A choke valve for an intake manifold with a retracting tumble system for an engine provided with a number of cylinders, the choke valve being adapted to vary the passage section of the air through an intake duct which connects each cylinder with the intake manifold and is regulated by at least one intake valve; the choke valve comprises a butterfly mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation disposed transversely and externally with respect to the corresponding intake duct under the thrust of a corresponding rotary electric motor which comprises a stator and a rotor housed directly in the butterfly.

An internal combustion engine is provided with a number of cylinders, each of which is connected to an intake manifold by means of a respective intake valve and to an exhaust manifold valve by means of a respective exhaust valve. The intake manifold receives fresh air (i.e. air from the external environment) via a supply duct regulated by a butterfly valve and is connected to the cylinders by means of respective intake ducts, each of which is regulated by a corresponding intake valve.
It has recently been proposed to introduce a tumble system which is adapted to vary, during operation of the engine, the section of the intake ducts as a function of the engine speed (i.e. the angular speed of rotation of the drive shaft). At low speeds, the passage section of the air through the intake ducts is decreased in order to generate turbulent movements in the suctioned flow of air and in the vicinity of the variation of section, which movements improve the mixing of the air and fuel in the cylinders; as a result of the presence of these turbulent movements which improve mixing, all the fuel injected is combusted with the result that the pollutant emissions generated by combustion are therefore reduced. At high speeds, the passage section of the air through the intake ducts is maximised in order to enable complete filling of the cylinders and thus to enable the generation of the maximum possible power.
In order to vary the passage section of the air through the intake ducts, it has been proposed to dispose a respective butterfly choke valve within each intake duct, which valve rotates about a shaft disposed at the centre of the relative intake duct. This solution is simple and economic to embody, but the presence of the butterfly choke valves in the middle of the intake ducts entails high losses of load in the flow of air when the tumble system is not active because the profile of the butterfly valves is completely immersed in the air flow; obviously, these losses of load reduce the maximum flow of air that can be taken in by the cylinders, thereby reducing the maximum power that can be generated.
To try to remedy the above-mentioned drawback, it has been proposed to provide each cylinder with two intake ducts which are independent from one another and only one of which is provided with a butterfly choke valve. This solution enables better filling of the cylinders at high speeds, but is nevertheless more costly and complex to embody, as two independent intake ducts are provided for each cylinder; moreover, the generation of the turbulent movements at low speeds is not optimal as, for each cylinder, one of the two intake ducts has no variation of section.

Choke valve provided with an integrated electromagnetic actuator for an intake manifold with a retracting tumble system


A trimming gear on the mast top of a windsurfing rig having an adjusting element that can be connected to the sail top and fixed relative to the mast is arranged on the mast top. The adjusting element is actuated by a reducing gear and can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the mast. Since the adjusting element is actuated by a reducing gear, it is possible to precisely adjust or trim the sail top with a relatively low expenditure of force, namely also in the tensioned state.

The invention pertains to the trimming gear on the mast top of a windsurfing rig.
Such trimming gear has been available on the market for quite some time. The free end of a surf board mast is referred to as the "mast top," and the part of the sail which is fastened to the mast top is referred to as the "sail top." It is known to fasten sail tops to mast tops by means of belt bands that are connected to the sail. For this purpose, a cap with a groove on its upper side is provided on the mast top. In order to tension the sail, the belt is placed into the groove such that it overlaps the cap. The belt is provided with a buckle within the area situated between the cap and a fastening point on the sail such that the length of the belt can be adjusted, i.e., the height of the sail top can be adjusted by a few centimeters. Such an adjustment is referred to as "top trim."
However, this buckle merely makes it possible to position a nontensioned sail relative to the mast. A tensioned sail can only be trimmed to a very limited degree because the friction between the belt and the buckle only allows the transmission of relatively low tensioning forces onto the sail. Consequently, the sail is usually tensioned by means of a bolt rope tensioning device arranged on the foot of the mast. In addition, the belt is merely fixed in the buckle by friction, i.e., the belt may slip such that the sail trim is unintentionally altered.

Trimming device on the mast top of a windsurfing rig


The invention provides a system that associates data files with one another effectively to visually represent a relation among the data files and allows a user to easily understand relationship of contents of the data files. The system determines whether there is a parent data file for a selected retrieval object data file with reference to a contract association table and, if the parent data file is present, changes the retrieval object to the parent data file and repeats the processing. If the parent data file is not present, the system stores a present retrieval object data file as display data, that is, store a top data file as display data. Then, the system retrieves all data files associated with the top data file, stores the data files as display data, generates a relation diagram of the data files, and transmits the relation diagram to a user terminal.

A problem of how to efficiently manage a large quantity of documents, which are prepared in businesses, has been tried and discussed in many situations. In particular, in recent years, since an increase in a capacity and a reduction in cost of a hard disk have advanced and a data compression technology has advanced, documents such as papers are scanned to be converted into electronic data as PDF files, and stored and managed in a form of data files.
In the management of the data files, since some files have meaning concerning contents thereof among the files (e.g., a master contract, a supplemental contract, and a memorandum), it is important find how to associate such a relation to manage the files.
Conventionally, several mechanisms for allowing a user to perform management while visually showing a relation among data files in management of the data files have been provided. For example, in an operating system (OS) such as Windows (registered trademark), folders storing data files are hierarchically displayed according to directory management. Thus, the OS has a mechanism for making it easy to visually understand a relation among the folders to make it possible to display locations where the data files are present.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-043231 discloses a file management system that has a mechanism for displaying locations where searched files are present in a form of a tree.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-185660 discloses a file management system that is capable of managing an input file, which is used for generating a specific file, and an output file, which is outputted from the specific file, in association with the specific file and generating a relationship diagram of the files.
However, in the file management system having a mechanism for displaying locations where searched file are present in a form of a tree described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-043231, storage locations where files are present are hierarchically displayed and managed but it is unclear what kind of association the files have.
Concerning the tree display method, when storage locations of a low-order hierarchy (e.g., folders) are included in a storage location of a high-order hierarchy (e.g., a cabinet), "+" is displayed and, when "+" is designated, names of the storage locations of the low-order hierarchy included therein are displayed as a list in the same hierarchy, whereby tree structure display is performed. Thus, the tree display method does not make it possible to display files in association with each other.
Moreover, conventionally, although a result of file search is indicated by tree display, since the tree display itself is generated from information on paths where files are present, it is impossible to generate a tree dynamically to change displayed data.
In the file relationship diagram output method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-185660, although it is possible to display files in association with each other, a relationship diagram concerning files in a level above a designated file and files of a level below the designated file is outputted. Therefore, when plural files are managed hierarchically, if it is unknown in which hierarchy a designated file is located, it is impossible to display all related files including the designated file in a form of a tree.
In addition, in another viewpoint, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-043231 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-185660 does not assume a case in which the file management systems are applied to a Web system. Thus, since it is necessary to generate HTML data in order to perform tree structure display, image files of GIF, JPEG, and the like prepared in advance are required to be combined. However, the conventional techniques do not disclose generation of such HTML files for display.

Generating a relation diagram of data files


An X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray imaging apparatus and an access controller, which controls communication access of the X-ray imaging apparatus having an electronic cassette for forming an X-ray image and wirelessly transmitting the X-ray image. Before the electronic cassette starts transmitting the X-ray image, a priority request signal for priority of the first radio communication channel to the electronic cassette over a portable terminal device of radio communication is received. Upon receiving the priority request signal, presence of the portable terminal device is checked, in which a radio communication channel of overlap of frequency on the first radio communication channel is used. In presence of the portable terminal device with the overlap, the portable terminal device is regulated in communication regulation while the electronic cassette transmits the X-ray image. Also, the X-ray imaging apparatus is communicable by use of a communication network in wireless communication connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiographic imaging system and an access controller for communication access. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radiographic imaging system and an access controller for communication access, in which radio communication is used, and communication errors or delay due to radio interference in wireless communication connection can be prevented.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
An X-ray imaging system or radiographic imaging system is widely used in medical diagnosis in a hospital. The X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray source apparatus or radiation source apparatus, and an X-ray imaging apparatus or radiographic imaging apparatus. The X-ray source apparatus generates X-rays. The X-ray imaging apparatus forms an X-ray image or radiation image of a body of a patient by receiving X-rays transmitted through the body. The X-ray source apparatus includes an X-ray source, a source driver (controllable) and a start switch. The X-ray source applies X-rays to the body. The source driver drives and controls the X-ray source. The start switch inputs a command signal to the source driver to turn on the X-ray source. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray image detector or radiation image detector, and a console unit, which receives a command signal for the X-ray image detector and the X-ray image from the X-ray image detector, and displays the X-ray image.
The X-ray image detector has a sensor panel or a flat panel detector (FPD), and detects the X-ray image by converting X-rays transmitted though a body into an electric signal. The X-ray image detector transmits the X-ray image immediately to the console unit which operates for displaying an image visibly. The use of the X-ray image detector is highly advantageous over radiography with an X-ray film or IP cassette (imaging plate cassette), because the image can be checked shortly after the imaging.
Examples of X-ray image detectors include a stationary type installed in an examination room, and a portable type, which is an electronic cassette having a portable housing and the sensor panel contained in the portable housing. The electronic cassette is usable in a state fixedly positioned on a floor stand or the like in the examination room for imaging the body in an erect posture or supine posture. Also, the electronic cassette is useful in X-ray imaging of in-patient care in which an operator goes to a hospital room of a patient of limited mobility, namely in a condition without possibility of moving to the examination room.
JP-A 2012-034936 discloses the X-ray imaging apparatus of a type of wireless communication connection between the electronic cassette and the console unit for transmitting data including the X-ray image. There are various modes of positioning the electronic cassette according to body parts of interest in the body. The electronic cassette may be disposed between the body and a bed, or may be held by hands of the patient. It is unnecessary to connect a cable to the electronic cassette by use of the wireless communication connection, so that the positioning of the electronic cassette can be freely carried out without consideration of a path of the cable. However, attenuation of radio waves may be more remarkable assuming that a relative position of the electronic cassette changes according to a distance or direction of the electronic cassette relative to the console unit with changes of the posture and position. Communication quality cannot be stably maintained due to frequent occurrence of communication errors or delay. In view of this, the X-ray imaging apparatus of JP-A 2012-034936 finely changes an output of the communication according to changes in the relative position between the electronic cassette and the console unit, to maintain communication quality stably.
Also, JP-A 2005-253627 discloses a method of ensuring communication quality of an X-ray imaging apparatus in a stable form in a manner similar to JP-A 2012-034936. In a computed tomography apparatus (CT apparatus) of X-rays, there are an image detector for detecting an X-ray image and an image receiver for receiving the X-ray image from the image detector. A radio communication between the image detector and the image receiver is performed with a plural radio communication channels in a multi-channel form. Assuming that failure such as circuit breakage is detected in a first one of the radio communication channels, the radio communication is changed over to a second one of those operable normally.
The ideas of JP-A 2012-034936 and 2005-253627 for ensuring communication quality are technically important in the field of the X-ray imaging apparatus in consideration of effectively preventing communication errors and delay. According to a research of the medical diagnosis in hospitals, the number of imaging requests for the in-patient care is 20 per day in one hospital facility, and may be increased by 30 as additional urgent requests due to the progress of numerous patients. Only one technician or operator frequently works for imaging in the in-patient care. Thus, a task of 50 or more imaging requests must be performed only by himself or herself in a day. In general, each one event of imaging of the imaging request takes about 5 minutes. The in-patient care is for the purpose of care for patients of limited mobility. Positioning of the body of the patient by an operator for a proper posture of his or her upper body requires much time in relation to a position of the electronic cassette. Thus, the importance of ensuring communication quality of data in a stable manner is considerably high in the severely restricted condition of the medical diagnosis in the hospital facility.
However, new problems have been found recently in relation to the imaging in the in-patient care. Communication quality of data in a stable manner cannot be ensured only by the techniques suggested in JP-A 2012-034936 and 2005-253627.
Introduction of radio network nodes (radio communication devices) has been made recently in medical facilities in a manner similar to general use. The X-ray imaging apparatus and other medical apparatus with a radio network node have been used widely. A portable terminal device of radio communication is a typical example for viewing a medical chart or inputting information in electronic data of diagnostic information. However, available bands of frequency of radio waves is limited. Frequency overlap may occur to create radio interference in case a radio communication channel of an equal frequency is used by a plurality of radio network nodes. The radio interference causes communication errors and delay. As the number of radio communication channels is limited, it is impossible to assign all radio network nodes with radio communication channels of different frequencies without creating radio interference.
The X-ray imaging apparatus is moved from room to room in a hospital facility for the purpose of the in-patient care. Communication environment of the X-ray imaging apparatus is changeable with places and time. Positions and numbers of medical service providers (physicians and nurses) carrying portable terminal devices of radio communication are changed according to the hospital rooms and time. The problem of the radio interference cannot be resolved in the in-patient care even with a countermeasure for preventing radio interference in a limited place. The problem of the radio interference becomes more conspicuous according to an increase in the number of the portable terminal devices. The use of the portable terminal devices will be enlarged in future so as to make the problem more serious. In general, a data size of an X-ray image is large among various data for medical use. The problem must be coped with because of a loss in time due to the radio interference with communication errors or delay.
Search has been made by sampling and interviewing plural operators in the field of radiology. In addition to the problem of much time required for positioning of a body of a patient, manual handling of the electronic cassette is considerably laborious due to its large weight in comparison with an X-ray film, IP cassette or the like in the course of supporting the body of the limited mobility. Furthermore, required efficiency in working in a condition of restriction of the time is combined with muscle fatigue of each operator, to cause serious increase in mental stress. Accordingly, communication errors or delay even with a short period causes a problem of lowering the efficiency of the operator because of loss of time and the like. Solution of the above-described problem of communication errors or delay is essentially important in the field of medical diagnosis.
JP-A 2012-034936 and 2005-253627 do not mention those problems. The techniques disclosed in the documents are related to communication errors or delay due to internal factors in the X-ray imaging apparatus. No solution has been known for problems of communication errors or delay due to radio interference of the X-ray imaging apparatus with other radio network node or the like due to external factors of the X-ray imaging apparatus.

Radiographic imaging system and access controller for communication access


A gas mixer (8) which placed in a flow of gases upstream of a ring (3) that is to be heated or cooled, the gas mixer (8) including a succession of mbers (12, 14, 15) having communication or outlet orifices (16, 17, 18) in large numbers in order to render uniform a rate and temperature of the gas flow. The gas mixer (8) is applicable to gas turbine engines.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for blowing gases for regulating the clearances or gaps within a gas turbine engine.
2. Discussion of the Background
For some time it has been an aim to reduce the gaps between rotary and fixed parts of gas turbine engines and more particularly between the ends of blades and the opposing rings of the stator, especially in the turbines, in order to increase the efficiency of the engine, the thrust which it produces and the pumping reserve.
The gaps are variable during the operation of the engine between starting, transient states and the stable state, due to heating and centrifugal forces, which give rise to increasing mechanical and thermal deformations differing between the stator and the rotor. For this reason dynamic clearance regulating devices have already been designed, whereof the most widely used utilize a gas current, tapped from a portion of the engine, such as a compressor, and which circulates behind the stator rings, whereof the diameter is to be regulated. The gas cools or heats the rings, as a function of the engine part from which it comes and produces supplementary thermal deformations bringing said rings to the desired diameter. The extent of such deformations can be regulated with the tapped gas flow rate. Thus, gases can be tapped at several points of the engine and the corresponding channels are successively opened in order to obtain a deformation having the desired value. French patents 2 509 373 and 2 688 539 give a few examples of such configurations.
However, it has been observed that the thermal deformations produced are not always uniform, which can be attributed to a lack of homogeneity of the gas flow along the circumference of the ring, or a lack of temperature uniformity if it comes from several pipes issuing in front of successive ring portions.

Device for blowing gases for regulating clearances in a gas turbine engine

Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation


The present invention relates to a pixel cell and pixel cell array modified to improve performance. One improvement taught by the present invention is implantation of dopant into the silicon to form the base region after formation of polysilicon, resulting in highest base dopant concentrations lying at the thin oxide and emitter interfaces. A second improvement taught by the present invention is a reduction in the size of the heavily doped portion of the emitter to extend no further than the footprint of the emitter contact, thereby inhibiting leakage between the emitter and adjacent polysilicon. A third improvement taught by the present invention is electronic isolation of pixel cells by inter-pixel regions doped with conductivity-altering impurity of a type opposite that of the base rather than by field oxides, thereby eliminating leakage at the field oxide edge. A fourth improvement disclosed by the present invention is the introduction of silicides at the emitter contact and the base capacitor contact in order to reduce contact resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pixel cell structures and pixel cell arrays, and more particularly, to pixel cells and pixel cell arrays having improved leakage and performance characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pixel cells convert incident light energy into corresponding electrical signals that can be processed and measured. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,958 to Mead, et al. discloses a pixel cell structure formed from a bipolar phototransistor. A cross-section of this conventional pixel cell structure is shown in FIG. 1.
Conventional NPN bipolar phototransistor 10 is formed within N type well 12 present within lightly doped P type substrate 14. N well 12 serves as the collector of bipolar transistor 10. Lightly doped P type region 16 is created inside N well 12 and serves as the base of bipolar phototransistor 10. Heavily doped N type region 18 is created within lightly P doped type base 16 and serves as the emitter of bipolar transistor 10. Electrically active base 16, emitter 18, and collector 12 regions of conventional pixel cell 10 are isolated from adjacent pixel cells by field oxide structures 20. Thin oxide layer 22 is formed over field oxide 20 and lightly doped P type base 16. Thin oxide layer 22 acts as the dielectric layer of a capacitor having polysilicon 24 and base 16 as plates. In this manner, polysilicon layer 24 is capacitively coupled with base 16 through thin oxide layer 22, and drives base 16. Polysilicon layer 24 also serves as a portion of a row-select line. Emitter contact 26 (typically aluminum metal) is formed on top of heavily doped N type emitter region 18 and is in electrical communication with a column-sense line (not shown). N well 12 is in electrical communication with a positive supply voltage (not shown).
Under normal operation, a charge generated by light incident on the surface of the pixel cell collects during an integration time period, and is subsequently read out to indicate the intensity of the incident light. Specifically, photons 28 incident on the surface of pixel cell 10 pass though polysilicon layer 24 and enter lightly doped P type base 16 during an integration time period. These incident photons generate electron/hole pairs within lightly doped P type base 16.
Polysilicon 24 is maintained at a relatively low voltage during the integration time period. Because base 16 is capacitively coupled with polysilicon 24, base 16 is maintained at a relatively low base voltage during the integration time period, so that holes generated by the passage of incident photons collect in base 16. Electrons generated by the impact of incident photons drift away to N type emitter region 18 or collector region 12.
At the conclusion of the integration period, the voltage applied to polysilicon 24 is increased. The corresponding positive voltage change that is communicated to base 16 through thin oxide 22 permits current to flow from base 16 into emitter 18. Thus, holes that have collected in base 16 during the integration period, multiplied by the current gain of bipolar transistor 10, flow from base 16 into emitter 18. This flow of holes is output through emitter contact 26 onto the column-sense line, and can be detected to determine the quantity of incident photons.
FIG. 2 shows an array 224 of conventional pixel cells 210 forming part of imaging device 212. Rows of individual pixel cells 210 share common row select lines 214, and columns of individual pixel cells 210 share common column-sense lines 216. The thin oxide layer 215 between the base 217 and the polysilicon 219 functions as the dielectric layer of a capacitor 218. The collector region underlying the pixel cells is connected to a positive supply voltage 220. Field oxide structures 222 are present in the inter-pixel regions. The electrical isolation provided by field oxide structures 222 ensures that operation of each pixel cell 210 is unaffected by electrical fields generated by nearby pixel cells.
While functional, pixel cell 10 shown in FIG. 1 and pixel cell array 224 shown in FIG. 2 suffer from a number of disadvantages.
A first disadvantage associated with conventional pixel cell 10 is unwanted formation of an inversion layer in base 16 at a depth below the interface with thin oxide 22.
Base 16 is conventionally formed by implanting dopant into the silicon prior to the formation of polysilicon 24. Subsequently, thin oxide 22 and polysilicon 24 are created on top of base 16, and emitter region 18 is formed within base 16 by high dosage, low-energy implant of conductivity-altering dopant of a type opposite that of the base.
FIG. 3A plots dopant concentration versus depth below the silicon surface in the emitter region, resulting from high energy implantation of P type dopant prior to the formation of polysilicon. FIG. 3A reveals that high energy implantation of P type dopant to form the base, results in highest P type dopant concentration lying at a depth Z below the silicon surface. The dopant profile shown in FIG. 3A is advantageous for pixel cell device 10 because 1) regions shallower than Z contain less P type dopant, and are thus available to receive concentrated N type dopant to form the emitter; 2) the P type dopant extends deeply into the silicon, and thereby isolates the emitter region; and 3) the interface between highest N and P type dopant levels is abrupt and clearly defined, allowing for optimum P/N junction performance.
Unfortunately, formation of base 16 by high energy implant prior to the formation of polysilicon may cause an inversion layer to form underneath the thin oxide layer 22. FIG. 3B plots dopant concentration versus depth below the silicon surface in the base region underlying the thin oxide, resulting from high energy implantation of P type dopant prior to the formation of polysilicon. As with FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B reveals that high energy implantation creates highest P type dopant concentrations at a depth Z below the surface of the silicon. However, optimum capacitive coupling between base 16 and polysilicon 24 of NPN bipolar phototransistor 10 occurs where silicon in base 16 immediately beneath thin oxide 22 operates in a state of accumulation, wherein majority carriers are plentiful and are able to gather at a minimum distance from polysilicon 24. In NPN bipolar phototransistor 10, holes are the majority carriers in base 16, and must encounter P type dopant at the thin oxide interface in order to ensure optimal capacitive coupling between base 16 and polysilicon 24.
Unfortunately however, FIG. 3B reveals that high energy implant of P type dopant creates the most concentrated level of P type dopant at a depth Z below the surface of the silicon. Having the dopant concentrated at a depth Z below the surface leaves insufficient doping near the surface, such that the majority carriers easily become depleted near the surface. This state of depletion, as opposed to the state of accumulation in which carriers are plentiful, reduces the capacitive coupling between base 16 and polysilicon 24. If the dopant concentration of the base implant is very low relative to the collector dopant concentration near the surface, it is even possible, for sufficiently high voltage on polysilicon 24, for the surface area to be in a state of inversion, in which minority carriers are drawn into the surface region and cause unwanted conduction between the nearby regions of the other conductivity type, i.e., between collector and emitter.
FIG. 3C plots dopant concentration versus depth below the silicon surface in the emitter region, resulting from the alternative prior art method of low energy implantation of P type dopant to form the base prior to the formation of polysilicon. FIG. 3D plots dopant concentration versus depth below the silicon surface in the base region underlying the thin oxide, resulting from low energy implantation of P type dopant to form the base prior to the formation of polysilicon.
FIG. 3D indicates that utilization of a low energy implant no longer creates a depletion or inversion region, as P type dopant concentrations in base 16 are sufficiently high at the thin oxide interface.
Unfortunately however, FIG. 3C reveals that low energy implantation of P type dopant to form base 16 places the highest concentration of P type dopant at a relatively shallow depth that may later lie within the emitter. The dopant profile shown in FIG. 3C forces the subsequent N type emitter implant to overcome these high levels of P type dopant, and also blurs the P/N junction, resulting in less efficient operation of the base and emitter of bipolar phototransistor 10. Low energy implant of P type dopant as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D also makes the overall base region more shallow, resulting in less effective isolation of the emitter region from the underlying collector.
Therefore, it is desirable to fabricate a bipolar phototransistor having a base dopant profile that incorporates the best features of the high energy implant shown in FIG. 3A near the emitter, and the best features of the low energy implant shown in FIG. 3D in the region outside the emitter under the thin oxide.
A second disadvantage associated with conventional pixel cell 10 is leakage of current at the edge of emitter region 18. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the junction between emitter region 18 and base 16 of conventional NPN bipolar phototransistor pixel cell 10. During operation of pixel cell 10, relatively high voltages are present at both heavily doped N type emitter region 18 and polysilicon 24. Edge 18a of the emitter region 18 adjacent to polysilicon 24 is therefore subjected to particularly high electric fields. As a result of these intense electric fields, leakage can occur between edge 18a of N+ emitter region 18, and polysilicon 24.
Therefore, it is desirable to design a pixel cell wherein the size of the heavily doped portion of the emitter region is reduced, increasing the distance between the edge of the emitter and adjacent polysilicon and thereby suppressing leakage between these points.
A third disadvantage associated with conventional NPN bipolar phototransistor pixel cell 10 is leakage of current at the field oxide interface. FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the interface between base 16 and field oxide 20 of conventional pixel cell 10.
While field oxide 20 is relatively thick in most places, edge 20a of the field oxide 20 thins to a narrow and relatively fragile "bird's beak" structure 20b. Formation of "bird's beak" 20b is an inevitable result of conventional field oxide growth processes. However, because of the relatively small oxide thickness present at edge 20a of field oxide 20, region 20a is exposed to particularly high electric fields during the conventional operation of pixel cell 10. The relative fragility of bird's beak 20b renders this region especially vulnerable to leakage.
Therefore, it is desirable to create a pixel cell structure that eliminates the field oxide edge as a potential source of leakage.
A fourth disadvantage associated with conventional pixel cell 10 is high resistance occurring at the point of contact between the pixel cell and the row-select and column-sense lines that link the pixel cell to the pixel cell array. Resistance of the polysilicon 24 may elevate the amount of voltage required on the row-select line in order to manipulate the pixel cell via capacitive coupling with the base, thereby needlessly subjecting the device to additional strain. Resistance between emitter contact 26 and the emitter region 18 may distort the integrity of the integration charge output to the column-sense line.
Therefore, it is desirable to design a pixel cell having low resistance contacts with the rows-select and column-sense lines.

Pixel cells and pixel cell arrays having low leakage and improved performance characteristics


A method for detecting extraneous matter in a fluid including the steps of applying an energy source to electrodes located in a fluid, measuring real and imaginary electrical impedance values across the electrodes for a plurality of different frequencies of alternating energy and identifying at least one characteristic of an extraneous matter in the fluid.

It has been estimated that the repairs and down time caused by oil-related engine or other machine failures represent about 30–50% of the operation cost in Australian mining industry. In the economies of developed countries the damage from machine and engine wear represents about 6% of the gross national product. Thus, the development of effective techniques for the reliable prognosis of wear and maintaining the effectiveness of working lubrication oils is of substantial interest. Current diagnostic tests based on Scheduled Oil Sampling can not promptly detect a rapidly progressing component failure or a sudden ingestion of oil contaminants.
Furthermore, in many situations the timing of any oil change is associated with the measured use of the vehicle or machine using the oil rather than the actual condition of the oil. Ideally it would be desirable to monitor the condition of the oil so that information can be obtained about deterioration or contamination in the oil before any catastrophic failure of the machine or machine components can take place.
Different methods have been adopted for monitoring the condition of oil. For example, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,362 discloses an apparatus for detecting ferromagnetic particles in lubricating oil. The apparatus consists of two windings inductively coupled via the lubricating oil. A permanent magnet located behind a sensor winding generates a magnetic flux which attracts ferromagnetic particles giving rise to pulses in the sensor winding.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,732 describes a system which utilises both a permanent magnet and electro magnet to simultaneously impose their magnetic fields upon the lubricating oil so as to attract ferromagnetic particles in the oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,656 discloses an array of sensors in conjunction with a magnetic field intensity gradient to obtain a particulate distribution of ferrous particles across the array. Unfortunately, the systems of both of these patents are sensitive to mechanical vibration commonly encountered in moving machines. Furthermore, only limited information can be obtained about degradation of the oil which is being monitored.
Other systems have also been devised for monitoring oil contamination, such as those that measure dielectric constant. However, there is no system which is currently able to monitor a range of oil contaminants and which may be applicable to analysis and monitoring of other fluids.


An enclosure which can be mounted into a common opened window, having a redundant series of attachments and engagements which minimize the likelihood of the enclosure and the enclosure's contents from falling to the ground outdoors. In the event that one attachment or engagement fails; the other attachments and engagements function together to prevent the enclosure from falling to the ground outdoors. An enclosure which requires minimal assembly by the user. An enclosure which is collapsible, portable, and lightweight. An enclosure which can be constructed of strong and rigid materials which are inexpensive and some are renewable. An enclosure which can be easily manufactured. An enclosure which self-adjusts to the length of various window sashes. An enclosure which can prevent insects and rain from entering the home. An enclosure which is sheltered from precipitation and sun. An enclosure which can be configured differently, and repurposed by the user.

There are millions (if not billions) of pets around the world. A vast number of these pets are indoor pets. These pets are instinctively interested in the outside world because they have evolved as outside creatures. These pets' humans struggle with being able to safely provide the pet with outdoor access. This is true with cats and other smaller pets. This is especially true with cats and other smaller pets who live in cities.
There are millions of window-fitted air conditioners around the world. These air conditioners protrude from windows toward the outdoors. A vast majority of these air conditioners structurally engage the window's lower sash, stoop, and occasionally, sash channels. A vast majority of these air conditioners will fall from windows from which they protrude if any of these engagements fail to hold the air conditioner in the window. There are numerous examples of this actually happening and causing damage and injury.
There are numerous plant enthusiasts around the world who wish to place their plants outside of their windows in an effort to expose their plants to more sun.
Enclosures
There have been several ideas about how to allow pets to have access to the outside without actually letting these pets roam at will due to the dangers presented by the outside world.
Pat. No.InventorDate Issued1,460,945ChapinJul. 3, 19231,575,683GrovesMar. 9, 19264,021,975CalkinsMay 10, 19774,022,263BeckettMay 10, 19774,023,306RuggieriMay 17, 19774,029,048GershbeinJun. 14, 19774,057,031WilliamsNov. 8, 19774,224,899CruchelowSep. 30, 19804,256,056SouMar. 17, 19814,291,645CruchelowSep. 19, 19814,445,459JulieMar. 1, 19844,484,540YamamotoNov. 27, 19844,673,606OndrasikAug. 16, 19884,788,934FetterDec. 16, 19884,803,951DavisFeb. 14, 19894,811,968BoldenMar. 14, 19894,858,561SpringerAug. 22, 19894,909,188TominagaSep. 20, 19904,917,047WazeterApr. 17, 19904,389,546CannadayFeb. 5, 19915,000,121DailyMar. 19, 19915,016,571TotaroMay 21, 19915,054,426PanarelliOct. 8, 19915,113,793LeaderMay 19, 19925,148,767TorchioSep. 22, 19925,167,202BradfordDec. 1, 19925,195,457NamannyMar. 23, 19935,261,350VavrekNov. 16, 19935,277,148RossignolJan. 11, 19945,337,697TrimarchiAug. 16, 19945,353,738ChiuOct. 11, 19945,469,807KozmaczeskaNov. 28, 19955,522,344DemurjianJun. 4, 19965,803,019HeilbornSep. 8, 19985,890,455DoncheyApr. 6, 19996,082,305Burns*Jul. 4, 20006,470,829SpanglerOct. 29, 2002
Of all the inventions referenced above; only a few comparisons to the present invention will be made:
4023306 issued to Ruggieri on May 17, 1977 was designed to be fitted into an opened window. Ruggieri's invention differs from the present invention because:                Ruggieri's design does not self-adjust to engage the window's sash channels. It must be adjusted by the person who fits the device into a window        Ruggieri's design does not engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        Ruggieri's design does not have a redundant series of attachments and engagements which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors
4989546 issued to Cannaday on Feb. 5, 1991 was designed to be fitted into an opened window. Cannaday's invention differs from the present invention because:                Cannaday's design does not self-adjust to engage the side sash channels.        Cannaday's design does not structurally engage sash channels        Cannaday's design does not engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        Cannaday's design does not have a redundant series of attachments and engagements which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors        Cannaday's design is not collapsible
5148767 issued to Torchio on Sep. 22, 1992 was designed to be fitted into an opened window. Torchio's invention differs from the present invention because:                Torchio's design does not self-adjust to engage the side sash channels.        Torchio's design does not structurally engage sash channels        Torchio's design does not engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        Torchio's design does not have a redundant series of attachments and engagements which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors        Torchio's design is not collapsible
5522344 issued to Demurjian on Jun. 4, 1996 was designed to be fitted into an opened window. Demurjian's invention differs from the present invention because:                Demurjian's design does not self-adjust to engage the side sash channels.        Demurjian's design does not structurally engage sash channels        Demurjian's design does not engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        Demurjian's design does not have a redundant series of attachments and engagements which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors
6470829 issued to Spangler on Oct. 29, 2002 was designed to be fitted into an opened window. Spangler's invention has apparatus to expand the interior of enclosure upon unfolding the enclosure like present invention. Spangler's invention is very similar to present invention; however, Spangler's invention differs from the present invention because:                Spangler's design does not self-adjust to engage the side sash channels.        Spangler's design does not structurally engage sash channels        Spangler's design does not engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        Spangler's design does not have a redundant series of attachments and engagements which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors
Pet owners need to assure that their pet is safe while using these window-mounted enclosures. They need to assure that their pets have access to fresh air, have unobstructed views of the outside world, are not exposed to too much heat or cold, and cannot fall to the ground outside (especially if they live high above the ground).
Of all the patented enclosures designed to be mounted into opened window; the present invention differs because:                None are equipped with a redundant system of engagements and attachments which can prevent invention from falling to the ground outdoors        None engage lower window sash's points of maximum leverage against outward force against said sash's lower rail        None self-adjust to the width of sash channels structurally        None use suspension cables to simultaneously support indoor and outdoor platforms        None use suspension cables as flexible attachment points which simultaneously allow indoor and outdoor shelves to fold and unfold to a vertical member.
Folding or Collapsible Shelves
There have been several ideas about folding or collapsible shelves.
Pat. No.InventorDate Issued  170,115RobertsNov. 16, 1875  179,071ShirleyJun. 20, 1876  678,031PeachJul. 9, 1901  721,488Witham & ByrneFeb. 24, 1903  727,423OppenheimerMay 5, 1903  841,574SandhoferJan. 15, 1907  858,112SmartJun. 25, 19071,518,091MathisApr. 4, 19241,897,810MalloryFeb. 14, 19332,059,011MoewesOct. 27, 19362,205,193GoldmanJun. 18, 19402,441,037SherrinMay 4, 19482,510,175HessJun. 6, 19503,364,885BrothersJan. 23, 19684,188,891BoyajianFeb. 19, 19804,195,577GrossApr. 1, 19805,020,756BauerJun. 4, 19915,794,385DonovanAug. 18, 19981,347,116MorganJul. 20, 19201,917,336SpitzJul. 11, 19332,069,067HoffmanJan. 26, 19373,285,206HoffmanNov. 15, 1966
Of all the patented folding shelves; the present invention differs because:                None are equipped with a redundant system of engagements and attachments which are designed to prevent the shelf from falling to the ground outdoors        None offer simultaneous access to the outdoors and indoors for pets        None can restrict insect traversal from the outdoors to indoors        None can restrict temperature traversal from the indoors to outdoors and vice versa        None are equipped with enclosures
Fall Prevention
There have been examples of enclosures which are designed to prevent the contents of said enclosure from falling to the ground outdoors.
Pat. No.InventorDate Issued8,414,367Virag et alApr. 9, 20138,998,690Virag et alApr. 7, 2015
With regard to enclosures which prevent contents within said enclosure from falling to the ground outdoors:                None are equipped with a redundant system of engagements and attachments which are designed to prevent the air conditioner from falling to the ground outdoors        None offer simultaneous access to the outdoors and indoors        None offer insect traversal protection from the outdoors to indoors        None offer temperature traversal protection from the indoors to outdoors and vice versa

Portable, collapsible, opened window mounted enclosure with redundant fall prevention


In an example, an ontology analyzer may generate an ontology, based on a claim adjudication request. The claim adjudication request may be processed, based on the ontology to provide an ontology based inference. A rule based analyzer may identify a predefined rule corresponding to the claim adjudication request and process the request, based on the predefined rule. A conflict resolver may resolve a conflict which may occur between the ontology based inference and the rule based inference. When a conflict is detected, a predefined criteria may be selected for resolving the conflict, the predefined criteria comprising rules to select one of the ontology based inference and the rule based inference to maximize a probability of accurately processing the claim adjudication request in case of a conflict.

Claims adjudication refers to a process of paying claims submitted by a person or denying them after comparing the claims with benefits and coverage details indicated in a policy. Claims adjudication process is generally a lengthy and complex process, which involves analysis of data associated with a user and a corresponding policy, based on which a claim is submitted.
The claims adjudication process typically starts with the receiving of a claim request, including details required for processing the claim request. The processing of the claim request for claim adjudication often requires substantial manual intervention. For example, implementation of claims adjudication may require manual development of process maps from policies and generation of rules based on translating natural language content of the policies into rules. Likewise, the data pertaining to users may also need to be processed for analyzing the data with respect to policies. This may entail developing ontologies and inferring from such ontologies. However, curating knowledge in various forms of knowledge representation, such as ontologies and rules, is typically labor intensive and error prone.
Despite the automation of certain processes, considerable manual intervention may be required. For example, in cases where two or independent components for analyzing data in different knowledge forms may provide conflicting results, manual intervention may be required to resolve the conflict. Alternatively, in order to avoid such conflicts a system may be configured to include one of the two components. But this approach may suffer from limitations as well. This is because the system may not benefit from the knowledge obtained by the other component. Indeed, the omitted component may be essential for efficient and accurate claim adjudication and absence of one or more of such components, may affect the claim adjudication process.
Consequently, such claim adjudication may be labor intensive, costly, time consuming, and error prone or may not be provide for efficient and accurate claim adjudication due to conflicts or absence of certain essential components. There is therefore a need for technical solutions that incorporate different systems for analyzing data in different knowledge forms for more accurate and efficient claims adjudication.


A light-emitting device is disclosed including a light emitting structure comprising a lower layer of the first conductivity type, an active layer, an upper layer of the second conductivity type; a first electrode connected to the lower layer of the first conductivity type; a second electrode connected to the upper layer of the second conductivity type. The light emitting structure is formed using a shell member, which comprises a planar portion and a shell portion. The extent of growth defects such as misfit dislocations is reduced and the extraction of light and heat is improved in the present device. The beam profile of the device may be altered by patterning the light emitting structure instead of shaping the entire chip. The device may be manufactured in a way more compatible with the established, cost-effective processing and packaging methods for large size wafers from the IC industry.

The present invention relates in general to the fabrication of semiconductor light emitting devices (LED), and in particular, to an LED with improved luminance efficiency.
In a conventional LED, the light emitting structures is disposed on the surface of a substrate wafer comprising an active region sandwiched between upper and lower layer of opposite conductivity. The active region may contain multiple quantum wells (MQW) comprising alternating barrier layer and well layer to improve light generation efficiency. A blocking layer is also preferably included adjacent to the MQW to reduce the carrier leakage. In a GaN LED for example, the MQW contains GaN barrier layers and InGaN well layers in a blue LED. Typical substrates in the production of GaN LED are sapphire, SiC and Si. There are several issues in the conventional device. For example, there is a significant lattice mismatch of 13% and a thermal mismatch of −34% between GaN layer and sapphire. As a result, a stress is imposed in the thin GaN layer when registered on a thick sapphire substrate wafer. The strain energy continues to build up as the layer grows thicker. Beyond a critical thickness, the excess energy is relaxed and the lattice coherence between the layer and the substrate breaks down. This is accompanied by the formation of misfit dislocation defects in the vicinity of the substrate interface. The dislocation defect may find its way to thread into the active region during the high-temperature deposition of the upper layers. This would impair the light generation efficiency of the LED and adversely affect the performance of the device. The situation becomes worse in the GaN/Si materials system, which exhibits a lattice mismatch of 17% and a thermal mismatch of +100% between the GaN layer and the Si substrate wafer. In this case, the relaxation of the excessive strain energy often leads to the formation of micro cracks making the device inoperative. For reliable operation of the GaN LED especially when used in lighting applications, it is essential to achieve a high internal efficiency by keeping the defect level low in the device.
Special techniques using a strained layer superlattice has been attempted to amend the situation. For instance, the misfit dislocation defects may bend over at the interface and are refrained from propagating into the active region. Other methods such as selected area growth (SEG), epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO), pendeo-epitaxy and patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) have been demonstrated effective in the reduction of the misfit defects. Devices using the ELO and the PSS methods have been described for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,277 to Ikeda et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,191 to Niki et al.
There are drawbacks in the prior art methods. In the context of the SEG and ELO methods, the layer is deposited through a seed window, or it is confined in a narrow channel. It often requires regrowth over multiple mask levels to block the dislocation defect. A single-step overgrowth is possible by growing the layers from a seed hole in a slit channel as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,456 to Schubert et al. However, the layer growth through a slit is less predictable due to the difficulty of fast switching of source nutrients within the narrow space confined in the channel. Moreover, the build up of thermal stress in the overgrowing layer that adheres intimately to the mask would cause layer distortion and generation of extra defects. In the context of the PSS method, a dry etching or a wet etching process has been frequently employed to form patterns on the surface of a substrate wafer, e.g., a sapphire substrate wafer for the growth of a GaN LED. However, it remains a challenge to maintain a uniform etching profile across the substrate surface. The situation gets worse as the wafer size increases.

Semiconductor light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same


Tank mounting pieces are provided in a body frame for a fuel tank mounting structure for mounting a fuel tank to the body frame of a saddle-ride type vehicle. More particularly, an upper rear frame is provided, located under the fuel tank, with a band stay for mounting to the body frame in a bottom wall of the fuel tank. The band stay and the metallic tank mounting pieces are connected together through a band member to fix the fuel tank to the body frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel tank mounting structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
A conventional fuel tank mounting structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle is known wherein a front portion of a fuel tank is bolted to a body frame and a rear portion of the fuel tank is secured to the body frame with use of a band. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319342.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319342 will be described below. The reference numerals used in the following description relating to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319342 are those referred to in the same literature.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319342, a fuel tank (19) is provided in a front portion thereof with a mounting piece (34) and is also provided in both side portions thereof with hooks (32), (32). A mounting surface (19a) is provided in the fuel tank (19).
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-319342, a body frame (1) includes a cross member (35) disposed bridgewise between right and left front pipes (8), (8) for mounting the mounting piece (34) of the fuel tank (19) with a bolt (37) through a rubber piece (36). A mounting seat (29) is provided for receiving a mounting surface (19a) of the fuel tank (19) through a mounting rubber (30). A hook (31) is provided wherein a band (33) with one end thereof engaged with a hook (32) of the fuel tank (19) is brought into engagement at an opposite end thereof. A body cover (7) is provided for covering the fuel tank (19) sideways.
Since the fuel tank (19) is covered sideways with the body cover (7), the mounting portions provided in the front portion and also in both side portions of the fuel tank (19) for mounting of the tank to the body frame (1) are not visible from the exterior. However, for example when the body cover (7) is reduced in size in an effort to obtain an appearance of a motorcycle, the aforesaid mounting portions of the fuel tank (19) for mounting of the tank to the body frame (1) are exposed to the exterior and therefore it is necessary to take some measure for improving the appearance.
Also when feeding fuel to the fuel tank (19), it is desired to give some consideration to the flow of fuel leaking from the fuel tank.

Fuel tank mounting structure in saddle-ride type vehicle


A method, a handheld electronic apparatus, and a car system for activating an application are provided. The handheld electronic apparatus obtains identification information from a car apparatus when the handheld electronic apparatus is connected to the car apparatus. Herein, the car apparatus is coupled to a power connection unit of a vehicle. The handheld electronic apparatus activates an application corresponding to the identification information after obtaining the identification information.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a handheld electronic apparatus and an operation method thereof. Particularly, the disclosure relates to a method, a handheld electronic apparatus, and a car system for automatically activating application.
2. Related Art
In recent years, along with quick development of technology industry, electronic products such as mobile phones, tablet computers, notebook computers, and smart phones, etc. are widely used, and are developed to be convenient in usage, multi functional and elegant in appearance, so as to provide users more choices.
Since functions of the mobile devices are gradually increased, the mobile devices are indispensable in peoples' daily life. For example, taking a driving process as an example, drivers gradually rely on a calling function or a positioning function of the mobile device in order to keep contacting to others or sending messages while driving. Therefore, a car kit capable of fixing the mobile device relative to the vehicle becomes car equipment facilitating the driver's usage. Moreover, in the vehicle, the electronic products can be connected to different devices such as a Bluetooth dongle to execute extra applications such as music playing, etc. to increase usability of the electronic product.

Method for activating application, handheld electronic apparatus and car system


A scanning system, including a main housing, and at least one optical wedge (12) rotatable about a shaft means (40) located within the main housing (26), wherein a laser beam having an optical axis and incident on the optical wedge (12), is refracted at least once by the wedge; characterized in that the shaft means (40) passes through the center of the at least one wedge (12) and that the optical axis of the incident laser beam is substantially parallel to, but laterally offset from, the shaft means (40).

Scanners are used in electro-optical devices for target acquisition, obstacle warning systems, range measurement, 3-dimensional profiling, and the like, with the object, e.g., in target acquisition, being "painted" by the controlled laser scanning beam. The laser light reflected from the object is received by the detector section of the device and, after processing, produces a real-time image of the object.
Known solutions for scanning include electro-optical or acousto-optical crystals, the index of refraction of which, and therefore the deflection of the laser beam, can be altered by changing the voltage, respectively the mechanical pressure applied. This solution, however, is useful only for very small apertures and requires complex electronics.
Also known is the use of mirrors. By rotating two mirrors simultaneously, it is possible to produce a scanning effect. Yet with increasing optical aperture, attainable speeds and accuracy are reduced. Also, when large apertures are required, mirror-type scanners need a large space for two mirrors that rotate in planes perpendicular or parallel to one another. Furthermore, mirrors are very sensitive to environmental conditions in terms of vibrations and temperature fluctuations.
Rotating wedges are the best solution for fast wide angle scanning and medium-to-large apertures. Scanning by a pair of optical wedges facilitates a design that is not only compact, but, in principle, is also nearly insensitive to environmental conditions. However, the classic wedge-type scanners suffer from serious drawbacks. The optical wedges are mounted in, or bonded to, annular metal mounts which are then press-fitted into the inside diameter of the internal race of large, peripheral bearings. The outer races of the bearings are then pressed into the inside diameter of the main housing of the device.
With increasing optical aperture, the above-described design becomes very heavy and loses its compactness. Large mounts and bearings have large moments of inertia, slowing down scanner responses. A more serious problem, however, resides in the fact that with increasing bearing diameter, the friction moment of the bearing increases exponentially. The relation between the friction moment and bearing diameter is approximately as follows:M=f(D2)                wherein:        M=friction moment, and        D=bearing diameter.
With larger bearing diameters, the friction moment becomes the principal moment in the system, requiring larger motors that consume more power and produce more heat to be dissipated. A larger torque also demands heavier gear transmissions. Altogether, larger torque demands not only reduce the service life of the system, but also make control of the wedges more difficult, especially when oscillating movement is required, as well as impairing the reading accuracy of the wedge position.


A valve includes a set screw that is screwable into and out of a complementary female threaded opening in a valve part for changing a setting of the valve, for changing an adjustable flow restriction of the valve, in which the set screw includes a free outer end that projects outside the valve part, and a gripping part on its free outer end for a tool to be engageable thereupon. The free outer end of the set screw includes a male thread onto which a locking nut is screwed. A protective cap is provided for covering the free outer end, that includes a first cap portion with a rotation space for fitting freely rotatable over the locking nut, and a second cap portion with a complementary female thread that is screwed onto the male thread towards a locked position.

For example WO 2016/038162 discloses a three-position booster valve having a quick exhaust option that is provided with a pilot pressure operated piston-cylinder control system for moving supply and exhaust valve cores between open and closed positions. Such three-position booster valves for example can be used as volume booster for operating a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator of a large valve positioner in a pipeline. A pilot port is provided that connects to one side of the piston-cylinder control system for moving the valve cores in response to a pilot signal coming from the pilot port. The control system further comprises medium passages that connect opposing sides of the piston-cylinder control system to inlet and outlet ports respectively. One of those passages forms a bypass between the pilot pressure and the outlet pressure. Certain bleed may occur through this bypass which may limit overshoot of the outlet pressure and thus may help to limit peak forces. An adjustable restriction is provided in one of those medium passages. This adjustable restriction is formed by a bypass set screw which can be screwed further into or out of the passage in order to set an amount of restriction inside the passage. Thus the bypass set screw makes it possible to affect a reaction curve of the control valve.
A disadvantage herewith is that after a fine-tuning of the performance of the booster valve has taken place by adjusting the bypass set screw, it remains possible for anyone to change the valve settings unauthorized. No specific tools or the like are needed for adjusting the valve. A simple screw driver suffices. Such an unauthorized change of settings however could also be done by someone who wants to try to tamper with the valve. Furthermore it may lead to unsafe situations, for example if the booster valve is used in hazardous situations like the oil & gas or petrochemical industry. It may also appear in practice that unexperienced personnel interprets the bypass set screw as a mounting screw and together with other mounting screws starts checking them for not being loose. This then could lead to this well-intended personnel starting to screw the set screw into the valve housing until it is fully fixed. This however would entirely block the bypass and prevent any bleed to occur, leading to overshoot of the outlet pressure and peak forces to occur. Another disadvantage of this valve construction is that the valve settings may get changed under vibrations or other external forces. It is therefore already suggested that a locking nut is to be provided on the free end portion of the bypass set screw for locking it in its position relative to the housing. Specific tools or the like then however still are not required for starting to adjust the valve. A simple wrench and screw driver would still suffice.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,710 shows a set screw of a valve that has gotten capped after having been adjusted. For the capping a sleeve-shaped holder portion is fixedly connected to or forms part of a wall part of the valve. The holder portion partly covers the outer periphery of the set screw. In the FIG. 5 embodiment the set screw is threadedly engaged in a complementary female threaded part inside the sleeve-shaped holder portion. A cover is subsequently press-fitted into a widened cylindrical free end part of the holder portion. The cover shields an operating head portion of the set screw. An elastic ring-shaped stopper with a plurality of pawls on its inner peripheral surface is provided inside the widened cylindrical free end part between the holder portion and the cover for tightly engaging with the outer periphery of the set screw to inhibit any casual movement thereof. The cover is either made of an easily destroyable material or so constructed that it can be easily broken. Thus the valve can be maintained in its initial proper setting, and it is possible to prevent any abnormal movement such as a casual return of the set screw due to vibrations or other external forces. Further it can prevent any improper adjustment by a user who is not familiar to such adjusting work or at a site with no proper measuring equipment, and also allows maintenance of controlled exhaust gas emission from an internal combustion engine after it is sold to a user.
A disadvantage herewith is that the functioning of the holder portion, cover and stopper leave to be improved. Together they form a relative complex and expensive construction. The multiple distinctive parts need to be assembled with each other in a specific manner and order. During this assembly, the cover may prematurely get broken because of being made of an easily destroyable material or so constructed that it can be easily broken. This particularly can occur when the cover is used to push the stopper forward towards its grip position where it tightly engages with the outer periphery of the set screw. Furthermore it is disadvantageous that the set screw can only be put into an operable condition by breaking the cover. This makes it necessary to replace the cover each time an adjustment is desired. Also this still makes it relative easy for someone to illegally tamper the settings of the valve, simply by breaking the cover and then screwing the set screw further into or out of the holder portion. No special tools are needed for that. A simple breaking of the cover suffices, after which a standard screw driver can be used to change the valve settings. Thus, despite the capping of the set screw by means of the holder portion and the cover, this still merely is able to offer a limited amount of protection against tampering.

Valve with a locked set screw that is covered with a cap having a rotation space fitting freely over a nut and a female threaded portion screwed onto the set screw


Embodiments disclosed include methods of processing substrates, including methods of forming conductive connections to substrates. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes forming a material to be etched over a first material of a substrate. The material to be etched and the first material are of different compositions. The material to be etched is etched in a dry etch chamber to expose the first material. After the etching, the first material is contacted with a non-oxygen-containing gas in situ within the dry etch chamber effective to form a second material physically contacting onto the first material. The second material comprises a component of the first material and a component of the gas. In one embodiment, the first material is contacted with a gas that may or may not include oxygen in situ within the dry etch chamber effective to form a conductive second material.

Copper is a material finding increasing use as a conductive metal in interconnections for high performance integrated circuit applications. It has lower electrical resistance and better electromigration performance in comparison with many other metals, including aluminum. Copper can be readily deposited by chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, electroless deposition, and electroplating. Chemical vapor deposition and electroplating techniques provide good step coverage, with electroplating techniques usually being the lower cost of the two.
Copper interconnects are typically formed within or adjacent various interlevel dielectric layers which commonly comprise silicon dioxide. Unfortunately, copper can migrate or diffuse into silicon dioxide when subjected to high temperature or high bias. Copper diffusion into silicon dioxide tends to one or both of deteriorate the insulative characteristics of the silicon dioxide and may cause device leakage currents. Further, copper does not readily adhere to silicon dioxide surfaces. To overcome these issues, adhesion promoter/diffusion barrier layers have been provided intermediate copper interconnects and interlayer dielectrics such as silicon dioxide. Example adhesion promoter/diffusion barrier layer materials include physical vapor deposited tantalum or tantalum nitride. A copper-comprising seed layer is then typically deposited over the barrier layer to provide a highly conductive surface for subsequent copper deposition using electroplating.
Recently, the copper seed layer has been formed to comprise an alloy of copper and aluminum or an alloy of copper and magnesium. It has been discovered that subsequent heating of the substrate has a tendency to cause the aluminum and/or magnesium atoms within the seed layer to migrate into the electroplated copper and to the elevationally outermost surface thereof. Such desirably forms a conductive passivation layer which can serve to both protect the outer copper surface and provide a good conductive interconnect for metal which might be deposited subsequently in conductive connection therewith. Yet, the migration of the aluminum and/or magnesium atoms to the outer surface of the electroplated copper is not very controlled, and does not produce readily repeatable results. Embodiments of the invention were motivated in addressing the above-identified issues. However, the artisan will appreciate that embodiments of the invention will have applicability beyond addressing the above-identified issues, and as is explained and expanded upon below.

Methods of processing substrates and methods of forming conductive connections to substrates


A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for adjusting the service provided to customers or others contacting an organization (e.g., via a telephone call) based at least in part on the assessed value of the contacting party to the organization. In such situations, the organization assesses one or more aspects of the customer, such as a potential future value of the customer to the organization. After one or more such customer aspect assessments are available, the organization can adjust the service to be provided to the customer based on those assessments in various ways, such as by selecting one of multiple available human representatives as appropriate to respond to a received communication from the customer (e.g., based also on ratings of relevant capabilities of the representatives) and/or by selecting one or more appropriate offers to be made available to the customer.

Historically, companies treated all customers equally in most situations, regardless of their relationship with the customers. Thus, for example, when a company was receiving telephone calls from customers (e.g., for technical support or to purchase new products/services), each customer would typically wait in the same queue of callers for the next available company representative, regardless of a customer's previous value or potential future value to the company. Some companies have taken limited steps to provide better service to some customers in such situations, such as by reducing the wait time for certain customers and/or by providing certain customers with distinct telephone numbers with which to contact the company to receive differentiated service. However, such existing techniques are limited in their effectiveness (e.g., in order to provide some customers with distinct telephone numbers for contacting the company, the company must identify those customers in advance and maintain additional infrastructure to provide the different communication channels).
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide enhanced techniques for tailoring the service provided to customers or others contacting an organization based on the value to the organization of the contacting party, such as to increase customer retention and maximize net revenues to the organization.

Managing received communications based on assessments of the senders


A valve includes a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defines a fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A device is included for restricting the flow between the inlet and the outlet which has a fixed flow restriction device for applying a pre-determined counter-flow pressure and a device for applying an additional counter-flow pressure according to the pressure in an environment external to the valve.

1. Technical Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to valves which may be used with mechanical seals.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a preferred, but not exclusive, application of the invention is to double mechanical seals in which a barrier or buffer fluid is used to lubricate and cool the components within the seal.
Reference will be made herein to mechanical seals and seal support systems, although it should be understood that valves of the invention have other applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A seal support system includes a vessel or tank containing a volume of fluid. The vessel is in piped connection to a mechanical seal which may be arranged to provide a seal within a pump or other item of rotating equipment. Normally, a return pipe extends from the mechanical seal back to the vessel. The resultant fluid loop is such that the fluid, contained within the vessel, may enter and exit the sealing device. Where a relatively large amount of heat is generated within the mechanical seal, a forced circulation system may be employed. In such a system barrier fluid is forced through the seal from the vessel by means of a pump and is then fed back to the vessel where the barrier fluid cools.
The AESSEAL PUMPPAC (registered trademark of AES Engineering Limited) is an arrangement which performs this task, having the ability to pressurise the barrier fluid being supplied to the mechanical seal. This ensures that, if there is any leakage across the seal face, it is always the barrier fluid which leaks in to the product, rather than the product (which may be hazardous to the environment) in to the atmosphere/vessel.
Typically the pressure of the barrier fluid is set 1 bar above that of the process fluid to ensure that, should leakage occur, it is in the manner indicated above.
It is known to provide a valve within the system in order to reduce the flow of barrier fluid to the seal when a pre-determined pressure difference is detected. However, if the product pressure varies but the back pressure applied to the barrier fluid is set at a fixed level, then excessive pressure within the mechanical seal may result in the seal having to work harder than is necessary, thereby causing the seal to deteriorate at a relatively fast rate.


A cosmetics case including a receptacle disposed on an upper level thereof for the cosmetics and a receiving drawer for a cosmetic set disposed in a lower level thereof, whereby when the user pushes a locking holder on an exterior, front wall thereof, a cover for the cosmetic set is opened and simultaneously with the receiving drawer for easily and conveniently accommodating the contents of the cosmetic case.

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) based on Patent Application No. 2003-0023582 filed in Korea on Apr. 15, 2003, the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cosmetics case and more particularly, to an improved cosmetics case including a receptacle for the cosmetics and a cosmetic set receiving drawer disposed under the receptacle, whereby when the user pushes a locking holder thereof, the top (cover) of the cosmetic case is opened and the cosmetic set receiving drawer is simultaneously opened for easily and conveniently providing access to the contents of the cosmetic case.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of cosmetics cases are well known in the art. Generally, a conventional cosmetics case includes a plurality of compartments for containing a number of cosmetics and cosmetic devices disposed in the compartments.
However, such conventional cosmetic cases suffer from a number of problems. For example, when such a conventional cosmetic case is carried in a handbag, movement of the handbag can cause the cosmetics and the cosmetic set to mix together, creating a mess. Also, the cosmetic implements may be damaged by colliding with each other.
In order to solve such problems, the user has used separate accommodations for cosmetics and cosmetic devices. However, it is difficult and inconvenient in certain situations to apply make-up by utilizing two separate cases, for example, when riding in moving cars, ships or airplanes. In such situations, the user encounters difficulty in effectively utilizing two separate cases, which require enhanced dexterity in opening and closing the two cases.


In a motor-driven steering apparatus in which a handle stay provided with a steering handle is fixed to a steering shaft, and a motor-driven steering assist unit is interposed between the steering shaft and a tire wheel side steering member, and a taper coupling portion provided in the handle stay is coupled and fixed to a taper support portion provided in the steering shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor-driven steering apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a motor-driven steering apparatus, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2-193790 (patent document 1), there is a structure in which a handle stay provided with a steering handle is fixed to a steering shaft, and a motor-driven steering assist unit is interposed between the steering shaft and a tire wheel side steering member.
In the motor-driven steering apparatus in the patent document 1, the handle stay is coupled and fixed to a spline or the like provided in the steering shaft. Accordingly, in order to attach the handle stay to the steering shaft at a right neutral position having a right attaching angle of the handle stay with respect to the steering shaft when connecting the handle stay to the steering shaft at the neutral position in a steering direction to the right and the left, it is necessary to repeatedly set in and pull out the handle stay with respect to the spline of the steering shaft. This is a complicated procedure.
Further, it is impossible to make a regulating range of the position of the attaching angle of the handle stay with respect to the steering shaft smaller than one pitch interval between teeth of the spline or the like, and a fine adjustment can not be achieved.
Displacement of a position of an actual attaching angle with respect to a right neutral position of the handle stay is difficult to realize in a round steering handle. However, this displacement appears significantly in an exaggerated manner in both end grip portions of a bar handle of a saddle riding type vehicle or the like because the extending length of the handlebars to the right and the left is long.
In this case, in the saddle riding type vehicle having a bar handle, it is desirable to prevent the bar handle exposed to an external force from rotating with respect to the steering shaft when the vehicle is inverted.


A coating layer is provided on a surface of the moving blades of a rotary machine. The coating layer includes a spray layer on the base material of the moving blades and a fluorocarbon resin layer on the spray layer. The spray layer is porous. The fluorocarbon resin layer is made of fluorocarbon resin. The fluorocarbon resin layer also contains an inorganic substance that is exposed on the surface of the fluorocarbon resin layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to rotary machines such as steam turbines or compressors. More specifically, the present invention relates to inhibiting adhesion of fine particles contained in air or gas to parts of a rotary machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Steam turbines include moving blades and stationary blades. A steam turbine is driven by blowing a jet of working fluid such as steam onto the moving blades. Therefore, parts of a steam turbine such as moving blades and stationary blades come in direct contact with a working fluid.
Compressors are used to compress various types of gases in chemical plants. A compressor includes a rotatable impeller, and the impeller is rotated with the help of power received from outside of the compressor to compress a gas. Therefore, even in a compressor, parts such as an impeller and a diffuser come in direct contact with the gas.
The working fluids used in steam turbines or the gases compressed by compressors contain fine particles of silica, iron oxide, or hydrocarbon. When these particles come in contact with the parts of a steam turbine or a compressor, they get adhered to those parts and corrode those parts. As a result, the efficiency of the steam turbine or the compressor is reduced.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-40506 teaches to coat the parts of the steam turbines or the compressors with fluorocarbon resin to prevent corrosion of the parts by the fine particles. However, some parts of the steam turbines or the compressors rotate while other parts are stationary. For example, the moving blades of the steam turbines and the impellers of the compressors rotate. Even if the moving parts are coated with fluorocarbon resin, a centrifugal force acts on the rotating parts and weakens the anticorrosive action of the coat of the fluorocarbon resin. Thus, there is a need for a technology that can surely protect the rotating parts of steam turbines and compressors from the fine particles.

Component for rotary machine and rotary machine


Electromagnetic waves are driven in the pipe to be inspected in the piping system by a transmitting antenna of a transmitter, to be propagated in the pipe; while a receiving antenna of a receiver is moved outside the pipe along the pipe, to receive leaking electromagnetic waves for inspecting elements of the piping system, and the location concerned of each element of the piping system to be inspected is detected in reference to the location of the receiving antenna where the level of electromagnetic waves received by the receiver becomes a peak. The locations to be inspected are the damaged portions such as holes formed by corrosion, cracks, etc. in the pipes, and the locations of joints, etc. It is also possible to move the transmitting antenna outside along the pipe, while arranging the receiving antenna at proper place in the pipe. Furthermore, it is also possible to move both the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in synchronization to effect the above inspection. When either the transmitting antenna or the receiving antenna is moved, the frequency of electromagnetic waves can be a frequency propagated in the pipe or can also be lower than the cut-off frequency. On the other hand, the antenna can be made long and kept in the pipe, to use a frequency lower than the cut-off frequency without moving the antenna.

The gas leak from a hole formed by corrosion, etc. in a gas pipe not exposed outside like a buried pipe in the piping system of a city gas supply network is conventionally inspected by using various methods such as the sense of smell or a gas detector, or boring work in combination with the foregoing means, etc. If gas leak is detected in reference to the smell or in periodical inspection, the ground is dug or the wall is removed, to exchange or repair the gas pipe.
However, in the conventional methods, since any component of the gas itself or an odorous component added beforehand to the gas which leaks and diffuses from a damaged portion of the gas pipe is detected by using a gas detector or the human sense of smell, to identify the fact of leak and the location of leak, the occurrence of gas leak and its location cannot always accurately detected.
For example, if a cavity is formed in parallel to a gas pipe installed underground or inside a wall, etc., it can happen that the gas leaking from a damaged portion of the gas pipe migrates through the cavity and diffuses into air or indoor, etc. at a position apart from the damaged portion, and in this configuration, it can happen that the position apart from the actually damaged portion is detected as the damaged portion by error. If excavation or wall removal, etc. is effected as mentioned above based on the wrong information, the work is wasteful, and second and even third work may be required disadvantageously. Furthermore, if the gas leaking from a damaged portion of a gas pipe is retained near the damaged portion without diffusing in air or indoor, etc., the leak itself may not be able to detected.
As described above, the method of inspecting the occurrence of leak and the damaged portion by detecting any component of the gas itself or the odorous component added beforehand to the gas leaking and diffusing from the damaged portion cannot always accurately detect the occurrence of leak and its location.
On the other hand, one of conventional general inspection methods for detecting the damage of metallic structures is ultrasonic flaw detection, but it is difficult to apply this method for inspection of piping systems not exposed, for such reasons that the probe must be kept in tough with the object to be inspected, and that flaw detection for a long distance cannot be made.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages of the conventional inspection methods, and to provide an inspection method which can relatively accurately detect damaged portions of pipes such as holes formed by corrosion, when applied to the inspection of elements of piping systems, particularly metallic piping systems not exposed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection which can measure the distances of piping systems to damaged portions and can detect the locations and states of some joints as other elements of piping systems, in addition to the detection of damaged portions of pipes.

Method for inspecting the elements of piping systems by electromagnetic waves


Methods and systems for performing robotically-assisted surgery in conjunction with intra-operative imaging. A method includes moving a robotic arm with respect to a patient and an imaging device to move an end effector of the robotic arm to a pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient based on imaging data of the patient obtained by the imaging device. The robotic arm maintains the end effector in the pre-determined position and orientation with respect to the patient and does not collide with the imaging device or with the patient when the imaging device moves with respect to the patient.

Surgical procedures, such as minimally-invasive procedures, may require a surgeon to insert surgical tools inside the body of the patient to a particular depth to reach the target area inside the patient's body. This can be a challenging and time consuming process. Surgeons may utilize pre-operative diagnostic images (e.g., x-ray CT, MRI) to help guide the surgical tools to the correct location and depth in the body without damaging other tissue or organs of the patient. However, there is still the possibility of inaccuracies in the insertion and placement of the tools, which may result in tools being guided to an incorrect position in the body and/or causing injury or damage to other portions of the patient's anatomy. To avoid such problems, a surgeon may opt to perform a more invasive procedure than might otherwise be necessary. However, this may substantially increase the time and cost of the procedure, and may also increase blood loss, pain and recovery time for the patient.

Integrated medical imaging and surgical robotic system