A parts transporting system including a rigid rack frame, a plurality of uprights coupled to the rigid rack frame, a plurality of shelf supports coupled to the uprights, and a plurality of shelf assemblies operably coupled to the uprights and the shelf supports. Each shelf assembly is constructed of a shelf frame and an offset pivot hinge operably coupled to the shelf frame and the shelf support, allowing the shelf frame to swing open at an angle with respect to the rigid rack frame. A lid and strut assembly is operably coupled to each of the shelf frames and includes a lid, a seal covering the entire perimeter of the lid and providing a dirt and moisture resistant seal, and a strut coupled to the lid. Each shelf frame is coupled to a sling assembly which forms compartments used to hold parts. Each shelf frame is positioned directly above each lid except the top lid. When each of the shelf assemblies is emptied, it is lifted, and this action lifts the lid below the shelf assembly, exposing the next layer of parts to be removed.

The present invention relates to a parts transporting system. More specifically the present invention relates to a modular flexible parts transporting system ideal for parts sequencing procedures involving varying part sizes.
It is frequently necessary to pack articles for shipment to a location where the articles are unpacked for assembly with other parts. An important aspect of a parts transporting system is its flexibility to accommodate parts of different sizes while still maintaining simple loading and unloading methods and a stackable shape. Various systems have been developed for parts storage and transportation which disclose a parts loading system using a compartmental scheme. These systems utilize moving rods and shelves to vary the size of their storage compartments. These systems are effective in maintaining a flexible configuration of the size and number of compartments. However, these systems do not utilize a sequenced, pivoting, multi-level, compartmentalized system which decreases the difficulty in loading and helps to protect parts. Loading and unloading these previous systems is done by placing each part in a compartment and then securing the part. The present invention reduces these two actions into one thereby reducing the time needed to load and unload parts. A system of lids and shelf assemblies are used in the present invention to protect, store, and secure parts. The lid and shelf assemblies are sequenced so that as each shelf assembly is emptied it is lifted and this action will lift the lid below, exposing the next layer of parts to be removed. The reverse action of loading is also sequenced so that as each shelf assembly is loaded the lid is closed, securing the loaded parts and opening the shelf assembly above. Another previous storage system discloses a two level storage layout which incorporates a pivoting upper deck that serves the dual purpose as a second level of storage and a lid for the bottom storage level. However, this system does not utilize a compartmentalized storage scheme that sequences, protects, and insures the cleanliness of the stored parts.


A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor-driven steering controller and more particularly to a motor-driven steering controller which provides assist steering torque depending on difference in braking force between right and left wheels and an anti-skid controller including such a motor-driven steering controller.
2. Background Art
When braking sudden enough to cause anti-skid control is executed on a road where the frictional coefficient differs from right to left, i.e., so-called μ split road, the resulting braking force differs from right side to left side of a vehicle. The difference in braking force between the right and left sides causes generation of yaw moment that causes the vehicle to be deflected toward the higher road frictional coefficient side. On the μ slit surface of an actual road, snow or ice can be left on the edge of the road to reduce the frictional coefficient thereof while the asphalt on the central part of the road is dried or wet to have a raised frictional coefficient. When a vehicle having its right and left wheels positioned on the edge of the road and on the central part of the road, respectively, is suddenly braked, the resulting braking force is larger on the central part of the road, which has a large frictional coefficient, than on the edge of the road, which has a smaller frictional coefficient. As a result, yaw moment is developed on the vehicle to cause the vehicle to be deflected toward the central part of the road.
In order to reduce yaw moment generated due to the difference in braking force between right and left, the operator needs to steer in a direction opposite the deflecting direction of the vehicle. This steering is known as counter-steering. However, this counter-steering requires some deal of skill.
On the other hand, anti-skid control is normally arranged such that the braking force on the front wheels is subjected to yaw moment inhibition control while the braking force on the rear wheels is subjected to select low control to inhibit sudden yaw moment caused by the difference in braking force between right and left when sudden braking is executed on μ split road. The yaw moment inhibition control is adapted to raise the time gradient of braking force on the wheel on high frictional coefficient side (i.e., reduce the gradient of rise of braking force with respect to time) when the road is judged to be μ split road, to thereby inhibit the generation of sudden yaw moment. The select low control is adapted to control the braking force on high frictional coefficient side according to the braking force on low frictional coefficient side. Both the yaw moment inhibition control and the select low control reduce the braking force on high frictional coefficient side, giving a long braking distance.
In this respect, JP-A-8-183470 proposes a power steering device which reduces steering torque necessary for steering according to the difference in braking forces between right and left wheels to facilitate a counter-steering operation. It is specifically described that, when the difference in braking forces between the right and left wheels is sensed to be large while operating the anti-skid controller, solenoid valves are controlled to control the hydraulic pressure to be supplied into a reaction variable mechanism in control valves so that the steering reaction to be imposed on the operation of the steering wheel by the reaction variable mechanism is reduced.
JP-A-11-129,927 proposes the running wheel control structure of a motor-driven steering vehicle provided with a torque steer inhibition controlling unit. In this, a problem is taken into account that when a vehicle having a right and left wheel control system on board is controlled such that driving forces (or braking forces) which are not equal from right to left are acted on the wheels to be steered (front wheels in ordinary vehicle), moment developed around the king pin by driving/braking force differs from the right wheel to the left wheel when an ordinary suspension is used, causing a steering kickback, loss of control over a steering wheel due to the turning of the wheels to be steered.
The above cited official gazette describes an arrangement of the device as follows. That is, when there occurs difference in control value between the right and left wheel while the driving/braking force control is separately executed over the right and left wheels, torque steer inhibition control signal is outputted to the motor-driven power steering device to cancel moment (torque steer) developed around the king pin due to the difference in driving force/braking force between the right and left wheels, making it possible to execute torque steer inhibition control in addition to ordinary assist control by the motor-driven power steering device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Motor-driven steering controller and automobile anti-skid controller


The present invention allows oval fish processing machinery designed to process pollock or salmon, such as the Baader 182, to be adapted to process flat fish such as sole to produce kirimi. One embodiment of the invention includes a generally rectangular fish holder that replaces the current fish holders on a fish processing machine. The fish holders include brackets having arms which extend over a portion of the fins and body of the flat fish to hold it in place on the fish holder. Two rotating blades cut through the flat fish held within the holder to remove the head and tail of the flat fish. Once the head and tail of the flat fish are removed, a water jet fish cleaning apparatus removes the blood spot and any internal organs remaining in the center portion of the flat fish to produce kirimi. The water jet fish cleaning apparatus includes a water jet nozzle that has one or more water passages. The passages direct a stream of water into the internal cavity in the center portion of fish. The stream of water from the water jet nozzle contacts and removes the blood spot of the fish. One of the passages directs a stream of water into the cavity approximately normal to the processing path. Another passage directs a stream of water partially forward along the processing path. In one embodiment, the water jet nozzle rotates to follow the center portion as it moves along the processing path.

Commercial fishermen catch and process tons of fish a day. Many fishermen have complex, highly-automated processing equipment which dress the fish and produce numerous different commercial products for commercial retailers, such as restaurant chains or grocery stores. Such equipment is highly specialized to perform a specific task, such as cutting the heads and tails off, filleting, deboning, and skiing, etc. One of the reasons such equipment must be tailored to specific tasks is the large variety of shapes and sizes of fish processed, including pollock, salmon, trout, sole, cod, etc.
To reduce overall processing costs and to improve quality, commercial fishing vessels include processing equipment and freezers located directly on the ships. As the fish are caught, they are immediately processed and frozen, substantially improving the quality of the final product. This processing equipment also allows the vessels to remain at sea for long periods of time without transporting the fish to a shore-based processing facility. Most of the processing equipment is large, complex, and expensive. It is difficult and expensive to remove the processing equipment from the vessel and replace it with new processing equipment.
Because of the expense associated with exchanging the processing equipment, including vessel downtime, most commercial processing ships are intended to catch and process specific types of fish. As an example, a vessel may be fitted with processing equipment designed to process generally oval fish having a relatively thick cross-section, such as pollock or salmon, or generally flat fish having a relatively thin cross-section, such as sole.
Due to the natural migration of fish, and various fishing laws, individual types of fish are caught and processed during limited parts of the year. Therefore, vessels having equipment capable of processing only one type of fish sit idle during part of the year. If the processing equipment could be readily exchanged or adapted to process both oval fish, such as pollock or salmon, and flat fish, such as sole, the vessels could be operated over a larger part of the year. This would in turn reduce the amount of downtime and associated expense for the vessels.
One manufacturer of fish processing equipment is Baader GmbH & Co. KG, Lubeck, Germany ("Baader"). One of the fish processing machines produced by Baader is the Baader 182. The Baader 182 is designed to process pollock and salmon shaped fish and includes a conveyor having a plurality of fish holders mounted along the length of the conveyor. Each fish holder includes a recess configured to receive a pollock. While operating, a worker removes fish from a fish hopper located next to the conveyor and places an individual pollock in the recess of each fish holder. The conveyor subsequently moves the fish holders and pollock along the length of the conveyor into contact with rotating blades that cut both the head and tail of the pollock off. The body of the pollock is then carried to additional equipment that cuts the pollock into fillets and removes the bones and skin.
The Baader 182 works well with fish having an oval cross-section, such as pollock, but does not allow other types of fish to be processed. The Baader 182 is particularly unsuitable for processing fish with a relative flat cross-section, such as sole. The fish holders used on the Baader 182 are not capable of holding such fish during processing.
In order to adapt the Baader 182 to process fish having a relatively thin cross-section, the inventor previously applied for and received a patent on a device for holding flat fish during processing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,441 entitled "Device for Holding Flat Fish During Processing" issued to the present inventor on Oct. 25, 1994. The device for holding flat fish during processing allows the Baader 182 to process flat fish in addition to pollock. One embodiment of the device included a generally rectangular fish holder that replaced the fish holders on the Baader 182. The fish holders include two arms which extend over a portion of the fins and body of a flat fish and hold it in place on the fish holder. The arms include two recesses that have slanted rear walls that center the flat fish as it is placed within the fish holder. Two slots extend across the width of the fish holder to allow rotating blades to extend beneath the upper surface of the fish holder to ensure that the blades cut cleanly through the thickness of the fish.
One of the products that the device for holding flat fish during processing allowed the Baader 182 to be used for is the processing of "kirimi." In order to make kirimi, the head and tall of a sole are removed, leaving the center portion of the sole. The center portion of the sole is then sold to consumers who fry, bake, or otherwise prepare the center portion for consumption. In the past, the center portion was sold complete with any internal organs remaining within the center portion. One of the internal organs remaining in the center portion after removing the head and tall is the kidney, commonly referred to as the "blood spot." The blood spot is located along the backbone of the sole in the internal organ cavity. In the past, the blood spot has been either removed by the individual consumer during preparation or removed by hand during processing after the head and tail are removed.
In today's highly competitive fishing industry, it is generally not economical to remove the blood spot by hand, thus the blood spot is generally left in the commercial kirimi product. If the blood spot could be removed during processing, a higher quality kirimi product would result.
As can be seen from the above discussion, there exists a need for a method to remove the blood spot and any other internal organs remaining in the kirimi after processing. The present invention is directed toward fulfilling this need.

Water jet fish cleaning apparatus for kirimi processor


An integrated circuit package system is provided. A protruding pad is formed on a leadframe. A die is attached to the leadframe. The die is electrically connected to the leadframe. At least portions of the leadframe, the protruding pad, and the die are encapsulated in an encapsulant.

In the electronics industry, a continuing need is to further and further reduce the size and weight of electronic devices while simultaneously increasing performance and speed. Cellular telephones, personal data devices, notebook computers, camcorders, and digital cameras are but a few of the consumer products that require and benefit from this ongoing miniaturization of sophisticated electronics.
Integrated circuit ("IC") assemblies for such complex electronic systems typically have a large number of interconnected IC chips. The IC chips, commonly called dies, are usually made from a semiconductor material such as silicon or gallium arsenide. Photolithographic techniques are used to form the various semiconductor devices in multiple layers on the dies.
Dies are encapsulated in a molded plastic package that has connectors or leads on the exterior of the package that function as input/output terminals for the die inside the package. The package includes a leadframe, a die mounted on the leadframe, and wires.
The die is conventionally mounted to the top surface of the leadframe with, for example, a layer of an adhesive or an adhesive film, and then electrically connected to the leadframe by a number of fine, conductive wires, typically gold (Au) or aluminum (Al), that electrically connect the die to the leadframe. The wires are attached to the die at the bonding pads of the die, which are located around the periphery of the die.
After the wires are attached, the die, the leadframe, and the conductive wires are encapsulated in a mold compound, such as plastic or epoxy. The encapsulation protects the leadframe, the die, and the fine conductive wires from physical, electrical, moisture, and/or chemical damage.
The encapsulation process begins by placing the leadframe, the die, and the fine conductive wires in a mold. Next, a mold compound is injected into the mold. The mold compound flows through the mold, encasing the leadframe, the die, and the conductive wires.
Typically, a mold encapsulates multiple semiconductor devices at the same time. A two part mold mounted on a hydraulic press is generally used.
Initially the two halves of the mold are held apart. One or more lead frames containing semiconductor devices are placed in an open half of the mold. The hydraulic press is then actuated and the mold closed, forming a cavity around each semiconductor die. It is not unusual for a mold to contain thousands of cavities. Each of these cavities is connected by one or more gates, channels, and runners to one or more softened plastic central reservoirs or pots. A worm screw or ram compresses the plastic so that it flows into the cavities. As soon as the plastic has hardened, the mold is opened and the molded plastic packages removed.
Frequently, moveable pins are built into the mold to align the mold parts, to hold the lead frames in a particular location during molding or to provide automatic ejection of the encapsulated parts. Also, the mold may contain other moving parts such as variable gates, vents, and dams. Thus, molds for encapsulating electronic parts, particularly semiconductor parts, are often very complicated.
In order to push liquefied plastic from the reservoirs into the many cavities, it is frequently necessary to inject or transfer the plastic at very high pressures. If the mold halves fail to seal tightly against each other or against the lead frames, undesired or unintended crevices may be present therebetween. At such high pressures, the crevices fill with plastic during encapsulation, producing unwanted thin webs of plastic. These thin webs of plastic are referred to as "flash" and can result from such imperfect sealing of the mold. Before the encapsulated electronic devices can be used, this flash must be removed. This increases the cost of manufacture and is undesirable. Also, flash is a significant cause of mold wear, requires additional labor for mold cleaning between molding cycles, and increases mold down-time.
In order to minimize flash, great pains are generally taken to machine the mating surfaces of the mold halves flat and parallel where they are to seal. Usually, they are carefully inspected for planarity during manufacture and after installation in the press. Powerful hydraulic cylinders in the mold force the mold halves tightly against the lead frames and each other. However, the force that can be applied in an effort to seal the mold is limited, since excessive force causes coining of the lead frames and rapid mold wear.
As a result, adhesives, such as adhesive tape, are commonly used to secure leadframes and reduce mold flash. However, mold flash continues to occur. Furthermore, adhesives must be cleaned from leadframes, increasing process steps and cost. Despite these efforts, flash continues to occur, even in the most carefully fabricated molds. There is therefore also a need to selectively shield integrated circuits compatibly with reducing mold flash.
After encapsulation, integrated circuits are arranged on a printed circuit board with other integrated circuits and electronic components. Small electronic devices require the integrated circuits to be very close together. However, some integrated circuits are sources of electromagnetic interference and must be spaced further away from other integrated circuits. This required spacing increases the size of the small electronic device being assembled. What is needed is a way to manufacture shielded integrated circuits while reducing mold flash.
Thus, a need still remains for improved encapsulation methods for shielded and unshielded integrated circuits that reduce size, reduce weight, and eliminate unwanted flash.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

Integrated circuit protruding pad package system


Complicated movements of a walking doll such as going frontward or backward while making a big turn or making a turn in place is possible if the walking doll includes a body with a gear unit for supporting and driving a pair of feet having the same length and moved in an oscillating manner in the front/rear direction with respect to the body without restraint. The doll stands erect on the feet since they have surfaces which stay in contact with the floor. These surfaces have a curvature in the oscillating direction and the curvature is constantly in contact with the floor. A member for adjusting the position of a gravitational center of the doll is swiveled or deformed on a first plane parallel to the oscillation direction and another plane orthogonal to the first plane. This can three-dimensionally shift the center of gravity frontward or backward or to a side region of the doll.

The present invention relates to a doll which walks or stamps its feet so as to shuffle along, without lifting its feet from the floor. In the present specification, a plane on which the doll walks is generically called a floor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a walking doll which is capable of shuffling its feet or making a turn in an arbitrary direction as it walks.
A walking doll of the prior art alternately lifts its feet from the floor and repeatedly stands on one foot as it walks. For this purpose, it is necessary to make each foot of large size in such a way that the doll can stand on one foot. The prior art doll is therefore apt to loose its balance and fall down as the walking speed is increased. Its movement is also linear and devoid of interest.
The inventor of the present application has proposed a doll which can alternately move its feet back and forth in a shuffling motion, without lifting its feet from the floor as it rapidly walks. See Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 63-86375 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 1-256991. As to this doll, which is shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, two feet 102, 103, each having the same length are connected to a body 101 in such a manner that the feet can freely oscillate back and forth on a shaft 104 at the center of the oscillation. The feet 102 and 103 and the shaft 104 are connected by means of a crank 106 and a slotted hole 107 of a spring-driven gear unit 105. A pin 108 of the crank 106 which rotates by the force of the spring is fitted into the slotted hole 107, thus compelling the feet 102 and 103 to alternately oscillate back and forth. Accordingly, the doll does not walk by completely lifting soles 102a and 103a from the floor 109, but rather, both feet 102 and 103 alternately move back and forth, like shuffling, with the soles 102a and 103a being lightly brought into contact with the floor 109 as the doll walks. In the case of this doll, since the direction of progress varies due to an insignificant change in the frictional resistance between feet 102, 103 and the floor 109, the direction of walking becomes unstable, whereby the doll moves irregularly.
It may, however, be necessary to impart a direction to the movement of the doll, depending on the situation. As a countermeasure, co-axial rotary shafts 111 each piercing through the side face of the body 101 and wings 110 each of which can rotate backward and forward around the single axis rotary shaft 111 are fixed to the body 101, thereby shifting the center of gravity of the whole doll forward or backward by the rotation of the wings 110. With such a configuration, the doll can shuffle its feet forward or backward as it walks. For example, when the wings 110 are rotated forward to shift the center of gravity of the doll forward, the doll shuffles its feet forward in the forward-bent posture. Further, when the wings 110 are rotated backward to shift the center of gravity of the doll backward, the doll shuffles its feet backward in the backward-bent posture like stepping back.
With such an arrangement, the movement direction of the doll is restricted to three types, i.e., forward movement, backward movement and a halting of its progress while it marches in place. The movement of the doll is thus uninteresting.


An intrusion detection system is disclosed for safeguarding an operator of an industrial machine such as a press brake. A light screen barrier (420) comprises sequentially pulsed beams (422) which are spaced far enough apart to permit penetration by a work piece (144) without obstructing more than one beam whereas penetration by the operator's hand will obstruct at least two adjacent, successively pulsed beams. A pulse train of regularly spaced signal pulses (BRS) with each pulse corresponding to a light beam is produced when none of the light beams are obstructed. A missing pulse detector (600, 40') with a logic circuit (502) produces a control signal for stopping the machine only when two or more adjacent light beams are obstructed causing two or more successive missing pulses in the pulse train.

In presence or intrusion detection systems it is known to use radiant energy or light beams to define a boundary of the space or region which is to be guarded or maintained under surveillance. Such a system, especially adapted for safeguard of industrial machines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,846 granted July 20, 1976 to Schofield et al for "Presence Detecting System with Self-Checking" and assigned to the same assignee as this invention. The entire disclosure of this patent is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
Certain industrial machines are difficult to safeguard to prevent injury to the operator without causing serious interference with the operation of the machine or restriction on the operator. For example, a metal bending machine such as a press brake, typically requires that the sheet metal workpiece be grasped by the operator at one portion while another portion is being formed in the die. For protection of the operator, there should be a barrier between the operator and the pinch-point in the die at a safe distance from the pinchpoint; however, the workpiece would have to extend through the barrier to be grasped by the operator and, furthermore, the workpiece must be allowed freedom of movement in the region of the barrier. A mechanical barrier cannot be used because it would interfere with movement of the workpiece during the forming operation. A barrier of the light beam type which forms a "light screen" or a "light curtain" has not heretofore provided an adequate solution. In such a light beam device, the workpiece would be detected as an intrusion through the light screen and the machine would be stopped. Muting of a light screen type of safety device during the down stroke of the slide of the machine does not afford continuous or a full time protection for the operator.


There is disclosed a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, wherein the apparatus comprises ink sheet conveying means for conveying said ink sheet, recording medium conveying means for conveying said recording medium, recording means for recording onto said recording medium by acting on said ink sheet, and control means for controlling the driving amount of said ink sheet conveying means when the power is turned on.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invent ion relates to a thermal transfer recording method and apparatus for recording an image onto a recording medium by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet to the recording medium, and a facsimile terminal equipment using said apparatus, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording apparatus wherein the length of ink sheet to be used for the recording is L/n (n>1) for a predetermined recording length L of the recording medium.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, a thermal transfer printer uses an ink sheet with the heat-fusible (or heat-sublimable) ink applied to the base film to heat selectively the ink sheet with the thermal head in accordance with an image signal, and record an image by transferring the fused (or sublimated ) ink onto a recording sheet. As this ink sheet in general allows the ink to be transferred entirely onto the recording sheet with one time of recording (a so-called one-time sheet ), it is needed to convey the ink sheet by an amount corresponding to the recorded length and then to bring unused part of the ink sheet to the next recording position with accuracy, after one character or line has been recorded. Therefore, the usage of the ink sheet is increased, the running cost for the thermal transfer printer tends to be greatly higher than for the ordinary thermal sensitizing recording apparatus which records onto a thermosensible sheet.
To solve the above problem, a thermal transfer printer has been proposed in which a recording sheet and an ink sheet are conveyed with a difference of speed, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3984809, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 57-83471 or No. 58-201686, or Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-58917.
The present invention has further developed those described in the publications as above mentioned.
As the ink sheet for use in the thermal transfer printer, an ink sheet allowing for the multiple times (n) of image recording (so called a multi-print sheet) is known, with which it is possible to record a recording length L continuously, while the length of conveying the ink sheet after or during image recording is less than the length L (L/n : n>1) . Thereby, the use efficiency of the ink sheet can be increased to n times that for a conventional one, which will lead to a reduced running cost in the thermal transfer printer. Thereinafter, such a recording method is called as the multi-print.
When the multi-print is used with such an ink sheet, it is necessary that the ink sheet is conveyed a fixed distance for a predetermined length of recording.
In such a thermal transfer printer, the ink sheet having a width substantially corresponding to one page of recording sheet is conveyed by winding it. This can be performed by rotating a rotation shaft of a take-up roller for the ink sheet. With such a constitution, a take-up mechanism of the ink sheet is simple, and the ink sheet can be pulled with substantially the same force across the width direction, so that there is the advantage that the recording can be fairly made without yielding any wrinkles on the ink sheet.
In such a conveyance control, if the conveyance amount of the ink sheet is controlled with the rotation of a support shaft of the take-up roll for the ink sheet, the diameter of the take-up roll for taking up the ink sheet is larger with increasing usage of the ink sheet, so that even if the take-up roll is controlled for the same amount of rotation, the conveyance distance of the ink sheet may be different depending on the take-up position. Therefore, the ink sheet may be conveyed by means of a capstan roller and a pinch roller for carrying the ink sheet therebetween.
However, in order to take up the ink sheet, it is necessary to pull the ink sheet with a great force in a take-up direction, so that those rollers may be disordered in a long service time, and can not convey the ink sheet evenly. Further, there is a problem that the mechanical unit becomes complex with the rollers, thereby increasing the cost.
Also, a thermal transfer printer has been proposed in which the conveyance length of the ink sheet is made substantially constant relative to that of the recording sheet in such a way as to detect the rotation amount of an ink sheet supply roller relative to a predetermined driving amount (number of driving steps) for an ink sheet conveying motor, and adjust the rotation amount of an ink sheet conveying motor in accordance with that detected value. However, such thermal transfer printer is constituted in such a way that when the ink sheet is exchanged due to the exhaustion of ink sheet, the adjustment for the rotation amount of the ink sheet conveying motor made with reference to a recorded result of the first page, so that the conveyance length of the ink sheet can not be made constant relative to that of the recording sheet unless the first page has been recorded. Thus, there is a problem that the image quality of recording can not be assured in recording the first page after the ink sheet cartridge is exchanged. Also, there is a problem that if the ink sheet cartridge is exchanged at the power off, the driving of the ink sheet conveying motor after the power on will be made with the rotation amount determined based on the ink sheet cartridge prior to the exchange, which is unsuitable for the ink sheet cartridge after the exchange, so that the conveyance length of the ink sheet can not be made constant.

Thermal transfer recording apparatus and facsimile terminal equipment using said apparatus


A mini-modular manufacturing environmental chamber for processing and transporting semiconductor devices is disclosed. The cylindrical chamber is provided with a conveyer assembly that transports items within the chamber and divides the interior into two sections. Also included within the chamber are a power and control bus for process equipment located therein and a mounting assembly for securing the process equipment. Multiple environmental chambers can be connected by interconnect units and the chambers can be arranged in rows and columns to produce an array of manufacturing chambers useful for various semiconductor and microelectronic machine manufacture (MEMS) processing steps.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular manufacturing environmental chamber, and more particularly, to a modular manufacturing environmental chamber used for semiconductor manufacturing or microelectronic machine manufacturing (MEMS).
2. Background Information
The manufacture of semiconductor components and devices has seen many changes and innovations in recent years. As semiconductor devices have become smaller in size with greater circuit density, manufacturing methods require careful control of the environment where processing takes place to prevent contamination of the semiconductors by particulates. To address this problem, manufacturers have devised clean rooms where processing of semiconductors occurs. These clean rooms are expensive to prepare, maintain and operate, plus individuals entering the clean room must wear special clothing to prevent contamination of the work pieces. Also, moving semiconductor work pieces from one process to the next entails transporting devices that adds cost and complexity to the process.
A number of patents concerned with clean rooms and various conveyers and transfer systems have been granted. Tanaka, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,830, describes a tunnel for transferring semiconductor wafers that includes two tunnel zones. A carrier holding the wafer is located in one zone while a driving assembly in the second tunnel zone moves the attached carrier. Clean air flows into the zone containing the carrier and then to the zone with the driving assembly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,927, Southworth et al. disclose a conveyor system for transferring a cassette of semiconductor wafers between clean rooms. The system includes an elevator in each room that takes the cassette to a pressurized horizontal conveyer where the load moves on a driven cart which straddles, and is magnetically coupled to, an enclosed driver cart. FIG. 3 shows the details of the driver cart that magnetically moves the outer driven cart. Additionally, a turntable system for changing directions of travel is described and shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.
Iwasawa et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,360, describe a transfer system with a pod for containing a wafer cassette. The pod is located in a transfer tube and is moved by differences in air pressure within the tube. The tube is shown as being square.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,866, Melgaard discloses a conveyer for clean rooms that includes parallel housings with moveable rods between the housings. The rods move by mechanical means within the housings. A negative pressure inside the housings pulls air and particles to the interior thereof.
Scott et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,365, disclose a circular semiconductor manufacturing facility with a central circular silo and surrounding clean rooms. The silo is used for storing and transferring wafers to clean rooms disposed radially around the silo at each floor. FIGS. 2 and 3 show wafer storage and transfer in the circular silo section.
Sinclair et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,512, describe a mini-environment for hazardous process tools. The enclosure permits open access to the work area from outside and prevents toxic substances from escaping the enclosure. A higher pressure region within the enclosure near the access aperture keeps particles out and toxic materials in. A pair of overlapping moveable plates with holes control air flow within the enclosure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,791, Long et al. disclose a clean room conduit that is modular to be adapted for various distances between multiple clean rooms. Each module system has a perforated floor for exhausting air and contaminants. Each module also has a filter for supplying recirculated clean air to the module. The modules have a conveyer track that hangs from the top and include a product carrier in a car assembly for transport of wafers in the product carrier.
Thus, there is an unmet need for a system that can economically process and transport semiconductor devices while maintaining controlled environment conditions to prevent contamination to these devices. Applicant has devised such a system which overcomes the difficulties encountered by the above inventions.
The invention is a modular manufacturing environmental chamber, including a hollow cylindrical member of selected outside diameter and length having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the cylindrical member with a longitudinal axis there through, and having first and second ends. Positioning members are secured to the cylindrical member exterior surface adjacent each end thereof, with the positioning members maintaining the cylindrical member in a static orientation. A chamber conveyor assembly is positioned within the hollow cylindrical member and includes a planar material movement plate member sized to linearly divide the hollow cylindrical member interior into a conveyer system section and a controlled environment section by contacting the cylindrical member interior surface with two opposite edges of the plate member. A pair of parallel, linear bumper rail members is affixed on the cylindrical member interior surface and parallel to the cylindrical member longitudinal axis for supporting the planar plate member. A conveyer system is secured to one surface of the planar plate member facing the conveyer system section, while a linear rail guide member is affixed to the opposite surface of the linear plate member facing the controlled environment section, with the linear rail guide member parallel to the cylindrical member longitudinal axis.
A linear power and control bus member is affixed on the cylindrical member interior surface within the controlled environment section, with the linear power and control bus member positioned parallel to the cylindrical member longitudinal axis. The linear power and control bus member is in electrical communication with devices exterior the cylindrical member. A means for connecting the hollow cylindrical member to other environmental chambers or for sealing the hollow cylindrical member to ambient environment is also present.
The invention also includes a modular manufacturing environmental chamber assembly comprising a plurality of modular manufacturing environmental chambers in communication by means of an interconnect chamber member having at least two open ends sealably connected to one open end of a hollow cylindrical member of a modular manufacturing environmental chamber. The interconnect chamber member includes an interconnect chamber conveyor assembly positioned within the interconnect chamber member, with the interconnect chamber conveyor assembly adapted for moving items from one modular manufacturing environmental chamber, through the interconnect chamber member and to another modular manufacturing environmental chamber.


A shelving system with an improved shelf to post support assembly that permits the support of heavy shelf loadings, yet easy separation of the support assembly as well as an elimination of racking. The support assembly, positioned at each corner of each shelf, includes a one piece, split ring insert member and a corner section fixed to the shelf. The insert member is independently positioned on the post at a desired position and is comprised of an upper portion having a cylindrically shaped wall section defining a substantially cylindrical interior bore and a cylindrical outer wall. The lower section is radiused outwardly beyond the outer cylindrical wall and the interior bore extends therethrough and includes a radially inwardly directed rib. The corner section has a through bore including upper and lower cylindrical wall sections, the lower having a greater diameter with a chamfered surface serving to connect the upper and lower sections together. The top end of the upper section is tapered inwardly to define an opening substantially equal to, but not greater than the outer diameter of the insert member's cylindrical wall section and the diameter of the upper and lower cylindrical bores are each greater than the outer diameters of the cylindrical and radiused portions of the insert. When assembled, the chamfered surface will engage the radiused portion of the insert, the top opening of the corner section will engage the insert and each will be spaced from the other along the remaining adjacent wall sections.

There have been many approaches suggested for preparing shelving systems, particularly for industrial purposes. Such shelving systems have generally attempted to produce shelving that is easily adjustable or able to be knocked down with relative ease while at the same time providing sufficient support to accept relatively heavy loads, especially those that industrial shelving can often be subjected to. However, many of these systems have not achieved these desired goals.
An early example of a shelf mounting structure is shown in Doherty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,365. This structure was comprised of a solid, cylindrical sleeve provided midway along each side of the shelf that would fit over a support post. Each sleeve included a longitudinally extending groove or notch formed in the interior side wall for receiving a spring type locking member that would be insertable in that groove so that a toothed edge provided on the bottom end of the spring member would extend below the sleeve member and engage the post. In that position, when the sleeve was placed over the locking member, or vice versa, and load applied to the shelf, would force the toothed edge toward the pole thereby locking the shelf in the desired position.
Thereafter, the art seemed to develop about the concept of using two engaging wedge shaped or frusto conical surfaces and the use of an insert member that would fit against or over the post and provide one of those wedge or frusto-conical surfaces. In the frusto conical systems, the insert was provided with a cylindrically shaped interior opening that would ride along the post and a frusto conical exterior surface. A separate support structure mounted on, within or to the shelf structure was provided with a complementary frusto conically shaped internal bore so that when the support structure was placed over the insert and the two frusto conical sections were joined, the pair would mate along their entire length with those mating surfaces providing the support for the shelf. Exemplary of this frusto conical approach are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,424,111, 3,675,598, 3,757,705, 3,874,511, 4,318,352, and 4,444,125.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,111, Maslow, a two-piece frusto conical insert member also included an exterior groove for receiving an O-ring for holding the insert member comprised of two halves that would fit together and in place about the post. The insert member also included a radially inwardly directed rib on the inner surface for mating with one of the grooves provided on the post. Support for the shelf was provided by the mating of the two frusto conical surfaces, one on the exterior of the insert, the other in the form of a frusto conical bore within a support member fixed to the shelf. After being loaded, separation of the support system elements would sometimes prove difficult because of the total surface engagement and the wedging action between those two frusto conical surfaces. It should be noted that the two piece insert construction had a tendency when struck, as when moving the shelving, to actually pop apart or separate and fall off the post causing assembly or shelf movement problems.
Rather than using the internally directed rib, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,598 approach was to hold the insert member in place with a set screw, positioned in a collar at the lower end of the insert.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,705, a C-clip was placed about the two halves of the insert but this occurred following placement of the frusto conically shaped sleeve type corner support thereover. The C-clip would retain the corner support in position on the insert member and on the post. The corner support was a split sleeve structure so as to provide some elastic lateral expansion with the C-shaped ring, provided at the top of the two halved insert able to resist inadvertent uplifting of the shelf.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,511, the two piece frusto conical insert is again used. The shelf has a frusto conically shaped opening at each corner, and the insert member included an annular lip at its base which assisted in limiting downward movement of the corner member. Primary support for the shelf, however, continued to be provided by the pair of mating frusto conical surfaces.
Tashman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,953, also uses the mating frusto conical surface approach, but rather than using a two piece insert member, Tashman provides a one piece, split ring tapered member that also incorporates the interior rib for positioning that insert member on the post.
In Maslow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,369, the thought behind the support technqiue was again directed at a wedge concept. Rather than employing mating frusto conical surfaces, a simple wedge member, provided with a plurality of inwardly directed curved bosses, graduated so as to mate with similar female bosses in the post, would be placed on the post. A sleeve member, provided with a tapered or angled slot in the form of a key way for receiving the tapered wedge, would then be slid down the post and over the wedge with the wedge serving to hold the sleeve in position on the post.
French Pat. No. 855,715, employs a sleeve that is also positioned at the center point of the side of a shelf, and is provided along most of its interior with a cylindrical surface. The bottom portion tapers outwardly away from the post in the form of a frusto conical portion. A rubber O-ring is positioned on the post, although not positively as it can move along the post even prior to being deformed. The O-ring is received in this frusto conical portion in the lower half of the sleeve. As load is placed on the shelf, however, the O-ring will be compressed or deformed in between the sleeve and the post under load conditions so that it does not provide a positive stop structure.
Chung et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,064, employs two threadedly mating sections, the innermost having an inwardly directed rib to again mate with a groove provided in the post with the threaded sections serving to clamp the shelf therebetween.
Finally, Kelson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,756, shows the use of set screws to hold a corner support member on a post and Hendricks, U.S. Pat. No. 2,388,056; Ingwer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,119, and Snurr, U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,514, show the use of hardened ball bearings in various approaches to both support and allow for adjustability in a support structure.


OCDMA systems provide for storage and retrieval of OCDMA data while maintaining OCDMA encoding. One system includes an optical splitter that receives an OCDMA data stream having a multiple wavelengths of light. A plurality of tunable light filters is optically interconnected with the optical splitter. A controller tunes the tunable light filters such that they switch wavelengths of the OCDMA data stream over time. A plurality of light detectors is respectively coupled to the tunable light filters to convert the filtered optical data streams from the tunable light filters to electronic data streams. Each generated electronic data stream is stored with a corresponding storage volume. Retrieval of the OCDMA data is performed by reversing the wavelength switching used to store the OCDMA data stream. The electronic data streams are thereby converted to optical data streams using tunable light generators and subsequently converted into the OCDMA data stream with an optical coupler.

Optical networks use optical signaling and formatting techniques, such as OCDMA, to support multiple data channels over a single fiber optic cable. The optical communications thereof are typically implemented by transmitting data through fiber-optic links because light is less prone to optical dispersion through fiber-optic links as opposed to other mediums, such as air. These optical communications use light to convey data to an intended receiver through the fiber-optic link, through "on-off keying" of the wavelength. For example, a binary signal (i.e., a signal of logical 1's and logical 0's) is transmitted through a fiber-optic link with the light switching on and off.
Demand on communications has dictated that optical fiber be shared among users. In this regard, a single optical fiber is often shared by multiple binary signals. One method of sharing involves assigning specific time periods to individual users and is called Time Division Multiplexing ("TDM"). During a period of time in TDM, a single user transmits data and other users wait for their time period. Another method of sharing involves assigning specific wavelengths of light to individual users and is called Wavelength Division Multiplexing ("WDM"). In WDM, each user has a specific wavelength of light and may transmit data on that wavelength at any time, but no other user may use that wavelength. Optical Code Division Multiple Access ("OCDMA") is yet another method to share the optical fiber among a number of users. In OCDMA, each user is assigned a unique code that is composed of temporal and wavelength components. This unique OCDMA signature may be thought of as a unique identifier or thumbprint on a data stream. For a user to receive a data stream, the user must detect a data stream having an appropriate OCDMA signature.
To store such optical network communications, the data therein is typically decoded and converted to electronic data and stored in a storage element using a conventional disk block format. The optical to electronic conversion results in the removal of the original optical signaling and formatting information used to transfer the data over the network.

Optical code division multiple access data storage encryption and retrieval


In a memory refresh control system for refresh control of a memory having, as refresh addresses, addresses respectively corresponding to combinations of n+N bits, there are provided a refresh control circuit which yields, as refresh addresses, addresses respectively corresponding to combinations of n bits and generates, in a certain period of time, refresh clocks respectively corresponding to the abovesaid addresses for specifying 2.sup.n refresh times, a circuit which divides each of the refresh clock into 2.sup.N in terms of time and an overhead bit generator which is supplied with the divided clocks to produce successively addresses respectively corresponding to combinations of N bits for each divided clock. The n bits available from the refresh control circuit are added with the N bits generated by the overhead bit generator and then applied as an address of n+N to a memory, which is refreshed by the divided clock. The refresh clock divider is composed of monostable multivibrators of suitable time constants, and the overhead bit generator is formed by a counter.

This invention relates to a memory refresh control system, and more particularly to a refresh control system for memories using dynamic random access memory elements, such as MOS transistors and the like.
Recently, development of such memories shows a tendency to increase their storage capacity. An increase in the storage capacity causes an increase in the number of refresh addresses. A conventional refresh control method for such memories produces, as refresh addresses, addresses respectively corresponding to combinations of n bits in a refresh control circuit, generates, in a limited period of time, refresh clocks corresponding to the respective addresses for specifying 2.sup.n refresh times, and applies the address information and the refresh clocks directly to memory elements to be refreshed.
If the abovesaid prior art refresh control method is applied to a mass storage device with an increased number of refresh addresses, it is necessary that the number of refresh clocks to be sent out in the limited period of time P be increased in correspondence to the increased number of refresh addresses. This inevitably requires a longer refresh time, resulting in reduced efficiency of utilization of the storage device. Further, since the number of bits constituting refresh address data increases, it is required to increase the number of bits for the refresh address data which are sent out from a refresh control circuit provided in a central processor unit. To this end, the central processor unit must be equipped with different interfaces for memories with different numbers of refresh addresses.


An integration circuit (IC) simulation method includes: (a) providing a design netlist of a system-level circuit, wherein the system-level circuit comprises a first sub-circuit; (b) providing a first behavior model that is determined based on an operation of the first sub-circuit, wherein the first behavior model is a function of one or more respective behavior-level parameters; (c) incorporating a first variation into each of the one or more behavior-level parameters of the first behavioral model; and (d) simulating the system-level circuit based on the one or more behavior-level parameters of the first behavior model that incorporates the first variation.

Typically, the design process for a new integrated circuit (IC) includes several steps using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. During an initial schematic design of an (integrated) circuit, a designer identifies a set of functions to include in the initial schematic design, along with their standard delays. The designer uses computer implemented tools to perform functional simulation, to ensure that the design performs its intended function(s). Before the schematic design is laid out, the designer typically performs a pre-simulation. The pre-simulation takes into account device characteristics, to provide an estimate of circuit performance (e.g., performance in both analog and digital designs, including timing performance in digital designs). If the design meets circuit performance requirements in the pre-simulation, the designer initiates floorplan and layout phases, to generate an actual IC layout, using a place and route engine of the EDA tool. If the pre-simulation identifies significant performance issues, the designer modifies the design before proceeding to layout.
Following the layout process, the user verifies the design by using the EDA tools to perform design rule checks (DRC), layout versus schematic (LVS) checks, and RC extraction. In an example, the RC extraction tool takes into account the layout of the conductive (e.g., metal) lines of the interconnect layers generated by the router and computes parasitic resistance and capacitance elements associated with each conductive line. Subsequently, a post-simulation verifies circuit performance, taking into account the parasitic resistance and capacitance elements, in addition to the device characteristics.
With the advent of using advanced technology nodes having geometries of 40, 30, or 20 nanometers, or smaller, in a circuit, fluctuations in processing conditions (e.g., processing temperature, processing pressure, etc.) and/or environmentally conditions (e.g., a supplied voltage, an operating temperature) stochastically cause a variety of variations in device characteristics, which in turn changes the performance of the circuit. Thus, an EDA tool that considers the above-mentioned variations is needed.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to an adjustable flow rate dispenser comprising a dispenser body having a closed end, a flanged open end, at least one relatively large laterally disposed powder dispensing opening, at least one relatively small laterally disposed powder dispensing opening, and a retaining ring; and a cap having an open end, a closed end, a laterally disposed powder dispensing opening, and a snap bead, wherein when the cap is placed on the body, the snap bead engages the retaining ring providing a twistingly engaged cap and body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a container for dispensing particulate matter such as powders or finely ground fibers as, for example, talc, body portion powders, baby powders, cosmetic face powders, soap powders, infant formulas, and the like. In particular, this invention is directed toward the design and method of assembling of a container that is not only more economically beneficial to manufacture, but also provides selectively adjustable flow rates of the matter contained therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commercially available dispensers for particulate matter typically comprise a body portion for containing the powder and a cap for dispensing the powder. Some of these dispensers also provide the user with the ability to adjust the flow rate of the matter contained therein by providing two or more openings of different sizes in the cap.
One example of an adjustable dispenser for particulate matter is that used for dispensing grated cheese. Typically, such dispensers comprise a cylindrically shaped bottle for retaining the cheese, and a two-piece dispensing cap covering the open end of the bottle. The first cap piece contains a relatively large cheese-dispensing opening. The second cap piece, which lies upon the first cap piece and is twistingly engaged with the first cap piece, contains several relatively smaller openings for shaking out a small amount of cheese, and distal therefrom a relatively larger opening for pouring relatively larger amounts. When the opening on the first cap piece is aligned with one or more openings in the second cap piece and the bottle is inverted, the cheese can be dispensed. When the openings are not aligned, the cheese is retained in the bottle.
Disadvantageously, such commercially available adjustable flow powder dispensers are relatively expensive to manufacture due to the need to produce at least three separate pieces. In addition, the dispenser must be inverted in order to dispense the powder, which thereby causes all of the powder to rest on and dog the dispensing openings. It is thereby difficult and inconvenient to dispense the powder from such dispensers without vigorous shaking.
There is a need for an adjustable flow rate powder dispenser that is relatively inexpensive to produce and convenient to use.

Dispenser with adjustable lateral powder flow


A valve control system including a valve actuating camshaft (A), having a high lift cam (B) and a low lift cam (C), and an outer rocker arm (2) engaging the high lift cam, and an inner rocker arm (3) engaging the low lift cam. The ends of the rocker arms adjacent the engine poppet valve (V) are fixed to each other by a connector pin (37). The system includes a latching mechanism disposed at the ends of the rocker arms opposite the connector pin (37). Latching of the rocker arms is accomplished by a compound pin (8) moved between latched (FIG. 14A) and unlatched (FIG. 14B) conditions in response to movement of an actuator (9). The system also includes a rocker ratio varying device, such that, during operation in the low lift mode, the lift can be gradually increased, and gradually phase-shifted, as the engine speed increases.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention concerns a rocker arm device suitable for optimizing the functioning of internal combustion engines by controlling the opening and the timing of the cylinder valves according to the engine load and its speed.
For this purpose, it is already known how to use compound rocker arms consisting of two elements as specified in the Italian patent application No. MI97A002067 filed Sep. 11, 1997 in the name of Majo Cecur, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference. The first element consists of a rocking body, acting as a third-order lever, hinged at one end to an hydraulic lash adjuster, while the other end controls, by a shoe, the valve stem.
The second element comprises a lever, at one end of which is pivoted a roller, which receives the thrust of the cam of the distributing shaft (camshaft), while the opposite end of the lever terminates in an eyelet and is hinged to a pin which can turn within a pivot seat fashioned in said eyelet. The pin is torsionally linked to an eccentric support shaft, the rotation of the shaft being able to shift lengthwise the free end of the lever bearing the roller, so as to vary the position of incidence of the end of the lever itself by influencing the length of the arm of the body of the first element and, therefore, the valve lift and, in part, the timing of the latter. Such an arrangement is referred to as a VRRS (variable ratio rocker system).
With the known device, however, changes in the timing are accomplished only as a result of the particular geometrical shape selected for the cam.
The purpose of the invention is to improve the performance of the known device, enabling a subsequent and independent variation of the timing, along with a regulation of the valve lift.
In the device according to the invention, a pair of rocker arms is placed one within the other and is able to oscillate jointly or independently, and influence in a controllable manner the travel of the shoe associated with the engine poppet valve, thus controlling the valve lift.
The two rocker arms are linked together at one end by means of a common transverse pin, acting as a shoe on the head of the poppet valve, while at the other end the rocker arms are traversed by a compound pin controlled by an hydraulic or electrical actuator which can move transverse to the rocker arms, between two positions, enabling the coaxial and simultaneous oscillation of the two rocker arms in unison in one condition, or the independent oscillation of the rocker arms in the other condition.
For each rocker arm, the distributing shaft (camshaft) is provided with a cam arrangement, specifically, a central cam, acting on the inner rocker arm, which has less eccentricity than the eccentricity of a pair of identical cams, mounted at the sides of said central cam and acting on cheeks or lateral plates of the outer rocker arm to accomplish a larger valve opening and a longer advance.
The thrust of the central cam is transmitted to a needle roller, mounted at the end of an L-shaped lever, the fulcrum of which can be displaced lengthwise with respect to the axis of the rocker arms by means of an eccentric rotating pin. The pin rotates relative to the end of an auxiliary arm which, at the other end, accommodates the seat for the axis of oscillation of the pair of rocker arms.
Through the above mentioned auxiliary arm, which rests against a tappet, one can indirectly guarantee the contact of the inner rocker arm with the roller, the L-shaped lever, and the central cam of the distributing shaft, while the contact of the outer rocker arm with the two outer cams is obtained by means of an auxiliary elastic element connected between the L-shaped lever and the shoe.

Rocker arm device for simultaneous control of valve lift and relative timing in a combustion engine


A compound represented by the formula (I)

Androgen is synthesized in the testis and adrenal cortex, bound to an androgen receptor in a target organ, and shows various physiological activities. Chemically, any natural androgen belongs to C19 steroid. The major androgen is testosterone mainly synthesized in the testis, which shows strong uptake in a target cell and strong physiological activity. In female, adrenal cortex is a major androgen supply source.
Androgen is involved in the growth and function maintenance of genital organ (prostate, vesicular gland, epididymis, vas deferens and the like), sex differentiation in the embryonic stage, spermatozoon formation, expression of secondary sexual characteristics (induction of masculinization in, for example, muscle-skeleton, voice, fat distribution etc., and the like), promotion of protein elaboration in muscle and the like, bone metabolism and the like. Therefore, shortage of androgen due to testis dysfunction, castration and the like results in insufficient actions mentioned above, thus leading to various diseases and degraded QOL (quality of life). To deal with the situation, a treatment method to supplement androgen is generally employed. Besides testosterone, synthetic androgen showing different balance of androgen action has been studied and put to practical use in clinical situations.
On the other hand, when androgen is involved in the progression of pathology, a treatment to decrease androgen is employed. For example, in androgen-dependent prostate cancer, castration and administration of GnRH agonist decrease testosterone and increase a treatment effect.
For supplementing androgen, testosterone and synthetic androgen are generally used. However, they have a steroid skeleton, which places much burden on the liver or shows other steroid hormone action. Therefore, an androgen receptor modulator (particularly agonist) having a non-steroidal skeleton is considered to be useful for the improvement of pathology caused by insufficient androgen action (hypogonadism, male climacteric disorder and the like) and pathology expected to show improvement by the action of androgen (osteoporosis and the like).
It is known that a naphthalene derivative having a pyrrolidine ring has a superior androgen receptor modulator action (patent reference 1). However, this reference does not disclose a pyrrolidinobenzene derivative having a substituent at the 3-position of pyrrolidine ring.
In addition, benzene derivatives having a pyrrolidine ring, which have an anti-androgen action (patent document 2 and 3), and a benzene derivatives having a pyrrolidine ring, which are used for osteoporosis and the like (patent document 4) are known. However, a compound having substituent(s) at the 3-position of pyrrolidine ring has not been disclosed.    patent document 1: WO2004/16576    patent document 2: JP-A-2002-88073    patent document 3: WO2005/090282    patent document 4: WO2005/108351

Abstract: each symbol of which is defined in the specification, or a salt thereof which has a superior androgen receptor regulating activity.


The present invention is directed to a process for the preparation of an aqueous suspension of self-binding pigmentary particles comprising the following stages: (a) forming one or more aqueous suspensions of at least one inorganic matter comprising calcium carbonate; (b) forming or obtaining one or more aqueous solutions or suspensions or emulsions of at least one binder; and (c) co-grinding the aqueous suspension or suspensions obtained in stage a) with the aqueous solutions or suspensions or emulsions obtained in stage b) in a mill so as to obtain an aqueous suspension of self-binding pigmentary particles.

The invention concerns a process for the manufacture of self-binding pigmentary particles, dry or in aqueous suspension or dispersion, containing at least one inorganic matter and at least one binder.
Inorganic particles and the polymer binders are two of the essential components used in the manufacture of various coatings; the inorganic particles, generally calcium carbonate, contribute to the final product certain properties such as optical properties, and the binders, generally in the form of latex suspensions or dispersions, give an overall cohesion to all the constituent elements used in the process to manufacture coating compositions.
However, it has been known for many years that complex interactions may occur between the calcium carbonate and all the forms of binders, causing the final properties of the coating products to be modified. For example, "Physical and chemical modifications in latex binders and their effect on the coating colour rheology" (Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium, San Diego, Calif., United States, May 4-5, 2001, pp. 108-123) concerns the influence of the physical and chemical modifications in a dispersion of styrene-butadiene binders on the rheological properties of a wet pigmentary coating composition.
For a long time the production of self-binding pigmentary particles has been sought: solid particles containing a polymeric binder and an inorganic pigment which act as a single material, thus preventing the end user from losing specifications due to undesirable interactions in various applications.
It was initially advanced that such self-binding pigments differ from the well-known pigmentary granulates through the nature of the forces assuring cohesion of these composite particles.
For example, document WO 01/00712 presents dry pigmentary granulates comprising 5% to 99% by weight of organic polymer pigment, from 0% to 94.5% by weight of inorganic pigment and from 0.5% to 5% by weight of a binder or mixture of binders.
Such granulates are manufactured by mixing all the constituents in dispersion and by drying by spraying of the said dispersion.
In addition, document WO 01/00713 describes plastic polymer pigments, applicable in a dry form, which can be hollow or solid, containing a polymer, a binder and an inorganic pigment.
As the inventors mention themselves, the conglomerates obtained consist of individual spherical particles bound together by electrostatic forces.
According to a different viewpoint, the concept of self-binding pigments must be considered in this document as mutually bound individual particles, in which the binding mechanisms use not only electrostatic forces but also chemical bindings created through sorption chemistry mechanisms, or physical bindings such as acid-base interactions between the inorganic matter and the polymeric binders and Lifhshitz/van der Waals interactions.
In accordance with this concept, document WO 93/11183 describes a process to prepare stable aqueous dispersions by forming two aqueous suspensions of inorganic matter and polymeric latex particles, by adjusting the Zeta potential of the suspensions, and finally by mixing the two suspensions. The Zeta potential may be modified through the use of an additive allowing the surface charge to be adjusted. The polymeric latex binder is supposed to be adsorbed strongly on the inorganic matter particles.
In addition, document WO 93/12183 teaches a process for the preparation of aqueous dispersions of composite particles comprising a latex and an inorganic matter, used in paints and coatings. The said polymeric latex particles act as a binder, contributing the necessary spacing between the inorganic particles to give the end product opacity and the brightness. The process is characterized in that the latex prepared by polymerisation in emulsion is mixed in an aqueous suspension of inorganic matter, which suspension of inorganic matter is pre-dispersed with poly(meth)acrylic acid or its salts, or copolymer polyelectrolytes of (meth)acrylic acid or its salts. The authors suppose that the dispersant of the pigment does not cover the entire surface of the inorganic matter, and that at least one portion of the said surface is available for the adsorption of the polymeric latex particles.
Finally, document U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,483 describes a process to increase the stability of titanium dioxide aqueous suspensions, by mixing the latter with polymeric latex particles. According to the examples, the polymeric latex particles increase the effectiveness of the dispersing agent which is contained in the initial inorganic matter suspension.
In the light of the prior art, the pigment-polymer particles can be obtained according to various processes which always make reference to the use of a third constituent, such as a dispersing agent or an additive allowing the surface charge to be adjusted, to formulate the initial aqueous suspensions which contain the inorganic matter on the one hand, and the polymeric compounds on the other, and which are later mixed. Introducing a third constituent may have the result of modifying drastically the end properties of the coating in which the pigment-polymer particles are incorporated.

Process for the manufacture of self-binding pigmentary particles, dry or in aqueous suspension or dispersion, containing inorganic matter and binders


A wafer frame for fixing and handling 200 mm wafers is produced with a significantly reduced weight as compared to a metal wafer frame, while maintaining mechanical and thermal material properties. This is accomplished by producing the wafer frame from a plastic with a glass fiber content of from 1 to 40% by weight.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a wafer frame for accommodating disk-shaped thin semiconductor wafers, which generally have a round structure. Such wafer frames, in which wafers have been fitted, are conveyed, for example, in a cassette one above the other in trays and are fed to appropriate treatment stations.
For example, photolithographic and etching structuring work is carried out on semiconductor wafers, to produce semiconductor chips. A multiplicity of semiconductor chips are present on a wafer. During the structuring work on the wafer, active regions on the wafer, which later form the individual chip, are spaced apart by a predetermined grid, so that zones or lines are produced along which the wafer can be cut. A process which is customarily used for that purpose is what is known as abrasive cutting using a high-speed diamond wheel.
In order to carry out that process, the wafer is held and guided in an accurate position using a vacuum device. For that purpose, a wafer frame is initially covered on the top side with a film. The wafer is placed with its unstructured side downward on the top of the film. That prevents mechanical damage to the individual chips which are present after the cutting. The vacuum device is applied to the film centrally from below through a central passage of the wafer frame, and the wafer or wafer and film are sucked on and locked in place. The cutting depth during the abrasive cutting is selected in such a way that the wafer is approximately or entirely cut through and the cutting depth penetrates slightly into the film.
The diameters of the wafers are being constantly increased in order to optimize the production processes as a whole. While previously the diameters were 4, 5 or 6 inches, nowadays wafers with a diameter of 8 inches are being used (1 inch=2.54 cm). Thus it is necessary to convey and treat wafers with a diameter of approximately 200 mm. Heretofore, in microelectronics mounting technology a metal wafer frame has been used to fix and handle such wafers.


A tool for forming a soft contact lens having an optical zone formed with a center spherical surface and surrounding aspheric surfaces is disclosed. The tool includes a lens holder having a perfectly centered rearwardly extending cylindrical portion received in a collet of a lens cutting lathe and a transverse front end wall defining a front end opening receiving the lens blank body projecting forwardly through the opening. The lens blank is formed with a mounting flange seated against a rear facing step in the transverse end wall. The lens body is retained in the holder with an insert threadedly received in the holder. A set screw received in the insert applies pressure to the lens blank rear surface to deform the front concave surface which has been previously cut and polished to a spherical surface. The deformed front concave surface is re-cut into spherical shape in at least preselected portions of the front surface so that, upon release of squeezing pressure, the preselected portions of the front surface are aspheric to define portions of the optical zone having continuously variable optical powers. The center of the optical zone preferably remains spherical for improved night vision.

Bifocal contact lens having an optical zone defined by an aspheric posterior curve and a spherical anterior curve are known. The aspheric back curve portion has a controlled degree of change so that, within a predetermined power range, light rays from objects at all distances focus directly on a common focal point. When placed on a human cornea, this contact lens acts as a refractive medium to focus light rays back upon the retina.
The above lens is a multi-focal design with the spherical front curve directly relating to the aspheric optical zone back curve. However, since the aspherical back curve entirely dominates the optical zone, distance night vision becomes impaired. This is because when the eye pupil dilates at night it no longer predominantly receives light through the center region of the lens and instead tends to pick up light further into the aspheric part of the lens which is normally used for near vision.
It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a contact lens having aspherical curve characteristics to maintain the advantage of a multi-focal design while providing curvature characteristics, within the optical zone portion of the lens, which improves night vision.
Another object of the invention is to improve night vision by providing a distant vision zone in the center of the optical zone, in the form of a spherical base curve.
Still another object is to provide the foregoing curvature characteristics in a multi-focal soft contact lens.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a tool 10 used for cutting an aspheric posterior curve in a pre-cut and polished lens blank 12. Tool 10 comprises a lens holder 14 having a cylindrical sidewall 16 formed with internal threads 17 and a transverse front end wall 18 having a central opening 19 receiving the pre-cut lens blank 12 therein. The lens blank body 12 has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the front end wall opening 19 through which it extends. The lens blank body 12 is formed with an annular flange 20 of a larger diameter which is received against the rear facing surface 22 of the end wall 18 in seating contact thereagainst. A cylindrical retainer 24 having an external thread 25 along its cylindrical sidewall has a central depression 26 in its transverse front end receiving a ball 27 adapted to apply pressure to the center of the lens blank body 12 upon threading of the retainer into the lens holder. In such threaded contact, a radial set screw 28 extending through the cylindrical sidewall 16 of the lens blank holder 14 is rotated to contact and apply a radial tightening pressure to the retainer 24 to tighten the parts 14,24 together. The rear end of the retainer is formed with a rearwardly extending cylindrical extension 29 adapted to be received in the chuck of a lathe in preparation for cutting the front facing surface of the lens blank 12 projecting from the mounting tool 10.
There are a number of problems associated with the prior art device of FIG. 1. For example, once a desired amount of pressure was exerted against the lens 12 by the ball 27, tightening of the set screw 28 to clamp the two pieces 14,24 together tended to shift the cutting axis C of the lens blank in relation to the mounting axis M of the retainer in the collet or chuck. This misalignment tended to cause the lens to be cut off-center. Notwithstanding possible misalignment caused by tightening of the parts 14,24 together with a radial set screw 28, there also existed a tendency for the lens not to run perfectly true in the lathe by virtue of the two part construction wherein the mounting axis M was formed in one part 24 while the cutting axis C was formed in the front or lens blank holder part 14. In other words, the inherent nature of the two-part construction required extremely precise machining tolerances to enable proper alignment of the cutting axis C with the mounting axis M.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool for cutting a contact lens wherein the cutting axis is properly aligned with a collet mounting axis of the tool.
Yet another object is to provide a tool for producing a desired distortion in a lens blank body in controlled, easily measured amounts.
Yet another object is to be able to distort the lens blank to permit formation of aspheric surfaces therein in preselected areas of the lens blank.
Another object is to permit distortion of the lens blank in certain areas of the concave surface without distorting other preselected areas of the concave surface to permit the formation of aspheric and spheric surfaces in the lens blank.
Yet another object is to provide a tool for cutting a lens blank wherein the lens cutting axis and the mounting axis are formed in the same component of the tool.


A decking plank for attachment to a support structure, such as wood deck joists, said decking plank comprising a unitary, elongated steel member including an upper panel, first and second generally upstanding walls for supporting the upper panel, and first and second mounting flanges for mounting the decking plank to the support structure, and wherein an outer surface of the upper panel is provided with a non-slip coating, and wherein the generally upstanding walls are spaced a selected distance from one another and the upper panel has a width exceeding the selected distance so as to create an overhang adjacent each generally upstanding wall for at least partly concealing the mounting flanges upon the installation of multiple ones of the decking plank in adjacent, side-by-side relationship. In another preferred form the invention comprises a method of manufacturing a steel decking plank for attachment to a support structure, such as to wood deck joists. The method comprises a first step of roll-forming corrosion-resistant steel to obtain a roll formed steel element with a desired shape including an upper panel, side walls, and mounting flanges. The roll formed steel element is then cleaned to prepare it for a subsequent coating operation. A coating is then applied to at least an upper surface of the roll formed steel element and the coating is then cured. Before the coating is fully cured, a grit is applied to the upper panel.

Outdoor decks have become increasingly popular in residential home construction. Homes and apartments, as well as a variety of other buildings, often incorporate exterior decks into their design. Additionally, decks are commonly added onto existing structures. These decks provide convenient spaces for a variety of outdoor activities, including cook-outs, dining, and sunbathing, as well as other leisure activities.
Typical deck construction includes: (1) a number of vertical posts which support the remaining structure above the ground; (2) horizontal beams supported above the ground by the vertical posts; (3) a number of horizontal joists, parallel to and uniformly spaced apart from one another and anchored to the beams; and (4) a floor surface of decking planks arranged horizontally and above and perpendicular to the joists.
Wood products have traditionally been the primary source of materials for use in decking construction. However, wood products are becoming increasingly scarce due to the harvesting of trees at ever faster rates and the rather limited rate at which timber resources have been replenished. Also, environmental concerns and environmental regulations directed to the conservation or preservation of forests tend to restrict the availability of wood products. With diminishing availability of timber resources, wood products are becoming increasingly expensive. There is, therefore, a substantial need for long-lasting substitute construction materials that can lessen the need to harvest timber resources.
Moreover, wood decks are usually made from pressure-treated lumber. As part of the treatment of such lumber during the manufacturing process, the lumber absorbs chromated copper arsenic. Before the treated lumber is delivered to local lumber yards and home centers, it is cured outside where some of the chromated copper arsenic leaches out and winds up in the ground (and perhaps the water table).
It has been found that one potential approach to addressing the above need is to provide substitute replacement decking products made of plastic, rather than wood. Because the deck surface must support substantial weight and foot traffic, however, the replacement product needs to be stable and rigid. The material should also be capable of economical manufacture, and be relatively inexpensive. It also needs to be easily fabricated and used in the field.
A variety of plastic building products are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,603 describes a three layer synthetic construction material made from recycled waste thermoplastic synthetic resin material and cellulose fiber aggregate. This material includes face surfaces consisting essentially of re-hardened fused and rolled thermoplastic synthetic resin material bits, and an intervening core material consisting essentially of a compressed non-homogenous mixture of cellulose aggregate material bits and re-hardened fused thermoplastic synthetic resin material bits.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,245 describes an apparatus for producing a light structural board of thermoplastic resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,458 describes a simulated log made from a cast polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe, selectively filled with a hard cast foam or a bead type foam. This patent further describes that the cast PVC pipe is first manufactured and then subsequently filled with the foam filler.
A common disadvantage suffered by previously known synthetic building materials, however, is that plastic surfaces provided thereby tend to be more slippery than traditional wood products. This problem is exacerbated when the building product is used in a decking and the decking surface becomes wet, as from rain or being washed. Additionally, previously known synthetic materials are less wear-resistant than traditional wood decking, and therefore, are more prone to scuffing and to other damage from foot traffic.
Accordingly, it can be seen there is yet a need in the art for a replacement decking having a surface coating which provides a non-slip walking surface, which resists wear from foot traffic and which can be produced and applied economically. It is to the provision of such a decking that the present invention is primarily directed.


A non-oral communication device is disclosed. The device includes a single electrical switch actuable by an operator and movable between a first and second position. A memory stores a plurality of messages at a plurality of locations indexed by plural digit numbers. A selector circuit is provided for selecting one of the messages by its indexed plural digit number. The selector circuit includes a numeral display actuated by the switch. The numeral display has a plurality of digit locations at which numerals can be displayed. A mechanism cyclically displays different numerals at each digit location. A mechanism actuated by the switch is provided for choosing a displayed numeral at each digit location. A mechanism actuated by the switch transmits the numerals chosen to the memory after a complete plural digit number of a desired message has been chosen. A signalling mechanism signals a message display to display a selected message indexed by a chosen plural digit number.

The invention relates to apparatus used for enabling persons incapable of speech to communicate. The apparatus of the present invention is specifically related to apparatus utilized by persons who in addition to a speech impediment also have severe mobility problems. Body motions of such individuals may be severely limited through either physical or psychological disorders. However, such individuals are frequently capable of moving at least one muscle. The movement of one muscle can thus be utilized to activate and deactivate a single switch. Alternatively, breath-actuated switches have been utilized to actuate prior art communication devices.
One type of non-oral communication apparatus already in use utilizes a pair of relays to change the position of a signal along both a column and a row. Messages or specific letters correspond to each column and row coordinate. Such devices, which store complete messages at coordinates, are limited in the number of messages which can be communicated to the size of the matrix formed by the columns and rows. The messages communicated by such devices generally are either illuminated on a board or transmitted to a printing device. A small matrix thus limits the number of messages which can be communicated. In prior art devices which utilize small matrices, the messages are frequently limited to urgent patient needs, such as a nurse call, a request for water, or an indication of pain.
As the matrix size increases to increase the number of messages which can be communicated, the problem of time consumption in reaching a specific column and row location through a relay mechanism increases. In a device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,439 to Gabus, each coordinate corresponds to one or two letters instead of a complete message. The letters can be selected and printed by the operator. This type of device allows an operator to create his own messages. However, time consumption becomes a problem because each column-row coordinate is assigned only one or two letters.
Another type of prior art communication device utilizes a keyboard to transmit a message in one form or another. However, a certain amount of mobility and dexterity of the operator is required to operate the keyboard. A keyboard type of apparatus is unsuitable for use by persons with severe mobility problems. A typewriter is of this type. Another keyboard type of apparatus, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,779 to Gerstenhaber, utilizes a calculator type of keyboard and display wherein a plurality of messages are correlated to the various keys. The number of messages, however, is limited to the number of keys on the apparatus. The versatility of the calculator type of apparatus can be increased by the use of programmable circuit boards, however, for any circuit board, the number of messages is limited to the matrix size of the keys.
Another type of apparatus, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,376 to Kafafian, uses finger contacts to control an X-Y keyboard to print messages. A considerable amount of dexterity is required to use this type of apparatus, since selective motion and contact between all of the fingers of an operator is required. Hence, such an apparatus cannot be used by seriously disabled persons with extreme mobility impairment.
In the types of apparatus described above wherein the message is not printed, a user is limited in the manner in which he can communicate. A person must be present to read the message prior to the user's communicating another message through the apparatus. A user is thus under stress to actuate the apparatus and communicate while a person is present. Frequently, seriously handicapped persons are alone for long periods of time in a hospital or nursing home and visitors are present for only a short period of time. Hence, severe pressure is placed upon the handicapped person to accurately operate the apparatus in order to compose and communicate as much as possible within the short period of time.
An apparatus which can print messages therefore has a distinct advantage over apparatus which cannot print. In the prior art devices discussed above which utilize printers, however, either the number of messages which could be printed is limited or the devices are time-consuming to utilize.
Another type of communication device has recently become available which increases the number and variety of messages. This device reproduces phonetic sounds to make up words. The device stores a number of basic complete words, as well as basic phonetic sounds. The words and sounds are coded and an operator accesses the words or sounds via either a keyboard or a single switch mechanism. Such a phonetic device, however, also suffers from the above-discussed deficiencies of nonprinting apparatus. That is, the presence of an individual to hear the message is required and the device is time-consuming to use. The user is thus placed under stress to accurately utilize the apparatus and compose messages in a relatively short period of time.


A high accuracy surface mount inductor device is comprised of first and second parallel planar spiral conductive patterns mounted over a rectangular substrate. The outermost conductive traces of the respective patterns extend to opposite edges of the device and are contacted by terminations extending over the ends of the device. The terminations are U-shaped and include legs extending over parts of the upper and lower surfaces adjacent the ends. The legs overlie the outermost traces and preferably terminate at a position coincident with or not extending inwardly beyond the innermost portions of the outermost traces.

The present invention is in the field of inductive devices and relates more particularly to a chip type inductive device characterized in its being surface mountable, of small size and low profile, high power handling capacity and, most especially, readily adapted to be designed to extremely tight tolerances.
Devices of this sort are employed in connection with cellular phones, personal communication networks, cable TV, global positioning systems, vehicle location systems, all types of high frequency filters and all similar high frequency equipment, to frequencies of 2400 MHz.

Method of making high accuracy surface mount inductors