A light source (10) includes a light emitting semiconductor device (12). A support substrate (14) has a generally planar reflective surface (28) that supports the semiconductor device (12). The light emitting semiconductor device heat sinks via the support substrate. A curved reflector (16) has a concave parabolic reflective surface. The light emitting semiconductor device (12) is arranged between the support substrate (14) and the curved reflector (16). The support substrate (14) and the curved reflector (16) together define a light aperture (18) through which light produced by the light emitting semiconductor device (12) passes.

The present invention relates to the lighting arts. It especially relates to a rugged solid-state plane wave light source for producing a substantially plane wave light beam that is suitable for vehicle headlights and other applications, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, the invention will also provide solid-state light sources producing other types of light distributions, such as light that is focused in one dimension and planar in an orthogonal dimension, plane wave light that is angularly tilted, and the like, for use in downlighting and other applications throughout the lighting arts.
Present vehicular headlights typically employ filament-based light sources such as halogen lamps, or high-intensity discharge lamps that produce electric arc illumination by electrical discharge between electrodes in a high-pressure gas ambient. Such light sources produce a generally point source of light, which is collected and directed by optics typically including a back-reflector and front lens. The optics preferably produce a beam that is forwardly directed in front of the vehicle, and a diameter or size of the back-reflector and front lens controls the headlight beam size.
In the United States, vehicles typically have both high-beam and low-beam headlights, the former being used on substantially empty country roads and highways to provide maximum forward illumination, and the latter being used in cities or other populated roadways. The low-beam headlights are a compromise between providing forward illumination for the driver and avoiding glare and possible blinding of oncoming traffic by the vehicle headlights. The low-beam headlights are designed and mounted on the vehicle in a manner which concentrates the low-beams below the horizontal, i.e. onto the road rather than toward oncoming traffic. The low-beams are also preferably used in snowy, rainy, or foggy driving conditions to reduce back-scattered headlight illumination which can blind the driver.
Existing headlights have certain disadvantages. They are large, particularly in the vertical direction, which degrades aerodynamic performance and aesthetic qualities of vehicles. Vehicle designers are further constrained because two separate sets of headlights for the low-beams and the high-beams are typically used to provide both illumination modes.
In response to these aerodynamic and aesthetic styling issues, vehicle headlights are usually custom-designed for a particular vehicle model and make. This increases headlight cost. Some vehicles use "sealed beam" headlights in which the halogen or discharge lamp, the back-reflector, and the forward lens are integrated into a single hermetically sealed unit. When a sealed beam headlight fails for any reason, the entire sealed beam unit must be replaced. Alternatively, some vehicles use a headlight housing including the back-reflector and the forward lens, and a separate halogen or discharge lamp that inserts into a receptacle of the back-reflector. These headlights permit replacement of the failed lamp without replacing the optics, but increase a likelihood of headlight misalignment due to the additional detachable lamp connection.
Another disadvantage of incandescent halogen or discharge lamps is limited reliability and a catastrophic failure mode. The wire filaments of incandescent light sources are fragile, and halogen headlights in particular are typically short-lived. Discharge lamps include high-pressure gas contained in a transparent glass or plastic bulb, and can present shatter hazards. Moreover, both incandescent and discharge lamps employ a single light source which is shaped into a beam by optics. Hence, failure of the light source, for example by breakage of the incandescent filament or leakage of the high-pressure discharge gas, results in complete failure of the headlight, which creates a driving safety hazard.
The present invention contemplates an improved apparatus and method that overcomes the above-mentioned limitations and others.

LED planar light source and low-profile headlight constructed therewith


The invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to the LG4-5 modules of the G domain of laminin α4. The antibodies can preferentially stain cancer or tumor cells or tissue. The antibodies can be used for detecting cancer, evaluating the efficacy of a cancer therapy, treating cancer, and treating obesity or obesity-related diseases, among other applications.

Cancer is a major public health problem. One in four deaths in the United States is due to cancer, and the lifetime probability of being diagnosed with an invasive cancer is approximately 40%. Siegel et al., CA Cancer J. Clin. 62:10-29 (2012). An estimated 500,000 Americans die from cancer each year (Siegel et al., CA Cancer J. Clin. 62:10-29 (2012)). Lack of specificity of conventional chemotherapies and consequent side effects limit the delivery of drug dosages needed to eliminate the majority of cancer cells.
Laminin proteins containing the laminin α4 chain have been reported to be expressed in some types of cancer. Syndecans, which are reported binding partners of laminin α4, have also been reported to be expressed in some types of cancer.

Anti-laminin4 antibodies specific for LG4-5


An impact testing system for determining the shock response of a test structure includes a mass (e.g., a spherical steel ball) and a potential energy storage system (e.g., a spring-loaded mechanism) configured to store mechanical energy and, upon actuation, release the stored mechanical energy in the form of kinetic energy. A hold-and-release mechanism (such as a permanent magnet) is configured to releasably couple the mass to the potential energy storage system and impart linear momentum to the mass in connection with the kinetic energy such that the mass impinges upon the test structure. The shock response can then be determined and displayed to a user.

It is often desirable to test a component or structure to a known shock transient or known shock response spectrum (SRS). The SRS is a method which depicts the transient acceleration (in G's) of the test structure as a function of frequency.
Known methods of performing shock testing with high frequency, very short duration are unsatisfactory in a number of respects. For example, one method involves dropping a large steel ball onto a test structure from a known height. This method can create the desired high frequency response, but often greatly over-tests the low frequency response. It is also limited by the drop height and the terminal velocity of the ball. Conversely, if the low frequency is tested within the desired limits, the high frequency tends to be under-tested.
Another method involves using a gas-filled chamber to project an impacting projectile. This method is undesirable because it is difficult to carefully control the impact force, and therefore the repeatability of the test is insufficient.
A third method involves the use of an explosive charge, or pyrotechnic testing. This method is extremely hard to control and requires specialized test personnel and laboratories. Furthermore, Pyrotechnic testing typically results in over-testing of the component or structure.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide simple and repeatable methods for performing high frequency shock testing various structures. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods and apparatus for high frequency impact testing


A rotary plate (14) is mounted on an oblong bottom plate (12) in a manner which permits the former's longitudinal displacement.. The bottom plate (12) features a number of transverse grooves (46) extending over its full width, between which grooves (46) are formed articulating webs (48) at the bottom and top face of the bottom plate (12) around which articulating webs (48) adjacent strips of the bottom plate (12) can be folded relative to each another. The bottom plate (12) forms in the area of the articulating webs (48) a multi-member belt or band with a sprung flat-shape recovery action. The rotary plate (14) features a central pin (36) which can be moved from a locked position into an unlocked position and vice versa. In the locked position, the pin (36) engages in a hole (30) of the bottom plate (12) to prevent the rotary plate (14) from further displacement.

The invention concerns a rotatable and displaceable plate arrangement as a seating surface for physically handicapped people, with a rotary plate which is pivot-mounted on a bottom plate and guided by means of a displaceable plate provided in a sliding guideway of the oblong bottom plate for reciprocating movement between two end positions, the bottom plate being divided into several sections which are relatively foldable around axes running transverse to the longitudinal direction of said bottom plate.
Rotatable and displaceable seat arrangements of this species are known (DE-U-9113964). Here the prior-art bottom plate comprises a number of individual members, of which each is connected in a hinge-like arrangement to associated adjacent members by means of articulating pins extending over the full width of said bottom plate. As the displacement guideway is only located in the central area, two types of member must be manufactured and assembled. The result is a multi-member belt or band which is very flexible, can, for example, be rolled, and exhibits no stiffness or rigidity. However, as it adapts to any unevenness, the rotary plate cannot be displaced if the bottom plate is resting on an uneven, e.g. undulating surface. Aside from the high assembly costs, a further disadvantage lies in the fact that dirt and foreign matter can become lodged in the many articulating hinges between the members, rendering cleaning difficult. In the displacement end positions, the rotary plate cannot be secured against unwanted or accidental shift, a situation which is undesirable for handicapped persons who are standing or sitting on the rotary plate.


There is provided a method for supporting work of improving the design of a mechanical apparatus which is operated by a motor, including: an operating step of operating a movable section of the mechanical apparatus by the motor; a measuring step of obtaining at least one index which indicates an input into the motor or an output from the motor in the operating step; a determining step of determining the mechanical properties of the mechanical apparatus, by using at least one index obtained in the measuring step; and a specifying step of specifying at least one improvement-required item which is required to be improved in the design of the mechanical apparatus, by using the mechanical properties determined in the determining step.

A mechanical apparatus which is operated by a motor, specifically, a mechanical apparatus which controls an operation of a movable section by the motor, is widely used. In this type of the mechanical apparatus, in order to accurately control a position or velocity of the movable section, a feedback control, a feedforward control, or a motor control combining the feedback control and the feedforward control, is performed. As the feedback control, for example, a P (proportional) control, a PI (proportional integral) control, and a PID (proportional integral and derivative) control, are known.
In a case where the motor is controlled, it is necessary to appropriately select the control parameters. In this regard, for example, as described in JP-A-9-128037 and JP-A-2002-202801, a motor control device which has a function of automatically optimizing the control parameters, that is, a so-called auto-tuning function, is used. In addition, in the related art, the technology for optimizing the control parameters without necessity of an auto-tuning control, is described. Herein, the present description incorporates the content described in the related art by reference.

Method and apparatus for supporting design improvement work of mechanical apparatus


An image taking optical unit comprises an image taking optical system including a lens, an image pick-up element mounting substrate on which an image pick-up element chip is mounted, and a frame member for retaining the both. The frame member comprises a lens positioning face and a substrate positioning face, both of which cooperate to align centers of the lens and chip and position them with a suitable distance. The lens positioning face comprises a vertically lens positioning section for determining a vertical lens position and a horizontally lens positioning section for determining a horizontal lens position. The substrate positioning face comprises a vertically substrate positioning section for determining a vertical substrate position and a horizontally substrate positioning section for determining a horizontal substrate position. The vertically substrate positioning section comprises z direction positioning portion against which an upper surface of the substrate is pressed and the horizontally substrate positioning section comprises x and y direction positioning portions against which side faces of the substrate are pressed.

The present invention relates to an image taking lens unit with an image pick-up element chip incorporated in a lens mount frame.
Conventionally, an image taking lens unit has a lens mount frame normally including a plurality of lenses, a flat plate-like optical element, such as an infrared (IR) cut filter, and a substrate with an image pick-up element chip mounted thereon. The optical element and image pick-up element chip mounting substrate are held in a recess in the lens mount frame with a cushion rubber provided between the optical element and the chip. A resultant structure is covered with a mounting member, which is then fixed by screws, etc., to the lens mount frame, so that the optical element and image pick-up element chip mounting substrate are mounted in place on the lens mount frame.
In an electronic image taking device using such an image taking lens unit, a current tendency has been speedily toward obtaining a compact and low-cost unit. Therefore, there is a growing demand for a compact and low-cost image taking lens unit itself.
The present invention has been achieved with such a current situation in view and the object of the present invention is to provide a compact and low-cost image taking lens unit.
The image taking lens unit according to the present invention comprises an image taking optical system for forming an image of an object, an image pick-up element mounting substrate having an image pick-up element chip for receiving the image, and a frame member for retaining the image taking optical system and image pick-up element mounting substrate in place. The image pick-up optical system includes a lens, which has an entrance optical surface near the object and an exit optical surface near the image pick-up element chip, both of which are opposite to each other. The frame member has lens positioning face for positioning the lens and substrate positioning face for positioning the image pick-up element mounting substrate. The lens positioning face and substrate positioning face cooperate to align a center of the lens and a center of the image pick-up element chip and position the lens and the image pick-up element chip with a suitable distance.
The image taking lens unit allows the image taking lens and image pick-up element mounting substrate to be easily set in the frame unit. At the setting time, lens positioning face and substrate positioning face cooperate to align a center of the lens and a center of image pick-up element chip, such that centering adjustment is made automatically. Further, the lens positioning face and substrate positioning face cooperate to position the lens and chip with a suitable distance based on the lens design data, which allows the chip to be on an image formation plane of an image pick-up optical system. Therefore, the generation of a focusing blur resulting from a displacement from an optimal distance between the lens and the chip is automatically prevented. As a result, the assembling accuracy and productivity are both improved.
The substrate positioning face is preferably formed on an inner wall surface of the frame member so as to facilitate the assembling of the image taking lens unit on an associated device.
The lens positioning face may be either on the outer peripheral surface of the frame member or on the inner wall surface of the frame member. However, in order to achieve a compact image taking lens unit and readier assembly of the image taking lens unit on the associated device, the lens positioning face is preferably on the inner wall surface of the frame member.
The lens may comprise not only a single lens but also a cemented doublet lens. Further, the image pick-up optical system may have any other lens and, in accordance with the addition of such a lens, the frame member may have corresponding lens positioning face. That is, the image pick-up optical system may have a plurality of lenses and the frame member may have a corresponding member of lens positioning faces.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Image taking lens unit with frame member for positioning lens and substrate


In a simulcast communication system (100), a communication unit (110-115) may request enhanced coverage area services by transmitting a request for enhanced signal quality to a central simulcast controller (101). Upon receipt, the central simulcast controller (101) identifies, based on information pertaining to the location of the communication unit, a set of transmitters (102-109) to enhance coverage in the area of the communication unit. The central simulcast controller determines enhanced coverage area delays for each of the transmitters and adjusts the respective delays of each transmitter such that transmitted signal quality is enhanced at the location of the communication unit.

Simulcast communication systems are known to comprise transmitters, a plurality of communication units, such as in-car mobile and/or hand-held portable radios, and a central simulcast controller. In such a system, a minimum number of transmitters, typically distributed throughout a large geographic region, are synchronized under the control of the central simulcast controller to provide the most uniform radio frequency (RF) coverage area possible. By fixing the transmission delays between the transmitters, communication units may travel over very large distances and still retain the ability to communicate, at acceptable quality levels, within the simulcast system.
It is known, however, that various locations within the coverage area of a simulcast system can provide widely fluctuating reception quality due to superposition of RF waves of varying amplitudes and delays. When a communication unit operates in close proximity to a transmitter, reception by the communication unit is clear because interference from the other transmitters is overpowered by the nearby transmitter. In those areas where signals from multiple transmitters are substantially equal in power, the quality of received communications can vary due to differential delays between the multiple signals. That is, when the differential delays are substantially zero, the multiple signals constructively interfere with each other thereby providing good audio reception for communication units within the area. Significant differential delays within such areas can cause the multiple signals to destructively interfere with each other, thus reducing the quality of received signals to the point of complete unintelligibility. Such delays are caused for a variety of reasons, such as topographical variations within the coverage area. Thus, communication units may travel only small distances and experience dramatic reductions in received audio quality.
A solution to this problem is to increase the transmit power of some of the transmitters to improve reception within the original coverage area. This solution can cause further problems, especially to the power amplifiers (PA) used by the transmitters. Transmitters, and their associated PA's, operating at higher power levels for increased periods of time can cause degraded performance or lead to premature failure. Also, in simulcast systems that transmit an RF modulation scheme of a non-constant envelope, higher operating powers could cause PA's to operate outside their linear range, causing unwanted distortion. Thus, a need exists for a method which allows signal quality to be enhanced in those areas of simulcast systems experiencing low signal quality without the use of higher power levels.

Method for enhancing signal quality in a simulcast communication system


In an NMR imaging method, the phase encode amount applied to the respective echo signals in the same sequence of operation are made to have different values and the phase encoding magnetic fields Gen are made to disorder the phases of the NMR signals so as not to generate stimulated echo signals. In another aspect, the time periods of application of the signal reading magnetic field Gp applied between the 90.degree. RF pulse and the 180.degree. RF pulse are made to have different values equal in number to the chemical shifts. By varying the time period of application of the signal reading magnetic field, spin echo signals having different phase variance amounts due to the different chemical shifts are generated before or after the time point at which the spin echo due to the RF pulse is expected to occur. Accordingly, control difficulties for synchronizing the RF pulse and the slicing magnetic field and shifting them by the same time length is avoided wherein two chemical shifts can be separated.

The present invention relates to a method of magnetic resonance imaging for imaging the internal structure of substances utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or electron spin resonance (ESR). In one aspect of the invention, it relates more particularly to slice imaging which produces a plurality of images by means of multiple echoes. In another aspect of the invention, it relates more particularly to slice imaging which utilizes chemical shifts which differ depending on the chemical status of the particular substance.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional NMR imaging apparatus. This apparatus comprises a static magnetic field generator 51 for applying a static magnetic field to a sample 50 to be examined, such as a human body, an RF (radio frequency) coil 55 for supplying an RF energy to the sample 50 and receiving an NMR signal from the sample 50, and gradient magnetic field coils 60, 62 and 64 for applying gradient magnetic fields to the sample 50.
The RF coil 55 irradiates RF pulses which are generated at a transmitter 58, and transmitted via the transmit/receive switch 57 and a matching unit 56. NMR signals from the sample 50 are received by the RF coil 55, and transmitted via the matching unit 56 and the transmit/receive switch 57 to a receiver 59.
The gradient magnetic field coils 60, 62 and 64 are respectively connected to the gradient magnetic field power supplies 61, 63 and 65 for generating gradient magnetic fields in the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions respectively. Here, the magnetic field generated by the Z-axis gradient magnetic field coil 64 is the slicing magnetic field Gs for designating the slice plane. The magnetic field generated by the X-axis gradient magnetic-field coil 60 is the signal reading magnetic field Gp for collecting signals. The magnetic field generated by the Y-axis gradient magnetic field coil 62 is the phase encoding magnetic field Gen.
A computer 52 generates control data for the imaging apparatus, and generates images in accordance with the NMR signals from the receiver 59 by means of two-dimensional Fourier conversion. The computer 52 is associated with a console unit 53 for manual input of commands and data and a display unit 54 for displaying the generated images and other data.
A sequence controller 67 controls various operations of the entire apparatus, such as irradiation of the RF pulses, reception of the NMR signals, generation of the gradient magnetic fields Gs, Gp and Gen, and operation of a diagnosis table driving unit 66.
FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining a prior art multi-echo imaging method.
In this imaging method, a slicing magnetic field Gs (B1) is applied to designate the slice plane at the same time as the irradiation of a 90.degree. RF pulse (A1) for generating an NMR signal. After that, a slicing magnetic field Gs (B2) of the opposite polarity is applied to rectify the disorder of the phase of the nuclear spins. The areas B1 and B2 shown by hatching in FIG. 2 are set to be equal to each other.
Subsequently, a reading magnetic field Gp (D1) and a phase encoding magnetic field Gen (C1) are applied. The reading magnetic field Gp (D1) is applied for causing disorder in the phase of the NMR signals in the direction of reading.
Subsequently, a 180.degree. RF pulse (A2) and another slicing magnetic field Gs (B3) are applied .tau..sub.1 after the peak of the 90.degree. RF pulse. This will produce a spin echo signal (E1) .tau..sub.1 after the peak of the 180.degree. RF pulse (A2). The reading magnetic field Gp is applied in such a way that the area of D2 equals the area of D1.
In order to read the spin echo signal (E1), another reading magnetic field Gp (D3) is applied immediately following the reading magnetic field (D2) without interruption.
In order to produce a second spin echo signal (E2), another 180.degree. RF pulse (A3) having a peak .tau..sub.2 after the generation of the spin echo signal and another slicing magnetic field Gs (B4) are applied. The reading magnetic field Gp (D4) is applied in such a way that the area of D4 and the area of D3 are equal to each other. Another reading magnetic field Gp (D5) is applied without interruption. A second spin echo signal (E2) is then obtained.
In order to obtain a third spin echo signal (E3), in the same manner as described above in connection with the generation of the spin echo (E2), a reading magnetic field Gp (D6) is applied in such a way that the area of D6 equals the area of D5. Similarly, another reading magnetic field Gp (D8) is applied in such a way that the area of D8 equals the area of D7.
The above-described sequence of operations yields a series of signals for one direction of reading. In order to obtain an image of a predetermined matrix size, the phase encode amount is varied, i.e., the amplitude of the phase encoding magnetic field Gen (C1) is varied by a predetermined amount between succesive sequences of operations, and series of echo signals (E1), (E2), (E3) and (E4) are collected a number of times corresponding to the matrix size. The computer 52 reconstructs a multi-echo image from the echo signals (E1), (E2), (E3) and (E4) thus obtained.
A problem associated with the method of FIG. 2 is that it is possible that an NMR signal generated because of the imperfection of the 180.degree. RF pulse, is generated overlapping the spin echo signal that is to be detected. Particularly, where .tau..sub.1 =.tau..sub.2 =.tau..sub.3 =.tau..sub.4, after the third spin echo signal, a stimulated echo signal due to the imperfection of the 180.degree. RF pulse is generated at the same position as the spin echo signal so a false image called "artifact" is generated in the image of the third spin echo signal and the subsequent images. This seriously degrades the quality of the image.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining another conventional chemical shift NMR imaging method that is shown in Denshi Tsushin Gakkai Gijutsu Hokoku (Technical Reports of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan) MBE 85-9.
Generally speaking, if none of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis gradient magnetic fields are applied, when a 90.degree. RF pulse is irradiated and a 180.degree. RF pulse is irradiated a predetermined time after the irradiation of the 90.degree. RF pulse, then an echo signal is generated upon expiration of the same time as the above-mentioned predetermined time after the irradiation of the 180.degree. RF pulse. This echo signal is called an echo signal due to an RF pulse.
If a signal reading magnetic field Gp is applied for a predetermined time period between the irradiation of a 90.degree. RF pulse, and the irradiation of a 180.degree. RF pulse, and another signal reading magnetic field Gp of the same intensity is applied after the irradiation of the 180.degree. RF pulse, then a spin echo signal is generated upon expiration of the above-mentioned predetermined time after the commencement of the application of the later signal reading magnetic field Gp. This spin echo signal is called a spin echo signal due to a gradient magnetic field.
Where there are two chemical shifts, there are two different resonant frequencies. This means that the phase of the spin varies at a rate corresponding to the difference between the resonant frequencies. The phases of the spins are in alignment when an echo due to the RF pulse is generated, but in the case of spin echoes due to a gradient magnetic field only such phases that are due to the application of the gradient magnetic field can be aligned and other phases remain out of order.
If this characteristic is utilized for staggering the time point of generation of the spin echo due to the RF pulse and the time point of generation of the spin echo due to the gradient magnetic field, then it is possible to vary the phases of the signals having different chemical shifts, and a phase different proportional to the time difference can be generated.
The above expression "two chemical shifts" means presence of two chemical shifts in the spins which are the object of the imaging of the slice. For instance, when an NMR imaging method directed to protons is used for imaging a human body, two types of protons, i.e., protons mainly of water and protons of fat are imaged. Protons of water and protons of fat have slightly different sensitivity to a static magnetic field. Even when protons of water and protons of fat are placed in the same static magnetic field, the static magnetic field they actually sense differs slightly. The difference in the sensitivity is in the order of 3.5 ppm. In a magnetic field of 1.5 T, the difference in frequency is given by: EQU 1.5(T).times.3.5(ppm).times.10.sup.-6 .times.42.6.times.10.sup.6 (Hz/T)=220 (Hz)
This value of difference depends on the physical property of the spins which are the object of the imaging. Because of this property, the number of chemical shifts is determined.
Where there are two or more chemical shifts, the phases of the spin echo due to the RF pulse and the spin echo due to the gradient magnetic field can be varied, and the variation in the phases are proportional to the respective chemical shift amounts. Accordingly, in order to separate all the chemical shifts, the time period that is taken until the spin echo due to the gradient magnetic field is generated must have a different value for each of the chemical shifts.
The conventional method of separation will now be described with reference to FIG. 3.
First, a 90.degree. RF pulse F.sub.11 is irradiated, and by application of a waveform K.sub.11 of the slicing magnetic field Gs, the slice position is selected, and the disorder of the phases of the nuclear spins are rectified by a waveform K.sub.21 of the polarity opposite to that of the waveform K.sub.11. Upon expiration of .tau..sub.11 after the irradiation of the 90.degree. RF pulse, a 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.21 is irradiated to generate in combination with a slicing magnetic field Gs (K.sub.31), a spin echo J.sub.11.
In an ordinary imaging, the timing of output of the waveform I.sub.2 is so adjusted that the time period of application from the rising edge of the waveform I.sub.2 until the peak of the spin echo J.sub.11 is equal to t.sub., which is the time period of application of the waveform I.sub.1 of the reading magnetic field Gp so that the peak of the spin echo takes place upon expiration of .tau..sub.21 (.tau..sub.21 =.tau..sub.11) from the 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.21. The intensities of the magnetic fields of the waveforms I.sub.1 and I.sub.2 are equal. In this condition, the phase variance due to the chemical shift and the reading magnetic field Gp are canceled at the time point of occurrence of the peak of the spin echo signal J.sub.11. Where there are two or more chemical shifts, all the signals are obtained with the same phase at the same time.
To separate the chemical shifts, the time period .tau..sub.12 up to the irradiation of the 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.22 is varied so that the phase variance due to the chemical shift and the phase variance due to the signal reading magnetic field Gp are staggered. In this case, it is necessary that the slicing magnetic field Gs be shifted to coincide with the irradiation of the 180.degree. RF pulse. For this reason, even if the time period .tau..sub.12 up to the 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.22 is changed the time point at which the peak of the spin echo signal J.sub.12 occurs is fixed at t.sub.1 after the commencement of the application of the second signal reading magnetic field Gp. Accordingly, the phase variances due to the signal reading magnetic fields Gp is canceled. However, the phase variance amount (proportional to .tau..sub.12) between the 90.degree. RF pulse and the 180.degree. RF pulse due to the difference in the chemical shift and the phase variance amount (proportional to .tau. .sub.22) after the 180.degree. RF pulse are not canceled because .tau..sub.12 .noteq..tau..sub.22. For instance, assume that there are two chemical shifts and the difference in frequency between the chemical shifts is .DELTA. f. During the time period until the occurrence of the peak of the spin echo signal J.sub.12, the phase variance amount 2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot..tau..sub.12 due to the time period .tau..sub.12 and the phase ariance amount 2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot..tau..sub.22 due to the time period .tau..sub.22 differ from each other by:
ti 2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot..tau..sub.12 -2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot..tau..sub.22 =2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot.(.tau..sub.12 -.tau..sub.22)
By adjusting the timing of irradiation of the 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.22 so that 2.pi..multidot.(.DELTA.f).multidot.(.tau..sub.12 -.tau..sub.22)=.+-..pi., signals of all the chemical shifts (in the case under consideration, two chemical shifts) can be extracted with different phases.
The phase of the chemical shifts of the spin echo signals J.sub.11 and J.sub.12 are opposite to each other so the signs of the signals are opposite. Accordingly, if the sums of the spin echo signals J.sub.11 and J.sub.12 are determined, there would not be signals of chemical shift of which the phase variance amount has been canceled. If the differences are determined, only such signals of the chemical shifts of which the phase variance amount has not been canceled are obtained. When the signals of the sums and the differences that have thus been obtained are utilized, various images of the respective chemical shifts are obtained independently.
However, in the method of the chemical shift imaging of FIG. 3, it is necssary to synchronize the 180.degree. RF pulse F.sub.21 for signal collection and the waveform of the slicing magnetic field Gs (K32) and shift them by the same time length, resulting in control difficulties.


The present invention provides a system and method for evaluating gate oxide integrity in a semiconductor wafer. The system may include: a semiconductor wafer; a layer of gate oxide on the semiconductor wafer; a layer of polysilicon on the gate oxide; an electron beam microscope with adjustable energy levels, wherein the electron beam is directed at the semiconductor wafer; an electron beam inspection tool used to detect passive voltage contrasts within the gate oxide layer. The system may also include a measuring tool for measuring an electrical current level of the semiconductor substrate. The system may also include an electrical ground connected to the semiconductor wafer. The system may also include the energy levels vary from about 600 eV to 5000 eV.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor electronic circuits and, more particularly, to a system and method for evaluating gate oxide integrity for semiconductor microchips.
Gate oxide integrity (GOI) is a critical metric for the effective functioning of the transistor. With scaling of devices the gate oxides have become thinner to the extent that present day devices use oxides on the range 12–24 Angstroms. This makes them more susceptible to defects which are detrimental to eventual yield of the devices, Defects cause enhanced leakage and eventually premature (non-intrinsic) breakdown of oxides. The GOI integrity needs to be evaluated early in the device processing in the front end of the line to prevent unnecessary, wasteful utilization of time and resources in the back end of the line (BEOL). Present methods use an in-line invasive probe on a few sampled sites to determine current-voltage characteristics and from it to assess gate oxide quality or health.
Currently, there is not a good non-contact system or method to test gate oxide integrity during the semiconductor microchip manufacture itself. All existing methods use probes to test the gate oxide integrity after the semiconductor processing is completed (End of line). In addition, the probes or methods used in the current test systems can introduce contamination on the semiconductor wafers. Moreover, the testing systems only test a small set of specific sites on the semiconductor wafer. Thus they do not provide any wafer-spatial signature information. Active feedback of any spatial yield loss because of gate oxide integrity degradation is critical. Lack thereof results in continued faulty processing.
Therefore, what is needed, is a non-invasive system and method that tests gate oxide integrity, in-line amidst the different semiconductor processes. The method also needs to be fast, efficient, with more wafer spatial signature information, in order to provide active feedback and thus control process excursions and thus reduce yield loss.

System and method of evaluating gate oxide integrity for semiconductor microchips


The invention relates to a device for adjusting the backrest, preferably of vehicle seats. It is characterized by a first plate-shaped portion, which by a belt-like member is connected to a rigid part of one lateral edge of the seat back, and a second plate-shaped portion, which by a belt-like member is connected to a rigid part of the second lateral edge of the seat back. The plate-shaped portions are located with their plane sides facing to each other, and a spring means is provided to stretch the belt-like members between the lateral edges. A holder-on member is located outside the plate-shaped portions and receives a means intended as desired to press the plate-shaped portions into locking engagement with each other and, respectively, with the holder-on member.

This invention relates to a device for adjusting the backrest, particularly the lumbar support, of seats. The device preferably is intended for use with vehicle seats where, due to alternating g-forces in combination with periods of long duration of occupying the seat, an anatomically correct support for the back is desirable to prevent lingering back injuries.
It is previously known to provide vehicle seats with lumbar supports, which may consist of one or more belts located on the same level as the lumbar region of the back. These belts are adjustable in their stretching transversely to the seat back. the stretching in principle is effected by a screw-nut device. Another type of adjustable lumbar support comprises one or more inflatable cushions provided in the backrest. The pressure in the cushions is adjusted by one or more small hand pumps. In the first-mentioned type of lumbar support, the belts are loosened or stretched by the screw-nut device. In the second type of lumbar support, an amount of air is pumped into or discharged from the cushions to bring about a correct sitting position. Both types of lumbar supports thus require a relatively complicated adjusting process, which in turn implies that the user often carries out the adjusting in a negligent or careless manner and thereby fails to produce the effect desired of the relatively expensive seat.
The present invention yields a backrest adjusting device which per se is simple and renders its adjusting very simple, thereby increasing the efficiency of the seat.


A spare voice channel on a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is used to record flight data. Data from an accelerometer and other sensors in an aircraft are digitized and collected by a microprocessor once each second and are collated and arranged in an industry standard format, and an encoder converts the formatted data into an industry standard code for recording on the CVR. During transmission of data to the CVR, fresh data is collected for the next transmission.

It is the practice in most commercial and military aircraft to record information in crash survivable modules. A cockpit voice recorder (CVR) maintains a running record of pilot conversation while a digital flight data recorder (DFDR) maintains a record of flight data. These records are useful in analyzing the causes of aircraft accidents. The DFDR is both very expensive and quite heavy, but is not very significant compared to the cost and weight of a large craft.
In light aircraft, on the other hand, the DFDR is unacceptable in both cost and weight, although it is common to use a CVR in small craft, both fixed wing and rotary wing. Still it is desirable to have a crash survivable record of at least some basic flight data in the event of an incident requiring investigation. Preferably a substantial amount of data should be saved since the more information available in an investigation, the higher the chances of an early, accurate assessment of an accident and prevention of a repetition. CVRs do not fulfill this requirement alone and in some cases are of no or limited value. They should be used in conjunction with actual flight data, a combination which has been proven to save lives as well as aircraft.
Thus since the CVR already has a crash survivable module, it is desirable to use that hardware for storing flight data, thereby avoiding the expense of a DFDR as well as the extra weight. A limited capability has already been accomplished by encoding a single parameter data on a carrier frequency superimposed over the flight deck audio. This approach affords very limited flight information and has the potential of interfering with the voice recordings.

Method and apparatus for recording data on cockpit voice recorder

Patriot Sensors and Controls Corporation


An airborne pulse doppler radar set generally includes a moving target indicator (MTI) system for detecting moving aircraft within its scanning purview. To avoid processing undesirable clutter, the MTI system includes a clutter cancelling type filter for rejecting doppler shift frequency signals reflected from objects moving at velocities below a predetermined minimum velocity value. Unfortunately, the doppler shift frequencies representative of the body velocity of most helicopters fall within this clutter repetition band and may go undetected by the MTI system. To detect these helicopters, a helicopter detection system which operates on the specular flash energy of the doppler shift frequency signals reflected from the rotating blades of a helicopter is provided. The helicopter detection system passes substantially the received reflected radar signals that have doppler shift frequencies representative of the helicopter rotating blade velocities, derives a threshold value based on the values of the passed signals, and generates detection signals at times corresponding to the passed signal values which are at least that of the derived threshold value. In addition, the helicopter detection system is capable of inhibiting the generation of the detection signals at time corresponding to the reception of interference type radar signals by the radar set. Furthermore, an unambiguous range of each detected helicopter may be computed. Moreover, the helicopter detection system has the capability of distinguishing between detected targets having even and odd numbers rotating blades.

The present invention relates broadly to the detection of helicopters, and more particularly to a pulse doppler radar system which detects and identifies an operational helicopter and derives the unambiguous range thereof utilizing the specular flash energy of the doppler shift frequency signals reflected from the rotating blades of the helicopter.
Airborne surveillance pulse doppler radars, in some cases, provide advance warning of enemy and unidentified aircraft flying within their scanning purview. It is well known that certain types of helicopters may be equipped with offensive weaponry to become a viable military threat. To the military, then, the detection, identification and tracking of helicopter targets by the advanced warning airborne radars are of paramount importance. Allowing helicopter targets to avoid detection of the airbore radars may result in the unbalancing of military position.
Most airborne pulse doppler radars include signal filtering circuitry to cancel or reject doppler shift frequency signals derived from the reflections of stationary and slow moving objects, generally known as radar clutter. The minimum detectable target velocity of these clutter cancelers is usually adjusted to include doppler shift frequency signals of slow moving surface vehicles, like automobiles, for example. Unfortunately, the velocity range of most hovering and slow moving helicopter targets falls below this minimum detectable target velocity. Consequently, their doppler shift frequency signals are also canceled in the airborne radars, permitting these helicopter targets to go undetected. Now, it is always possible to reduce the minimum detectable target velocity of airborne radars to detect the helicopter targets; however, this will also result in the additional detection of the moving surface vehicles. Since there exists, in general, a significantly larger number of moving surface vehicles than helicopter targets, the probability of distinguishing between the doppler shift frequency signals of a target helicopter and the moving surface vehicles with present airborne radars is extremely low. In fact, the detection of a helipcopter target under these conditions may be considered virtually impossible. Therefore, it becomes readily apparent that another approach must be considered for detecting these helicopter targets, something beyond that of utilizing the velocity of the moving craft itself.
In another aspect of aircraft target detection, most pulse doppler airborne radar sets function with medium to high pulse repetition frequency (PRF) transmissions, on the order of 25 KHz, for example. As a result, the range indication of a detected target aircraft is ambiguous in that there are a plurality of range cells at which the detected target will satisfy the timing of the received signal return of a particular PRF of the airborne radar. To resolve the ambiguities in range, some airborne radars transmit radar signals at a plurality of PRF's and correlate the received signals from the detected target. In the correlation process, only the unambiguous range of the detected target will remain fixed while the ambiguous ranges will vary in proportion to the particular PRF being transmitted. If helicopters are also included as potential moving aircraft targets of the airborne radar, considerations must also be given to resolving the ambiguities in the range thereof. Since the detection of helicopters may involve a characteristic of the craft other than its body or skin velocity, a simple variation in PRF to resolve ambiguities in the range of the detected helicopter may not be sufficient.
Still another aspect of aircraft target detection is the ability of most airborne radars to discriminate between detected moving targets within their radar scanning purview. Generally, it is not until one detected target aircraft is distinguished from another can the ambiguous range thereof be unambiguously resolved. Known airborne pulse doppler radar sets employ a plurality of doppler shift frequency filter banks to distinguish between a variety of moving target aircraft. In these systems, it is basically assumed that each moving target aircraft has a unique velocity vector (i.e. speed and direction) which separates it from the others. Thus, each detected target aircraft is resolved uniquely into corresponding doppler frequency bands or cells. And thereafter, each identified target may be processed individually from its correspondingly associated doppler frequency band. Since it is likewise possible to have more than one moving helicopter target within the scan of the pulse doppler radar set, it may be additionally necessary, in any helicopter detection system, to distinguish between multiple helicopter targets in some cases. However, pulse doppler radar detection of helicopters may involve characteristics endemic to only helicopters which may yield doppler shift frequencies which are inapplicable to the known teachings of partitioning aircraft targets into doppler frequency bands corresponding to their velocity vectors. Here again, for helicopter detection with pulse doppler radars, another way of distinguishing one craft from another may be required under certain situations or for all cases.
Representative of pulse doppler radar sets is the disclosed subject matter found in the following U.S. Patents all assigned to the same assignee as of the present application:
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,376 entitled "Target Detection System in a Medium PRF Pulse Doppler Search/Track Radar Receiver"; issued to John C. Kirk; filed on Mar. 9, 1976 and issued Mar. 14, 1978;
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,948 entitled "Target Detection in a Medium PRF Pulse Doppler Radar"; issued to H. Long III; filed on June 8, 1976 and issued on June 6, 1978;
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,222 entitled "Post Detection STC in a Medium PRF Pulse Doppler Radar"; issued to David H. Mooney, Jr.; filed on May 27, 1976 and issued on June 13, 1978; and
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,532 entitled "VIP Doppler Filter Bank Processorfor Pulse Doppler Radar"; issued to John W. Taylor, Jr. et al.; Filed on Apr. 29, 1977 and issued June 30, 1979.
All the patents set forth above are provided as a reference herein for a more detailed description of known pulse doppler radar sets.
Moreover, in a helicopter detection radar system, just like in any other radar aircraft detection system, the ability to distinguish real reflection signals of target helicopters from false pulse interference signals from enemy jammers or even friendly radar, for example, should be included. Without protection against pulse interference, the detection system may be rendered ineffective and caused to respond to false detection of helicopter targets. Thus, the viability of such a detection system would be deemed inadequate for the purposes for which it was designated. Therefore, in any helicopter detection radar system consideration must be additionally given to the handling of strong, high amplitude, impulse radar interference.

Helicopter rotating blade detection system


A protective cover for a motor vehicle, particularly for a motorcar, in the form of a strip of a length commensurate with the length of the motorcar and of a width slightly smaller than the width of the baggage compartment of the motorcar. The cover includes a number of stiff rectangular panels connected along their long sides by flexible joints, which permits the cover to be folded into a close stack, to be stored inside the baggage compartment of the motorcar and to be pulled out and to be stretched over the body of the motorcar. The strip is provided with a mechanism for attaching its near end to the inside of the baggage compartment and a mechanism for attaching its far end to the front of the motorcar. The cover further includes two lengths of strip or string having their two ends attached to points proximate two corners of each pair of panels, the strip being of a length commensurate with the distance between the points on the panels in the fully stretched state of the cover. The cover further includes elastic members connecting the centers of each two lengths of strip or string adapted to pull the two strips or strings towards the center line of the cover and thereby pull each pair of panels into mutual contact and all the panels of the cover into a close stack.

The invention relates to a removable cover for a vehicle, more particularly to a motor car provided with baggage compartment. It is destined to protect the body of a motor car from harsh climatic conditions including sun, rain, chemical fallout, pollution, dust, snow, hall and sleet. The cover is, during non-use, stored in the baggage compartment or boot, generally positioned in the rear of the vehicle, while occupying a minimum of space, and is readily pulled out of this boot and stretched over the car body during parking.
There exist various types of car covers, which are mostly made of canvas or similar material, and which are stowed away in a suitable place in the car in folded state. Other covers are rolled up on a rotatable shaft which is either mounted in the front or the rear of the car, either outside or in the baggage compartment where it occupies some otherwise valuable space. Still other covers are in tent shape and are mounted on poles with a view to covering the entire car, both roof and sides.
In semi-arid countries it is usually not so important to protect the entire car body against climatic conditions, but to protect the interior from being heated to almost unsupportable temperatures, while the car is parked and exposed to direct sun radiation. Since the sun stands close to the zenith during summer, it is important that the roof is protected from direct sun rays, while the sides are much less exposed and need less protection. Now, the known canvas covers are closely stretched over the roof surface without leaving an air space, whereby the radiation is directly transmitted to the metal roof and into the car interior, thus not greatly alleviating the heating action, especially after a few hours of parking.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a car cover which is readily pulled out of the baggage compartment, where it is usually stored, and stretched over the car roof, leaving a sufficiently wide air space between the metal surface and the cover, thus preventing the sun rays from reaching this surface.
It is a further object to provide a roof cover which folds automatically into closed position, as soon as it is released and slips back into the baggage compartment, where it occupies a minimum of space.
It is still another object to provide a car cover permitting the owner to mount it himself or herself in the baggage compartment without outside help and to adjust it over the car whenever needed.
And it is a final object to make provision for optional attachment of side curtains to the roof cover for the protection of the car sides.


In various examples, a method includes storing one or more data structures on a storage device, the one or more data structures identifying a plurality of faults in a geographical formation and a plurality of fault blocks on either side of the plurality of faults in the geographic formation; for each pair of faults blocks on opposite sides of a fault identified in the one or more data structures: determining, using at least one processor, a fault polygon of a respective pair of fault blocks with respect to a fault of the plurality of faults; and calculating a matching factor between the respective pair of fault blocks based on the fault polygon; selecting a pair of fault blocks to merge based on the calculated matching factor; and updating the one or more data structures to indicate the selected pair of fault blocks has been merged.

Geological faults occur when there has been a fracture along which the blocks of the earth's crust (e.g., fault blocks) on either side have moved relative to one another parallel to the fracture (e.g., the fault plane). By definition, the fault block that is above the fault plane is considered the hanging wall and the fault block that is below the fault plane is defined as the footwall. Different types of faults are classified based on the orientation of the fault blocks. For example, a "normal fault" occurs when the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall and may occur when there is an expansion of the crust. Alternatively, a "reverse fault" occurs when the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall and occurs when the crust is compressed. Complex fault topologies may also have cross faults in which two faults cross each other.

Global grid building unfaulting sequence for complex fault-network topologies


A centrifugal separation apparatus includes a plurality of centrifugal separators each comprising a rotator which supports a plurality of sample containers containing a sample therein, a base in which the centrifugal separators are arranged in columns and stages and a route is defined therein, the centrifugal separators being movable inside the base, and a movement mechanism that sequentially move the centrifugal separators along the route in the base.

As a centrifugal separation apparatus for centrifugally separating a sample such as blood, the following type of apparatus is known in the art. The apparatus employs a plurality of buckets swingably attached to the circumference of a disk-like rotator. Sample containers holding a sample to be processed are fitted in the buckets, and the rotator is rotated at high speed for centrifugal separation processing. (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-151024).
In the above apparatus, the sample containers are sequentially conveyed from a processing line, where the sample is subjected to biochemical analysis and various pre-processing, to the rotators of a plurality of centrifugal separators. When a predetermined number of sample containers have been conveyed, the rotators of the centrifugal separators are rotated for centrifugal separation processing. When the centrifugal separation processing has been performed for a predetermined time, the rotators are stopped, and the sample containers are sequentially taken out and returned to the processing line.
If the number of sample containers is large, the time required for conveying them to the rotators and returning them to the processing line is inevitably long. As a result, the efficiency of the centrifugal separation processing of the above-mentioned centrifugal separation apparatus decreases. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separation apparatus and a centrifugal separation method which ensure high processing efficiency.
The embodiment described herein enables enhancing the processing efficiency of centrifugal separation processing.

Centrifugal separation apparatus having a plurality of separators arranged and moveable in a base and centrifugal separation method


A reflected light sensor having a light transmitter including at least two mutually independent light sources and a light receiver including at least two separately evaluatable photosensitive elements. A switching point or distance limit of the light sensor can be continuously varied within a defined sensing range by inversely and continuously controlling currents of the light sources in accordance with a control voltage U.sub.St,LED, or by continuously varying a first and a second independent control voltage thereby controlling gains of signals at the output of the photosensitive elements.

The present invention relates to a reflected light sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an object.
A light sensor for detecting the presence of an object is disclosed in German Patent No. 3,513,671 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,224. In this system, a distance limit or remote switching point of the light sensor can be varied by employing a rotatably mounted deflection mirror. That is, the mirror is arranged to pivot thereby changing the location of the focal point of a bundle of received light in a direction transverse to an optical axis on a photoelectric transducer arrangement. The photoelectric transducer arrangement is composed of two photoelectric elements whose output signals charge a differential amplifier. Hence, a signal corresponding to a difference between radiation energies incident on the two photoelectric elements is present at the output of the differential amplifier.
In order to distinguish between a first state where a sensed object is disposed between the remote switching point and the light sensor and a second state where a sensed object is disposed at a distance greater than the remote switching point, the output signal of the differential amplifier is fed to an evaluation circuit which evaluates its amplitude and sign. If the output signal is positive, for example, and reaches a response threshold provided in the evaluation circuit, the sensed object is disposed between the remote switching point and the light sensor. If, however, the signal becomes smaller than the response threshold, the sensed object is disposed at a distance greater than the remote switching point.
In a reflected light sensor disclosed in German Patent No. 2,924,685 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,430, a light source with a first optical axis and a light receiver with a second optical axis are each accommodated in a pivotal mount positioned between the first and second optical axes. This makes it possible to vary an angle which defines a remote switching point or distance limit. Here, the mounts are pivoted by means of a spindle drive, thus changing the angle at which the two axes of the optical systems intersect each other and consequently changing the remote switching point or distance limit.
The drawback in such a light sensor is that some of its optical and/or optoelectronic components are not fixed to a housing but must instead be displaceable in the housing and only then is it possible to adjust the location of the remote switching point. Such a structure requires a lot of equipment, is complicated to install and is not very stable. In addition, the electrical line arrangement must be designed to allow the necessary freedom of pivotal movement and the entire arrangement requires a lot of space.

Reflected light sensor having dual emitters and receivers


A distillation system has a degassing tank, a distiller for generating vapor of raw water taken from the degassing tank, a heater for heating the vapor from the distiller to convert the vapor into a high temperature and pressure vapor, a hydrophobic porous membrane through which the vapor from the heater flows, and a heat transfer unit provided in the distiller for effecting heat exchange between the vapor from the membrane member and the raw water from the degassing tank. The structural elements such as the heat exchange unit, piping, etc., with which the vapor from the membrane or the condensate thereof is brought into contact are made of titanium or titanium alloy.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for distilling water from raw water or the like which is treated by passage through an ion exchange or reverse osmosis membrane, and more particularly to a system for distilling water suitable for use in the fields of semiconductor manufacturing, electronics industry, medical supply production, medical treatment and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known to distil water of high purity by making vapor pass through a hydrophobic porous membrane as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2-63592.
In the prior art described above, in which the vapor is generated by heating raw water as it is and is condensed into condensate, the vapor may be contaminated by impurities including corpuscles, dissolved gas and total organic carbon (TOC) in the raw water as well as water mist. Accordingly, when the vapor is condensed by cooling, these impurities contaminate the distilled water to thereby deteriorate the purity thereof.
Furthermore, since the generated vapor is condensed to afford the latent heat of vaporization to a coolant and not reused, the efficiently is low and it is still required to provide a subsidiary equipment for serving to supply the coolant.
Moreover, in the plant designed to transfer the produced distilled water by means of a pump, there is a disadvantage that the corpuscles or organic material resulting from a sliding portion of the pump deteriorate the water composition chemistry.
In addition, there is another disadvantage that impurities dissolved from the various structural elements making up the distillation system contaminate the produced vapor and distilled water, thereby making it impossible to obtain the distilled water of high purity required for the use in semiconductor manufacturing and other like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a distillation system capable of distilling water of very high purity which is suitable for use in the fields of semiconductor manufacturing, electronics industry, medical supply production, medical treatment and the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a distillation system which is capable of lessening dissolution of impurities from the structural elements making up the system thereby producing distilled water of high purity.

Distillation system with a hydrophobic porous membrane


A self service cart system is provided to speed throughput at a check out counter and thus reduce space devoted to check out counters. The cart comprises a bar code scanner for acquiring a price and a description of a product, a security scanner for converting a tag from an unsecured state to a secured state, a magnetic card reader for activating the cart and a controller. The controller stores the price and description of all products in a store and keeps a running total of the price of the products scanned and placed in the cart and coordinates the various activities of the various parts of the cart system. An inventory control computer is connected to the cart's controller at the check out counter to down load the price and description of the products scanned. The products then pass through a security sensor which determines if the products are in the secured state and raises an alarm if the products are in the unsecured state.

In the past grocery stores did not have shopping carts. A customer would ask the clerk for the items he intended to purchase and the clerk would go around the store, gather and package the items and total the price of the purchase for the customer.
When the shopping cart was first introduced to stores common wisdom was that the customers would never find the items they wanted without help. As customers grew accustomed to the layout of the stores, the stores were able to service more customers with fewer employees. The grocery cart allowed store employees to concentrate on stocking the shelves and checking out customers. The store's employees no longer had to gather the items for the customer; this resulted in improved productivity for grocery stores, which in turn resulted in lower prices for the consumer.
As this store format became accepted, one of the major labor costs for stores became checking out customers. Checkers were required to hand enter the price and to bag every item. This was a slow, inaccurate process and the major bottleneck in the grocery sales process.
This problem was alleviated by the introduction of a bar code on products and a bar code scanner at the check out lines. This allowed checkers to greatly increase their productivity and accuracy. It also greatly improved inventory management and purchasing accuracy. However, customer lines at the check-out were not significantly reduced, since most stores used this productivity advantage to reduce the number of checkers.
One of the major complaints customers have about grocery shopping is waiting in line to be checked out, pricing and bagging of each item. Most stores have numerous check out lanes; these lanes remain mostly unused except during peak hours and days, such as Saturday afternoons. This results in a large area of the store having a low utilization.
This invention is directed at overcoming these and other problems.