroxide precursors with this hydrolysis method are subjected to uncontrollable particle size growth, rapid crystallisation and poor dispersion as a result of the rather active nature of aluminum powder; besides, the hydrolysis method can only produce a mixture of boehmite (γ-AlOOH) and Al(OH)3, which is prone to agglomeration after calcining at high temperatures, resulting in uncontrollable material morphology and particle sizes, and difficulty in obtaining a single crystalline alumina. Consequently, it is one of the hot topics of research to successfully prepare highly dispersed alumina nano-powders with crystalline structure and single composition by calcining at a later stage.

Methods for preparing high-purity boehmite and porous gamma-alumina nano-powder

QINGHAI INSTITUTE OF SALT LAKES, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES


An improvement in a method of forming ceramic articles comprising an oil component or extrusion aid, the improvement including removing a substantial portion of the oil component, prior to firing, by applying a solvent to the green ceramic article to dissolve the oil component.

The present invention relates to an improvement in forming ceramic cellular articles, such as honeycombs, from an extrudable or moldable powder batch composition comprising an inorganic powder component consisting of a mixture of sinterable inorganic particulate materials, e.g., ceramic powder materials, and a binder system including oil-based compounds which are flammable during subsequent de-binding. In particular the improvement comprises extracting the oil-based components from green structures with a solvent prior to firing.
Popular ceramic multicellular ceramic bodies which are generally formed by extrusion, such as those finding applications in catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, electrically heated catalysts, and chemical processing, require binders and extrusion aids for proper processing. Typically, water-soluble cellulose ether binders are used; however, such binders alone are not suitable for the manufacture of extremely thin-walled, high cell density cellular structures, and webs of 4 mils or less. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,080,345 and 6,368,992 disclose the use of oil-based compounds, such as polyalpha olefin, in combination with cellulose ether binders for improved processing of such structures. The use of oil-based components improves extrudability and wet strength of the green structures. For ease of description oil-based compounds shall be referred to as oil or oils hereinafter.
While advantageous for extrusion, oils can lead to significant problems during firing. Specifically, such components cause a strong exotherm, which unless controlled effectively, can lead to uncontrolled combustion or detonation in the kiln. Significant amounts of small volatile combustibles are released during firing resulting in pressure build-up inside the kiln. In an inert atmosphere, and at temperatures above their boiling points, the oils evaporate quickly leading to sudden local heat losses, thermal stresses, and ultimately cracks in the ware.
Specially designed kilns, apparati for volatile removal, and elaborate firing cycles have been employed to control the burnout of oils, and reduce combustible concentrations in the kiln atmosphere. Closed kilns must be effectively managed so as not to cause safety issues. The reduced kiln throughput and significant costs associated with safe operation are operating issues of significance.
Removal of oils from structures, including ceramic bodies, is known in the prior art. Co-pending U.S. Pat. App. having Ser. No. 60/422,191, entitled "Process for removing oil-based components and forming ceramic bodies", by Chan et al., discloses a method of forming cellular ceramic bodies which includes removing oils from green bodies, after drying and prior to firing, by flowing a heated gas through the green body to evaporate the oils.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,551 issued to Lundsager et al. is directed to a method of preparing an auto exhaust catalyst converter from a mixture of ceramic powders, a polyolefin binder component and a plasticizer component. Therefore, this reference specifically teaches the use of non-aqueous thermoplastic binder systems. Prior to firing, the plasticizer component, e.g., mineral oil, is removed by a solvent, e.g., hexane, to form porosity and a microporous structure. Structures of cordierite are disclosed. However, cordierite bodies made from a mixture of inorganic powders and a water-soluble binder system, which may additionally contain a surfactant or other processing aids, are not recognized. In addition the advantages of using oils to improve extrudability and wet strength are not taught. Further, removal of oil-based components by selective dissolution thereof without dissolving the organic water-soluble binders is not taught. Moreover, the effect of removing oils on green strength, and key fired chemical, physical, as well as mechanical properties is also not recognized.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,755,204, 3,854,186, 3,926,851, and 3,911,070 disclose the removal of oils from ceramic structures, including cordierite, by using a solvent. Again, the ceramic cordierite bodies do not include a combination of a water-soluble binder, and oil-based components, and there is no recognition of the benefits of improved extrudability and wet strength by using such water-soluble binder and oil combinations. Further, there is no discussion on selective removal of the oil-based component, while keeping the water-soluble binder intact, and maintaining high green strength as well as key fired chemical, physical and mechanical properties.


There is provided a liquid ejection head that can reduce trouble in alignment of a print element substrate even in the case where a high magnification optical system is used and a method for fabricating the liquid ejection head. To achieve this, an auxiliary mark that indicates a relative position with respect to a reference mark is detected and recognized, and thus the position of the reference mark is identified even in the case where the reference mark is not reflected in a camera.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head applied to a printing apparatus that ejects liquid such as ink to perform printing and to a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid ejection printing apparatuses (hereinafter also simply referred to as printing apparatuses) are widely used as output devices or the like for computers and a wide variety of printing apparatuses are being produced on a commercial basis. Printing methods for such printing apparatuses include a method that uses an electrothermal transducer as an ejection energy generator. A liquid ejection head built in a printing apparatus that uses the method has an electrothermal transducer provided in a pressurizing chamber of a print element substrate and an electrical pulse which serves as an ejection signal is applied to the transducer to provide thermal energy to liquid such as ink, and uses bubble pressure generated in boiling of the liquid to eject the liquid.
In a liquid ejection head used for such a liquid ejection printing apparatus, a plurality of print element substrates is arrayed and bonded to a base plate. In order to precisely dispose the respective print element substrates, reference marks are provided on the print element substrates and the reference marks are optically photographed and recognized for alignment. In the alignment, the print element substrate is sucked onto a vacuum finger (hereinafter also simply referred to as a finger) and photographed from above with two CCD cameras. The reference mark includes a circular portion and four rectangular portions, all of which are used as one mark.
While increasing a photographing magnification ratio of the optical system is effective for more accurately disposing the plurality of print element substrates, the increase of the photographing magnification ratio could cause the following problems.
In the case where the photographing magnification ratio of the optical system is increased in order to perform more accurate alignment, the photographing region becomes narrow accordingly. Furthermore, variations in the outside dimensions of the print element substrates and variations in stop precision of the print element substrate transport system before the print element substrates are sucked onto the finger cause variations also in the relative positional relationship between the finger and the reference marks provided on the print element substrates.
For this reason, in the case where the photographing region narrows at the first photographing after a print element substrate is sucked onto the finger, a reference mark does not exist in the photographing region, which may disable alignment of the print element substrate.
Furthermore, even in the case where the photographing magnification ratio is increased and the rectangular portions of the reference mark are included in the photographing region, it takes long time to perform alignment of the print element substrate because the direction in which the circular portion of the reference mark exists cannot be known.
While a conventional technique such as the one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-79676 sufficiently satisfied the image quality requirements in the past, more accurate alignment becomes necessary in order to satisfy the image quality demanded now and in the future.

Liquid ejection head and method for fabricating the same


A wire for integration with an airplane composite structure material includes a conductive core surrounded by an isolation layer for substantially isolating the conductive core from the composite structure material. The isolation layer includes braided fibers, and the braided fibers include a material having at least substantially similar properties as the composite structure material.

Composite structures include a complex material, such as graphite, in which two or more distinct, structurally complementary substances combine to produce structural or functional properties not present in any individual component. In other words, composite structures have increased strength over the individual components thereof. Generally, the component parts include a composite structure having a core material, a reinforcing material, and a resin binder. Each of these substances alone provides limited strength, but combined properly they become a strong composite structure.
In aircraft construction, composite structures often include various fiber forms and resin combinations in which the fiber form is embedded in the resin while still retaining its identity. Advanced composite airplane materials include high strength fibers embedded in an epoxy matrix. These composites provide for major weight savings in airplane structures due to high strength to weight ratios.
Currently, wiring systems are generally not "buried" within composite structures, as this could possibly lead to difficulties analyzing structural strength of the composite structure and inspection of the wiring systems.
It would therefore be highly desirable to have an aircraft composite structure system with wiring integrated into the composite material.

Integrated wiring for composite structures


The present invention relates generally to rowing machines, and, more particularly, to such rowing machines with internal environments that duplicate actual Olympic-class rowing shells in terms of both dimensions and appearance, and simulate the specific rowing motion and technique that occurs on the water.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to rowing machines, and, more particularly, to such rowing machines with internal environments that duplicate actual Olympic-class rowing shells in terms of both dimensions and appearance, and simulate the specific rowing motion and technique that occurs on the water.
2. Description of Prior Art
The three most influential rowing machines over the past 40, or so, years were the "Gamut Erg" ("Gamut") (no longer produced), "Gjessing Erg" ("Gjessing") (no longer produced) and Concept 2 rowing machine. Numerous replicas of the Concept 2 exist, for example, the Waterrower line of rowing machines and the Tunturi line of rowing machines. Additional machines that have come on the market include the Rowperfect and the Coffey Sculling Machine (no longer produced) (as should be appreciated by those skilled in the art).
While some Gamut's are still in use, they are no longer in production. The Gamut is composed of heavy steel and is designed to simulate the sweeping action of an Olympic-class rowing shell. A steel flywheel dampened by an adjustable friction mechanism is used as a resistance mechanism. While the Gjessing was used more in Europe, it also is no longer in production. The Gjessing required the user to push and pull a handle connected to a long shaft, the end of which was attached to a cable. The cable wound around a winch of variable diameters that drove a flywheel arranged in a similar manner to that of the Gamut. The Gjessing improved upon the design of the Gamut by allowing the user to experience different degrees of leverage on the flywheel as the stroke progressed. This gave the user the feeling of acceleration experienced in the rowing shell. Unlike the Gamut which allowed the user to experience the arcing sweep motion of the oar handle, the Gjessing required the user to push and pull on a handle that moved fore and aft in a linear manner which allowed for a design that reduced the space requirements of the machine.
The Concept 2 Rower is the current "standard" within the rowing community. It improves upon the Gamut and Gjessing in that it offers users a more affordable, space-efficient and lightweight design. Like the Gjessing, the Concept 2 Rower requires the user to pull on a handle that moves fore and aft in one plane, however, the handle is directly connected to a flywheel via a chain and clutching sprocket mechanism. The flywheel is similar to that of a blower-wheel, the resistance of which is adjusted by varying the amount of air allowed to flow through the blower wheel. This allows for some acceleration to be felt as with the Gjessing, however, the flywheel configuration is much lighter and requires much less space.
All three of these machines, as well as all others mentioned above, incorporate a measurement system specific to each machine. While none of the machines have the capability to interconnect their resistance mechanism (though, the Rowperfect does allow flywheels of machines side-by-side to be directly connected), the Concept 2 Rower is able to be configured in a line such that each machine is required to move in unison with the rest via "slides." Similar to the Rowperfect, this configuration tends to keep the center of gravity of each rower stationary as the components of the machine slide fore and aft under the user. The resistance mechanism of each rower, however, remains independent.
All of the above machines have strengths that range from more realistic rowing environments (Gamut and Coffey), to more realistic feeling resistance mechanisms (Gjessing), to connectivity (Concept 2 and Rowperfect), to space-efficiency (Concept 2 and Rowperfect) to more affordable design (Concept 2). However, none of the machines combine this functionality into one "package."


An improved contact management system allows users to establish contact sharing relationships with one another and store updating contacting information for these users alongside static contact information for other users in personal, private data collections. The system may allow a user to specify various levels of information sharing and customize communication options by which other users may contact them. The system may provide seamless integration with legacy contact management and/or and communication systems.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to contact management systems and methods, and, more specifically, to a networked system for managing and updating contact information among interconnected users.
2. Related Art
In our ever expanding digital world, information is accumulating at astounding rates. Contact information is no exception to this trend. The interconnectedness brought on by the Internet and the proliferation of wireless devices has made it commonplace for a person to have many points of contact, including multiple email addresses, multiple wireless telephone numbers, multiple traditional telephone numbers, multiple physical addresses, and the like. Considering the average person knows about 600 people, managing all of this information can be daunting.
Traditional contact management systems attempt to manage this information by providing stand-alone software solutions that requires users to enter and store contact information for the people they know. However, these systems rely on users to have accurate information for their respective contacts in the first instance. Traditional contact management systems also rely on users to update the information stored therein as a contact's information changes over time, leaving users with no way to differentiate the good information from the bad. As a result, traditional contact management systems are unreliable and labor intensive.
Accordingly, a need has long existed for an improved contact management system.


Microcapsules possessing Lewis acid-Lewis base salt walls incorporate water-immiscible materials, such as N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), as a core component. Such microcapsules, or similar microcapsules incorporating other core components, may be made by emulsifying a water-immiscible core component in an aqueous solution of one wall-forming reactant, such as the Lewis base, and then mixing that solution with the other wall-forming reactant, such as the Lewis acid. Various adjuvants may be included with the core component to contribute additional characteristics, such as enhancement of a controlled release characteristic or improved mechanical stability.

The use of droplets or particles of an active substance incorporated in an inactive carrier or carrier composition is well known in various arts including pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural, and many others. Typically, specific compositions provide for the application of specific active substances in a quantity or concentration appropriate to the use, and are particularly well suited to cases where the active substance itself is not easily compounded into a suitable vehicle or to facilitate controlled release of the active substance.
Encapsulation methods and materials are diverse and are well known to those skilled in the art of preparing controlled-release formulations. Encapsulation may take the form of an enclosing wall of inactive agent around a solid or liquid core of active agent, or it may take the form of a continuous matrix of porous inactive agent that contains the active agent in the manner of a sponge or foam.
Among known encapsulation compositions and methods are those based on the formation of capsular walls by the reaction of a Lewis acid and a Lewis base, aligned at a droplet interface in an emulsified two-phase (generally aqueous-organic solvent) mixture, with a core material trapped in the droplet to be encapsulated. A number of such compositions and methods, and variants thereof, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,959,457, 4,743,583, 4,797,234, 4,917,892, 5,093,198, 5,132,117, 5,284,663, 5,490,986, 5,686,113, 6,270,800, and 6,531,156, in all of which Dr. Tully Speaker is the inventor or a co-inventor and in some of which the present inventor is a co-inventor.
Other encapsulation methods are also known in the art. In general, many known methods have characteristics that may in some cases make them somewhat inconvenient to practice, such as a need for ultrasonication and/or use of organic solvents. Thus, alternative methods of encapsulation are desired in various technology areas.


A computer entertainment system is disclosed for dynamically composing a music sound tract in response to dynamic and unpredictable actions and events initiated by a directing system in a way that is aesthetically appropriate and natural. The system includes a composition database having one or more musical sequences. One or more of the one or more musical sequences has one or more decision points. The decision points within the database comprise a composing decision tree, with the decision points marking places where branches in the performance of the musical sequences may occur. A sound driver interprets each decision point within the one or more musical sequences. The sound driver conditionally responds to the interpreted decision points depending on the unpredicted actions and events initiated by the directing system. It is also contemplated that the directing system may directly query the state of the sound driver and adjust the activities of the directing system based on the results of the query. Other direct commands may be initiated by the directing system for controlling the performance of the sound driver.

Although it may potentially be used in many other applications, the present invention was created in response to a need in the computer/video games industry. In the past several years there has been a dramatic growth in the computer/video games industry which has been due primarily to the increased availability and technical advances of personal computers and video entertainment technology. The price/performance of personal computers and video entertainment technology has improved to a point where they can be found in virtually every home and business. Additionally, the quality and realism of computer game images is rapidly approaching that of film or camera-generated pictures, further enhancing the enjoyment and excitement of the games.
In fact, in certain elementary respects a modern computer game is similar to a motion picture. Both a motion picture and a computer/video game consist of a sequence of images which are viewed using some form of imaging medium. Both use a sound track comprised of music and sound effects to accentuate the feel and mood of the action and storyline. However, the story or action in many of the more sophisticated computer/video games can be changed interactively by a user so that the outcome of the game is determined partially or completely by the user. Thus, the computer game is essentially comprised of a number of interwoven plot or action segments, with the overall experience assembled from these segments.
For example, the computer game "Wing Commander", available from Origin Systems, Austin, Texas, is an interactive space adventure in which the user plays the part of one of the characters of the story. Accordingly, the user engages in dialogue and action with other game characters by making appropriate choices from menus of options, and by directing the flight of a spaceship in space combat. Whether or not the universe is saved from evil forces is determined by the menu choices selected by the user and the flight skill of the user. However, the aesthetic coordination of the music and sound effects with the game action in Wing Commander, as in other existing games, results in many instances of random musical juxtapositions which often sound abrupt and unnatural rather than musically graceful. Wing Commander is representative of the current state of the art of computer game technology.
Although music and sound effects are an important part of the game's "feel," the technological progress which has been made in this area has been relatively limited. The use of technology from the music industry, such as synthesizers and the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), has yielded an increase in the quality of the composition of music in computer entertainment systems, however, there has been little technological advancement in the intelligent control needed to provide automated music composition which changes gracefully and naturally in response to dynamic and unpredictable actions or the "plot" of the game.
The most advanced music systems currently available for inclusion in computer entertainment systems are MIDI-based systems which provide only a small subset of the features included in many of the stand-alone software "sequencers" used in the music industry. A sequencer is basically a software tape player, except that instead of converting stored sound waveforms into sound, a sequencer interprets stored musical performance data and issues corresponding commands to sound generating hardware. An existing music industry product which represents the most advanced sequencer technology currently available is Performer, a product of Mark of the Unicorn, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The MIDI-based music systems in existing computer entertainment systems, although software controllable unlike the above-mentioned stand-alone sequencer, are relatively limited. The limitations with these systems derive primarily from the structure of existing music files, coupled with the relatively simple architecture of the way the music playback system operates. Existing music sound files, while containing multiple channels of performance data, do not contain any provisions for branching or conditional messages, nor can the playback system be re-configured to respond differently to the performance data. Thus, existing systems cannot make compositional decisions based upon action of the game, but can only play the music in one way as determined by the stored performance data. By contrast, a motion picture sound track is scored by a composer in response to what the composer aesthetically perceives about the film's events, action, and movement.
In scoring a motion picture, a composer uses a combination of live musicians and electronic instruments to assemble the eventual sound track. The composer creates and modifies the music while watching the motion picture, thus creating a sound track which is an integral part of the viewing experience. Often, several versions of the music are composed, and the director of the motion picture selects the final version during post-production by using segments of music from each of the earlier composed versions.
In existing computer entertainment systems, the music is precomposed and stored as musical sequences (human composed music tends to be far more evocative than algorithmic music). These sequences are generally based on a standard MIDIfile format or variations thereof. A MIDIfile contains performance data representing a sequence of musical notes to be played. The performance data specifies the time between one note and the next, and the MIDI channel (i.e. instrument selection, such as trumpet or violin) for each note. There may also be other performance parameters specified by the data, such as volume changes which are to occur at a particular place in the music. A standard MIDI sequence essentially describes a musical performance, performed by up to sixteen different instruments playing in parallel, which is played in essentially a linear manner from beginning to end.
MIDI performance data is interpreted by what is basically a software tape player, or sequencer. A sequencer reads through a MIDIfile, pausing between each MIDI message for a period of time specified by the data in the file. Each time it proceeds to a new message, the message is decoded and an appropriate command is sent to a synthesizer to produce the actual sound.
In the existing systems, the sequencers read through MIDI sequences in the simplest way: they start at the beginning of the sequence and read forward until they reach the end. (In some cases, when a sequencer reaches the end of a sequence, it automatically restarts from the beginning. This is called "looping", and allows a sequence to be repeated indefinitely.) The sequencer path is essentially linear, in that no provisions are made within the MIDIfile format for branches, and the sequencer is not capable of jumping to arbitrary time points within the sequence. Thus, in existing systems, the ability of the host to control the sequencer, and thereby compose the actual music played is limited to starting a sequence at the beginning, and stopping it at any time before it reaches the end.
Considering these limitations, it is easy to see why the musical flow suffers in existing computer entertainment systems when the music is required to change from one sequence to another. For example, suppose that there is a high-energy fight scene occurring in the game which, at any time, may end in either victory or defeat. In existing systems there would likely be three music sequences: fight music (looped), victory music, and defeat music. When, the fight ends, the fight music would be stopped, and either victory or defeat music would be started. The switch from the fight music to the victory or defeat music occurs without taking into account what is happening in the fight music leading up to the moment of transition. Any musical momentum and flow which had been established is lost, and the switch sounds abrupt and unnatural.
A further limitation of existing systems is that the synthesizer responds to the MIDI commands in the most direct fashion; it plays the notes which the composer has sequentially placed in the MIDI sequence. This literal interpretation of MIDI commands precludes an entire category of dynamic music composition, i.e. allowing the computer entertainment system to make dynamic changes to the way in which the performance data are interpreted, resulting in aesthetically appropriate variation in the music while the game is playing, thereby tailoring the texture, mood, and intensity of the music to the action in the game.
Thus, existing music systems do not provide the ability for the computer entertainment system to tell the music system how to intelligently and artistically respond to the events and action of the game. There is needed a music and sound effects system which can be included in a computer-controlled sound system including a computer entertainment system, and which creates natural and appropriate music composition that changes dynamically with the events and action of the game in response to commands from the sound system.

Method and apparatus for dynamically composing music and sound effects using a computer entertainment system


A spanner for simultaneously gripping a plurality of fasteners. The spanner includes a body, the body having a plurality of spaced apart fastener grips for simultaneously gripping the plurality of fasteners. The spanner also includes at least one attachment member for attaching the spanner to a structure the fasteners attach to.

Trucks and other mechanical objects may require that two parts be joined or separated. The parts may be attached with fasteners in the form of bolts and nuts, for example. Some trucks are very large—for example ultra-class trucks used in mining operations that can carry a payload of 300 tonnes or more—and it can be relatively time consuming, potentially dangerous, and difficult to join or separate some parts, for example suspension cylinders ("wheel struts") from the chassis of ultra-class trucks.
It may be desirable to reduce the amount of time, danger, or difficulty, for example, to join or separate parts on tucks or other mechanical objects.

Spanner for simultaneously gripping a plurality of fasteners and a method for simultaneously gripping a plurality of fasteners


An improved float safety mechanism (also herein "float control valve") for a gas pressurized bottle irrigation system is disclosed herein and a procedure involving the use and application thereof is also herein disclosed. In the improved safety float system of this invention, a pressurizable reservoir containing a laproscopic irrigation fluid is provided with a unique and highly reliable float or anti-siphon valve for real-time sensing of the fluid level within the reservoir and automatically terminating the withdrawal of the fluid therefrom when the level of fluid drops below a prescribed limit. The design of the anti-siphon valve used in this system is unique to the demanding pressurized environment within which the valve must function. The float safety mechanism of this invention prevents the high pressure CO.sub.2 gas contained with the pressurizable reservoir from escaping (after depletion of the fluid) and entering the abdominal cavity during laparoscopy, causing possible serious or fatal injury.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a system and to a method. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved system for use in conjunction with endoscopic instrumentation in laparoscopic surgery. This unique system incorporates a pressurizable reservoir containing the irrigation fluid, an elongated conduit, connected at the proximal end to an instrument and at its distal end to a float valve of unique design and construction wherein a sensing means in such valve can detect the level of pressurized fluid remaining in the reservoir and close the valve in response to depressed fluid level. The automatic activation of this valve in response to depression of the fluid level within the reservoir, prevents the pressurizing gas from inadvertent introduction into the operative field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery (and the drawbacks associated therewith) are wellknown to those skilled in the art and need not be repeated herein. Whether the endoscope is rigid or flexible, equipped with a telescope and light source or fluoroscopic means required for guidance and manipulation thereof within the operative field, one problem is generally common to both types of systems; that is, the difficulties encountered in respect to the infusion and suction of fluid into the operative field to allow for clearance, identification and targeting of the appropriate target tissue within the operative field.
The applicant has filed for patent protection on a unique "trumpet valve" for use in endoscopic surgery, application Ser. No. 07/470,771 (filed Jan. 21, 1990), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,591. Applicant herein incorporates by reference the discussion of the relevant art endoscopic instruments contained in such application, including the discussion of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,191,191; 3,967,625; 4,824,434; 4,735,194; 4,795,424; 4,504,493; 4,493,320; 4,423,727; 4,217,819; and 4,795,424. The foregoing patents generally describe different endoscopic instruments and systems, and are useful as background, in appreciation of the historical development of the art endoscopy, and some of the problems associated with the art. To the extent they are relevant, reference thereto is made and is helpful as providing general background information and an aid of understanding of the instant invention.
In the operation of endoscopic instrumentation, more specifically, hydrodissection apparatus, a fluid reservoir (which reservoir is maintained under pressure) is connected through appropriate fluid channeling means to a probe tip. Typically the fluid level in the pressurized reservoir was monitored visually or was allowed to run out, such prior art systems being unreliable and often dangerous by exposure of the patient to inadvertent injection with a gas (CO.sub.2).
The use of float valves in a non-pressurized and pressurized environment to control the flow of fluid from a reservoir and seal off the channel from the reservoir when the fluid drops, is well known in the prior art. The following patents are representative of different flow valve designs, and the respective operation both in ambience pressures and in a pressurized environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,482; (to Sachs, et al) describes a liquid transfer system for circulation of photographic developer, and related chemicals, within a closed loop to effect multiple batch processing of photographic film and papers.
In the context of the Sachs invention, film developer chemicals, in liquid form, are forced under pressure from a reservoir (#14) in the film developer processing loop to a developer tank (#12). Upon completion of a development process, these same fluids are recycled back to the reservoir (#14) from the developer tank (#12). This process is repeated with fixer (hypo) from reservoir (#16). In operation of the fluid transfer from the respective reservoirs, a "ball valve" (#62) partially closes the orifice leading from these respective reservoirs, allowing for compressed air to also flow from the reservoir (#16) to the developer tank (#12). The reasons for such air flow is apparently to provide a degree of agitation to the developer chemicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,412 (to Lundeen) describes a float value assembly adapted for use in a water softener system; specifically in the fluid communication of brine, from the brine storage tank, to the water softener tank. The float valve is connected to the end of a section of tubing which is positioned within the brine tank and thereby allows for the program withdrawl of brine therefrom upon cycling of the water softener tank. Fluid transfer from one tank to the other can be effected by a simple pump located in the softener tank, or by passive siphon action. When the level of brine in the brine tank drops to an unacceptable level, the float valve responds by sealing the orifice in the base of the valve, thereby preventing air from being drawn from the brine tank into the softener tank. Where the fluids transfer from one tank to the other is based upon a passive siphon system, the sealing of a valve maintains the fluid within the conduit connecting one tank to the other, thus, preserving the siphon upon the restoration of the proper fluid level in the brine tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,238 (to Clark) describes a separator valve for use in waste stream discharge systems. The valve includes a cage and a float. The materials from which the float is constructed allow for movement thereof within the cage in response to changes in the specific gravity of the waste water discharge. Where the discharge is essentially oil free, that is, has a specific gravity approximating the specific gravity of the water, the float will remain buoyant. Where the specific gravity of the discharge drops below the specific gravity of the water, the float will respond by losing its buoyancy and moving to the floor of the cage, thereby sealing a orifice in the base of the cage, and preventing further discharge of the waste stream through the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,173 (to Bernstein) describes a series of flotation type valves adapted for use in the clinical environment. All of the embodiments of the Bernstein concept involve the placement of a float within a container at least partially filled with a parenternal fluid. As parenternal fluid is passively (IV) or actively (syringe) withdrawn from the fluid container, these valves respond to the depressed fluid level within the container by sealing an orifice through which such fluid must pass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,563 (to Tuseth) describes a disk valve for control of withdrawal of parenternal fluid from an inverted container. The valve is positioned within the neck of the container, and responds to withdrawal of fluid therefrom in much the same way as the more traditional design illustrated in the Bernstein patent discussed above.
As is evident from the foregoing, the use and adaptation of float valves to control, meter and arrest the flow of fluid from a container is common to a variety of environments and fluid containment vessels. The design of each float valve will of course vary with the specific vessel design, the fluid composition and the means used to effect transfer of fluid from its container through its valve to the discharge/withdrawal site.
As is further evident from the foregoing, valves are typically used in systems involving a passive transfer mechanism, that is fluid flow from the container through the float valve is generally accomplished by a combination gravity and siphon action. Where, however, fluid transfer is effected by means of an active transport mechanism, such as by pressurization of the fluid container, both the rate of fluid transfer and depression in the fluid level in the fluid reservoir will be greatly accelerated. In such an active fluid transport system, valve response must be more rapid and precise in order to avoid withdrawal of fluid below the level that is prescribed for such a system. This is particularly critical in dispensing of chemical fluids and in their use in endoscopic systems. Traditionally, the transfer of fluid in such active transport (endoscopic) systems has been monitored electronically. The valving in such system is typically effected through solenoid activation upon optical and/or electronic pressure sensing of fluid level. Notwithstanding the availability of such electronically activated systems, the float valve has been and remains the mechanism of choice. Unfortunately, such valves have typically lacked the response time and the precision necessary to effectively seal off fluid flow from a pressurized container and/or reservoir.


A multi-beam scanning device including a multi-beam light source including plural laser diode arrays emitting plural laser beams and at least one coupling lens; a deflector configured to deflect the plural laser beams; an optical system configured to guide the deflected plural laser beams to an image forming surface; a body configured to contain the multi-beam light source, deflector and scanning optical system; and an adjustment member located between the body and the multi-beam light source and configured to adjust the beam pitch of the plural laser beams in the sub-scanning direction. An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, the above-mentioned scanning device and an image forming device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-beam scanning device, which performs optical image recording using plural light beams and which is for use in image forming apparatus such as laser printers, digital copiers, facsimile machines, etc. In addition, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using the multi-beam scanning device.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, a need exists for image forming apparatus such as laser printers, facsimile devices and digital copiers, which can perform high speed and high density recording. In this case, if high speed recording is performed using a single beam scanning device, it is necessary to use a deflector which can rotate at a high speed. Such a deflector is expensive and in addition causes wind noises due to the high speed rotation. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a soundproof device, resulting in further increase of costs. In order to solve such a problem, a multi-beam scanning device which irradiates an image bearing member such as photoreceptors with plural laser beams at the same time has been used. By using such a multi-beam scanning device, high speed and high density recording can be performed without rotating a deflector at a high speed.
It is necessary for such a multi-beam scanning device to scan plural laser beams at a desired beam pitch (i.e., interval between two adjacent scanning lines) in view of image quality. In particular, recently a need for high density images increases more and more to produce high quality images such that the scanning line density is 1200 dpi (dot per inch).
In order to perform high density recording, a method in which plural light sources and plural coupling lens are rotated around an axis which is perpendicular to the main scanning direction and sub-scanning direction is known. Published unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-13432 discloses a technique such that only plural light sources and plural coupling lens are rotated while the aperture configured to perform beam regulation is not rotated around the rotation axis. By using this technique, change of beam pitch caused by changing and adjusting operations of the beam pitch can be prevented and thereby a desired beam pitch can be obtained.
In such a method, the beam pitch adjusting operation has to be performed while the scanning device is attached to a housing of the optical unit. However, the positions of the light sources relative to the coupling lens have been adjusted. If one or more light sources are damaged and thereby image qualities seriously deteriorate, there are two methods for repairing the scanning device. One of the methods is to exchange the unit holder including the light sources and the coupling lens, followed by adjustment of the beam pitch. The other of the methods is to exchange the multi-beam scanning device itself, inclusive of the housing, which device has been subjected to beam pitch adjustment. It takes a long time to perform such an exchanging operation and beam adjustment operation. In addition, when performing such operations, it is necessary to remove parts and units associated to the scanning device. Therefore, service engineers typically dislike such operations. In view of such circumstances, a need exists for a multi-beam scanning device which service engineers can easily exchange and which can be used soon after being set to an image forming apparatus without performing an adjustment operation. In addition, there is a need to visually confirm whether the beam pitch of the exchanged scanning device is proper.

Multi-beam scanning device and image forming apparatus using the scanning device


A device comprises a substrate core having power paths through it and an input/output signal routing layer upon the core substrate. An integrated circuit may be arranged on the routing layer such that the integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the substrate core through the routing layer.

As the speed and complexity of processors and other integrated circuit components has increased, the need for high-speed input/output (IO) has also increased. Conventional packaging technologies are running into physical limitation making them unable to meet all the requirements. New technologies, such as optical IO integrated on a die, are becoming a reality. Current manufacturing processes and designs have limited ability to adapt to these new technologies. Additionally, current conventional processing of integrated circuits uses the same substrate design structure for power delivery and for signal IO. Neither one of these can be optimized, either for performance versus cost or other factors, as some of the requirements of one area restricts the optimization of the other.
In addition, due to the increasing trends of higher current and high I/O count, using the same design structure drives a substantial increase in pin count, hence an increase in body size and package cost. Separating power and signal delivery paths may improve signal integrity due to less discontinuity, better impedance matching and reduction latency. At the same time, more pins can be dedicated for power delivery.

Decoupled signal-power substrate architecture


A data storage device includes a nonvolatile memory device; and a controller suitable for controlling an operation of the nonvolatile memory device in response to a request from an external device, wherein the controller comprises a victim block setup unit suitable for setting a victim block for a merge operation based on an error count, which is detected when a read operation of the nonvolatile memory device is performed, and for storing information of the victim block for the merge operation, and wherein the controller converts the victim block into a free memory block during the merge operation and reuses the free memory block to store data.

1. Technical Field
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a data storage device, and more particularly, to a data storage device capable of effectively performing a merge operation, an operation method thereof, and a data processing system including the same.
2. Related Art
The recent paradigm for computer surroundings has changed into ubiquitous computing environments in which computer systems may be used anytime and anywhere. Thus, the use of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and notebook computers has rapidly increased. Such portable electronic devices generally employ a data storage device using a memory device. The data storage device is used as a main memory device or auxiliary memory device of the portable electronic devices.
Since the data storage device using a memory device has no mechanical driver, the data storage device has excellent stability and durability. Furthermore, the data storage device has high access speed and small power consumption. The data storage device having such advantages includes a universal serial bus (USB) memory device, a memory card having various interfaces, and a solid state drive (SSD).
As portable electronic devices play a large file such as music file and video file, the data storage device is required to have a large storage capacity. The data storage device includes a memory device having a high integration degree for memory cells to secure a large storage capacity, for example, a flash memory device, which is one of nonvolatile memory devices.
The flash memory device does not support an overwrite operation due to structural characteristics thereof. That is, the flash memory device may not update data of a programmed memory cell. Thus, an erase operation must be preceded in order to program data to the flash memory device. This operation is referred to as an erase-before-program operation. That is, a programmed memory cell of the flash memory device must be returned to an initial state or erase state before data is programmed.
However, the erase operation of the flash memory device requires a long time. For this reason, after erasing a programmed memory cell, a controller to control the flash memory device in the data storage device does not program data to the erased memory cell. Instead, the controller programs data, which is to be written to the programmed memory cell, to another memory cell returned to an erase state.
For this operation of the controller, memory cells of the flash memory device may store both of valid data and invalid data. Depending on cases, the controller performs a merge operation of collecting valid data in one space and erasing invalid data.

Data storage device, operating method thereof and data processing system including the same


The invention relates to an actuator comprising an actuator element movably supported at an actuator housing, a pyrotechnic pressure element to move the actuator element and a control means to control a force exerted onto the actuator element by the pressure element to move the actuator element.

An actuator of this type is generally known and is used, for example, to interrupt electrical connections or to trigger fast switching procedures, e.g. in the motor vehicle safety sector.
The pyrotechnic pressure element, which is also called a pyrotechnic igniter in the case of an electrical activation, has the advantage in addition to a particularly fast power development that the energy required to move the actuator element can be stored without pressure over a long period of time by means of suitable chemical substances and can be released as required by means of a comparatively small electrical or mechanical energy.
An activation of the pressure element triggers a conversion of the chemical substances and results in the generation of a pressure impulse by which the actuator element is moved relative to the actuator housing, e.g. is pushed out of it. Since the action on the actuator element takes place very abruptly, the actuator element is moved in a short time and in an uncontrolled manner from a starting position into an end position.
This fast and uncontrolled movement of the actuator element has proved to be disadvantageous in those applications in which the movement procedure of the actuator element should endure for a specific time and/or a bounce of the actuator element should be avoided, e.g. in locking or unlocking processes.
It is the underlying object of the invention to provide a pyrotechnic actuator, wherein the movement of the actuator takes place in a controlled manner.
An actuator having the features of claim 1 is provided to satisfy this object.
The actuator in accordance with the invention comprises an actuator element movably stored at an actuator housing, a pyrotechnic pressure element for the movement of the actuator element and a control means for the control of a force exerted onto the actuator element by the pressure element to move the actuator element.
The force exerted on the actuator element on a triggering of the pressure element can be set by the control means such that the movement of the actuator element takes place at a desired speed. The control means is in particular adjustable such that the movement of the actuator element takes place over a desired period and/or a bounce of the actuator element is avoided. A defined movement of the actuator element can therefore be pre-set by the control means and a matching of the actuator to its respective area of use is possible.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be seen from the dependent claims, from the description and from the drawing.


An example radar system for a vehicle comprises a radar antenna, operable to produce a radar beam, and a lens assembly including at least one active lens, the radar beam passing through the lens assembly. The radar beam has a field of view that is adjustable using the active lens. In some examples, the active lens comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial having an adjustable property such as an adjustable negative index, the field of view being adjustable using the adjustable property of the metamaterial.

Current vehicular radar systems provide a single fixed width radar beam, for example as used in adaptive cruise controls. The beam widths of such systems are limited by the size of the antenna array aperture. The antenna aperture needs to be large compared to the radar wavelength to obtain a narrow radar beam, in the absence of other components. Hence, conventional high resolution radar systems try to maximize the antenna aperture, which poses a challenge for vehicular applications where cost, weight, and packaging are important.

Radar system with an active lens for adjustable field of view

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A thin film electromagnetic head has an inductive transducer with a ferromagnetic pole layer terminating adjacent a media-facing surface at a pole tip surface. The pole layer has side surfaces each having an end region that meets the pole tip surface, the end regions increasingly separated with increasing distance from the pole tip surface. Having a pole layer that is tapered to the point at which it meets the pole tip surface channels flux more efficiently for writing on-track as opposed to off-track. Such a tapered pole tip can be formed for a pair of pole layers separated by a submicron nonferromagnetic gap, or for a single perpendicular writing pole layer.

The present invention relates to electromagnetic transducers, which may for example be employed in thin film inductive write heads of the type formed on the trailing ends of air bearing sliders used in magnetic recording disk drives.
An inductive transducer used for writing and/or reading magnetic information on storage media, such as a disk or tape, typically includes electrically conductive coil windings encircled by a magnetic core. The magnetic core has leading and trailing pole layers. The pole layers have pole tip surfaces adjacent to the recording media. The magnetic core is interrupted by a submicron nonmagnetic gap disposed between the pole tip surfaces to divert magnetic flux to the media during writing. To write to the media, electric current is flowed through the coil, which produces magnetic flux in the core encircling the coil windings, the magnetic flux fringing across the nonmagnetic gap adjacent to the media so as to write bits of magnetic field information in tracks on the recording media.
The first or leading pole layer is typically substantially flat, whereas the second or trailing pole layer is typically curved because a part of the second pole layer is formed over the coil windings and insulation disposed between the pole layers, while another part nearly adjoins the first pole layer adjacent the gap. The second pole layer may also diverge from a flat plane by curving to meet the first pole layer in a region distal to the media-facing surface, sometimes termed the back gap region, although a nonmagnetic gap in the core does not usually exist at this location.
Thousands of essentially identical inductive transducer heads are formed in a plurality of adjoining solid layers on a wafer substrate. After the layers have been formed on the wafer disk, the disk is cut into bars with a diamond blade, each bar containing many transducers. The sides of the bars, which have a plurality of layers exposed, are lapped to form smooth surfaces for facing recording media. The smooth media-facing surface is typically relieved by etching to improve the interaction of the media-facing surface with the media surface. A coating may be formed on the media-facing surface to protect the reading sensor of the read/write inductive transducer.
An example of a prior art inductive transducer head 20 is shown in FIG. 1A, which depicts portions of the electromagnetic head. The electromagnetic head 20 has been formed in a plurality of adjoining solid layers on a wafer substrate. One of the layers is a trailing pole layer 22 that has been formed over an electrically conductive coil layer with coil sections 24. A protective coating layer 26 forms a media-facing surface 28. The trailing pole layer 22 meets the protective coating layer 26 at a trailing pole tip surface 30. As illustrated, the trailing pole layer 22 has sides 32 that are substantially parallel to each other near the trailing pole tip surface 30. A point at which the parallel sides 32 meet flared sides 36 is often termed a flare point 34.
The width of the pole tip surface 30, which corresponds to the track width, may be decreased to allow more tracks to be written on the recording media. As track width is decreased, however, it becomes more difficult to transmit high-intensity magnetic flux through the pole tip surface. A standard technique for increasing the strength of the magnetic field at the pole tip surface has been to increase the magnetic moment of the material near both the pole tip surface and the recording gap. One way to accomplish this is to form a pedestal of material having a high magnetic moment between a pole layer and the recording gap, increasing the magnetic field at the edge of the pole tip surface adjoining the gap.
As noted above, the trailing pole layer and/or pedestal may have a flared or tapered width near the region around the pole tip surface in which the sides are parallel. Various geometries of tapered pole layers near the pole tip surface have been used, such as the geometries depicted in FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D. In the cases of the tapered pole layers shown in FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D, the sides 32 immediately adjacent to the pole tip surface 30 are parallel. The parallel sides 32 of the pole layer near the media-facing surface allow tolerance in the depth of lapping without affecting the track width.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,144 to Chang et al. states that it is possible to provide a tapered trailing pole layer that is much wider at an air bearing surface than the leading pole layer without the trailing pole layer broadening the track written to the media. Chang et al. also state that this tapering somehow solves a problem of off track writing by corners of the trailing pole tip.

Pole tip with sides flared at media-facing surface


A processor includes scheduling circuitry and an associated interval computation element. The scheduling circuitry schedules data blocks for transmission from a plurality of transmission elements, and is configured for utilization of at least one time slot table in scheduling the data blocks for transmission. The interval computation element, which may be implemented as a script processor, is operative to determine an interval for transmission of one or more data blocks associated with corresponding locations in the time slot table. The transmission interval is adjustable under control of the interval computation element so as to facilitate the maintenance of a desired service level for one or more of the transmission elements. The interval computation element operates under software control in at least one of determining and adjusting the transmission interval, and may be operative to determine periodically if the transmission interval requires adjustment in order to maintain the desired service level for one or more of the transmission elements.

A network processor generally controls the flow of data between a physical transmission medium, such as a physical layer portion of, e.g., an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network or synchronous optical network (SONET), and a switch fabric in a router or other type of packet switch. Such routers and switches generally include multiple network processors, e.g., arranged in the form of an array of line or port cards with one or more of the processors associated with each of the cards.
An important function of a network processor involves the scheduling of packets or other data blocks for transmission, e.g., for transmission to the switch fabric from the network or vice versa. A network processor typically includes a scheduler for implementing this function. One way that such a scheduler may be implemented involves the use of demand-based time slot tables, also referred to as dynamic time slot tables. In these cases, a significant problem that can arise relates to the manner in which the scheduler deals with transmission request collisions, that is, simultaneous requests for transmission in the same time slot. Typically, only a single block of data can be transmitted in a given time slot. When multiple data blocks request transmission in the same time slot, only one of the blocks can be transmitted, and the other blocks must be delayed or dropped. It should be noted that this problem is specific to demand-based time slot tables, and is generally not an issue for static time slot tables which can be configured to avoid collisions altogether.
The above-noted problem with demand-based time slot tables makes it difficult to maintain a desired traffic shaping for the transmitted data blocks in the corresponding network processor. This in turn complicates the provision of desired service levels, e.g., specified quality of service (QoS) or class of service (CoS) levels, for particular network connections supported by the network processor.
Another problem with conventional network processors is that the particular scheduling algorithm used is generally not selectable under software control. Most conventional network processor schedulers perform traffic shaping in accordance with a designated scheduling algorithm through specific hardware configuration. An example of this type of scheduler is a hardware-based generic cell rate algorithm (GCRA) scheduler with configurable leaky bucket depths, more particularly known as a t-GCRA scheduler. In this example, the basic hardware-based GCRA scheduling algorithm cannot be altered so as to allow the processor to implement another type of scheduling algorithm. As a result, the corresponding network processor is unduly inflexible, and may be suitable for use only in particular scheduling applications.
A need therefore exists for improved scheduling techniques for use in a network processor, so as to facilitate the provision of QoS, CoS or other desired service levels for corresponding network connections.

Processor with table-based scheduling using software-controlled interval computation


Provided is a device for fixing hydraulic piping to prevent the hydraulic piping from sliding down even when the bolt for coupling a clamp which fixes the hydraulic piping is loosened by the vibration generated during operation. The device for fixing the hydraulic piping of construction equipment includes: a piping sheet fixed to a boom structure; upper and lower clamps constituted by a fixed part fixed to the piping sheet and a concave groove for supporting the hydraulic piping; a coupling member for fixing the fixed part to the piping sheet; a hydraulic pipe fixing plate mounted on the piping sheet; a connecting hole for connecting a main pipe, which is connected to a main control valve mounted on an upper rotating body, to the hydraulic pipe disposed on the boom structure; and a bolt and nut for fixing the connecting hole to the hydraulic pipe fixing plate.

A conventional hydraulic piping fixing device for a construction machine in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 1 includes:
a piping seat 2 weldingly fixed to an upper plate of a boom structure 1 such as an excavator;
a hydraulic piping 3 (e.g., hydraulic piping for an arm cylinder) seated on the piping seat 2;
a steel clamp 5 having semi-circular shaped seating grooves formed therein to support the hydraulic piping 3; and
a fastening member 6 configured to fasten the steel clamp 5 to the piping seat 2 to allow the hydraulic piping 3 to be securely fixed by the steel clamp 5 and the piping seat 2.
In this case, the hydraulic piping 3 is a metal pipe that is join-connected to a main piping (e.g., hydraulic hose) through a connector 9 mounted on an outlet side of the main piping connected at an inlet side thereof to a main control valve (MCV) 7 mounted on the upper swing structure.
As described above, if a quarry work or breaker work is performed in a state in which the hydraulic piping 3 is securely fixed to the boom structure, since vibration occurring due to an external shock is directly transferred to the hydraulic piping 3 and the steel clamp 5, leakage of hydraulic fluid occurs through a crack formed on the hydraulic piping 3 due to frequent vibration.
Meanwhile, the conventional hydraulic piping fixing device entails a shortcoming in that since the fastening member 6 is loosened from the piping seat 2 due to vibration, and the fastening member 6 loosened due to the repeated work may escape from the piping seat 2, the device is very vulnerable to vibration. Despite the disadvantage of causing damage to the machine image due to degradation of quality by the loosening of the fastening member 6 that fastens the steel clamp 5 to the piping seat, the conventional hydraulic piping fixing device constructed as an inexpensive structure is still applied to some construction sites.
FIG. 2(a) is a side view of a boom structure, and FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2(a).
Another conventional hydraulic piping fixing device for a construction machine in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) includes:
a piping seat 2 weldingly fixed to an upper plate of a boom structure 1 of an excavator;
a lower clamp 10 seated on the piping seat 2;
a hydraulic piping 3 (e.g., hydraulic piping for an arm cylinder) seated on seating grooves symmetrically formed on the left and right sides of the lower clamp 10;
an upper clamp 11 configured to securely fix the hydraulic piping 3 seated on the lower clamp 10; and
a fastening member 12 configured to fasten the upper clamp 11 to the lower clamp 10 to allow the hydraulic piping 3 to be securely seated on the seating grooves of the upper and lower clamps 11 and 10.
Thus, since the hydraulic piping 3 is securely fixed in a state of being not brought into direct contact with the piping seat 2, a problem associated with occurrence of vibration during the work can be overcome.
In the meantime, the conventional hydraulic piping fixing device encounters a problem in that the fastening member 12 is loosened due to vibration occurring during the quarry work or the like to cause the hydraulic piping 3 to droop in a state in which the hydraulic piping 3 is connected to the main piping 8 by means of a connector 9 and then is mounted on the upper plate of the boom structure 1.
More specifically, the main piping 8 (e.g., hydraulic hose) connected to the main control valve (MCV) mounted on the upper swing structure of the excavator and the hydraulic piping 3 mounted on the upper plate of the boom structure 1 are connected to each other using the connector 9 so as to be fit for a hydraulic circuit. Thus, the arm cylinder can be driven by a hydraulic fluid supplied from the main control valve 7 through the main piping 8 and the hydraulic piping 3.
In this case, the fastening member 12 is gradually loosened due to vibration occurring during the quarry work and thus the fastening state of the upper clamp 11 that securely fixes the hydraulic piping 3 is also released gradually. Thus, the main piping 8 forcibly pulls the hydraulic piping 3 toward the upper swing structure to cause the hydraulic piping 3 to droop.
The reason for this is that the boom structure 1 rotatably connected to the upper swing structure by the boom fixing pin 13 is pivotally driven along a given trajectory about a boom fixing pin 13 in a vertical direction, at which time, the fastening member 12 that securely fixes the upper clamp 11 to the lower clamp 10 is loosened due to vibration to cause the clamping force of the upper clamp 11 to the lower clamp 10 to be weakened.
For this reason, the main piping 8 connected to the main control valve 7 forcibly pulls the hydraulic piping 3 securely fixed between the lower clamp 10 and the upper clamp 11 to cause the hydraulic piping 3 to droop.
As described above, the hydraulic piping 3 is maintained in a state of being aligned in a straight line at an early stage in which the hydraulic piping 3 is securely mounted on the boom structure 1. However, there is caused a problem in that when the hydraulic piping 3 droops due to vibration occurring during the work, the non-matched assembly position is exposed, thereby degrading an outer appearance image of the construction machine.
For this reason, the fastening member 12 is designed to have a size larger than a reference size in order to prevent the fastening member 12 from drooping due to vibration occurring during the work. Alternatively, a separate clamp is installed in order to prevent the fastening member 12 from drooping, which leads to an increase in the number of parts, thereby deteriorating assembly workability.

Device for fixing the hydraulic piping of construction equipment