The present invention relates to a screw implant (1) for insertion into a bore hole (50) arranged in bone tissue, said implant having a cancellous portion (3), and a cortical portion (2) having an axial length such that, when installed in the bore hole (50), the engagement of said cortical portion (2) with the bone tissue will generally be confined to the cortical bone tissue layer (52). Said cortical portion (2) presents an outer surface which is threaded for accomplishing said engagement, and has an outer design such that, when being screwed into said bore hole under action of a screwing torque, said cortical portion (2) acts so as to increase the compression of the cortical bone tissue only, in essentially radial directions of the implant, resulting in a distinct increase of the screwing torque needed for screwing the implant (1). Said increase is usable as an indication that the implant (1) is in place or nearly in place in the bore hole.

Screw type implants are implants having outer surfaces being threaded and which are used as anchoring members for different prostheses, such as dental and orthopaedic prostheses. To this end, this type of implant is screwed into a bore hole arranged in the bone tissue of a bone tissue structure at a site where a prosthesis is required. The bore hole may be formed to a shape generally corresponding to the shape of the implant, although slightly smaller in size. These implants may be provided with self-cutting edges, so as to cut one or more internal threads in the inner wall of the bore hole during the screwing in of the implant. If there are no self-cutting edges, the bore must be internally threaded before insertion of the implant.
Bone tissue has two components, cancellous bone tissue and cortical bone tissue. The major part of a bone is normally built up of the cancellous bone tissue, which is a relatively soft tissue in the interior of the bone. The cortical bone tissue is harder and normally forms a relatively thin layer surrounding the cancellous bone. Thus, in their final position, screw implants of the type described would typically be in contact with cancellous bone tissue along a larger part of its length, and with cortical bone tissue only at a shorter portion at one end of the implant.
When a screw type implant is in anchored position in the bone tissue, a superstructure for carrying a prosthetic part may be secured to the implant. In the case when a screw implant will be used to secure a dental prosthesis, the superstructure will typically comprise an abutment or transmucosal component, which engages the implant to bridge the gingiva overlaying the maxilla or mandible at the implant site. The prosthetic part, e.g. a crown, a bridge or a denture is then secured to the abutment. The implant could also be formed integrally with a superstructure, such as a transgingival component, on which for example a crown is directly secured.
A problem occurring when using many prior art screw type implants is referred to as the bone resorption problem. Bone resorption is a term used for a process in which, once an implant is installed in the bone tissue, the bone surrounding the implant tends to degenerate. This is highly undesired, since a diminished amount of bone surrounding the implant will lead to diminished stability and sometimes result in failure of the prosthesis. This is particularly the case because bone resorption primarily occurs in the cortical bone, which, as mentioned above, is the hardest part of the bone. Once bone resorption is a fact, secondary problems may also appear. Such secondary problems, particularly related to dental implants, are for example deposition of plaque, resulting in inflammation in the gingival tissue surrounding the implant, or down-growth of gingival tissue along the exposed end of the implant. Also, the aesthetic appeal of the implant is undermined by bone tissue resorption, which is an important drawback in particular when the implant is intended for dental applications since dental prosthesis form part of the field of cosmetic surgery.
The biological causes of bone resorption are not yet completely understood. According to the inventors' belief, it is however important to ensure proper loading of the implant, since both mechanical over-stimulation and under-stimulation of bone tissue have been seen to cause bone resorption. Prior work by the inventors has been directed towards the issue of developing an implant that transmit the axial loading applied thereupon in an appropriate way to bone. During this work, it has been found to be relevant that the loading is distributed evenly to the adjacent bone tissue, meaning that large stress concentrations or peaks are avoided.
WO 00/03657 (Astra Aktiebolag; Hansson) discloses a prior art screw type implant having a cylindrical shaft, which is adapted in use to be embedded in bone tissue, and which has an outer surface provided with a circumferentially-oriented roughness. The circumferentially-oriented roughness has first and second axial sections with each section comprising a series of circumferentially-oriented peaks which have a crest and which are axially spaced apart by troughs. The axial spacing between the crests of adjacent peaks in the first axial section is less than the axial spacing between the crests of adjacent peaks in the second axial section. The first and second axial sections of circumferentially-oriented roughness are adapted to provide the same or substantially the same pitch. The threads constituting the circumferentially-oriented roughness are self-tapping. Further, the implant as described is to be substantially completely submerged into the bone tissue and the top of the implant is flush with the outer surface of the bone into which it is inserted.
In the above-mentioned implant, the first and second sections of circumferentially-oriented roughness improve the ability of the implant to transmit load evenly to the bone tissue in order to inhibit marginal bone resorption.
A disadvantage with the above-mentioned implant might be revealed when installing it, as is common, into a bore hole. The size of the bore hole should be adapted so that the implant can be screwed into the hole, using its self-tapping cutting edges to cut a thread in the walls of the bore hole. The threads created in that way are useful for holding the implant in place, thus increasing its stability and promoting the healing process. Unfortunately, there is a risk that the surgeon, when having screwed the implant into a position where it has reached the bottom of the bore hole, happens to continue screwing the implant. Naturally, the implant cannot be screwed further into the bone from this position. Instead, the extra screwing merely rotates the implant in the bore hole, while it remains at the same depth, which rotation causes destruction of the previously cut internal threads in the bore hole. Without the internal threads, the stability of the implant is impaired. Less stability leads to longer healing time for the implant, and an increased risk for secondary problems. Such a secondary problem, being particularly problematic in dental applications is the formation of unwanted soft connective tissue around the implant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,527 (Niznick) discloses other prior-art screw type implants. In for example FIG. 1B (showing prior art in relation to the invention of the referenced patent) a cylindrical implant is depicted having a smooth upper portion with an external hexagonal projecting head. The head portion is extending in a radial direction but only to a diameter having about the same size as the outer diameter of the threads of the shaft portion of the implant. Thus, this implant, although it is provided with some kind of head portion, seems to be prone to the same risk of fracturing the threads in the bore hole as the implant in WO 00/03657 (Astra Aktiebolag, Hansson) mentioned above. In the same document, a conical implant is described (FIG. 2). The angle of taper of the implant is preferably between 1° and 3°, and it is mentioned in the text that at least 50% of the implant length should be conical. The implant is to be inserted into a cylindrical bore hole in the bone tissue, being larger in diameter than a lower part of the implant and smaller in diameter than an upper part of the implant. Thus, when the conical implant is screwed into the cylindrical bore hole, the bone is spread about the upper part of the implant, which is supposed to increase the amount of bone to which the implant have contact.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,527 (Niznick), the aim is to provide a conical implant to be used where there is little or so thin bone that narrower implants have previously been used. However, also in this prior art, the surgeon could easily continue to apply a growing torque even after the implant has reached the end of the hole, thus turning it so as to destroy the previously cut threads of the bore hole. Accordingly, this conical implant may be prone to the same problem as described above in relation to the implant of WO 00/03657 (Astra Aktiebolag, Hansson)
Another disadvantage is that the conical shape of the implant causes a large amount of bone to spread and consequently be subjected to extra loading. The idea is that this should increase the stability of the implant. However, the extra loading might over-load the bone tissue, resulting instead in bone resorption and following poor stability of the implant.

Implant, arrangement comprising an implant, and method for inserting said implant in bone tissue

Abstract: The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising an implant and a bore hole, and a method for insertion of an implant into a bore hole.


A boat having a sunken seating area in the bow of the boat. This seating area is hidden by a panel. The panel is movable to expose and allow access to the bow seating area.

The present invention relates to a boat having a bow seating area.
Until fairly recently, most power boats included seating areas confined to the rear part of the boat. More recently, power boats have been provided with additional seating in the bow of the boat. These seats are covered by a soft tarpaulin when the boat is not in use.
The tarpaulin itself is not particularly attractive, does not provide a rigid support surface on the bow and further is quite time consuming to secure in place by means of dome fasteners around the periphery of the tarpaulin.
The present invention provides a boat having a bow with a sunken seating area with that seating area being covered by a rigid panel. The rigid panel is removable from the bow to expose and allow access to the seating area.
The rigid panel is quickly and easily installed simply by dropping it into position , to provide a rigid support surface on the bow. It can be made to include a decorative appearance or it can effectively be hidden as part of the bow construction. In either event, it does not detract from and can in fact enhance the appearance of the boat.


A method of cutting a super-hard material (8) using an electron beam (6), wherein the electron beam (6) is directed onto a surface of the super-hard material (8) and moved relative to the surface such that the electron beam (6) moves across the surface of the super-hard material (8) at an electron beam scanning velocity in a range 100 to 5000 mms−1 to cut the super-hard material (8).

In the context of the present invention super-hard materials are defined as those materials having a Vickers hardness of no less than 2000 kg/mm2. These materials include a range of diamond materials, cubic boron nitride materials (cBN), sapphire, and composites comprising the aforementioned materials. For example, diamond materials include chemical vapour deposited (CVD) single crystal and polycrystalline synthetic diamond materials of a variety of grades, high pressure high temperature (HPHT) synthetic diamond materials of a variety of grades, natural diamond material, and diamond composite materials such as polycrystalline diamond which includes a metal binder phase (PCD) or silicon cemented diamond (ScD) which includes a silicon/silicon carbide binder phase.
In relation to the above, it should be noted that while super-hard materials are exceeding hard, they are generally very brittle and have low toughness. As such, these materials are notoriously difficult to cut. Any cutting method must be sufficiently aggressive to overcome the extreme hardness of the material to form a cut while at the same time must not impart a large degree of stress or thermal shock to the material which would cause macroscopic fracturing of the material due to its brittle nature and low toughness. As such, there is narrow operating window for achieving successful cutting of super-hard materials and many available cutting methods fall outside this operating window. For example, most cutting methods are not sufficiently aggressive to cut super-hard materials to any significant extent in reasonable time-frames. Conversely, more aggressive cutting techniques tend to impart too much stress and/or thermal shock to the super-hard material thus causing cracking and material failure. Furthermore, certain cutting methods have operational parameters which can be altered so as to move from a regime in which no significant cutting of a super-hard material is achieved into a regime in which cutting is achieved but with associated cracking and failure of the super-hard material. In this case, there may or may not be a transitional window of parameter space in which cutting can be achieved without cracking and failure of the super-hard material. The ability to operate within a suitable window of parameter space in which cutting can be achieved without cracking and failure of the super-hard material will depending on the cutting technique, the size of any transitional operating window for such a technique, and the level of operation parameter control which is possible to maintain cutting within the window of parameter space in which cutting can be achieved without cracking and failure of the super-hard material.
In light of the above, it will be appreciated that cutting of super-hard materials is not a simple process and although a significant body of research has been aimed at addressing this problem current cutting methods are still relatively time consuming and expensive, with cutting costs accounting for a significant proportion of the production costs of super-hard material products.
Super-hard materials are currently cut with one or more of:                (i) wire EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) machines for electrically conducting materials such as doped CVD synthetic diamond, HPHT synthetic diamond, and cBN products;        (ii) high power lasers for electrically insulating materials such as un-doped CVD synthetic diamond, HPHT synthetic diamond and cBN products; or        (iii) cutting saws typically impregnated with other super-hard materials such as diamond.
EDM cutting is efficient for electrically conductive materials, however cannot be used on any insulating materials. Traditional saws can be used for providing small cuts, but become time and cost inefficient when used for bulk processing, as well as struggling to provide good cuts at high depths. To obtain efficient cutting with lasers, the beams need to be focused to a small, very intense spot. Whilst a focused beam is very suitable for relatively thin products, the kerf losses, due to the fact the beam is divergent, having been focused down from a relatively large starting beam, result in a high amount of material wastage and increased laser cutting time when cutting thicker materials. This becomes a major problem when large, single crystals of CVD synthetic diamond or slugs of cBN need to be cut into relatively thin wafers.
Ideally, any method for cutting super-hard materials would provide a combination of the following features:                (i) a low kerf loss, e.g. using a highly collimated cutting beam;        (ii) a high cutting rate and reduced cutting time;        (iii) a high degree of flexibility such that the cutting technology can be applied to a range of super-hard materials;        (iv) a high degree of controllability to achieve precise control of cutting location, cutting velocity, cutting depth, and cutting width; and        (v) a low degree of material damage to achieve cutting of a super-hard material without causing damage such as cracking of the material.
The aforementioned advantageous technical features must also be balanced against the economic viability of any cutting technique which is to be used in a commercial process. Economic viability will be dependent on:                (i) initial hardware costs; and        (ii) operating costs including:                    a. the cost of consumables such as power and gas supplies;            b. the cost of maintenance and the lifetime of the cutting apparatus which will be dependent to some extent on the complexity and reliability of the cutting apparatus;            c. operational cutting time versus down-time which will be dependent on the time required to set up the cutting apparatus between cutting operations; and            d. personnel costs, e.g. if skilled operators are required to run the apparatus which again will depend to some extent on the complexity and reliability of the cutting apparatus.
Given the above requirements for a commercial cutting process for super-hard materials, EDM cutting has become the industry standard for electrically conductive super-hard materials whereas high powered lasers have become the industry standard for cutting electrically insulating super-hard materials. While high powered lasers could also be used for cutting electrically conductive super-hard materials EDM cutting is often preferred due to reduced capital and running costs when compared to laser cutting.
The present inventors have re-visited the problem of cutting super-hard materials to assess whether any alternatives exists which may provide improved performance compared to the well accepted industry standards. In this regard, the present inventors have identified that electron beam cutting has the potential to out-perform high powered lasers. As previously described, high powered lasers suffer problems of kerf loss and relatively slow cutting speeds, particularly when cutting thick super-hard materials due to the application of a divergent beam. In contrast, electron beams can be made highly collimated with a very small spot size (i.e. a high brightness beam) and thus provide the potential for cutting with reduced kerf losses and potentially at higher cutting rates.
After initiating a research programme to assess the viability of electron beam cutting for super-hard materials, the present inventors found that electron beam cutting of super-hard materials had already been proposed back in the 1960's, prior to the widespread availability of high powered lasers and the establishment of lasers as the industry standard for cutting electrically insulating super-hard materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 filed in 1965 discloses an electron beam technique for cutting super-hard materials. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 would appear to give some hints as to why electron beam techniques were not accepted as an industry standard and were ultimately superseded by high powered lasers as discussed below.
Prior to the availability of high powered lasers, methods for processing electrically insulating super-hard materials were generally limited to cleaving, sawing, grinding, and polishing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 discloses that electron beam cutting techniques were also devised for cutting super-hard materials such as diamond. U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 further discloses that electron beam cutting techniques involve complicated and expensive apparatus which limited the commercial acceptance of such techniques. For example, it is disclosed that a typical electron beam apparatus available at the time required the use of multi-chambered vacuum vessels and complex vacuum pumping systems. It is stated that such apparatus is costly and successful operation demands so much of the operator's attention to control the vacuum pumps that little time is available for observing and controlling the cutting operation.
In consequence of the above, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 suggests the use of a more simple electron beam apparatus design using a single chamber vacuum system serviced by a single vacuum pumping system. However, the present inventors note that any such vacuum system adds a level of complexity and cost which is not required by laser technology and is presumably the key reason why laser technology appears to have entirely superseded electron beam technology for cutting super-hard materials such as diamond. In this regard, it may be noted that electron beam cutting was never widely accepted as a suitable choice for commercial cutting of super-hard materials and laser cutting has become so ubiquitous that many skilled persons in the art of super-hard materials cutting at the time of writing this specification would be unaware of the early work relating to the use of electron beam cutting for super-hard materials.
Despite the above, it would appear that U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 suggests some reasonably good cutting performance using their electron beam cutting technique. The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 is configured to provide a focussed electron beam at a point on a material sample held in a specially adapted vice mounted on a movable table. Cutting is achieved by moving the table such that the material sample is moved relative to the electron beam. A gas lance is provided for directing a gas stream onto the material sample at the focus point of the electron beam. It is described that the gas stream improves the quality of the cut and the cutting rate. An example is given for cutting diamond material using an oxygen gas stream. It is stated that providing a stream of oxygen at the focus point of the electron beam can increase the cutting rate of diamond by a factor of 5 and suggests that a 1-carat gem can be cut in about 10 minutes using this technique rather than a time as long as 8 hours required using conventional sawing. Given that a factor of 5 improvement in cutting speed is reported for the electron beam cutting technique using an oxygen gas flow when compared with a comparable electron beam cutting technique without an oxygen gas flow, this would suggest that a 1-carat gem can be cut in about 50 minutes using the technique without oxygen gas flow. In this regard, it is interesting to note that an equivalent cutting process using a high powered laser would take of the order of 40 minutes which is intermediate between the two electron beam cutting times with or without the use of an oxygen gas stream.
In light of the above, it would appear that the electron beam cutting technique using an oxygen gas stream is actually slightly quicker than a high powered laser technique although still of the same order of 10's of minutes. It is supposed that this apparent cutting rate advantage for the electron beam technique when compared with high powered lasers was not sufficient to off-set the higher costs and complexity associated with the electron beam cutting technique and is why laser technology appears to have entirely superseded electron beam technology for cutting super-hard materials such as diamond.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 discloses cutting diamond with an electron beam at an acceleration voltage of 130 kV. It is also disclosed that by using an oxygen gas stream the electron beam current can be reduced from 10 mA to less than 1 mA. It is also disclosed that in the absence of the oxygen gas the electron beam must be employed at a slow pulse rate in order to minimize crystal breakage during cutting while the addition of an oxygen gas stream enables a substantially continuous smooth cutting by pulsing the electron beam at a very rapid rate of about 35 counts per second thus increasing cutting rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 thus appears to recognize that crystal breakage is a problem when using an electron beam cutting technique and proposes to use a pulsed electron beam having a low current and a gas stream directed at the electron beam focal point on the material being cut in order to alleviate this problem.
The present inventors have also found that cracking and crystal breakage is problematic when using an electron beam cutting technique for super-hard materials such as diamond. In fact, several years prior to the present invention the present inventors trialed electron beam cutting for super-hard materials and discounted the technique for this reason. As previously mentioned, while super-hard materials are exceeding hard, they are generally very brittle and have low toughness. As such, electron beam cutting has been dismissed in the past as being a suitable choice for cutting super-hard materials. Furthermore, while using a pulsed electron beam having a low current and a gas stream as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 may alleviate these problems, the use of a low current electron beam significantly reduces cutting rates to a similar order of magnitude to that achievable using more simple, lower cost laser systems.
In contrast to the above, the present inventors have developed a new electron beam cutting technique for super-hard materials which provides a cutting time improvement of over an order of magnitude (even up to two or three orders of magnitude for certain super-hard materials) when compared with both the electron beam cutting technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 and current high powered lasers, thus more than off-setting the higher costs and complexity associated with an electron beam cutting technique. A summary of the new electron beam cutting technique and how it differs from that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,222 is given in the following summary of invention section with detailed embodiments set out thereafter in the detailed description.

Method of cutting super-hard materials using an electron beam and a range of beam scanning velocities


An exit device assembly for use in association with a door having a top, a bottom and a generally vertical surface. The exit door assembly includes an exit device configured to be mounted on the surface of the door, the exit device including a manually movable member, a latch mechanism configured to be mounted adjacent one of the top and the bottom of the door, the latch mechanism including a latch movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, and a non-rigid device for causing movement of the latch in response to movement of the manually movable member.

The present invention generally relates to exit devices for use in association with doors. A known exit device assembly comprises an exit device mounted on the door, an upper latch mechanism mounted adjacent the top of the door, and a lower latch mechanism mounted adjacent the bottom of the door. The exit device may have a pushpad or crossbar. The upper latch mechanism may be engageable with a strike on the door frame above the door, and the lower latch mechanism may be engageable with a recess in the floor below the door. The exit device may be operably connected to the latch mechanisms by rigid rods.


An ECU executes a program sets a driver requested torque based on the accelerator operation amount, and sets a torque-boost amount so that the torque-boost amount increases as the driver requested torque increases, until the driver requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque T(0). When the driver requested torque exceeds the predetermined torque T(0), the torque-boost amount decreases as the driver requested torque increases. However, the torque obtained by adding the torque-boost amount to the driver requested torque increases as the accelerator operation amount increases.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a control device and a method of controlling a vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to a technology of performing a torque-boost increase control of a power source during a torque phase of an upshift when causing an automatic transmission to upshift.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that when an automatic transmission upshifts, the drive force is dropped (is reduced) during the torque phase; the drive force the increases during the transition from the torque phase to the inertia phase, thereby generating a torque shock. To suppress such a shock during a shift, one solution is to boost the torque-boost during the torque phase.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-316838 describes a shift control device of an automatic transmission that boosts the torque from a power source in order to cause the gear shift to progress as planned. This shift control device includes: a power source torque upper limit calculator that determines the torque upper limit of the torque that can be generated by the power source during a gear shift at the time of command of the gear shift, a power source torque-boost calculator that determines the torque generation demanded of the power source when the torque is boosted at the time of the gear shift command, a target engaging force setting section that sets a target engaging force of a shift-purpose friction element that is to be changed in state, at the time of the shift on the basis of the power source torque upper limit if it is determined that the torque-boost-time power source torque exceeds the power source torque upper limit, a power source torque control portion that controls the power source during the shift so that the output torque becomes equal to the torque upper limit, if the torque-boost-time power source torque exceeds the power source torque upper limit, and a friction element fastening control portion that controls the fastening of the shift-purpose friction element during the shift so that the engaging force becomes equal to the target engaging force, if the power source torque-boost exceeds the power source torque upper limit.
According to the shift control device described in JP-A-2004-316838, an insufficient torque-boost due to the torque upper limit of the power source is compensated for by correcting the engaging force of the friction element, and this correction is performed through a feed-forward control. Therefore, even though the object of correction is the engaging force of the friction element, the problems related to the low response in the case where the control is through a feedback control do not occur, and the height of the output torque step immediately following the torque phase during the shift can be made small.
When the accelerator operation amount is large and the power source is operating under a high load, the intake air amount cannot easily be increased even if the degree of throttle opening is enlarged. Therefore, the torque is not easily increased even in response to a torque-boost command. Therefore, if the control mode during a shift is changed in response to the torque of the power source exceeding the upper limit value as in the shift control device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-316838, the control mode during a shift can suddenly change at a certain accelerator operation amount. In such a case, discomfort can be caused to the driver.

Controller and control method of vehicle


A molding apparatus utilizes two conventional single-injection molding machines and a rotatable disk positioned between those machines. The disk has four workstations, a first one and a second one opposite respective molding machines, and a third one at which molded items are removed. The molding apparatus has the advantages of lower cost and greater flexibility over double-injection molding machines.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a multiple-injection molding apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus that provides multiple injection capability by using a plurality of separate single-injection unit molding machines.
Computer keyboard keys and telephone touchtone keys are among the plastic items that are produced utilizing a multiple-injection molding process. The alphanumeric characters on the face of such keys are formed from a first plastic which extends through a second plastic forming the body of the keys. Such keys are usually created in a two-step process. In the first step, the alphanumeric character is molded as a raised protrusion on a body which in the finished key forms an inner layer of the key. In a second step, a second plastic is molded around the body formed in the first step, the depth of the second plastic matching the height that the alphanumeric character is raised from that body. In a finished key the top of the alphanumeric character extends flush with the surface of the second plastic. Though someone using such keys may have the illusion that the characters are only surface deep, those characters last as long as the keys.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are several methods of creating keys with alphanumeric characters using double-injection molding. One of the methods uses the `swing plate mold` disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,215, granted on Jun. 4, 1991 and entitled `Method Of An Apparatus for Manufacturing A Keyboard`. In this method, the mold assembly includes a stationery upper-half mold, a movable and rotatable lower-half mold, and a movable support plate fastened to the bottom of the lower-half mold. The lower-half mold is mounted on an axle capable of rotating it between two positions 180.degree. apart. The cores of the mold assembly are bolted to the support plate and during the injection process extend through the lower-half mold into corresponding cavities in the upper-half mold. A first set of cores and cavities are configured to create an inner plastic body for each of the keys, those inner bodies having the alphanumeric characters as protrusions; a second set of cores and cavities are configured to create the outer plastic body of each key. At a first angular orientation, the lower-half mold is pressed between the upper-half mold and the support plate. In a first injection molding step, the first set of cores and cavities are used to create a set of the inner plastic bodies on one side of the lower-half mold. The upper-half mold and the support plate are then separated from the lower-half mold that holds the inner plastic bodies, and the lower-half mold is rotated 180.degree.. The lower-half mold is then again pressed between the upper-half mold and the support plate, and in a second injection molding step the second set of cores and cavities are used to create the outer plastic body of each key. A removal arm on the mold assembly removes the keys from the lower-half mold by suction after the two-step injection molding.
There are certain disadvantages to the `swing plate mold` apparatus described above. Firstly, this type of apparatus requires a double injection unit capability in the same machine, which increases both cost and complexity. Secondly, the mold platens must be large enough to accommodate the required number of molded items for both injection steps.

Multiple-injection molding using single-injection machines


A method and an apparatus for a parallel computing program calling APIs (application programming interfaces) in a host processor to perform a data processing task in parallel among compute units are described. The compute units are coupled to the host processor including central processing units (CPUs) and graphic processing units (GPUs). A program object corresponding to a source code for the data processing task is generated in a memory coupled to the host processor according to the API calls. Executable codes for the compute units are generated from the program object according to the API calls to be loaded for concurrent execution among the compute units to perform the data processing task.

As GPUs continue to evolve into high performance parallel computing devices, more and more applications are written to perform data parallel computations in CPUs similar to general purpose computing devices. Today, these applications are designed to run on specific GPUs using vendor specific interfaces. Thus, these applications are not able to leverage processing resources of CPUs even when both GPUs and CPUs are available in a data processing system. Nor can processing resources be leveraged across GPUs from different vendors where such an application is running.
However, as more and more CPUs embrace multiple cores to perform data parallel computations, more and more processing tasks can be supported by either CPUs and/or CPUs whichever are available. Traditionally, CPUs and CPUs are configured through separate programming environments that are not compatible with each other. Most CPUs require dedicated programs that are vendor specific. As a result, it is very difficult for an application to leverage processing resources of both CPUs and CPUs, for example, leveraging processing resources of GPUs with data parallel computing capabilities together with multi-core CPUs.
Therefore, there is a need in modern data processing systems to overcome the above problems to allow an application to perform a task using any available processing resources, such as CPUs and one or more CPUs, capable of performing the task.

Application programming interfaces for data parallel computing on multiple processors


A magnetic memory device according to embodiments includes a first reference magnetic layer on a substrate, a second reference magnetic layer on the first reference magnetic layer, a free layer between the first reference magnetic layer and the second reference magnetic layer, a first tunnel barrier layer between the first reference magnetic layer and the free layer, and a second tunnel barrier layer between the second reference magnetic layer and the free layer. The first reference magnetic, second reference magnetic and free layers each have a magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. A resistance-area product (RA) value of the first tunnel barrier layer is greater than that of the second tunnel barrier layer.

The inventive concept relates to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to magnetic memory devices.
There is an increased demand for high density, lower power consumption and non-volatile memory devices with the development of portable computing devices and wireless communication devices. Magnetic memory devices have become one of the main candidates that can satisfy such demands.
Particularly, a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect occurring in a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) may be used as a data storing mechanism in the magnetic memory device. MTJs having the TMR of hundreds % to thousands % have been developed in 21st century, such that various researches have been conducted for the magnetic memory devices having the MTJ.


A structure and method for manufacturing surface relief diffractive optical elements are disclosed in the invention, which combines surface relief grating structure and gradient refractive index. Unlike the prior art, the invention does not require control of grating profile structure to modulate the optical path difference of incident light beam. Furthermore, control of grating profile makes the fabrication process more complicated and difficult. This method according to the invention comprises the following steps. A refractive index distribution layer is formed on a substrate by a thin film coating technology with controlled refractive index distribution, thereby the optical path difference is introduced when a incident light beams impinges the refractive index distribution layer. Then a spinning coated photoresist layer on the refractive index distribution layer. In addition, the distribution specification of the refractive index layer can be calculated and/or designed by a rigorous coupled wave theory with parameters, such as depth of the fringe pattern and required diffraction efficiency. Thereafter, a required interference fringe pattern can be transferred into the photoresist layer using a photolithography technique, laser direct writing or two laser beam interference techniques. Next, the required fringe pattern is formed on the photoresist layer via developing and fixing. Finally, the required fringe pattern is fabricated in the refractive index distribution layer by a dry ion beam etching technique, then removing the photoresist layer. In comparison with the prior art, the invention has advantages of easy fabrication of grating profile, feasibility of diffraction efficiency control, suitability for high-volume production and low cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surface relief diffractive optical elements, and in particular to surface relief diffractive optical elements having diffraction structure with a refractive index variation distribution layer.
2. Description of the Invention
Typical diffractive optical elements or grating elements can be classified into two types as follows. One type is volume diffractive optical elements in which three kinds of exposure materials are used. The first kind of exposure material is photopolymer which has the advantages of high diffraction efficiency and some even no need to use chemical agents for developing and fixing, but its high cost results in being not ready for cost effective production even high-volume replication process exists. The second kind of exposure material is silver halide emulsions which has high photo-sensitivity and makes photographing simpler than other recording materials, but it suffers from low diffraction efficiency, if no bleaching, and is vulnerable to humid. The third kind of exposure material is dichromate gelatin (DCG) which has relatively high diffraction efficiency, but also suffer from the same humidity problem as silver halide emulsions. Therefore, these three kinds of exposure materials are not suitable for cost effectively mass production of high efficiency diffractive optical elements. Surface relief type diffractive optics is the most common choice for mass production of diffractive optical elements and/or gratings. A quartz, glass, silica or semiconductor material in the forms of thin film or substrate into which a fringe pattern of computer generated hologram(CGH) was fabricated by photolithography and followed by dry ion beam etching or chemical etching process. Another fabrication method of surface relief diffractive optical elements is using photoresist as exposure material and directly interfering with two laser beams. That is, a substrate coated with a photoresist layer, similar to photolithography process, is subject to a laser beam exposure process and forming interference fringe pattern onto the photoresist layer. Thereafter, fringe pattern was inscribed into substrate by a dry and/or wet etching process. In order to form a nickel mandrel or mode for high-volume production, the complete fabricated substrate, coated with a thin conducting metal layer, e.g., Ag, was immersed in electroplating solution for Ni electroforming. The mode or mandrel mentioned above can be used for plastic injection molding, embossing and stamping, etc., and has the advantages of ease mass production and low cost. Moreover, the surface relief diffractive optics is more durable in high humidity environment than the volume types. However, surface relief diffractive optics usually suffer from lower diffraction efficiency, when optical systems require each optical components should meet their presumed high enough light modulation efficiency. For diffractive optical elements, the light modulation efficiency, i.e., diffraction efficiency, is depending on the fringe cross-section profile of interference fringe pattern. In words, high diffraction efficiency is the main target for most diffractive optical elements application cases. According to theoretical analysis, a blazed or high aspect ratio grating and/or etch profile can be more efficient than other profiles. Practically, by wet or dry ion beam etching, the above factor is hard to control and be achieved during fabrication process. For wet etching, the pitch undercut (over-etching) phenomena always destroys the fine grating/fringe pitches. On the other hand, an etch profile, with high aspect ratio, of high-resolution interference fringes is also difficult to be obtained by dry ion beam etching. Therefore, various methods of fabricating blazed grating or diffractive optical elements according to the prior art are disclosed. For example, a blazed grating element can be produced by a staircase structure approach, which uses multi-step mask alignment, exposure and dry etching process. As shown in FIG. 1, a to near blazed multi-level grating profile structure 20 is formed on a quartz or silicon substrate 10 by a photolithography technique using multi-steps electron beam photo masks and dry ion beam anisotropic etching technique. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, a blazed grating structure 40 is formed on a quartz or silicon substrate 30 by a gray-tone mask 50 lithography technique to create blazed photoresist grating layer, then, and etch into substrate. The above-mentioned gray-tone exposure process can also be replaced with a laser or electron beam direct writing process to perform the multi-steps exposure, although laser writing system sometimes does not have enough resolution to write a fringe pattern. In the methods mentioned above, by controlling the grating/etch profile shape, enhancement of first-order diffraction and reducing or eliminating unnecessary diffraction orders are achieved. Highly expensive gray-tone mask, electron beam and multi-steps masks make the fabrication process much more costly, moreover, the processing difficulty arising from the precise alignment and positioning become troublesome.
In the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,130, a layer of transparent material having effectively two serially spaced sinusoidal phase gratings of the same line spacing, each formed as a surface relief pattern. Practically, by means of thin film coating technique, it is hard to make such a structure to superpose two or more gratings precisely in series thereon. In view of the above, to resolve the above-encountered problems, the object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing high-efficiency surface relief diffractive optical elements by using a grating material layer with continuous or discrete, i.e., multi-layer, refractive index variation distribution which was obtained by a refractive index controlled coating and, thereafter, a dry ion beam anisotropic etching process. Therefore, surface relief diffraction elements having high efficiency can be created by the conventional thin film coating and dry etching technologies without the processes of using costly electron beam masks or gray tone masks as well as multi-level lithography which uses repetitively precise mask positioning and aligning techniques.
In principle, a phase grating or diffractive optical elements with surface relief structure is formed on a transparent substrate by a dry etching process. A diffraction phenomenon due to optical path difference is created when a light beam passes through the surface relief structure of the substrate. To surface relief diffractive optical elements or grating, the diffraction efficiency, the ratio of modulated light intensity vs. incident beam intensity, depends on the optical path difference between incident beam and outgoing beam; for example, the grating/etch profile aspect ratio. That is, once the modulation specification of the diffractive optical elements is determined, the interference fringe pattern and optimized grating aspect ratio are also determined. Since an optimized grating aspect ratio means that the sufficient optical path difference can be provided, in order to obtain high diffraction efficiency, how to manufacture surface relief diffractive optical elements having sufficient deep or blazed grating is a very important issue. Since the optical path difference is a function of light path and refractive index of grating material, therefore, control of optical path difference may be achieved by alternatively changing refractive index. In general, a thin film coating process can accomplish this alternative method.
Furthermore, the surface relief structure formed into a quartz or silicon substrate by a photolithography and dry etching process is basically a square or rectangular profile. If the exposure process is performed directly by two laser beam interference, a sinusoidal structure will be formed. However, from the fabrication point of view, it is difficult to form grating profile other than the above two structure types.
The invention combines the above-described surface relief phase grating or diffractive optical elements and gradient refractive index technology to manufacture diffractive optics with high diffraction efficiency. Since, unlike the prior art, it is not necessary to shape the grating profile and/or the aspect ratio of the surface relief structure in order to control the optical path difference of incident light beams, thereby the process becomes difficult and complicated. The present invention has the advantages of making mask alignment easy and suitable for high-volume production, and low cost.
First, a gradient refractive index layer is formed on a substrate by thin film coating technology. This can be only a single layer with continuously gradient refractive index distribution or composed of many discrete layers in which the gradient refractive index is controlled layer by layer. The types of gradient refractive index distribution are categorized into gradually increasing, gradually decreasing and a distribution function. These types of distributions can be analyzed by the rigorous coupled wave theory of diffraction analysis basing on the Maxwell Equations. The rigorous coupled wave theory decomposed the grating layer into many sub-layers and assumed that the incident wave is diffracted into several diffraction orders in each sub-layer with their own refractive indices. A layer-by-layer analysis was done in order to calculate the final intensity of the outgoing light beam. Incorporating with the refractive index of each sub-layer and the boundary condition. The rigorous coupled wave theory provides required diffraction efficiency estimation. Then, the gradient (continuous or discrete/multi-layer) refractive index layer formed on the substrate is designed with layers of different material or composition to meet the required efficiency. A real-time monitoring on the thin film coating process is used so that the gradient refractive index layer is obtained layer by layer with the designed refractive index distribution. Thereafter, the substrate with the gradient index layer is coated with a photoresist for interference fringe pattern transfer. After that, a required interference fringe pattern is formed on the photoresist by lithography using a mask or by laser interference. Finally, the fringe pattern is formed on the substrate by a conventional dry ion beam etching process. As described above, the high-efficiency surface relief diffractive optics is manufactured by etching the substrate on which the gradient refractive index distribution layer is formed without the steps of using costly electron beam masks or gray-tone masks as well as repetitive precise mask positioning and aligning technique.

Structure and method for manufacturing surface relief diffractive optical elements

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An on-board storable system for repairing a flat tire on an automobile comprising a utensil adapted to endow a power impact wrench to actuate a scissors jack. Such system preferably includes an air compressor for inflation of a replacement tire after mounting the wheel bearing the replacement tire has been secured to the hub with the impact wrench. An alternative system utilizing the utensil and a power impact wrench comprises an air reservoir; compressor; electro-mechanical means for driving the compressor; a pneumatic distribution system; the pneumatic distribution system conveying air from said reservoir to an air distribution post for each wheel of the automobile; and tubular means for conveying air from said posts to a tire proximate each said post. The electro-mechanical power transmission means being selected from the group comprising an engine driven belt powered pulley; an auxiliary battery and associated electric motor; and an electric motor driven by the automobile electric system. The power impact wrench can be either electrically driven or pneumatically driven by air ducted from said air reservoir. A vehicle hoist is powered by a source from the group comprising a mechanical hoist driven by a pneumatic power tool driven by air from said reservoir; a hydraulic hoist driven by an air powered tool powered by air from said reservoir; an electric hoist powered by said auxiliary battery; and an electric hoist driven by a hot wire from the battery to a convenient terminal. In both the preferred and alternative embodiments, a power impact wrench being operable to torque and detorque threaded fasteners anywhere on the automobile, including the lug nuts holding a wheel to a hub.

This invention relates generally to on-board automotive tire changing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a system utilizing a utensil adapting a power impact wrench to power actuate a hoist. The system is powered alternatively from the on board electrical system, or engine driven pulley of a vehicle, or an inverter, or a supplementary battery driven power source that can be readily stored within the vehicle cabin or boot. Prior efforts to provide and store on-board all of the necessary elements for inflating or changing a tire, and for adding or removing vehicular equipment fastened by threaded fasteners, often highly torqued, have not provided for power actuation of a hoist or have been bulky, required extensive time to marshall, assemble, and utilize, or were readily available and utilizable but required overly extensive time to accomplish the task, or were so under powered, were unable to complete a task within a reasonable time. Additionally, where the vehicle had to be hoisted, no powered means or very complex and expensive mechanical-hydraulic means were needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,974 issued in 1994 to Sabelstrom et al, assigned to Volvo of Goteborg, Sweden, is entitled: INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH COMPRESSOR FUNCTION. A cylinder of an internal combustion engine compresses air and delivers it through an extra exhaust valve processing intake air. This device requires extensive engine modification to utilize and does not provide sufficient air flow under pressure to inflate a flat tire within a reasonable time. No air reservoir is provided. No showing of means for hoisting. No means for jacking is provided. No showing of means utilizing a pneumatic motor for either hoisting jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or detorquing is provided. No hint of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,609 issued in 1993 to Tseng et al is entitled: AIR BRAKE SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE. No means for jacking is provided. An air brake system for trucks receiving pressurized air to a brake air tank from a cylinder of the engine is disclosed. The brake air tank serves as a reservoir. No means for hoisting is provided. No pneumatic motor for either hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing is provided. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,875 issued in 1992 to Grenie et al, assigned to Michelin of Clermont-Ferrand. France is entitled: PORTABLE REINFLATOR. Pressurized air is continuously supplied to a tire when the tire is rotating. A compressor is driven by the vehicle electrical system. No air reservoir is supplied. A hose must be precisely centered on the axis of rotation of the wheel to prevent fouling of the hose delivering air to the tire. No auxiliary electrical supply to a compressor is disclosed. No hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing or pneumatic motor is disclosed. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,709 issued in 1988 to Scholer, assigned to Teledyne Industries of Los Angeles Calif., is entitled: TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM. Load sensing governing tire pressure continuously is disclosed. No hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing or pneumatic motor is disclosed. No auxiliary electrical power source is disclosed. No pulley driven compressor is disclosed. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,090 issued in 1981 to Pratt is entitled: MANUFACTURE OF POWERED AIR COMPRESSORS. An internal combustion engine is modified with a head insert modification to provide an air compressing cylinder. No air reservoir is provided. No means for hoisting is provided. No means for jacking is provided. No means utilizing a pneumatic motor for either hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing is provided. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,319 issued in 1974 to Cristante is entitled: PUMP ATTACHABLE TO AN AUTOMOBILE EXHAUST. A tire pump utilizing car exhaust is disclosed. No air reservoir is provided. No means for hoisting is provided. No means for jacking is provided. No means utilizing a pneumatic motor for either hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing is provided. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,014 issued in 1968 to Clingerman et al, assigned to Cummins Engine of Columbus, Ind., is entitled: COMBINATION VEHICLE ENGINE AND SELF-POWERED AIR COMPRESSOR. A system provides an internal combustion engine with selective internal air compressor capability. A diesel engine has a valve dedicated to compression and supplies an air tank. Extensive internal modification of an engine is required to provide an air compressor. No electrically driven air compressor is disclosed. No battery driven compressor is disclosed. No auxiliary electrical source to drive a compressor is disclosed. No hoist, jack torquing or detorquing or pneumatic motor is disclosed. No pneumatically driven hydraulic actuation is disclosed. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,371 issued in 1953 to Bernal is entitled: ENGINE COMPRESSOR CONTROL. An internal combustion engine is converted for cylinders to run as an air compressor. No air reservoir is provided. No means for hoisting is provided. No means for jacking is provided. No means utilizing a pneumatic motor for either hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing is provided. No utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,124 issued in 1949 to Crockett is entitled: AIR COMPRESSOR VALVE DEVICE. A valve port to replace a spark plug of an internal combustion engine cylinder to provide compressed air is disclosed. No air reservoir is provided. No means for hoisting is provided. No means for jacking is provided. No means utilizing a pneumatic motor for either hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing threaded fasteners is provided. No electrically driven motor for compression, hoisting, jacking, or torquing or detorquing is provided. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,846,784 issued in 1932 to Borochoff is entitled: AUTOMOBILE TIRE PUMP. An air pump driven by an automobile engine is disclosed. The fan belt of an engine drives a transmission delivering rotation to the pump. The pump can be selectively disconnected from the transmission. No reservoir is disclosed. No hoist, jack, torquing or detorquing or pneumatic motor is disclosed. No electrically driven pump is disclosed. No separate air terminal for each wheel is disclosed. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,731,254 issued in 1929 to McNab is entitled: JACK. An engine driven hydraulic pump hydrostatically driving a hydraulic jack located at an axle adjacent wheels for lifting those wheels off the ground is disclosed. No pneumatic system of any sort is disclosed. No pneumatic components of any sort are disclosed. No electrically driven member of any sort is disclosed. No means for inflating tires is disclosed. No utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,627,654 issued in 1927 to Lewis is entitled: VEHICLE ATTACKED AND OPERATED TIRE PUMP. A pump driven by the crankshaft of the car is provided. No pneumatic reservoir is provided. No hoist, jack, torquing or detorquing or pneumatic motor is provided. No electrical driven pump is disclosed. No electrical component or system is disclosed. No hydraulic system is disclosed. No hint is made of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
Another example of a prior art effort is a General Motors provision of an air system to service shock absorbers. This system is incapable of delivering enough air to pump tires in a short time nor is there disclosure of driving a pneumatic tool to detorque wheel lugs. There is no aspect of this device giving a hint of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
Another example of a prior art device is a tire pump, such as the Enginair Power Tire Pump manufactured by G. H. Meiser & Company of Posen, Ill., that connects to the spark plug hole of an engine. This requires removal of the spark plug, and insufficient air pressure and rate of delivery to fully pump a tire in a few minutes, nor suggestion to power an air tool. No reservoir is provided with this device. This device gives no hint of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive a scissors jack.
Another example of a prior art is a portable tire pump, such as the Interdynamics, Inc. Model number LFB-250 air compressor that can be powered from the cigarette lighter insert of a motor vehicle. This compressor does not provide an air reservoir. This compressor is incapable of delivering enough air to drive pneumatic tools to detorque wheel lugs. This device gives no hint of a utensil adapting an impact wrench to drive scissors jack.
It is an object of this invention to provide a system that can be utilized to jack, hoist, torque, detorque, and drive mechanical accouterments driven by an impact wrench with an adapter to perform some of these tasks.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a pneumatic system for an automobile, including a pneumatic reservoir, that can be powered either directly through a terminal readily communicative with the electrical system of an automobile already manufactured, or with an auxiliary battery pack having sufficient stored energy to drive the pneumatic system to readily inflate a tire or lift a wheel within a few minutes.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a pneumatic system that can drive a hydrostatically actuated component, such as a jack with sufficient power to raise an axle several inches within a very few minutes.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved on-board pneumatic system for an automobile for hoisting, jacking, torquing, detorquing, and driving a pneumatic motor that is uncomplicated to manufacture, install, and maintain, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, install, maintain, and utilize.
It is further object of this invention to provide compressed air continuously if needed.
These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing a system for changing a tire on a motor vehicle comprising a utensil adapting a power impact wrench to power actuate a jack, and also to additionally provide a pneumatic system for an automobile to inflate a tire in a very few minutes and power a pneumatic driven tool to detorque threaded lugs or nuts to remove a wheel from a hub, and generating such power from a battery pack, car battery, alternator or pulley drive from a fan belt, the air delivered to terminal fittings proximate wheel locations .

Automotive flat tire repair system improvement


A method for producing a micromechanical pressure sensor. The method includes: providing a MEMS wafer having a silicon substrate and a first cavity developed therein underneath a sensor diaphragm; providing a second wafer; bonding the MEMS wafer to the second wafer; and exposing a sensor core from the rear side; a second cavity being formed in the process between the sensor core and the surface of the silicon substrate, and the second cavity being developed with the aid of an etching process which is carried out using etching parameters that are modified in a defined manner.

Micromechanical pressure sensors in which a pressure differential as a function of a deformation of a sensor diaphragm is measured are described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2004 006 197 A1, for example.
Semiconductor resistors, which are used as mechanical-electrical transducers in known micromechanical pressure sensors, not only absorb the mechanical stress that results due to the pressure influence on the diaphragm but also stress that is caused by mechanical disruptive influences. The two most important disruptive influences are the following:                Stress coupled in on account of the packaging due to:                    a deformation of the circuit board on which the sensor is mounted,            a deformation of the housing via the temperature, e.g., by soldering,            a temperature behavior of a bonding agent that is used,                        intrinsic stress from the sensor element due to the temperature behavior of cover layers.
The mentioned effects are partly able to be managed through a suitable adjustment, e.g., in the dielectric cover layers. The influence of the metallization as well as the stress coupled in via the packaging depends to a considerable extent on the history of the component (e.g., due to creep of the metal, in particular during/following the soldering operation). It is impossible to compensate for this by an adjustment prior to the delivery of the components.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2015 116 353 A1 describes a micro-integrated encapsulated MEMS sensor featuring a mechanical decoupling, and a method for its production. The pressure sensor produced on an SOI substrate is exposed from the rear side by etching out the buried oxide layer, e.g., with the aid of HF gas-phase etching. The supply of the etching gas is accomplished through access openings that were previously trenched into the silicon of the wafer rear side.

Method for producing a stress-decoupled micromechanical pressure sensor


An interactive display fixture includes an upper component mounted to a back wall and has a front panel. The front panel of the upper component includes at least one opening that surrounds a motion sensing system that is mounted to the back wall. A display table is also mounted to the back wall, located directly below the upper component, and includes a curved upper surface, a front side, a back side and a plurality of recesses having recessed surfaces that are recessed from the curved upper surface and located in proximity to the front side of the display table. The plurality of recesses are sized and shaped to receive respective corresponding sized tester products, which the motion sensing system senses.

Projection-based motion sensing systems incorporate a video camera that feeds or streams an image in real time, an infrared projector located alongside the video camera for sensing depth and a microchip to track the movement of objects and individuals in three dimensions. The signals generated by the camera, the projector and the microchip are processed by a computer using computer vision techniques. These projection-based motion sensing systems enable a user to control and interact with a computer using gestures and spoken commands without the need for a handheld controller.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.


The present invention provides a compound transmitter having power efficiency characteristics and distortion characteristics superior, over a wide band, to those of a Doherty transmitter, and having fewer elements constituting an RF circuit. The present invention is therefore provided with a compound amplifier (201) for generating a signal (z) (efficiency improving signal) obtained by the amplitude modulation of a carrier signal from an RF modulation signal (a) (main signal); power-modulating, using two power amplifiers (50, 51), a signal (S1) obtained by adding together (a) and (z), and a signal (S2) obtained by subtracting (z) from (a); and setting, as a transmitter output point, the point (p1) where the respective outputs are combined via impedance inverters (60, 61), the efficiency improving signal (z) being generated under conditions in which the size of the envelope of either (S1) or (S2) is fixed.

The present invention pertains to an improvement of a composite power amplifier such as a Chireix power amplifier (See Non-patent Document 1) and a Doherty power amplifier (Non-patent document 2), the improvement directed to remove a disadvantageous narrow band characteristic of such composite power amplifier. The Chireix power amplifier was invented by Chireix in 1935, and the Doherty power amplifier was invented by Doherty in 1936. Both of them have been used as AM broadcasting transmitters. Before semiconductors were invented, their power amplifying elements were vacuum tubes. However, after semiconductor amplifiers were invented, they were widely used as final-stage amplifiers, especially in mobile, satellite, and broadcasting systems. The Chireix amplifiers are often called LINC power amplifiers (Non-patent Reference 3).
In the Chireix amplifiers and the Doherty amplifier (hereinafter referred to as composite amplifiers), the ratio between an output voltage and an output current, known as equivalent load impedance, is varied in accordance with the magnitude of an input signal, thereby increasing the power efficiency of an amplifier. This makes their amplification behaviors extremely complex, so that it is difficult to maintain a high power efficiency and a linearity over a wide frequency band.
An operational principle and a power efficiency characteristic of an prior art composite power amplifier will now be given below with reference to the Chireix amplifier first and then to the Doherty amplifier.
As shown in FIG. 1, a Chireix transmitter 101 equipped with the Chireix power amplifier comprises;
(1) a signal component separating device 190 which, upon receipt of an in-phase component I(t) of a baseband signal (the in-phase component I(t) hereinafter referred to as in-phase signal I(t)) and an orthogonal component Q(t) of the baseband signal (the orthogonal component hereinafter referred to as orthogonal signal Q(t)), generates
an RF modulated signal A (hereinafter referred to a main signal A), obtained by orthogonal modulation of I(t) and Q(t) (Eq. 1 below),
a signal B orthogonal to the main signal A (the orthogonal signal B hereinafter referred to as efficiency improving signal EIS B), and
a first composite signal S1 in the form of a vectorial sum of the main signal A and the EIS B, and
a second composite signal S2 in the form of a vectorial difference between the main signal A and the EIS B;
(2) power amplifiers 150 and 151 for power amplifying the respective composite signals S1 and S2; and
(3) a Chireix power combiner 140 for combining the outputs of the power amplifiers 150 and 151 to provide the output signal S0 of the Chireix transmitter 101.
The Chireix network 140 consists of two impedance inverters (or ¼-wavelength lines) 160 and 161 each adapted to interface its input terminals and its output terminal; and two reactance elements 170 and 171 each adapted to interface its respective input terminals and the ground. The reactances of the two reactance elements have the same absolute value, but have opposite signs. It is noted that the term "efficiency improving signal (EIS)" is not a common technical term but is a term named by the present inventor to connote an implication of the signal that it enhances the power efficiencies of the power amplifiers. This term will be used in this context in an exposition below of the prior art Doherty transmitter and in the description of the present invention as well.
The main signal A is a high-frequency modulated signal (or RF modulated signal) obtained by an orthogonal modulation of an in-phase component of a baseband signal (hereinafter referred to as in-phase baseband signal) I(t) and an orthogonal component of the baseband signal (hereinafter referred to as orthogonal baseband signal) Q(t) with a carrier angular frequency ω0. Thus, the main signal A is given by the following equation.A(t)=I(t)cos(ω0t)+Q(t)sin(ω0t)  (Eq. 1)
In terms of an envelope signal a(t) and a phase modulation signal φ(t), the main signal A and its vectorial form a can be written in the following forms.A(t)=a(t)cos {ω0t+φ(t)}  (Eq. 2)a=a(t)exp{jω(t)}  (Eq. 3)
An EIS B, which is orthogonal to the main signal A, satisfies a condition that the envelope of the composite signal of the main signal A and the EIS B equals the peak envelope level C (which is often referred to as peak level C or simply C) of the main signal A. From this condition, the EIS B is given by the following equation.B(t)=−b(t)sin {ω0t+φ(t)}  (Eq. 4)where b(t)=√{square root over (C2−a(t)2)} and C is the peak level of the main signal.
The power amplifiers 150 receives the first input signal S1 which is a vectorial sum of the EIS B (for which a vector representation is jb) and the main signal A, while the power amplifier 151 receives the second input signal S2 which is a vectorial difference between the main signal A and the EIS B, as given by the following Equations.S1(t)=A(t)+B(t)  (Eq. 5)S2(t)=A(t)−B(t)  (Eq. 6)
Plugging Eq. 2 and Eq. 4 in Eq. 5 and Eq. 6, respectively, S1(t) and S2(t) turn out to beS1(t)=C cos [ω0t+φ(t)+cos−1{a(t)/C}]  (Eq. 7)S2(t)=C cos [ω0t+φ(t)−cos−1{a(t)/C}]  (Eq8)
Eq. 7 and Eq. 8 show respectively that the envelope levels of the first and the second composite signals S1 and S2, respectively, are constant (equal to the peak level C of the main signal) and that they are either advanced or delayed in phase relative to the main signal by cos−1{a(t)/C}.
Since in the Chireix transmitter 101 the envelope levels of the input signals fed to the power amplifiers 150 and 151 are always equalized to the peak level C of the main signal by adding the EIS B to the main signal A, the power amplifiers 150 and 151 always operate at their maximum power efficiencies. The EISs B fed to the input ends of the power amplifiers 150 and 151 are cancelled out at the output end of the Chireix power combiner 140, resulting in an output signal S0 given by the following Eq. 9.S0(t)=g{S1(t)+S2(t)}/√{square root over (2)}=√{square root over (2)}gA(t)  (Eq. 9)where g is the voltage gain of the power amplifiers 150 and 151.
Focusing attention to the power amplifier 150, it appears that, because of the power amplifier 151 in operation, an equivalent output impedance (i.e. the ratio between the output voltage and the output current) of the power amplifier 150 turns out to be a non-real number. In other words, it appears that an element of reactance Xc is connected between the output end of the power amplifier 150 and the ground. In order to achieve an impedance matching with the power amplifier 151, it suffices to connect an reactance element 170 of reactance −Xc between the output end of the power amplifier 150 and the ground. In this case, however, the magnitude of Xc changes with the envelope level a(t) of the main signal A, so that the impedance matching can be achieved only when the main signal A has certain particular magnitudes. Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a power efficiency characteristic (curve c21) of the Chireix transmitter 101, in which the abscissa represents the normalized input voltage of the main signal A and the ordinate the power efficiency. It is shown in the figure by curve c21 that the power amplifier 150 has a maximum power efficiency η0 only when a=a1 and a=a2 where a is the normalized input voltage of the main signal A, but has a power efficiency less than η0 otherwise (especially when a<a1) (Non-patent Document 4). It should be noted that curve c21 represents a case where the power amplifiers 150 and 151 are assumed to be B-class amplifiers and Xc is chosen to maximize the power efficiency of the Chirex transmitter 101 at a1=⅓. Curve c20 shows a power efficiency of the B-class amplifier. One way to improve the power efficiency of the Chireix transmitter 101 is to construct the transmitter in a power recycling configuration (Non-patent Document 5). FIG. 3 shows a power recycling type Chireix transmitter 102, in which, unlike the Chireix transmitter 101, the main signal A and the EIS B of the outputs of the power amplifiers 150 and 151 are extracted independently by means of a 180-degree hybrid circuit 141, and the power of the extracted EIS B is converted into a DC power by a high-frequency-DC converter circuit 172 and recycled to power supply terminals Vs of the power amplifiers 150 and 151. If the high-frequency-DC converter circuit 172 had 100% power conversion efficiency, then the power efficiency of the Chireix transmitter 102 would be always equal to η0 irrespective of the input voltage of the main signal A, as shown in FIG. 2 by line c22. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult in practice to have a power efficiency of the Chireix transmitter 102 exceeding the efficient of the Chireix transmitter 101 by enhancing the power conversion efficiency of the high frequency-DC converter circuit 172. Therefore, so far as the present inventor knows, the Chireix transmitter 102 has not been in actual practice, though its value has been studied in some academic fields.
Next, a Doherty transmitter 103 will now be discussed, which is one of variable-load impedance type composite transmitters equally well known as the Chireix transmitter. Referring to FIG. 4(a), there is shown a Doherty transmitter 103, which comprises:
(1) an orthogonal modulator 90 which, upon receipt of an in-phase baseband signal I(t) and an orthogonal baseband signal Q(t), outputs a main signal A obtained by orthogonal modulation of the two input signals;
(2) a power amplifier 152 for power amplifying the main signal A fed thereto;
(3) a power amplifier 153 for power amplifying the main signal A fed thereto after the main signal A is delayed by means of a ¼-wavelength line 163; and
(4) a Doherty power combiner 142 for combining the outputs of the power amplifiers 152 and 153 via an impedance inverter 162 to thereby provide a transmission output signal S0.
In the Doherty transmitter 103, the power amplifier 152 is called a carrier amplifier (CA), which is in practice either B- or AB-class amplifier. The power amplifier 153, which is also called peaking amplifier (PA), is a C-class CA. Each of the CA and the PA receives a bifurcated and power-amplified main signal A. The Doherty transmitter 103 can be represented by an ideal current source model as shown in FIG. 4(b), assuming that the ¼-wavelength line functions as an ideal impedance inverter 162 and that the CA and the PA are both ideal current sources. FIG. 5(a) shows a normalized output voltage (characteristic curve c50) of the CA as a function of the normalized input voltage of the main signal, along with a normalized output voltage of the PA (characteristic curve c51). FIG. 5(b) shows normalized output current characteristics of the CA and PA (curves c52 and c53) as functions of the normalized input voltage of the main-signal.
Operations of the Doherty transmitter 103 may be discussed in two separate domains, one in a small power domain (where the envelope level is not more than ½ of the peak vale C of the signal) and in a large power domain (where the envelope level of the main signal exceeds ½ of the peak level.) Referring to curve c50 shown in FIG. 5(a) and curve c53 shown in FIG. 5(b), it is seen that the CA operates but the PA is cut off in the small power domain, so that the PA can be regarded as an open circuit. Consequently, if the loaded impedance of the CA (assumed to be a B-class amplifier) is 50Ω, it operates as an ordinary B-class amplifier, supplying power to a 100Ω load. Its instantaneous power efficiency increases with the output voltage, and reaches its 78.5% efficiency at the normalized main signal voltage of 0.5.
As the voltage of the main signal exceeds one half the peak envelope level C, the PA begins to operate, causing a further current to be supplied from the PA to the Doherty transmitter 103, thereby reducing its apparent load impedance. As the CA remains saturated at a saturation point, maintaining a constant voltage, the CA can be regarded as a constant-voltage power source that operates at its maximum power efficiency. When outputting a peak envelope power (PEP), the CA and the PA can see a load of 50Ω, each providing its power as much as ½ of the maximum output power, and then the theoretical PEP efficiency of the CA is 78.5% if the CA is a B-class amplifier (Non-patent Document 6).
It has been disclosed in a literature (Non-patent Document 6) that when the Doherty transmitter 103 shown in FIG. 4(b) is represented by an ideal current source, its power efficiency is represented by curve c60 shown in FIG. 6 (to be compared with curve c61 representing the power efficiency of a B-class amplifier). In actuality, however, it is difficult to make the Doherty transmitter 103 operable over a wide frequency domain due to the fact that in a domain away from its central frequency fc its power efficiency drops and causes its output signal distorted, although the ¼-wavelength line 162 acts as an ideal impedance inverter at the central frequency fc (Patent Document 1).
In recent years, it has been proposed in Non-patent Document 6 (FIG. 7(a)) to amplitude modulate the main signal A in such a way that the input voltage vs output current characteristic of the power amplifier 152 becomes identical to the input voltage vs output power characteristic of the CA used in the Doherty transmitter 103 and the input voltage vs output current characteristic of the power amplifier 153 becomes identical to the input voltage vs output power characteristic of the PA utilized in the Doherty transmitter 103 when the power amplifiers 152 and 153 are of B-class or AB-class amplifiers.
A merit of the Doherty transmitter 104 lies in the fact that the input power fed to the power amplifiers 152 and 153 can be reduced as compared with the Doherty transmitter 103, which helps increase the power add efficiency of the Doherty transmitter 104, and that the same B- or AB-class amplifiers can be used as the two power amplifiers 152 and 153, which permits reduction of its manufacturing cost and extension of operable frequency band, as disclosed in the Patent Document 1.
The EIS to be added to the main signal A of the Doherty transmitter 104 will be referred to as EIS A1, as in the Chireix transmitter 101. By writing the main signal A in the form of Eq. 1 and Eq. 2 as in the Chireix transmitter 101, the EIS A1 is given by
                                                                        A                                                                                1                                                  (                  t                  )                                            =                                                                            a                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                  cos                                                  {                                                                                ω                        0                                                                  t                                        +                                          φ                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                                                (                                  0                  ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                                      C                    /                    2                                                  )                                                                                =                                                                            {                                      C                    -                                          a                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                cos                                                  {                                                                                ω                        0                                                                  t                                        +                                          φ                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                                                (                                                      C                    /                    2                                    ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                  C                                )                                                                        (                  Eq          .                                                    10                )            The first composite signal S1(t) fed to the power amplifier 152 is a vectorial sum of the main signal A and the EIS A1, while the second composite signal S2(t) fed to the power amplifier 153 is a vectorial difference between the main signal A and the EIS A1, which are give by the following equations, respectively
                                                                        S                                                                                1                                                  (                  t                  )                                            =                                                                            A                                                        (                    t                    )                                                  +                                  A                                                                                1                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                                =                                                          2                                                  a                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                  cos                                                  {                                                                                ω                        0                                                                  t                                        +                                          φ                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                                                (                                  0                  ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                                      C                    /                    2                                                  )                                                                                =                                                          C                                                                                cos                                                  {                                                                                ω                        0                                                                  t                                        +                                          φ                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                                                (                                                      C                    /                    2                                    ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                  C                                )                                                                        (                  Eq          .                                                    11                )                                                                                S                                                                                2                                                  (                  t                  )                                            =                                                                            A                                                        (                    t                    )                                                  -                                  A                                                                                1                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                                =                                          0                                                                                (                                  0                  ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                                      C                    /                    2                                                  )                                                                                =                                                                            {                                                            2                                                                    a                                                                          (                          t                          )                                                                                -                    C                                    }                                                cos                                                  {                                                                                ω                        0                                                                  t                                        +                                          φ                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                                                                (                                                      C                    /                    2                                    ≤                                      a                                                              (                      t                      )                                                        ≤                  C                                )                                                                        (                  Eq          .                                                    12                )
Patent Document 1 proposes to replace, by an alternative Doherty transmitter 105 (not shown), a circuit of the Dohery transmitter 104 that generates a first and a second composite signals S1 and S2, respectively, from a main signal. The Doherty transmitter 105 generates the second composite signals S2 by passing the main signal A through a nonlinear circuit (nonlinear emulator 181), and then generates the first composite signal S1 by passing S2 through a cross combining filter 182 and subtracting the resultant signal from the main signal A.
In a conventional Doherty transmitter 103, the input vs output voltage characteristic of the CA for inputted main signal is not constant in a large-power domain, while the input vs output voltage characteristic of the PA lacks linearity in a small-power domain, as shown in FIG. 8(a) by curves c80 and c81, respectively. On the other hand, in an attempt to broaden such linearity domain, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of simulating ideal input-output voltage characteristics of the CA and PA for a main signal as shown in FIG. 8(b) (curves C82 and C83) by optimization of a cross coupling filter 182.
In any of conventional composite transmitters discussed above, a usable frequency bandwidth of the EIS is limited by a limitative operational speed of a digital signal processing circuit used. Furthermore, in actuality the first nor the second power amplifiers can never be a perfect linear amplifier, outputting nonlinear distorted components even outside the limited frequency band of the EIS.
This phenomenon is called "spectral regrowth", which will be now described with reference to Fig. (a)-(b) for a case where the first and the second power amplifiers are of AB-class (having a gate bias voltage 0.2 times that of an A-class amplifier), and a main signal is an standard RF modulated signal (or 4-wave QPSK signal, as defined and used in the first embodiment below).
FIG. 9(a) shows power spectral densities (PSDs) of the EIS (curve c91) and of the output signal (curve c92) of the Chireix transmitter 101, showing spectral regrowths outside the normalized frequency band (−1.5 through +1.5).
FIG. 9(b) shows power spectral densities of the EIS (curve c94) and of the output signal (curve c94) of the Doherty transmitter 104, showing spectral regrowths outside the normalized frequency band (−1.5 through +1.5). In view of the fact that a spectral regrowth density decreases as the PSD decreases at a frequency band edge of the EIS, it is an important issue for a composite transmitter to narrow its EIS bandwidth for an improvement of the ACLR characteristic of the composite transmitter.

Linear composite transmitter utilizing composite power amplification