A diffraction grating is constituted such that directions of diffraction are disposed asymmetrically with respect to the optical axis, by causing light subjected to aperture restriction to have a difference of one half wavelength in the optical path length by making use of the fact that the difference in the optical path length experienced by the light passing through a diffraction element varies depending on the wavelength. With this constitution of the diffraction grating, aperture restriction is applied to both the light focused on an optical disk and the light reflected from the optical disk, thereby achieving an optical pickup that is capable of recording/reproducing information on/from optical disks of different types by using a single objective lens. The optical pickup prevents unnecessary light from entering a photodetector and enables the production of diffraction elements at a low cost.

With the compact disk (hereinafter referred to as CD), that may be called the first generation optical disk, information is recorded on or reproduced from (hereinafter expressed as record/reproduce) an optical disk having a protective layer 1.2 mm in thickness by using an objective lens with a numerical aperture from 0.45 to 0.5 and infrared rays of wavelength 780 nm. In this specification, the term protective layer means a transparent medium disposed between a surface whereon a light beam incident on the optical disk strikes and an information recording surface. In a digital versatile disk (hereinafter referred to as DVD), the second generation optical disk, information is recorded/reproduced on/from the optical disk having a protective layer 0.6 mm in thickness by using an objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.6 and red light of wavelength 655 nm. In a Blue Ray disk (hereinafter referred to as BD), the third generation optical disk, information is recorded/reproduced on/from the optical disk having a protective layer 0.1 mm or 0.075 mm in thickness by using an objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.85 and blue light of wavelength 405 nm.
The third generation optical disk, which uses the blue laser beam of short wavelength and an optical system having a large numerical aperture, achieves unprecedentedly high recording density and is expected to proliferate. In the meantime there are needs for a compact and inexpensive optical disk device of BD specification, which is a high-density optical disk that can record/reproduce data stored in a DVD or a CD, for the purpose of preserving and utilizing the information properties stored in the old disks. For this purpose, an optical pickup that can record/reproduce information with three wavelengths on/from optical disks having protective layers of different thicknesses with a single objective lens has been developed. With this optical pickup, spherical aberration due to the difference in thickness of the protective layer is compensated for mainly by means of a hologram and the aperture is restricted by using an optical filter or a diffraction element.
There have been disclosed constitutions for recording/reproducing information on/from optical disks of different types by restricting the aperture for light beams of different wavelengths. This constitution will be described with reference to FIG. 17 that schematically shows the constitution of an example of the optical pickup of the prior art. In FIG. 17, a light beam 61 having a wavelength of 405 nm emitted by a blue laser 60 is collimated by a collimator lens 62 and passes through a polarization beam splitter 63 and a dichroic prism 64, and is reflected on a mirror 65. The reflected beam is then circularly polarized by a quarter wavelength plate 66, passes through a wavelength selective aperture 67 and is focused by an objective lens 68 with a numerical aperture of NA1 on an optical disk 51 having a protective layer 0.1 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 51 passes through the objective lens 68, the wavelength selective aperture 67 and the quarter wavelength plate 66 so as to be linearly polarized perpendicular to that in the outward path, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 63. The reflected light is focused by a detector lens 69 so as to enter a light receiving surface of a photodetector 71. Output of the photodetector 71 is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
A hologram unit 72 is constituted from a red laser 72a, an infrared laser 72b, a hologram 72c and light receiving elements 72d, 72e which are integrated into the unit. A light beam 73 emitted by the red laser 72a is collimated by the collimator lens 74, and is reflected by the dichroic prism 64 and the mirror 65. The reflected beam is then circularly polarized by the quarter wavelength plate 66, passes through the wavelength selective aperture 67 being subjected to aperture restriction and is focused by the objective lens 68 with a numerical aperture of NA2 on an optical disk 52 having a protective layer 0.6 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 52 passes through the objective lens 68, the wavelength selective aperture 67 and the quarter wavelength plate 66 so as to be linearly polarized perpendicular to that in the outward path, and is reflected by the dichroic prism 64. The reflected light is focused by the collimator lens 74, diffracted by the hologram 72c and enters the light receiving element 72d. Output of the light receiving element 72d is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
A light beam 75 emitted by the infrared laser 72b is collimated by the collimator lens 74, and is reflected by the dichroic prism 64 and the mirror 65. The reflected beam is then circularly polarized by the quarter wavelength plate 66, passes through the wavelength selective aperture 67 being subjected to aperture restriction and is focused by the objective lens 68 with a numerical aperture of NA3 on an optical disk 53 having a protective layer 1.2 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 53 passes through the objective lens 68, the wavelength selective aperture 67 and the quarter wavelength plate 66 so as to be linearly polarized perpendicular to that in the outward path, and is reflected by the dichroic prism 64. The reflected light is focused by the collimator lens 74, diffracted by the hologram 72c and enters the light receiving element 72e. Output of the light receiving element 72e is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
Spherical aberration due to the difference in thickness of the protective layer between the disks is compensated for by spherical aberration compensating means (not shown).
The wavelength selective aperture 67 is shown in FIG. 18. In FIG. 18, a central area 67a of the wavelength selective aperture 67 is a region corresponding to the numerical aperture NA3, where a multi-layer optical film is formed that transmits the light beams 61, 73 and 75. An annular area 67b is a region corresponding to a numerical aperture ranging from NA3 to NA2, where a multi-layer optical film is formed that transmits the light beam 61 and the light beam 73 and reflects the light beam 75. A peripheral area 67c is a region having a numerical aperture larger than NA2, and has a multi-layer optical film formed therein that transmits the light beam 61 and reflects the light beam 73 and the light beam 75. As a result, the light beam 75 is focused with the numerical aperture NA3 on the optical disk 53, and the light beam 73 is focused with the numerical aperture NA2 on the optical disk 52. It is necessary to form the multi-layer optical film in the central area 67a so as to match the phases of the light beams 61, 73 that transmit therethrough and the phases of the light beams 61, 73 that transmit through the annular area 67b and the peripheral area 67c (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-255221 (pp. 12-13, FIG. 10)).
A second example of the prior art has such a constitution of an optical pickup that restricts the aperture by using a diffraction element. This constitution will be described with reference to FIG. 19, which shows the schematic constitution of an example of an optical pickup of the prior art. A light beam 81 having a wavelength of 405 nm emitted by a blue laser 80 is collimated by a collimator lens 82, passes through a polarization beam splitter 83, a beam expander 84, a polarization beam splitter 85 and a diffraction optical element 86, and is focused by an objective lens 87 with a numerical aperture of NA1 on the optical disk 51 having a protective layer 0.1 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 51 passes again through the objective lens 87, the diffraction optical element 86, the polarization beam splitter 85 and the beam expander 84, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 83. The reflected light is astigmatized by a detector lens 88 and is focused on the light receiving surface of a photodetector 89. Output of the photodetector 89 is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
A light beam 91 having a wavelength of 655 nm emitted by a red laser 90 passes through polarization beam splitters 92, 93, is collimated by a collimator lens 94, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 85. The reflected light beam, of which the diameter is restricted by the diffraction optical element 86, is focused by an objective lens 87 with a numerical aperture of NA2 on the optical disk 52 having a protective layer 0.6 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 52 passes again through the objective lens 87 and the diffraction optical element 86, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 85. The reflected light is focused by the collimator lens 94, reflected by the polarization beam splitter 85, astigmatized by a detector lens 95 and is focused on the light receiving surface of a photodetector 96. Output of the photodetector 96 is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
A light beam 98 having a wavelength of 780 nm emitted by an infrared laser 97 is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 92, passes through the polarization beam splitter 93, collimated by the collimator lens 94 to become a parallel beam, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 85. The reflected beam, of which the diameter is restricted by the diffraction optical element 86, is focused by an objective lens 87 with a numerical aperture of NA3 on the optical disk 53 having a protective layer 1.2 mm in thickness. Reflected light from the optical disk 53 passes again through the objective lens 87 and the diffraction optical element 86, and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 85. The reflected light is focused by the collimator lens 94, reflected by the polarization beam splitter 93, astigmatized by the detector lens 95 and is focused on the light receiving surface of the photodetector 96. Output of the photodetector 96 is processed to obtain information signals and control signals.
Spherical aberration due to the difference in thickness of the protective layer between the disks is compensated for by a hologram provided separately.
The diffraction optical element 86 is shown in FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B. In FIG. 20A, the diffraction optical element 86 comprises an area 861 that does not have a diffraction structure in a range corresponding to the numerical aperture of NA3, an area 862 that has a diffraction structure 86a in a range corresponding to a numerical aperture from NA3 to NA2, and an area 863 that has a diffraction structure 86b formed on the outside within a range corresponding to the numerical aperture NA2, the diffraction structures being formed as a stepwise structure as shown in FIG. 20B. The diffraction structure 86a is formed such that difference in optical path length approximately equal to integer times the wavelengths λ1 and λ2 is generated by one step of the stepwise structure, so that the light beams 81, 91 are transmitted without being diffracted while the light beam 98 is diffracted to become unnecessary light. The diffraction structure 86b is formed such that difference in optical path length approximately equal to integer times the wavelength λ1 is generated by one step of the stepwise structure, so that the light beam 81 is transmitted without being diffracted while the light beams 91, 98 are diffracted to become unnecessary light. As a result, the light beam 98 is focused with the numerical aperture NA3 on the optical disk 53, and the light beam 91 is focused with the numerical aperture NA2 on the optical disk 52 (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-259332 (pp. 20-24, FIGS. 1, 2)).
In the first example of the prior art, since the aperture restriction is applied for a DVD and a CD by the wavelength selective aperture 67, it is necessary to provide multi-layer optical films of three types on one surface. The multi-layer optical film is formed from a dielectric material having a high refractive index, for example, Ta2O5 that has high transmissivity for blue light and SiO2 having high refractive index, stacked one on another. The multi-layer optical film can be formed by applying a photoresist to a metal film formed by vapor deposition so as to mask portions that would become the annular area 67b and the peripheral area 67c, removing the metal film from the central area 67a by etching, and the multi-layer optical film that transmits the light beam 61, the light beam 73 and the light beam 75 is formed by vapor deposition. Then the metal film and the multi-layer optical film are removed from the annular area 67b and the peripheral area 67c by lift-off, so as to complete the multi-layer optical film for the central area 67a. Then after forming the metal film by vapor deposition, a photoresist is applied to mask the portions of the central area 67a and the peripheral area 67c, the metal film is removed from the annular area 67b by etching, and the multi-layer optical film that transmits the light beam 61 and the light beam 73 and reflects the light beam 75 is formed by vapor deposition. Then the metal film and the multi-layer optical film are removed from the central area 67a and the peripheral area 67c by lift-off, so as to complete the multi-layer optical film for the annular area 67b. Last, the multi-layer optical film that transmits the light beam 61 and reflects the light beam 73 and the light beam 75 is formed by a similar process.
The wavelength selective aperture that employs the multi-layer optical film requires a complicated manufacturing process as described above and high production cost, since the steps of vapor deposition of the metal film, masking, vapor deposition of the multi-layer optical film and lifting off are repeated three times.
In the second example of the prior art, aperture restriction is applied for a DVD and a CD by the diffraction optical element 86. The light beam 98 that passes through the region 862 is diffracted by the diffraction structure 86a so as not to converge on the information recording surface of the optical disk 53, and the light beams 91, 98 that pass through the region 863 are diffracted by the diffraction structure 86b so as not to converge on the information recording surfaces of the optical disks 52, 53. This structure is capable of restricting the aperture for the light beam that converges on the information recording surface of the optical disk, although there is such a problem that, when the diffracted beam reflecting on the optical disk is diffracted again by the diffraction aperture element 86, it takes the same optical path as that of the light beam that has passed the region 861 and reflected by the optical disk 53, and is received by the photodetector 96. This problem will be described below with reference to FIG. 21.
FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the objective lens 87 and the diffraction optical element 86, showing the propagation of the light beam that converges on the optical disk 53. The light beam 98 that passes the region 862 is diffracted by the diffraction structure 86a and, for example, a +1st order diffracted light takes an optical path as shown in the drawing to reach the optical disk 53 and is reflected by the information recording surface of the optical disk 53. The +1st order diffracted light reflected by the optical disk 53 enters the diffraction structure 86a again so as to be diffracted. A −1st order diffracted light generated during the diffraction of the +1st order diffracted light is transmitted without being diffracted by the region 861, takes the same optical path as that of the light beam reflected by the optical disk 53, and enters the photodetector 96. When the −1st order diffracted light generated in the diffraction structure 86a is reflected by the optical disk 53 and is diffracted again so as to become the +1st order diffracted light, it enters the photodetector 96 similarly. This is not limited to the +1st order diffracted light and the −1st order diffracted light, and a +mth order diffraction beam and a −mth order diffraction beam, where m is an integer, similarly take the same optical path as that of the light beam that has transmitted the region 861, and enter the photodetector 96. This applies also to the light beams 91, 98 that are diffracted by the diffraction structure 86b. This means that, although the aperture can be restricted for the outward path, the aperture cannot be restricted for the return path, resulting in unnecessary light being superimposed on the reproduction signal and/or the control signal, thus deteriorating the quality of the signals.
The diffraction structures 86a, 86b, that are formed as a stepwise structure as shown in FIG. 20B, have the effect of decreasing the intensity of the diffracted light beam as it enters the photodetector by increasing the intensity of a particular diffraction beam, although the diffraction structure cannot be formed as a saw-tooth shape and the diffracted beam incident on the photodetector 96 cannot be avoided. Forming the diffraction structures as a stepwise structure also results in deeper grooves which increase the transmission loss due to configuration error and the diffraction loss.

Optical pickup, optical disk device, computer and optical disk recorder


A support for supporting and positioning a filter bowl of a filter system may include a bracket body, a rod, an extension arm threadably connected to the rod and a support band connected to and rotatable with respect to the extension arm. The bracket body may include a top plate. The top plate may include an opening for receiving the rod. The rod may be rotatably positioned in the opening in the top plate and extend from the top plate in a direction away from the top plate of the bracket body. The extension arm may be operable to extend from the bracket body or retract towards the top plate of the bracket body when the rod is rotated. The support band may be configured for attachment to the filter bowl of the filter system.

Fluid delivery systems often incorporate filter systems to remove particulate materials and/or other contaminants that may be contained in the fluid. The filter media used in such filter systems requires regular changing as the particulate materials or other contaminants quickly build up in the filter media as a result of the large volume of liquid flowing through the filter system.
Changing the filter media requires that the filter bowl of the filter system be manually removed from the filter head in order to extract the used filter media from the filter bowl. This requires manually supporting the weight of the filter bowl as the filter bowl is detached from the filter head. As such, the individual performing the filter change must both support the weight of the filter bowl as well as perform any other operations required to remove the filter bowl from the filter head, such as unscrewing the filter bowl from the filter head or otherwise removing fasteners connecting the filter bowl to the filter head.
Due to the large volume of fluid flow and high pressures which the filter systems are designed to accommodate, the various components of the filter system, including the filter bowl, may be large and heavy. Particulate matter entrapped in the filter media and excess liquid contained in the filter bowl may add to the already significant weight of the filter bowl. Due to the size and weight of the filter bowl and the used filter media contained in the filter bowl, manually changing the filter media may present an ergonomic burden on the individual performing the operation.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative devices for supporting a filter housing while changing the filter media in a filter system.

Filter bowl supports and filter systems comprising the same

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


Disclosed are 3,7-dimethyl-4-oxo-7-octenoic acid and its alkyl esters which are intermediates for producing a fragrance, rosefuran and which are represented by: ##STR1## where R is H or a lower alkyl. The compounds [1] are obtained by reacting 2-methyl-3-alkoxycarbonylpropionic acid halide and 3-methyl-3-butenylmagnesium halide. The octenoic acid [1] is treated with acetic anhydride under heat in the presence of an acidic catalyst to give 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-4-olide. The olide is reduced in an ordinary manner to give rosefuran.

2-Alkyl-3-methylfurans have a peculiar fragrance, and many of them are useful in the fragrance-producing industry. For example, rosefuran of the following formula: ##STR2## has a citrus-like fragrance and is known as an important minor component that forms a green top note of rose oil, and it is desired to establish an industrial method for producing it.
For synthetically producing rosefuran via 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-4-olide, there are known a method starting from 4-methyl-(5H)-furan-2-one and comprising introducing an alkyl side chain into the starting compound to give 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-4-olide (see D. R. Gedge, G. Pattenden; Tetrahedron Letters, 1977, 4443-4446) (hereinafter referred to as the first method),-and a method starting from methallyl alcohol and comprising seven steps of processing the starting compound for epoxidation, cyanation, etc. to give 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-4-olide (see S. Takano, M. Morimoto, S. Satoh, K. Ogasawara; Chemistry Letters, 1984, 1261-1262) (hereinafter referred to as the second method).
However, these methods are unsuitable in industrial use in that the first method produces structural isomers as side products while the separation and purification of the intended product from the isomers is difficult and that the second method must use tertiary-butyl peroxide, of which, however, the use of a large amount is dangerous, and requires many steps.

Method for producing rosefuran precursor and intermediates therefor


A handheld device is disclosed, which includes an appearance part, a system ground plane and a detachable element. The detachable element includes a carrier and a planar antenna. The system ground plane is disposed in the appearance part and has a feed point. The planar antenna is disposed on the carrier and has a connection point. The carrier is detachably connected to the appearance part. When the carrier is connected to the appearance part, the above-mentioned connection point is electrically connected to the feed point. In this way, the radiation performance of the antenna can be improved and the frequency band of the antenna of the handheld device can be changed by replacing the detachable element.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject application generally relates to a handheld device, and more particularly, to a handheld device where a planar antenna is integrated into a detachable element thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, the popular communication has been gradually progressed to wireless communication, wherein the wireless communication devices more and more tend to variety such as smart mobile phone, multimedia player, PDA (personal digital assistant) and aviation GPS (global positioning system), and the like. Various electronic apparatuses with wireless transmission function are getting improved towards the light-slim-short-small design principle so as to better adopt our daily lives. It should be noted that an antenna serves as an indispensable component for many wireless communication systems. In particular, the antenna is a major key component relating to the integrated performance of the wireless communication system.
Taking a mobile phone as an example, in order to make it more compact, a mobile phone usually employs a planar antenna, which is disposed in a housing or a cover thereof and therefore is easier to be affected by other components and sub-assemblies of the mobile phone. The affecting components include, for example, speaker), battery or connector. Certainly, the height required by clearance of the planar antenna is also one of the key factors; i.e., the higher the clearance, the better radiation performance of the planar antenna is.
However, the space of a mobile phone is limited where it is quite uneasy to increase the height/volume to the clearance of the mobile phone.
On the other hand, various countries in the world have their own and often different communication specifications, referring to the following table. In Europe, for example, the frequency band in the communication technical specification of the second generation mobile phone (2 G communication technical specification) is specified as 880-960 MHz and 1710-1880 MHz, while the frequency band in the communication technical specification of the third generation mobile phone (3 G communication technical specification) is specified as 1920-2170 MHz and 880-960 MHz. In United States, the frequency band in the 2 G communication technical specification is specified as 824-894 MHz, while the frequency band in the 3 G communication technical specification is specified as 1850-1990 MHz and 824-894 MHz.
TABLE 1The communication specifications of Europe and USA2G3GEurope9001800Band 1Band 8880-960 MHz1710-1880 MHz1920-2170 MHz880-960 MHzUSA8501900Band 2Band 5824-894 MHz1850-1990 MHz1850-1990 MHz824-894 MHz
The antennas of the mobile phones in various countries are designed according to the communication specifications thereof, so that a mobile phone in the European Standard used in USA has bad radiation performance. Similarly, a mobile phone in the USA Standard used in Europe has bad radiation performance as well. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a user usually needs to purchase different mobile phones suitable for different countries' specifications. It should be noted that the mobile phones of different countries have different operation interfaces and different operation manners, so that the user needs to learn the different operation interfaces and operation manners to adapt different mobile phones, which bring the user great inconvenience.


A semiconductor processing method of providing and planarizing an insulating layer on a semiconductor wafer includes the following sequential steps: a) providing a conformal layer of insulating material to a first thickness over a semiconductor wafer having non-planar topography; b) providing a CMP polishing protective layer over the conformal layer to a second thickness, the protective layer being of different composition than the conformal layer; and c) chemical-mechanical polishing the protective layer and conformal layer in a single CMP step using a single CMP slurry and under conditions which in combination with the slurry remove the conformal layer material at a faster rate than the protective layer material, the protective layer upon outward exposure of conformal layer material in high topographical areas restricting material removal from low topographical areas during such chemical-mechanical polishing. Alternately, the protective layer and conformal layer are CMPed in at least two steps using first and second respective CMP slurries. The first CMP step and slurry remove outermost portions of the protective layer in a manner which is substantially selective to the underlying conformal layer to outwardly expose conformal layer material in high topographical areas. The second CMP step and slurry remove the conformal layer material at a faster rate than the protective layer material. The protective layer upon outward exposure of conformal layer material in high topographical areas restricts material removal from low topographical areas during such second CMP step.

Integrated circuits are chemically and physically integrated into a substrate, such as a silicon or gallium arsenide wafer, by patterning regions in the substrate, and by patterning layers on the substrate. These regions and layers can be electrically conductive, or formed to be semi-electrically conductive and of different conductivity types. Such regions are utilized to form electronic components or devices, such as transistors, diodes and capacitors. Thousands of these devices are formed essentially simultaneously on the surface of a single wafer of semiconductor material during processing.
Initially, each of the electronic devices are electrically isolated from others. But later in the fabrication sequence, specific devices are electrically interconnected so as to implement the desired circuit function. Throughout the evolution of integrated circuits, the aim of component device scaling has essentially been two-fold: (1) to increase circuit performance (mainly by increasing circuit speed), and (2) to increase the functional complexity of the circuits. At the outset, scaling down of active device sizes was a very effective means of achieving each of these goals. Eventually, the scaling of active devices became less profitable, as the limitations of the circuit speed and maximum functional density came to depend more on the characteristics of the electrical interconnects of the devices rather than on the scale of the devices themselves. In addition, the aspects of silicon utilization, chip costs, and ease of flexibility of integrated circuit design were also adversely affected by electrical interconnect-technology restrictions. The approaches to lifting these limitations have predominantly involved the implementation of vertical stacking or integration of devices and their associated electrical interconnection, commonly referred to as multilevel-interconnect schemes.
One drawback of multilevel interconnection is a loss of topological planarity. Loss of planarity results in associated problems in photolithography and etch, as well as other problems. To alleviate these problems, the wafer is "planarized" at various points in the process to minimize non-planar topography and its adverse effects. As additional levels are added to multilevel-interconnection schemes and circuit features are scaled to submicron dimensions, the required degree of planarization increases. Such planarization can be implemented in either the conductor or the dielectric layers. This invention is specific to planarizing techniques associated with the dielectric insulating materials.
One method used to provide wafer surface planarity in a dielectric layer includes forming an oxide layer such as borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) on a wafer surface, then heating the wafer to reflow and planarize the oxide layer. Such a technique is commonly referred to as "reflow", and was an effective means of planarizing with comparatively large device geometries. However, as technology allowed for smaller device feature sizes, reflow methods produced unsatisfactory degrees of planarization.
Another method used to produce a planar wafer surface is to initially spin coat the wafer with photoresist. The spin coating of this material on the wafer surface fills the low points and produces a planar upper surface from which to start. Next, a dry etch which removes photoresist and oxide at a rate sufficiently close to 1:1, removes the photoresist and the high points of the wafer, thereby producing a substantially planarized oxide layer on the wafer surface.
Most recently, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) processes have been used to planarize the surface of wafer in preparation for device fabrication. The CMP process involves holding a thin, flat wafer of semiconductor material against a rotating wetted polishing pad surface under controlled downward pressure. A polishing slurry, such as a mixture of either a basic or an acidic solution, is used as a chemical etch component in combination with alumina or silica particles. A rotating polishing head or wafer carrier is typically used to hold the wafer under controlled pressure against a rotating polishing platen. The polishing platen is typically covered with a polishing pad material, such as blown polyurethane. Such polishing employs both chemical and mechanical aspects of removal. In one aspect, the liquid portion of the slurry chemically removes, loosens or modifies the composition of the material on the wafer which is desired to be removed. The particles or grit within the slurry, in combination with the rotating polishing pad, then physically remove the chemically modified material from the wafer.
The effectiveness of chemical-mechanical polishing for planarization is in part dependent upon its ability to remove high areas faster than low areas, something which is commonly referred to as CMP "selectivity". Such is typically defined as the ratio of the high area removal rate to the low area removal rate. It is preferred to have CMP selectivity as high as possible to reduce doming, and allow thinner oxide deposition over the topography.
CMP selectivity is a function of pad compressibility, slurry, process pressure, platen speed, differential height, and the distance of measured low and high points, and pattern density, as is well perceived by people of skill in the CMP art. In conventional planarization processes, including those of CMP, an undesirably thick oxide layer is deposited before chemical-mechanical polishing to enable full planarization of the topography. The minimum pre-CMP oxide thickness is generally determined by: EQU Oxide=XO+X1+S(t)*T (1)
where:
X0=highest underlayer step PA1 X1=remain BPSG thickness over highest step PA1 S(t)=low area removal rate (function of time) PA1 H(t)=high area removal rate (function of time) PA1 T=polishing time in minutes=X0/H(t)+t' PA1 t'=over CMP time to account for film/CMP uniformity.
It can be seen from Equation (1) that it is desirable to have a small low area removal rate, S(t), to minimize the oxide thickness required for full planarization.
The term S(t)*T can be rewritten in terms of selectivity as follows: ##EQU1##
Since the low area removal rate, S(t), is inversely proportional to the selectivity, as selectivity is improved the net removal from the low areas is reduced.
Alternately considered, present CMP technology essentially requires that the net removed thickness over the highestmost projection be greater than 1.5 times the greatest topographical distance in order to achieve adequate planarization. Such is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. There illustrated is a semiconductor wafer fragment indicated generally by reference numeral 10. Wafer fragment 10 is comprised of a bulk substrate 12 and an electrically conductive metal or polysilicon runner 14. A conformal layer 16 of insulating material is provided to a first thickness over substrate 12, which has a non-planar topography the result of runner 14. Such results in the illustrated projecting portion 18 of insulating material 16 above runner 14. Insulating material 16 would typically be SiO.sub.2 which has been doped with boron and/or phosphorus. For purposes of the continuing discussion, conductive runner 14 has an upper surface 20 which comprises a highestmost projection of the non-planar topography of wafer 10. Likewise, bulk substrate surface 12 includes an uppermost surface 22 which, for purposes of the continuing discussion, provides a lowestmost surface or indentation for purposes of characterizing the non-planar wafer topography atop which layer 16 is provided. Such surfaces have a defined maximum distance therebetween designated by letter "A". Letter "B" designates the thickness of deposited BPSG layer 16. Letter "F" depicts the greatest topological distance of layer 16 (i.e., the difference between the highest and lowestmost points of layer 16) immediately prior to the CMP step depicted by FIG. 2.
In many instances do to increasing circuit density, "F" will be greater than "A". This results from less than complete 100% conformal step coverage in the deposition of layer 16. For example as the distance between adjoining runners 14 diminishes, less material will be deposited in the low points (surfaces 22) than is deposited on the high points (surfaces 20). Subsequent steps, such as reflow or other heat treatments, leave a distance "F" which can and will typically be greater than distance "A".
FIG. 2 illustrates the FIG. 1 wafer after chemical-mechanical polishing. Distance "E" depicts the post CMP thickness of layer 16 above the highest elevation surface 20, Distance "E" is a parameter which the process designer selects based upon criteria not particularly germane to this disclosure. Thickness "B" is selected to arrive at the desired distance "E". Such selection is dependent upon the present capabilities of chemical-mechanical polishing processes. Presently, thickness "B" is selected such than B-E is greater than 1.5 times F, where F is the greatest topographical distance immediately prior to the CMP step.
Such effectively results in an increase in the vertical volume of processing material on the wafer. If possible, it would be desirable to reduce the vertical quantity of interlevel dielectric material 16 while still achieving the high degree of planarity provided by chemical-mechanical polishing processes.
In order to reduce the amount of material polished, it is necessary to reduce the undesirable removal of material in the global low levels of the wafer that occurs at the same time that global high levels of the wafer are being polished. Such occurs in part because the polishing pad is not perfectly flat or rigid, but rather conforms by bending to contact low areas of the wafer as well as high areas of the wafer upon polishing. Chemical mechanical polishing pressure is of course greatest at or against the highest points. But nevertheless, polishing pressure does result in some chemical-mechanical polishing action of the global low areas of the wafer at the same time that the high areas of the wafer are being removed. It would be desirable to minimize removal of material from these lower global wafer areas, for example the scribe areas between to dies.
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional graphical representation of a prior art chemical-mechanical polishing process. Such involved a semiconductor wafer having an average distance between highestmost projections and lowestmost indentations of 0.8 microns, thus defining a highly nonplanar topography. A layer of BPSG deposited to a thickness of 2.6 microns was provided atop the wafer, and was chemical-mechanical polished by prior art techniques to achieve global planarization. The polishing slurry comprised colloidal silica slurry, and the pad comprised a polyethylene polymer. FIG. 3 represents essentially seven snapshots in time of the degree of planarization of that BPSG layer during the chemical-mechanical polishing process towards the goal of achieving substantial wafer planarity. The illustrated mountain-looking projection at the far left represents a feature on the wafer at the start of chemical-mechanical polishing, while the relatively flatter surface at the far right of the graph represents the finished chemical-mechanical polished product. The Z axis is fixed with respect to the wafer surface. The zero plane of the Z axis represents the starting point of the globally low areas of the oxide surface prior to chemical-mechanical polishing. It would be ideal if planarization of the illustrated mountains could be achieved downwardly to the point of being flush with the illustrated zero Z plane, meaning none of the global low area is removed while the high areas are effectively flattened to the zero Z plane. Yet as indicated by the far right (seventh) data point on the graph, considerable removal below the zero Z plane has occurred to achieve desired planarization. Further, removal below the zero Z plane begins almost immediately in the prior art process, as represented by the second discrete mountain-like projection extending to or starting from beneath the zero Z plane.
It would be desirable to improve upon such techniques and provide chemical-mechanical polishing processing steps for planarizing interlevel dielectrics which minimize the required removal rate of material in the global low, scribe area below the illustrated Z axis zero plane.

Chemical-mechanical polishing processes of planarizing insulating layers


A substation for distributing electric power includes protective relays whose trip points are made to be a function of temperature, the protective relays being used to control the opening and closing of circuit breakers for protecting against fault conditions in at least one of the power input and power output portions of the power distribution system. In one embodiment, a temperature probe which is used to sense the temperature at a selected point of the substation supplies the temperature information to a microcontroller which is programmed to set the trip point of selected protective relays as a function of the sensed temperature.

This invention relates to protective relays used in electric power system applications and, in particular, to the automatic and/or semi-automatic control of these protective relays.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the transmission and distribution of electrical power within an electrical power system operated by an electric utility, there exists multiple substations (A, B, C, D) which control the switching and distribution of electric power from a generating source (main dispatch center) to various distribution points and loads within the power system. These substations normally include a plurality of power transformers whose primary windings are connected to input lines and whose secondary windings are connected to output feeders/distribution lines. The substations also include a plurality of circuit breakers which are coupled to the incoming transmission lines, the power transformers and the outgoing feeders to switch (and hence protect) the respective lines and/or piece of equipment when a fault (e.g., an overload) condition is sensed. The switching (opening and closing) of the circuit breakers within a substation is controlled by protective relays which, by controlling the opening and closure of the circuit breakers, protect the incoming transmission lines, the power transformers, the outgoing feeders and the circuit breakers contained within the substation. The protective relays may be of various configurations, including electromechanical, non-programmable static, and programmable microprocessor based relays. Each protective relay is designed such that when it senses, or responds to, a fault condition, it causes its associated circuit breaker(s) to interrupt the power to, or out of, the device the relay is designed to protect.
In general, the protective relays are designed to sense and/or respond to a fault condition based on a plurality of settings maintained in, or applied to, each relay. Those protective relays which include a microprocessor/controller normally also include memory storage in which these settings are stored. The stored settings may be compared to various signals and preset conditions to enable a relay to sense the presence of faults based on these different signals and preset conditions. Further, these microprocessor based relays have means for selecting one of the stored setting groups when a signal is presented.
Typically, the power ratings of pieces of equipment such as the power transformers, the power distribution lines and the circuit breakers change as a function of temperature. By way of example, a particular power transformer may be rated to safely carry 15,000 amperes at minus (-) 35 degrees centigrade and only 10,000 amperes at plus (+) 85 degrees centigrade. In general, the resistance of the wiring and material used to form the transformers and distribution lines increases with increasing temperature resulting in a decrease in the power rating of these pieces of equipment with increasing temperature. For the example of the particular power transformer, above, a protective relay associated therewith would be, for example, set to "trip" an associated circuit breaker when the current through the transformer would exceed 12-to-13,000 amperes in the winter and 8-to-9,000 amperes in the summer. Therefore, it is a normal operating practice for electric power utilities to change the settings of protective relays at certain times during the course of a year to take into account different seasonal ambient conditions such as temperature. It is also accepted practice in the industry to send a highly skilled technician to each substation to reprogram each protective relay or manually set a new setting group via a rotary switch in the substation. Because of the number of substations, the distance between them, and the time to re-set and test the various protective relays, this is both expensive and impractical.
Also, on a particular day, the ambient temperature in a substation can be substantially higher (or lower) than expected, which either leaves the settings of the various protection relays too sensitive (e.g., too low) or not sensitive enough (e.g., too high). This can lead to mis-operation of these protection devices which results in unwanted blackouts, or to a catastrophic failure of a power transformer or circuit breaker.
Thus, the fixed settings applied to the relays does not solve the problem resulting from the fact that the temperature within the substation can vary over a wide range at any instant of time. This gives rise to a basic problem since the settings of the relays within the substation and their set points is based on preset or preprogrammed information and not on the actual value of the temperature and load conditions. Because of the significant change in the power rating of the transformers and circuit breakers (and other pieces of equipment) as a function of temperature, undervoltage and overvoltage conditions can occur. Also, either there may be a failure to recognize a fault condition or a false error condition may be sensed resulting in unnecessary disruption of power to customers.

Microprocessor based setting group controller for protective relay operations


A lamp simulator for use as a replacement for a phosphor excitable lamp, such as a fluorescent lamp in a plural lamp fixture. The fixture is typically one with socket-type connectors adapted to have at least two or more phosphor excitable lamps mounted therein. The lamp simulator replaces one or more of the illuminatable lamps in the fixture. The simulator comprises a lamp body or housing having end caps on each of the transverse ends and generally has a size approximately equal to a lamp it replaces. In one embodiment, a capacitor may be physically mounted on one of the end caps and is electrically connected to one of the terminals on the end cap and electrically connected to a terminal on the other of the end caps. Further, the caps may have a diametral size at least slightly greater than the lamp tube such that a plurality of lamps can be packed in a single container without a separate jacket for each lamp. In another embodiment, the lamp is provided with an irregular surface as for example, a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced apart ridges on the interior surface of the lamp housing in order to create light dispersion and substantial elimination of shadows. Thus, the light simulator effectively takes the place of an actual lamp in that it appears as though light is actually coming from the said lamp simulator and thereby simulates an actual lamp. The invention also provides a method of securing an electrode of the capacitor to a terminal on the lamp end cap as well as a method of non-visably perceptably removing phosphor energizable light producing lamps and replacing such lamps with non-light producing lamp simulators.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in substitute lamp simulators as replacements for phosphor excitable lamps in plural lamp fixtures, and more particularly, to lamp simulators of the type stated which effectively simulate an operable energizable lamp and which are relatively low cost, as well as methods of using the same and manufacturing the same.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been an interest in reducing the number of fluorescent lights in multi-fluorescent lamp fixtures in order to reduce energy requirements. The same holds true with the phosphor energizable lamp fixtures such as the fixtures which operate with the so-called cathode discharge lamps. For example, in many office buildings and other forms of commercial installations, it has been found that one or more of the lamps in a multi-lamp fixture can be removed without appreciably reducing the total light output so that inefficiency and eye fatigue does not result. In other words, many commercially available fixtures were constructed so that an excess of light was generated for a given purpose.
Conventional fluorescent lamp fixtures were often constructed to hold and energize two lamps. The ballast and circuitry were designed so that each of said lamps were 180 degrees out of phase. In this way, flicker was canceled out to some extent. Thus, two lights were employed or otherwise lights in pairs were employed to reduce noticeable effects of flicker even though the extra lumen output was not required.
One of the problems involved in removing a lamp, as for example, a fluorescent lamp, from a two lamp fixture was the fact that the ballast was not effective to operate only one of the lamps. Thus, in a two-lamp fixture where a ballast was provided, and one of the lamps was burned out, the other of the lamps would not operate or otherwise operated inefficiently with an excess of power.
In order to obviate these problems, there has been a proposed capacitive operable device which was connected between the terminals of a fluorescent lamp which has been removed in a two fluorescent lamp fixture. In this way, the remaining lamp could operate without a substantial loss of lumen output and also minimizing the power factor deterioration. This system is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,665 to Westphal, et al. Another prior art system for permitting removal of one of the fluorescent lamps in a multi-lamp fixture and using a device connected to the sockets where the lamp has been removed is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,881 to Abernathy. In this case, a non-reactive lamp circuit was employed.
In each case, while a means was employed to enable the remaining lamp and fixture to operate, the means employed was not effective in reducing the obvious noticeable effect of a missing lamp. In the case of the Westphal et al. system, the use of a mere capacitor in circuit was employed. While the Abernathy device did employ a lamp, it still appeared as though the lamp housing or bulb was burned out. Moreover, and in each case, it required substantial amount of effort in order to remove the existing construction and install a new construction. While the Abernathy device did employ a bulb with end caps and a terminal, it also suffered from the very substantial disadvantage that it could not be easily repaired.
The state of the art is such that the prior art devices are quite rudimentary. While they are designed to find a solution to a problem, they were not designed to represent the bulbs they replace or simulate. To this extent these prior art devices, while not physically appearing as the lamp they replace are referred to as "simulators" in this present application. For example, these prior art devices were not designed in a manner where end caps could be easily removed for replacement of the wire or the capacitor if the need should arise, and they were not made of a non-breakable material.
In the various prior art simulators as for example, the type illustrated in the Westphal et al patent and the type illustrated in the Abernathy patent, the wire extending across the bulb coud actually be seen. Any vibration in the room would cause the wire to vibrate and which was highly noticeable to an observer. Moreover, an observer looking at the lamp simulator will almost inevitably notice a vibration of the wire extending across the lamp simulator in these prior art devices and this is rather distracting.
The prior art lamp simulators were all constructed of glass, primarily due to the fact that the glass was made to a pre-cut size for use in the existing fluorescent bulb. Moreover, the prior art devices were apparently constructed of glass, due to the fact that plastic materials would tend to sag when constructed in lengths of six foot or greater. Another significant problem with the prior art lamp simulators is the fact that the construction was quite similar to that of an existing fluorescent bulb, even though it did not have the appearance of an existing fluorescent bulb. As a consequence, the end caps had a dimetral size which was slightly less than the actual size of the bulb itself. At least for purposes of shipment, each individual lamp simulator had to be thereafter shipped in a larger container. This of course materially added to the cost of production and distribution and hence, the overall cost of the simulator.
Further, and more importantly, these prior art simulators appeared as a dead bulb which is quite distracting to the observer. Typically, the user of an environment, which is lighted by these fluorescent lights or other phosphor energizable lamp, can perform quite satisfactorily without any perceptable loss of light, so long as the user believes that the same light output is present. However, when the user observes that a number of the lightbulbs in a particular environment have been removed and replaced, or otherwise appear to be dead, the user physiologically perceives of a loss of light. The present invention overcomes these as well as other problems.

Non-light producing phosphor energizable lamp simulator and methods of using same and making same


A live-load device for applying a compressive force to packing or gasket material in a valve or pipe conduit junction. The device incorporates spring-washers having resilient blades for imparting a spring force. The spring force is transmitted from each blade through a ball-bearing seated at a selected one of a plurality of contact points along the blade tip. The spring constant of the device is selected by positioning the ball-bearing at a particular one of the contact points. This adjustment capability makes the spring device universally adaptable to a wide variety of valves and conduit junctions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pipe joints and valves and, more particularly, to a device for imparting a live-load to gaskets or packing material for improving the seal around pipe joints and valves.
2. Description of the Background
There are thousands of valves and pipe joints operating in the numerous piping systems both inside and outside of nuclear power plants. The need for a proper seal in such pipe joints and valves is self-evident. If leaks develop, they may well result in radioactive exposure of personnel. Furthermore, steam production is quite expensive, costing approximately $3.40 per 1000 pounds. A small leak in a single steam valve can waste over $5000.00 in energy costs per year.
Such leaks are typically avoided by employing gaskets between pipe joints and resilient packing material around valve stems. Unfortunately, conventional gasket and packing material gradually lose resiliency over time and become permanently deformed. Permanent deformation (a.k.a. "creep") of the gasket or packing material must be compensated for by maintenance procedures including routine tightening of the studs clamping the gasket or packing material. The studs are tightened regularly until all resiliency is gone, at which point the packing material must be replaced. These maintenance procedures have proven to be time-consuming, costly, and a dangerous source of radiation exposure in radioactive areas.
It is well-known that a spring device can be used to compensate for creep, thereby eliminating the need to tighten the studs regularly over the life of the packing material. The spring device imparts a constant compressive force to the gasket or packing which compensates for the resiliency normally lost to creep. The seal provided by the packing or gasket will remain stable until the time when replacement is required. Consequently, much of the maintenance is eliminated. The use of a spring-device as described above is known as "live-loading" pipe joints and valves.
A commonly used spring device for imparting a live-load is known as the Belleville washer stack (BWS).
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art live-load system for a valve. The system incorporates a Belleville washer stack 90.
As shown in FIG. 1, the live-load system includes a valve housing 10 having a central valve chamber 20. A valve stem 30 projects through valve chamber 20. An upper portion of the valve chamber 20 has a radius which is larger than the radius of the valve stem 30. This leaves a clearance between the valve chamber 20 and valve stem 30 for accommodating a layer of packing material 40 encircling valve stem 30. An annular gland collar 50 likewise encircles valve stem 30 above packing material 40. Gland collar 50 is slidable along valve stem 30 for compressing packing material 40 within valve chamber 20. An annular gland flange 60 also encircles valve stem 30 above housing 10. Gland flange 60 is likewise slidable along valve stem 30, and bears against gland collar 50 in order to force gland collar 50 against packing material 40. Flange 60 is formed with a number of bore holes spaced evenly around the periphery. A corresponding number of gland studs 70 are threaded into valve housing 10, each protruding upward, in parallel to valve stem 30, through a bore hole in flange 60.
A stack 90 of individual Belleville washers 100 are mounted on stud 70, and a gland nut 80 is screwed to the tip of each stud 70. Each stack of washers 90 is sandwiched between a gland nut 80 and flange 60.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a top view and a side view, respectively, of an individual Belleville washer 100 of the type commonly used in a live-load system as in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each Belleville washer comprises a convex annular disk having a central aperture 110.
Referring back to FIG. 1, pairs of opposing disks 100 are aligned top to bottom on studs 70 to form a resilient Belleville stack 90.
In operation, stack 90 imposes a spring force on flange 60, which in turn urges gland collar 50 into packing material 40, thereby compressing the packing material 40 within valve chamber 20.
The above-described "live-load" system provides a superior seal. Moreover, the compressive force on packing material 40 is uniformly maintained over time to accommodate creep.
Unfortunately, the standard dimensions of valves and conduits often make installation of the Belleville washer stack 90 difficult or impossible. It is necessary to replace certain valve parts with custom parts to accommodate a Belleville spring device. Moreover, the proximity of studs 70 to valve stem 30 leaves little room for a Belleville washer 100. Valves smaller than two inches cannot be outfitted with Belleville washers due to a lack of space around studs 70. For larger valves, various sizes of Belleville washers must be kept on hand to fit each of the standard valve sizes. In addition, different valves require different spring constants. Hence, the Belleville washer stack 90 must be customized in accordance with the valve type to provide the proper spring constant.


In an electronic device which can be energized from one of a plurality of types of power sources, having art external power source connector for connection with an external power source, a power source identifying circuit identifies the power source from which the electronic device is energized, and a control circuit controls consumption of the power in accordance with the power source identified by the power source identifying means. The identification of the power source is made in accordance with the voltage on the connector. Additionally, the sum of the voltage on the connector and the voltage of the built-in battery may be used for the identification.

The present invention relates to an electronic device which can be energized from one of a plurality of power sources, including a battery or the like built in it and an external power source, such as an AC adapter, and an external battery, and in particular to an electronic device capable of detecting a voltage input through a power source connector and finding which of the AC adapter, external battery and the like is being connected, and controlling consumption of power depending on which power sources the electronic device is being energized.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the rear side of a notebook-type personal computer in the prior art. The personal computer comprises a main unit 20, provided with a dedicated DC-IN (AC adapter) connector 21, and a dedicated external battery connector terminal 22. For connection with an AC adapter, the DC-IN connector 21 is used, while for connection with an external battery, the external battery connector 22 is used.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a power supply circuit in the prior art, which is shown for example in Japanese Patent Kokoku Publication No. 16625/1981, for energizing an electronic device, in particular an electronic device main circuit 78. A connector 71 is provided on the electronic device for connection with an external power source, such as an AC adapter, an external battery or a car battery, via a plug, not shown, connected to the external power source.
The connector 71 has terminals 71a, 71b, 71c and 71d. A switch 77 is opened when a magnetic relay 76 is energized. On the basis of the state of connection of the four terminals 71a, 71b, 71c and 71d, or the state of power source, a power source switch 75, a selecting switch 73, a switch 77 are controlled, so as to energize the electronic device main circuit 78 from the externally connected power source and to charge a built-in battery 74 when the AC adapter is connected.
The electronic device shown in FIG. 6 is provided with separate connectors for the AC adapter input and external battery input, so that the area required for providing the connectors and the number of parts are both considerable.
With the power source device shown in FIG. 7, the connector can be shared, but the number of terminals used in the connector is increased, and it is necessary to detect connection of each of the terminals, and the state of each of switches. The circuit for such detection is complex.
Techniques for sharing a connector is also shown in Japanese Utility Model Kokai Publications No. 121344/1981, No. 141590/1983, No. 70998/1985, No. 90782/1985, and No. 185235/1986. However, these publications do not disclose identifying the type of the power source connected to the common connector, and controlling the internal processing depending on the result of the identification.


A driving device is provided with a first supporting member disposed in one direction along a rotation axis of a rotated member, and a second supporting member disposed in the other direction. The first supporting member is provided with a first case and a first supporting shaft. The first supporting shaft passes through a first through hole of the first case. The second supporting member is provided with a second case and a second supporting shaft. The second supporting shaft passes through a second through hole of the second case. Only one first bearing is disposed between the first case and the first supporting shaft. Only one second bearing is disposed between the second case and the second supporting shaft.

A driving device is known in which rotates a rotated member while doubly supporting the rotated member at its both ends. An example of this type of driving device is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. H01-175135 (called Patent Document 1 below). The driving device of Patent Document 1 is provided with a first frame extending in one direction along a rotation axis of the rotated member, and a second frame extending in another direction along the rotation axis. A supporting member for rotatably supporting the rotated member is fixed to each of the first frame and the second frame. Each supporting member includes a case, and a shaft supported rotatably by the case. The case is fixed to the frame (the first frame, the second frame), and the shaft is fixed to the rotated member. A pair of bearings is disposed between the case and the shaft.


A transmission apparatus includes a wet rotary clutch configured to transmit power from an input to an output when in an engaged position, a clutch lubricator to supply a lubricating oil to the wet rotary clutch, a synchromesh configured to perform a meshing operation while the wet rotary clutch is in the disengaged position, and a controller configured to increase a revolution speed of the input of the wet rotary clutch before the synchromesh begins the meshing operation.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to transmissions including an automated shift-type manual transmission wherein a manual transmission may be automatically operated. In particular, the present disclosure relates to devices to reduce drag torque caused by a viscosity of lubricating oil remaining between clutch discs even when a wet rotary clutch disengages.
2. Description of the Related Art
To form an automated shift-type manual transmission by automating a manual transmission, there must be an automated control for disengaging and engaging a clutch installed to connect and disconnect the engine and transmission. In this regard, a wet rotary clutch is generally used due to its superior controllability.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-092814 discloses an automated shift-type manual transmission comprising a wet rotary clutch. In such transmissions, it is possible to change gear ratios or transition from a neutral mode to a forward or reverse driving mode. A synchromesh mechanism conducts a meshing operation during transition from a neutral mode to a shift mode to provide a desired gear ratio when the wet rotary clutch disengages.
The synchromesh mechanism operates when the wet rotary clutch is disengaged. Because a rotary member at an input of the synchromesh mechanism is rotated by an engine when the wet rotary clutch is engaged, the synchromesh mechanism may not synchronously rotate the rotary member at the input with respect to a rotary member at an output of the synchromesh mechanism which is rotating with a wheel. Thus, the meshing operation wherein the synchromesh mechanism is operated from the neutral mode to the shift mode to provide a desired gear ratio may not be executed due to the relative rotation of the rotary members at the input and output.
However, if the wet rotary clutch disengages, because the rotary member at the input of the synchromesh mechanism is separated from the engine, the synchromesh mechanism may not synchronously rotate the rotary member at the input with respect to the rotary member at the output of the synchromesh mechanism rotating with the wheel. Thus, the meshing operation wherein the synchromesh mechanism is operated from the neutral mode to the shift mode to provide a desired gear ratio may not be executed because there is no relative rotation of the rotary members at the input and output.
The wet rotary clutch is typically supplied with the lubricating oil for cooling or preventing abrasion. The lubricating oil prevents overheating caused by frictional heat generated by a slip in an engagement transition period or prevents abrasion of the clutch disc in the engagement transition period.
However, when the lubricating oil is supplied to the wet rotary clutch, a drag torque occurs due to the viscosity of the lubricating oil between the clutch discs. This happens even when the wet rotary clutch is disengaged.
When the drag torque occurs, the drag torque hinders the torque transferred from the engine to the rotary member at the input of the synchromesh mechanism. Thus, it becomes difficult for the synchromesh mechanism to synchronously rotate the rotary member at the input with respect to the rotary member at the output of the synchromesh mechanism. As such, it becomes difficult to operate the synchromesh mechanism from the neutral mode to the shift mode to provide a desired gear ratio to execute the meshing operation, and thereby it becomes difficult to execute the shifting operation.
To address and resolve the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure seeks to reduce the drag torque of the wet rotary clutch by thoroughly and rapidly removing the lubricating oil interposed between the clutch discs.


Bandpass channel filters are connected to a uniform impedance manifold. Immittance compensation is provided in a way that preserves the canonic form of the network while at the same time serving to separate the filters (channels) along the manifold. The manifold forms a phase shifter between each channel which is sufficient to compensate for filter interactions to thereby permit the design of contiguous or non-contiguous channel multiplexers. Design procedures are described for both a frequency independent manifold and a frequency dependent manifold. One design is of a waveguide WR229 manifold triplexer employing 37 MHz bandwidth 6-cavity Chebyshev filters having ripple return loss of 26dB (VSWR=1.1) with center frequencies at 3720, 3800 and 3880 MHz.

The present invention relates in general to manifold multiplexers and pertains, more particularly, to a multiplexer comprising a number of filters connected to a manifold and designed so that there is no need for extra immittance compensation networks.
There are different approaches to the design of multiplexers, particularly those coupling to a manifold. Due to requirements in communication satellites and other applications, attempts have been made to produce manifold multiplexers. One important and difficult requirement is to provide an output multiplexer on a waveguide manifold with bandpass channels separated to yield guard bands of only say, for example, 10%. Most design techniques have adopted an approach based upon singly terminated bandpass channels resulting in 3 dB crossover points between channels. See for example the articles of R. J. Wenzel and W. G. Erlinger, "Narrowband contiguous multiplexing filters with arbitrary amplitude and delay response", 1976 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, IEEE Cat. No. 76CH1087-6MTT, pp. 116-118; and M. H. Chen, F. Assal and C. Mahle, "A contiguous band multiplexer", Comsat Technical Review, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 285-305, Fall 1976. These designs exhibit good return loss over the channel bandwidths and the guard bands. Dummy channels typically have to be included to simulate channels at the edges of the total multiplexer bandwidth, forming additional annulling networks. Thus, in the prior art it is quite common to require redundant elements to provide channel interaction compensation to produce a channel performance comparable to the individual channels based upon a singly terminated prototype.
The need for contiguous band multiplexers originally arose in receiver design for countermeasures where the incoming signal was unknown and complete band coverage was necessary with good match at all frequencies. In this case all channels have to be designed on a singly terminated basis and must provide a prescribed level of attenuation over the major part of other bands.
However, the requirements for multiplexers in communication systems are different since they must provide good reflection and transmission only over each channel bandwidth whilst maintaining high attenuation over all other channels. For typically realizable passband return loss specifications (e.g. 20 to 25 dB) the optimum solution leads to attenuation in excess of 10 dB at the crossover frequencies independent of the guardband bandwidth. Thus, contiguous band multiplexers are non-optimum in this situation and have probably been used because a design procedure was known. They result in a higher degree filter than necessary in each channel in addition to the annulling network. Furthermore, if one attempts to use singly terminated designs for crossover levels in excess of 3 dB, the passband return loss rapidly deteriorates if further annulling (immittance compensation) networks are not used.
The significant difference between the optimum design approach and the continguously designed solution to the above type of problem may be illustrated by the simpler diplexer examples presented in J. D. Rhodes, "Direct Design of Symmetrical Interacting Bandpass Channel Diplexers", I.E.E. Journal on Microwaves, Optics and Acoustics, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 34-40, September 1976. See in particular FIGS. 4 and 5 of that article. For the case of two non-contiguous bandpass channels of bandwidth 2 and guardband of 1, 5-cavity Chebyshev filters may produce a return loss 25 dB over each passband whilst 34 dB attenuation is achieved over the opposite channel, whereas the contiguous approach using similar 5-cavity filters gives an attentuation level over the opposite channel of only 19 dB. Thus the price paid for preserving the 25 dB return loss at the common port over the guardband region is a 15 dB reduction in the attenuation level in the stopband. Hence, for most applications in communication systems, contiguous band multiplexers result in designs far from the optimum solution.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved manifold multiplexer and one in particular that can be used for contiguous band operation. In accordance with the present invention the manifold multiplexer forms phase shifters displacing each of the filters forming the multiplexer with these phase shifter networks also forming immittance compensation means.


An electrically powered wheelchair has a main frame, a seat frame, a seat back frame, a footrest frame, a wheel section, and an obstacle detection sensor. The seat frame is disposed above the main frame, and supports a sitting seat which supports buttocks and thighs of a user. The seat back frame is disposed behind the main frame, and supports a backrest which supports a back of the user. The footrest frame is disposed in front of the main frame, and supports a footrest which supports feet of the user. The wheel section movably supports the main frame. The obstacle detection sensor is installed in front of the seat frame, and detects an obstacle.

An electrically powered wheelchair that has a function of not only moving by operation of a person, but also detecting an obstacle by an obstacle detection sensor and stopping traveling of the electrically powered wheelchair has been known. In particular, a traveling control method for an electrically powered wheelchair in which sophisticated operation is possible is disclosed (for example, see PTL 1).
In the traveling control method, information on presence or absence of an obstacle from the obstacle detection sensor is input to travel permission decision means. In a case where an obstacle is detected, an instruction to activate an alarm is given to alarm activation means and an operation stop instruction is given to motor drive means to temporally stop the electrically powered wheelchair to avoid collision against the obstacle. Then, in the case of waiting for a next operation instruction and receiving a traveling instruction including the direction in which an obstacle is detected from the operation means again, a travel permission (instruction) is given to the motor drive means again and permits the traveling while the alarm activation instruction is sent to the alarm activation means.
Moreover, the configuration of the electrically powered wheelchair for realizing the above operation is shown. In the configuration according to the related art, a configuration in which the obstacle detection sensor is installed on the main body of the electrically powered wheelchair and is disposed at the foremost portion of the sitting surface.
According to the configuration, the electrically powered wheelchair can detect an obstacle in front of the electrically powered wheelchair, and avoid a collision by temporally stopping. In a case where the operation instruction including the direction in which an obstacle is detected is performed again, the electrically powered wheelchair can travel to a vicinity of the obstacle without canceling the obstacle detection means or undergoing special operation procedures by alerting a rider and permitting the operation.


A saw chain grinding machine has a disc-shaped grinding wheel mounted for rotation in a fixed position on the base of a grinding machine. A saw chain holder is mounted at one end of a support arm extending across and beneath the wheel, with the opposite end of the support arm being mounted on the base for swinging movement about a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel. Swinging movement of the support arm causes a corresponding swinging movement of the saw chain holder along the periphery of the wheel. A stop fixed to the machine base limits swinging movement of the support arm in one direction to determine a grinding position for the saw chain holder along the periphery of the wheel. The support arm is adjustable lengthwise for moving the holder and thus a saw chain cutter element toward and away from the wheel in a line extending generally toward the axis of rotation of the wheel when the arm is in grinding position against its stop. In this way movement of the holder along the arm toward the wheel to grind a cutter tooth automatically compensates for wheel wear without changing appreciably the angular positioning of sharpening along the wheel periphery. Apparatus are also provided for adjusting the height and angle of the saw chain holder relative to the peripheral edge of the wheel and for adjusting the position of sharpening of a cutter link on the saw chain holder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grinding machine for sharpening saw chain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are different types of saw chain with the different types being determined in general by the different shapes of the cutter teeth in such chain. The two most common types of saw chain have hook-shaped cutter teeth. One such common type, called the "chipper" or "round tooth" chain, has generally curved hook-shaped cutter teeth. The other common type, the so-called "chisel bit" chain, has generally L-shaped cutter teeth with the side and top portions of each tooth meeting at a sharp corner.
Grinding machines have been devised to sharpen both such types of saw chain using a disc-shaped grinding wheel. However, it has been found that for best chain performance the cutter teeth of these different types of chain should be sharpened at different angular positions along the peripheral edge of the grinding wheel. For example, with the chipper chain it is desirable to position the cutter tooth for sharpening at the center of the peripheral edge of the wheel as determined by a median plane passing through the center axis of the wheel perpendicular to the plane of the wheel. The center point of grinding is where the median plane intersects the peripheral edge of the wheel. However, with the chisel bit chain, the preferred angular position along the wheel is at about 45 degrees from the center point of grinding as measured in an arc from the axis of rotation of the wheel.
Thus far separate grinding machines have been required to grind accurately chipper and chisel-type saw chain because of the aforementioned differeing grinding positions required for these different types of chain. For example, applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. Re. 28,057 discloses a grinding machine for sharpening chisel bit chain in which the machine is designed to position the chisel cutter teeth at the periphery of the grinding wheel at about 45 degrees to either side of the median plane of the wheel. On the other hand, applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,103 shows a grinding machine specifically designed for sharpening chipper chain by positioning the cutter teeth for sharpening at the center of the peripheral edge of the wheel. In some newer types of saw chain still having generally hook-shaped teeth, the optimum position for grinding is along the peripheral edge of the wheel somewhere between the aforementioned center grinding position and the 45-degree grinding position.
In known grinding machines for grinding chisel bit chain, two linear movements are used to bring the cutter tooth into grinding engagement with the wheel at the desired grinding position along the edge of the wheel. These two linear movements are at right angles to one another. One of such movements is generally perpendicular to the median plane of the wheel and the other movement is generally parallel to such median plane. The difficulty with this arrangement is that as the wheel wears to reduce its diameter, the angular position of grinding engagement of the cutter teeth along the edge of the wheel changes greatly to vary one or more of the cutting angles ground on the cutter teeth. As a result, different teeth of the same chain will have different cutting angles. A saw chain with cutters having different cutting angles performs poorly and dulls rapidly. If the wheel wear is appreciable without compensating adjustment, the wheel tends to grind a backslope in the vertical cutting edge of the cutter tooth. This is undesirable because a backslope causes the chain to feed poorly into the wood when cutting wood, thereby necessitating frequent regrinding and shortening the life of the chain.
A separate compensating adjustment of the grinding wheel is thus required to prevent the foregoing from happening, if such a compensating adjustment is available on the particular grinder. This compensating adjustment for wheel wear is commonly a movement of the center axis of the wheel toward the saw chain holder. However, in present grinders such an adjustment for wheel wear, being a separate adjustment, interrupts the grinding operation and therefore increases the time required to sharpen a saw chain. Moreover, such an adjustment is usually inconvenient to make, and requires skill and judgement to determine when needed. Therefore, the tendency is for grinder operators to wait too long before making such an adjustment or to ignore the need for adjustment entirely.


A 3-D chip stacked structure is disclosed. Each chip layer is provided with plural single-layered conductive members where among the same chip layer the two adjacent conductive members are structurally formed in mirror symmetric way with each other along a chip longitudinal direction and the arrangements of the single-layered conductive members of the two adjacent chip layers are shifted by a test pad distance. The single-layered conductive members of the two adjacent chip layers are communicated through a vertical TSV (through silicon via). Therefore, a selection signal or an enabling signal might be transferred through this specific metal layer and related TSV to reach targeting chip layer and targeting circuit.

With the tendency towards miniaturization and multifunctional development of electronic devices, semiconductor devices are forced to be highly integrated. In response to this demand, the so-called Multi-chip Package has been proposed, which involves the integration and stacking of a plurality of chips, as well as the use for limited space.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a schematic view of a conventional stacked structure of chips, respectively. FIG. 1 shows that each of chip layer (for example 90a) includes a substrate 901, a dielectric layer 902 formed on the substrate 901, an internal circuit 912 surrounded by the dielectric layer 902, and a metallic layer 911 formed on the dielectric layer 902 connected to the internal circuit 912 through a through hole via 903. When the conventional through silicon via (TSV) 93a and 93b are utilized for two chip layers 90a and 90b in stacking process, the metallic layer 911 is coupled to the internal circuit 912 and engaged to solder bumps 92 on the back side of top chip 90a.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, if the upper and lower chip layers 95a, 95b need to be distinguished or selected respectively, it usually add a second metallic layer 96 to achieve the purpose. The disadvantage is the need of at least two metal layers such that manufacturing costs will be increased.
Currently, many improved stacked structures are proposed, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,816,776 described therein, which characterized in that two adjacent chips layers have a symmetrical connection bumps and through hole via so that a parallel path and a serial path can be formed, and with operation of internal circuit to differentiate each chip layer of chips layers.

Three dimensional stacked structure for chips


Methods and systems for detecting heavy machine wear. One system includes a heavy machine tooth of an industrial machine having a working end and a mounting end opposite the working end. The system also includes a wear indicator included in the tooth. The wear indicator includes a conductive tip, a conductive outer body extending along at least a length of the tooth, a conductive inner core positioned within the outer body, and insulating material positioned between the outer body and the inner core. The conductive tip is positioned between the working end of the tooth and the outer body and electrically couples the outer body and the inner core to form an electric circuit. The system also includes a transmitter included in the tooth. The transmitter transmits a state of the electric circuit.

Heavy machines (for example, mining equipment, such as draglines and shovels) often include components that wear over time. For example, shovels and excavators include buckets with steel teeth. The teeth provide a smaller point of surface area when digging into the earth than the bucket. The smaller point of surface area helps to break up the earth and requires less force than the larger surface area of the bucket. In addition, as the teeth wear, the teeth can be replaced without requiring replacement of the bucket.