An anode installation apparatus has an pilot auger to which an anode may be attached, plus a cylindrical drive tube which engages the pilot auger when rotated in one direction, such that the drive tube is drawn downward into the ground along with the pilot auger. When the pilot auger has been augered to a desired depth below ground, carbonaceous material may be introduced into the drive tube so as to surround the anode. The drive tube is then rotated in the opposite direction, whereupon it will disengage from the pilot auger and may be pulled out of the ground, and the cavity thus formed in the ground may be backfilled. The drive shaft may be re-used for installation of additional anodes.

Cathodic protection has long been used to prevent or retard corrosion of oxidizable metallic items placed in contact with the earth, such as pipelines. Cathodic protection systems take advantage of the fact that different metals have different propensities for corrosion, and if items made of different metals are buried while being in electrically-conductive connection with each other, one of the items will corrode before or faster than the other one.
For example, if a steel pipeline is buried underground while being connected by electrical wire to a buried block of magnesium, the magnesium will corrode (i.e., oxidize) before the steel pipeline corrodes. In this example of a cathodic protection circuit, the steel pipeline acts as the cathode, and the magnesium block acts as the sacrificial anode. The pipeline may thus be protected against corrosion so long as it is connected to an appropriate number of anodes, and so long as the anodes are replaced when or before they have been totally consumed by corrosion. To enhance electrical conductivity between the anode and the cathode, and hence the efficacy of the cathodic protection system, the anodes commonly are installed with a buffer layer of carbonaceous filler material, such as charcoal or coke, separating the anodes from the surrounding soil.
There are several known methods of installing anodes. One method involves simply excavating a trench, placing one or more anodes in the trench, connecting the anodes by means of electrical wiring to the buried item desired to be protected against corrosion, and then backfilling the trench with soil. If desired, a layer of coke may be laid in the trench before the anodes are positioned, and then more coke may be added to cover the anodes before the trench is backfilled. Alternatively, the anode used in this method may be of a type which is pre-encased in a canister full of coke.
The trench method described immediately above has obvious disadvantages. It entails the use of trenching equipment such as a backhoe, and it results in an excavation considerably larger than the anode being buried. A correspondingly large amount of backfilling needs to be done after the anode is in place, and it will commonly be necessary to use compacting equipment to consolidate the backfill so as to prevent or minimize subsequent settlement of the backfill. These factors contribute to the time and expense involved in using the trench method.
Another known method involves augering a hole into the ground, lowering an anode into the hole, pouring coke or charcoal into the hole so as to surround the anode, and then backfilling the hole with soil from the top of the charcoal to the ground surface. This method has the advantage of causing considerably less disruption to the soil than the trench method, in that much less soil needs to be excavated and backfilled. As well, consolidation of the backfill often will not be necessary using this method. Accordingly, this method will often allow anodes to be installed more quickly and at less cost that using the trench method.
The augered hole method, as described above, has a significant drawback in that it can be difficult or impossible to use in sloughing or non-cohesive soils. In such cases soil from the sides of the augered hole may fall into the hole before the anode and charcoal can be placed in the hole, and some other method must then be used to install the anode. A further disadvantage of the augered hole system, regardless of the type of soil encountered, is that it can be difficult to keep the anode centered in the hole while the charcoal or coke is being poured in; i.e., the anode may become displaced such that the charcoal or coke does not surround the anode in a uniform thickness, or in some locations does not surround the anode at all.
The problem of sloughing or non-cohesive soils is addressed by a third known method of anode installation, namely the cased hole method. This is essentially the same as the augered hole method with the additional step of installing a cylindrical liner in the hole immediately after the hole has been augered out. The liner prevents sloughing of soil into the hole, so that installation of the anode and charcoal may proceed without complications. The obvious disadvantage of the cased hole method, however, is that the liner must be left permanently in the hole and cannot be re-used, thereby adding to the cost of each anode installation. A further disadvantage is that, as for the uncased augered hole method, it may be difficult to keep the anode centered in the hole to ensure that the anode is surrounded uniformly by charcoal or coke.
The prior art discloses several attempts to provide means for quicker and more efficient installation of anodes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,375, issued to Griffioen on Mar. 12, 1985, teaches a cylindrical casing containing an anode surrounded by carbonaceous material, with an electrical connection cable running from the anode to the outside of the casing. The lower end of the casing is formed with a sharp point so that the device may be driven into the ground using appropriate impactor equipment. The Griffioen invention eliminates the need for excavation and backfill during anode installation, and the nature of its assembly ensures uniform charcoal encasement of the anode. However, it has a significant drawback in that it must be left in the ground and has no re-usable components. Another disadvantage of this device is that its use entails some risk of damage to the anode due to shock loading as the device is being driven into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,330, issued to Farmer on Dec. 2, 1986, discloses an anode formed around an auger shaft so that it can be installed by rotating the auger shaft using appropriate rotating equipment. This device requires no excavation or backill, and avoids the risk of shock damage to the anode associated with driven anodes such as Griffioen. However, it has a significant disadvantage in that it does not permit installation of an anode in conjunction with a bedding of carbonaceous material. It has the further drawback of requiring an auger shaft which must be left in the ground and cannot be re-used.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an apparatus and method which may be used to install cathodic protection anodes with carbonaceous bedding more economically and more efficiently than known apparatus and methods, in non-cohesive as well as cohesive soils, with minimal disruption to the soil and correspondingly minimal requirements for backfilling, and without risk of shock damage to the anode during installation. There is a further need for an anode installation apparatus and method entailing minimal need for components of such apparatus to be left permanently buried in the ground.


A circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp having a load branch provided with lamp connection terminals and coupled to a branch of a DC-AC converter. The branch of the converter includes at least one switching element for generating and supplying a current of alternating polarity to the load branch by being alternately conductive and non-conductive at a frequency f. A drive circuit makes the switching element alternately conductive and non-conductive at the frequency f. A control circuit is coupled to the drive circuit and to the discharge lamp for generating a control signal which is dependent on the lamp current and serves to influence the frequency. The control signal is also dependent on a signal S which is a measure of comparatively rapid changes in the power consumed by the discharge lamp. The lamp power thus can be adjusted over a wide range irrespective of the type of discharge lamp used.

This invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp, comprising
a load branch B provided with lamp connection terminals,
a DC-AC converter provided with a branch A coupled to the load branch B and comprising at least one switching element for generating a current of alternating polarity through the load branch B by being alternately conducting and non-conducting at a frequency f,
a drive circuit E for rendering the switching element alternatively conducting and non-conducting at the frequency f,
a control circuit C coupled to the drive circuit and the discharge lamp for generating a control signal which is dependent on the lamp current and serves to influence the frequency.
Such a circuit arrangement is described in the European Patent Application EPA 0351012.
The circuit arrangement described therein controls the amplitude of the lamp current of a discharge lamp operated by the circuit arrangement at a substantially constant level.
If the control signal is also dependent on the lamp voltage, it is possible to control the average value of the power consumed by the lamp (this average value will be called the lamp power hereinafter) at a substantially constant value for various types of discharge lamps and to render it substantially independent of factors such as variations in the supply voltage or fluctuations in the ambient temperature. If the control signal is dependent on a desired average value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp, there is a possibility of dimming the discharge lamp through adjustment of the desired average value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp. When the setting of the desired average value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp is changed, the value of the frequency f is adapted in such a way that the lamp power is substantially equal to the desired power. This adjustment possibility for the lamp power, however, functions only over a lamp power range within which there is an unequivocal relation between the lamp power and the frequency f. Every value of the frequency f in that case corresponds to one value of the lamp power. Since the load branch B often comprises inductive means connected in series with the lamp, the lamp power decreases with an increase in the frequency f. Such a relation is found over a comparatively wide lamp power range in practice for many discharge lamps of various types and power ratings. This relation renders it possible to adjust the lamp power over a desired range by means of the frequency f.
For some discharge lamps, however, the relation between the frequency f and the lamp power is not unequivocal over a part of a desired adjustment range of the lamp power. As a result, there is also no unequivocal relation between the control signal and the lamp power over this portion of the desired adjustment range of the lamp power. It is found for certain compact fluorescent lamps, for example, that the lamp power increases with an increase in the value of the frequency f over a certain lamp power range, whereas the lamp power decreases with an increasing frequency f for lamp power values outside this range. This means that, within a certain range of the frequency f, every value of the frequency f corresponds to two or more different values of the lamp power. These lamp power values also fail to show an unequivocal relation to the control signal. Lamp power values situated within the range over which the lamp power increases as a function of the frequency cannot be adjusted: an oscillation of the lamp power is found to take place between the desired value and a second value of the lamp power belonging to the relevant value of the frequency f. Besides a relation between lamp power and the frequency f within a certain lamp power range which is not unequivocal, there is also found to exist a relation between the average lamp current and the frequency f within a certain range of the average lamp current which is not unequivocal for such lamps. The result is that some values of the average lamp current cannot be adjusted, while for some settings oscillations in the lamp current amplitude are found to occur.

Electronic ballast circuit with lamp dimming control


A semi-closed steam turbine power system and method of operation which employs a combustor which injects and combusts hydrogen fuel and oxygen oxidant in a stoichiometric ratio so that the primary by-product of the combustion process is H.sub.2 O. The system also includes a recuperator, fuel preheater, fuel heater, and condenser which enable a substantial portion of the steam in the system to be recycled.

Turbine systems employ a pressurized gas to provide mechanical energy to blades of a rotor. As the pressurized gas is expanded in a turbine, the rotor generates mechanical energy in the form of torque on a shaft of the rotor. Common gases used in turbine systems include atmospheric air (mainly nitrogen) and steam (H.sub.2 O).
An example of a prior art open, atmospheric air, combustion turbine 120 is shown in FIG. 1. The turbine 120 shown in FIG. 1 has an eight stage axial compressor 124 and 126, combustor 128, and three stage axial flow turbine component 134. In this turbine 120, atmospheric air is drawn in an air inlet 122 and compressed by the stator blades 124 and compressor blades 126. The air (or gas) generated by the compressor blades 126 has increased pressure and temperature and lower volume as compared to the gas which entered the compressor. This gas is further heated or super heated in the combustor 128 where fuel is added at the fuel inlet 132. The gas generated by the combustor 128 has increased volume and temperature as compared to the gas which entered the combustor.
The high pressure, high temperature gas generated by the combustor 128 is passed along blades of the turbine component 134 causing rotation of the shaft 138 of the turbine and the generation of energy. Then the gas passes into the turbine exhaust 136. The gas which exits past the blades of the turbine component 134 has lower pressure and temperature and increased volume as compared to the gas which exited the combustor 128. The exhaust gas, however, still has increased temperature and volume as compared to the atmospheric air which initially entered the air inlet 122.
Semi-closed and closed systems have been developed to exploit the energy potential of the gas produced in the exhaust of open combustion turbine systems. See, for example, Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia 1332-40 (6th ed. 1983), which is hereby incorporated by reference. The reference discloses that in a semi-closed or closed atmospheric air system, energy may be extracted from the exhaust air by a regenerator.
In addition, the reference discloses that in such systems, if a portion of the exhaust air is to be recycled it must be further processed, by a precooler, for example, to change the pressure level, volume, and temperature of the exhaust air to be similar to the pressure level, volume, and temperature of air which enters the closed system at the compressor stage. The reference does not disclose a system or method for processing exhaust steam to change its pressure level, volume, and temperature to be similar to the pressure level, volume, and temperature of steam which enters the closed system at the compressor stage of a system.
In turbine systems, the choice of fuel used in the combustor is important and varies as a function of the type of gas used in the system, i.e., atmospheric air or steam (H.sub.2 O), for example. In atmospheric air systems, natural, refinery, and blast furnace gas are commonly used. In these systems, it is important that the fuel does not form ash which may deposit on the blades or dust which may erode the blades of a turbine and interfere with the long term operation of the turbine.
In semi-closed or closed systems, the choice of fuel is critical because a portion of the gas or air is recycled throughout the turbine system. If the fuel generates ash or dust or other by-products in a semi-closed or closed system, a portion of the by-products will be cycled throughout the entire turbine system with the recycled air. In a semi-closed or closed steam turbine system, ash or dust may adhere to water particles and be transmitted throughout the turbine system. As a consequence, a need exists for steam combustion turbine system which produces little or no byproduct, such as ash or dust, for example, during the combustion process.

Hydrogen-fueled semi-closed steam turbine power plant


Provided is a connector holder (25) suitable for use when connecting wire harnesses (10, 12) to each other by mating a plurality of connectors (40A to 40C, 41A to 41C). The connector holder is configured to be fitted into and fixed to a through hole (2a) in a vehicle body panel (2) that creates partitions, and to accommodate and hold the plurality of connectors (40A to 40C) that are connected to a group of electric wires of the wire harness (10) routed on one side of the vehicle body panel, the connectors being mated to connectors (41A to 41C) for a wire harness (12) routed on the other side of the vehicle body panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector holder, in particular, to a connector holder for use when connecting a plurality of connectors that are connected to terminals of wire harnesses routed in a vehicle, and specifically, to a connector holder suitable for use for connecting connectors of wire harnesses routed in a hybrid automobile in which a new wire harness corresponding to a system for an HEV is added to an existing wire harness corresponding to a general-purpose internal combustion engine drive system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a connector holder for holding a plurality of connectors that are connected to wire harnesses routed in an automobile, the applicant of the present application has proposed a connector holder 100 that is disclosed in JP 2003-257564 A (see FIG. 7). The connector holder 100 includes a bottom wall 100a and a circumferential wall 100b, and has a dish-like shape with an open top and a deep bottom. The connector holder 100 accommodates a plurality of connectors (not shown) that are connected to terminals of wire harnesses, lockingly fixing the plurality of connectors. On the circumferential wall 100b, vehicle body lock portions 101 are provided, which are inserted into and fixed to an opening of the vehicle body.
Since the connector holder 100 of FIG. 7 is open on its connector insertion side, but closed on the opposite side constituting the bottom wall, the connector holder 100 has only a mechanism for accommodating and holding the connectors connected to the wire harnesses. That is, the connector holder 100 is not configured to mate connectors of a pair of wire harnesses to each other that are routed from opposing directions to the connector holder 100, and to hold the mated connectors.
As described above, a conventional connector holder has only a functionality of accommodating and holding a plurality of connectors connected to wire harnesses, and of being mounted on a vehicle body or another fixing material. Therefore, the connectors accommodated in the connector holder are ordinarily joint connectors or the like. That is, the configuration is not such that after a connector holder that accommodates and holds connectors is fixed to a vehicle body, connectors of another wire harness are mated and connected to the connectors accommodated and held in the connector holder. If other connectors are mated and connected to the connectors accommodated and held in the connector holder, there is no other choice but to route the pair of wire harnesses subjected to connector connection from the same direction to the connector holder and to insert the connectors into the connector holder. The conventional connector holder is thus not applicable to connector connection of wire harnesses that are routed from opposing directions. Therefore, the conventional connector holder is not applicable when holding and mating connectors, to each other, of a pair of wire harnesses that are arranged so as to face each other across a through hole bored in a vehicle body panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector holder capable of connecting a plurality of connectors connected to a wire harness to connectors of another wire harness that is routed from the opposite direction together at a single location.


A workpiece holder comprises: a holding table including: a chuck mechanism holding the workpiece; a positioning mechanism moving the chuck mechanism in a direction orthogonal to the rotary axis while supporting the chuck mechanism to locate the workpiece; and a rotary mechanism rotating the positioning mechanism about the rotary axis to rotate the workpiece held by the chuck mechanism about the rotary axis; an alignment imaging part capturing an image of the outer peripheral portion of the workpiece held by the chuck mechanism; a misalignment detector detecting misalignment of the symmetry axis with respect to the rotary axis based on the captured image while the workpiece is rotated by the rotary mechanism; and a workpiece position correction part correcting the position of the workpiece to match the symmetry axis with the rotary axis by moving the chuck mechanism using the positioning mechanism to eliminate the misalignment.

A workpiece inspection apparatus described in patent literature 1 is known as an example of an apparatus for inspection of the appearance of a workpiece rotationally symmetric about a symmetry axis. In the workpiece inspection apparatus, the workpiece is held by a holder unit connected to a motor. While the workpiece is rotated by the motor, multiple cameras capture images of the workpiece and the appearance of the workpiece are inspected on the basis of the captured images.

Workpiece holder, inspection apparatus, and workpiece position correction method


An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, each defined by a scan line, a data line, and a power supply line, a plurality of control lines branching off of one wire in a first direction and simultaneously transferring control signals to the plurality of pixels; and a plurality of repair bridges placed between neighboring ones of the plurality of control lines, each of the plurality of repair bridges including a first bridge connected to one of the neighboring ones of the plurality of control lines and a second bridge connected to another one of the neighboring control lines.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to an organic light-emitting display (OLED) apparatus that includes repairable control lines and a method of repairing the OLED.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, display apparatuses are being replaced with flat panel display apparatuses that are thin and portable. Among the flat panel display apparatuses, organic light emitting display apparatuses, which are self-emissive display apparatuses that display an image using light emitted by recombination of electrons and holes in an organic emission layer, have a wide viewing angle, excellent contrast, and a high response speed. Thus, organic light emitting display apparatuses are being noticed as next-generation display apparatuses.
Generally, organic light emitting display apparatuses are classified into a passive matrix (PM) type and an active matrix (AM) type according to types of driving organic light-emitting diodes.

Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of repairing the same


A processor system comprising a control module (10) and a variety of subsidiary modules or boards (11, 12, 13) connected to the control module by way of a bus and an analog connector line. The control module comprises an analog-to-digital input (16) for receiving a signal on the analog connector line (25) and each of the subsidiary modules comprising an analog element (24, 28, 29) and switch (23, 32, 33) connected for selectively switching the analog element to provide an analog signal on the analog connector line in response to a control signal received from the control module, thereby to identify the presence and/or type of the option board(s) installed in the system.

This invention relates to the identification of modules (e.g. boards) and their existence in a modular processor system, such as for use in a communications system.
1. Summary of the Prior Art
Many types of electrical equipment exist which comprise a main board and a number of "option"boards, i.e. functional add-on boards added by the user in a "pick and choose" manner to suit his application. Examples are the VMEbus microprocessor system. There is a need to identify automatically boards, for example printed circuit boards, modules and the like that are installed in the system and there is a need for the main unit to "learn" the system configuration.
In the field of battery chargers, it is known to incorporate a resistor in the battery and for the battery charger to read the value of the resistor to determine the type of battery and therefore the charging parameters required. Such an arrangement is shown in EP-A-0394074. Only one battery is connected to the charger at any one time.
2. Summary of the Invention
According to the invention there is provided a processor system comprising a control module and a variety of subsidiary modules connected to the control module by means of a bus and an analog connector line. The control module comprises an analog-to-digital input for receiving a signal on the analog connector line and each of the subsidiary modules comprises an analog element and switch means connected for selectively switching the analog element to provide an analog signal on the analog connector line in response to a control signal received from the control module.
The invention provides the advantage that a control signal provided to a subsidiary module from the control module activates the switchable means, so causing a change in the level on the analog connector line, thus indicating to the control module the presence of the subsidiary module.
It is preferred that a number of subsidiary modules have different functions and each has an analog element representative of its function, whereby subsidiary modules with the same or similar functions have the same analog element.
The analog element may be a resistance which, when switched causes a change in the voltage level on the analog connector line, the change being dependent on the value of the resistor, which is in turn indicative of the function of the subsidiary module.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the drawing.

Processor system option module identification system


A method for selecting the most cost-efficient locations for backbone nodes in a distributed data network is disclosed. The method iteratively evaluates candidate backbone node locations, adding in each iteration the candidate whose addition to the network would create the greatest savings in total network cost. After all candidates which produce savings are added to the network, the method iteratively evaluates the backbone node locations and removes those whose removal would create cost savings. Data terminals are reassigned among the backbone nodes in the least cost manner. The method also estimates total network cost based on the resulting network configuration.

The design of distributed data network topologies has been practiccd for many years. A distributed data communication network is a hierarchical system of hardware components arranged to connect each hardware device, directly or indirectly, to every other device. At the lowest level in the hierarchy are user terminals or host devices, which form part of the local access network. These terminals are linked to one or more concentrators, which are statistical multiplexers with several low data rate input data lines and fewer high data rate output data lines. The concentrators form the second level of the network hierarchy and, together with the terminals, form the local access network.
The concentrators, which may be connected to other concentrators in a hierarchical fashion, are ultimately connected to the backbone, which forms the highest level in the network hierarchy. The backbone consists of high data capacity lines that terminate at backbone nodes, the latter including one or more devices including a switching device for routing traffic within the backbone. Data traffic from the concentrators enters the backbone at the backbone nodes.
Systems for constructing the most efficient arrangement of nodes on the backbone have been so generic as not to accommodate all of the parameters typically used in the communications industry. Other approaches have been so narrowly focused so as to render the system relatively inflexible. The invention described herein overcomes the deficiencies with a unique system that permits greater facility for arriving at a particular node construction. Although certain assumptions are made with respect to local access cost and node capacity, the user is given great flexibility in varying many other parameters which control the node construction.

Method for efficient distributed data communications network backbone node location

Sprint International Communications Corp.


The present disclosure discloses an electric vehicle and an active safety control system and method thereof. The system includes: a wheel speed detection module configured to detect a wheel speed to generate a wheel speed signal; a steering wheel rotation angle sensor and a yaw rate sensor module, configured to detect state information of the electric vehicle; a motor controller; and an active safety controller configured to receive the wheel speed signal and state information, obtain state information of a battery pack and state information of four motors, obtain a first side slip signal or a second side slip signal according to the wheel speed signal, the state information, the battery pack and the four motors, and according to the first side slip signal or the second side slip signal, control four hydraulic brakes of the electric vehicle and control the four motors by using the motor controller.

An electronic stability program (ESP) is an electric vehicle control system that can help a driver keep a vehicle stable in a limited working condition. The ESP usually consists of a sensor system (including a steering wheel rotation angle sensor, a yaw angular speed sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a wheel speed sensor), a hydraulic actuation system, and an electronic control unit (ECU). A basic principle of the ESP is to implement, according to a manipulation intention of a driver, vertical dynamics control (indirect lateral force control) on an automobile that is in a critical stable state, so as to prevent the vehicle from entering an uncontrollable and unstable state, and at the same time also ensure that a manipulation characteristic of the vehicle in a limited working condition is consistent with that in a working condition in a linear region of routine driving, so that the driver can operate the vehicle according to previous driving experience in a linear region, thereby achieving an objective of controlling the vehicle.
Currently, on a conventional vehicle, a hydraulic braking system is indispensable. Therefore, an ESP on a current vehicle implements stable control of the vehicle based on hydraulic braking. However, the hydraulic braking system is relatively complex, and has a relatively slow response, which affects driving safety of the vehicle.

Electric vehicle and active safety control system and method thereof


A transmission apparatus inserts unit signals into a stream transmitted from a first transmission path having a first bandwidth to a second transmission path having a second bandwidth. The insertion is controlled by an assignment signal that is generated by the following steps, which are repeated cyclically at intervals equivalent to the unit-signal length: a value representing the second bandwidth is added to a selected value; the sum is compared with a threshold; the assignment signal is set or reset according to the comparison result; the threshold value is subtracted from the sum to obtain a difference; and either the sum or the difference is selected, according to the assignment signal, as the selected value. This scheme enables bandwidth to be distributed evenly, thus reducing processing and memory requirements.

The present invention relates to transmission apparatus of the general type that transmits a stream of unit signals and inserts further unit signals into the stream, more particularly to a method of controlling the points at which the further unit signals can be inserted.
Transmission apparatus of the above type is used in, for example, communication networks employing the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). The unit signals in these networks are sequences of digital signals referred to as ATM cells, having a standard length of fifty-three bytes.
An example of an ATM transmission apparatus is shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus 10 includes a plurality of interface units 11, 12, 13, 14 and a switching unit 15. Interface unit 11, for example, includes a transmission convergence (TC) layer 11A that terminates a transmission path 21 that may have any of a variety of interface specifications, and an ATM layer 11B that is interconnected to the switching unit 15. Interface unit 13 includes a TC layer 13A that terminates another transmission path 23 and an ATM layer 13B connected to the switching unit 15. The other interface units have a similar structure (not visible). In all there are m interface units, n of which are disposed on the left side of the switching unit 15 in the drawing, where m and n are arbitrary positive integers (m>n).
The transmission paths 21, 23 may carry signals having various bit rates or speeds. The parts of, for example, TC layer 11A that process these signals operate at corresponding speeds. The ATM layer 11B operates at the fastest speed that might be encountered in the TC layer 11A. All of the ATM layers 11B, 13B, etc. have the same internal structure, so that a single type of ATM layer can be employed with transmission paths having different speeds just by changing the TC layer.
The term 'bandwidth' is often used as a synonym for bit rate or speed. Thus if TC layer 11A and ATM layer 11B are capable of processing signals at rates of A bits per second and B bits per second, respectively, they will be said to have bandwidths of A and B. In this case, A cannot exceed B (A≦B). If valid user cells are being transmitted at a rate of C bits per second, the user cell traffic will be said to occupy a bandwidth C, which must not exceed either A or B (C≦A≦B). Parts of the bandwidth B not occupied by user cells are filled with idle cells, and with management cells used for the management of system resources.
The user cell traffic is controlled so that bandwidth C is distributed substantially evenly within the bandwidth B of the ATM layer 11B; that is, user cells are kept moving through the ATM layer at a substantially even rate. The reason for this is that if bandwidth C were to be concentrated into one part of bandwidth B (if the user cell traffic were to bunch up), then during the corresponding intervals of time, bandwidth B would be effectively filled, and large buffers would be required for bit-rate conversion from the ATM layer 11B to the TC layer 11A. An even distribution of the user cell bandwidth C within the bandwidth B of the ATM layer reduces the required buffer memory capacity of the apparatus.
The management cells mentioned above are inserted by the ATM layer. A problem that occurs in conventional ATM transmission apparatus is that insertion of these management cells can disturb the even cell distribution, causing the combined non-idle cell traffic to become overconcentrated in certain parts of the ATM-layer bandwidth B. In the worst case, the user-cell bandwidth and management-cell bandwidth may together exceed the bandwidth capability A of the TC layer, forcing user cells to be dropped.

Transmission control method and device, and transmission apparatus


An information storing device and an information processing device having a memory for registering a plurality of working modes at recording/reproduction and a switching circuit for selecting one of the plurality of working modes, which select the optimum working mode automatically or by an instruction of an operator according to power supply capacity of a device of higher rank to effect recording/reproduction.

The present invention relates to an information storing device, and in particular to an information storing device having a plurality of working modes at recording/reproduction, which can be selected according to conditions of power supply for a device of higher rank, with which the information storing device is connected, and a method for driving same. The term "information storing device" used here includes a rotary type information storing device such as a magnetic disk device, an optical disk device, an opto-magnetic disk device, etc. and a magnetic tape device.
The present invention can be applied to a mounted/dismounted type and a fixed type information storing devices.
Down-sizing and diversification have been attempted also for rotary type information storing devices such as a magnetic disk device, optical disk devices, opto-magnetic disk devices, etc. and magnetic tape devices, used as external storing devices, keeping step with down-sizing of electronic computers such as so-called personal computers, office computers, work stations, etc. For example, down-sizing tendency of magnetic disk devices is such that it proceeds from 3.5″ to 2.5″, to 1.8″ and further to 1.3″. Down-sizing tendency can be seen also for optical disk devices and opto-magnetic disk devices. Hereinbelow these rotary type information storing devices are generally called simply disk devices.
On the other hand, keeping step with down-sizing of the magnetic disk devices, card type mountable/dismountable magnetic disk devices according to PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) standard have been developed. For example, there are known techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,016, filed May 5, 1986, JP-A-5-181565 and further JP-A-4-356785.
As a representative specification, by which standardization is intended, including interface for electric connection, there is a recommended specification on IC memory card for personal computer promoted by Corporate Juridical Person, Japanese Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA), in cooperation with PCMCIA in USA. Originally it was a recommended specification exclusively directed to memory card (PCMCIA Rel. 1.0/JEIDA Ver. 4.0). Thereafter it was extended to a specification (PCMCIA Rel. 2.1/JEIDA Ver. 4.2), including magnetic disk devices, keeping step with down-sizing of the magnetic disk devices.
According to this recommended specification on IC memory card for personal computer, working conditions can be set so that a relevant memory card can be used together with other cards of an electronic computer system. According to the specification the system can be so constructed that it is prohibited to use a PC card, when working conditions offered by the PC card don't satisfy working conditions required by the system.
A parameter on power condition information is included in these working conditions. The parameter includes standard voltage of working power, minimum voltage of working power, maximum voltage of working power, current of continuous power, maximum value of mean current in 1 sec, maximum value of mean current in 10 millisec, necessary supplied current in power down mode, etc.
The system, in which use of a PC card type magnetic disk device is expected, is diversified.
That is, it extends from a work station having a sufficient power supply capacity, which demands a high speed access property from the magnetic disk device, to a portable type computer incorporating a battery, which demands low power consumption rather than access property. Therefore it is desired for the PC card type magnetic disk device used over these not specified but diversified devices of higher rank to be able to offer selectively a high speed access property or a low power consumption according to power supply capacity of a device of higher rank connected therewith.
However, as it can be seen from the recommended specification for IC memory card for personal computer published by JEIDA and PCMCIA in USA, there are no disk devices including a PC card type or a fixed type which can offer selectively a high speed access property or a low power consumption according to power supply capacity of the device of higher rank.
Personal computers of notebook size or pocket notebook size have been used more and more often outside office owing to down-sizing of computers, which has accelerated lowering of power consumption of disk devices mounted on the computers. That is, it has been tried to lower power consumption according to the tendency that smaller driving power of a disk device is more desirable. As an example thereof, there are known techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,785 (corresponding Japanese application JP-B-3-503101), in which electric power supply to circuits, for which no power is required functionally in each working mode, is suppressed by constructing a magnetic disk device so that either one of working modes can be set by classifying them into:                1) sleep mode, in which, least necessary interface function with a device of higher rank (computer system) necessary for restarting CPU being left, other circuits or function thereof are stopped;        2) idle mode, in which CPU is working and, all interface functions with the device of higher rank being left, function of a spindle motor, a servo motor, a record reproducing circuit, etc. is stopped;        3) idle mode, in which servo function is working in a state where the spindle motor is rotated and a data recording/reproducing circuit is in a stopped state; and        4) several working modes in usual operation such as a write/read mode, a seek mode, etc.
An effect to reduce mean power consumption in the different working modes can be achieved by this method. However, by this method, no attention is paid to the initial period of the spindle motor start, at which power consumption is maximum. For this reason, no effect can be obtained to reduce specifically power current at start of the disk device.
As other prior art techniques there are those disclosed in JP-A-4-205963.
By this method, the number of turns of the spindle motor is decreased to such a degree that the rotation of the disk is maintained in a waiting mode, in which write/read is not effected. This method has an effect to reduce the transient necessary maximum power current to shorten a period of time necessary for increasing the rotation of the disk to a predetermined value.
However, in a disk device in general, frequency with which the state where write/read is not effected is produced is not necessarily so high. Further, since the state where write/read is not effected is one where power consumption is smallest next to the not working state (power consumption being 0 W) where power is not switched on (power consumption is greatest at start of the motor and next greatest at file access, in either case power consumption being greater than that required when read/write is not effected while rotating the motor), as indicated in a cited reference, even if the disk motor speed is reduced by setting a waiting mode in this state where read/write is not effected, no effect to reduce remarkably power consumption can be obtained as a whole. On the contrary, considerable power is consumed temporarily, because it is required to increase the rotation speed of the disk motor upto a predetermined value, when it proceeds from this waiting mode to a write/read operation, if the read/write state is interrupted in this waiting mode. Furthermore, since a certain period of time is required for increasing the rotation speed of the motor upto the predetermined value when it proceeds from this waiting mode to the write/read operation, this gives rise to a problem that start of the write/read operation is retarded, which lowers working speed.
In addition, in this cited reference, read/write speed is only one usual speed (one kind) and no attention is paid to setting arbitrarily diversified data read/write speeds according to needs of users.
As another prior art example, there are known techniques, by which in case where the point of time of a succeeding read/write start is previously known in a magnetic disk device, it is avoided to accelerate/decelerate the head more strongly than required to save power at seek by detecting a waiting time from seek start to read/write start and by controlling seek speed (moving speed) of the head so that the difference between this waiting time and an average seek time previously obtained for each displacement distance of the head be approximately zero, as described in JP-A-63-87663.
However no idea is disclosed to distinguish high speed seek, by which high speed processing is possible, and low speed seek effected with low noise and low power according to request of the user or according to power supply capacity of the device of higher rank. Further no attention is paid to read/write arbitrary data with different read/write speeds such as a high speed, a standard speed and a low speed according to request of the user.
As a prior art example on the high speed access property, there are known techniques, by which in order to improve operability of a reproducing device in a compact disk (CD) or a digital audio tape recorder (DAT), a second speed is automatically set for read/write of signals such as control signals TOC other than audio signals, which speed is higher than read/write speed for usual audio signals, as described e.g. in JP-A-2-156470. However, in this document, no attention is paid to record/write arbitrary data which should be used by the user with different medium speeds such as a high speed, a standard speed and a low speed or to lower power consumption according to request of the user or according to power supply capacity of the device of higher rank.
For a magnetic head used in a magnetic disk device, heretofore an inductive head is used, which produces reading voltage on the basis of the electromagnetic induction effect on winding conductor.
Recently an MR head is used, which produces reading voltage on the basis of the magneto-resistance effect. The MR head has a feature that it produces reading voltage without variations in magnetic field intensity due to relative movement of the magnetic head to a magnetic-recording face. Further for the magnetic head of hard disk drive, a floating method is usually used, utilizing a hydromechanical effect acting between the head slider and the disk surface. In addition, recently a contact method called contact recording is used, by which the head slider, on which the magnetic head is mounted, is not floated.
Requirements of users for properties of a magnetic disk device or an optical disk device can be roughly classified into two types, as described below.
{circle around (1)} high speed transfer, high speed access, and
{circle around (2)} low power consumption, low noise.
In order to satisfy the requirements defined by {circle around (1)}, it is necessary to increase the read/write speed of the disk, i.e. the rotation speed and the seek speed of the head. On the contrary, in order to satisfy the requirements defined by {circle around (2)}, it is necessary to decrease the read/write speed of the disk (rotation speed) and the seek speed of the head. These two properties are contradictory to each other and there exists heretofore no disk device satisfying these two properties at the same time, but there are different models of devices, each of which has one kind of the data read/write speed and the seek speed. For this reason every user cannot help preparing at least one model of devices satisfying each of the two properties and selecting a magnetic disk device having properties suitable for utilization conditions (whether it is used under restriction on noise level and maximum power, whether the transfer•access speed is regarded as important, etc.) for every use.
In this case problems as described below take place:                {circle around (1)} a magnetic disk device having either one of the properties should be selected, even if aimed utilization conditions are not clear;
{circumflex over (2)} there is no way other than buying another or replacement by another, when it is desired to exchange a property of a magnetic disk device with another in the course of utilization because of change in utilization conditions; and
{circumflex over (3)} it is impossible to switch over the properties timely according to way of utilization.
Particularly such problems take place for a disk device attached to a personal computer using both a commercial AC power source and an incorporated battery power source such as e.g. a notebook type personal computer. In this kind of personal computers, since sufficient power can be supplied in case where a commercial AC power source is used, it is desirable to keep the head seek speed and the disk read/write speed satisfactorily high. On the other hand, in the case where an incorporated battery power source is used, it is desirable to lower the head seek speed and the disk read/write speed to use it at a low power consumption in order to elongate continuous utilization time of the system.
However there exist no information storing devices yet, which can be used while switching working modes of access or read/write according to utilization conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Information storing device and method for controlling same to record/reproduce information by selecting one of working modes

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan, Ltd.


In a vehicle-mounted electronic control device having a switching power supply in which a switching element is controlled to obtain a predetermined intermediate voltage Va stepped down from a vehicle-mounted battery, and to which a downstream side coil, a flywheel diode, and an output capacitor are connected to suppress a pulsating voltage, a circuit for suppressing reverse conduction for the switching element is provided in order to prevent that the switching element is reversely conducted and thus a charging voltage of the output capacitor is abnormally lowered when a power supply voltage Vb of the vehicle-mounted battery is abnormally lowered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle-mounted electronic control devices, for example, engine control devices, transmission control devices, or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted electronic control device equipped with a switching power supply which steps down a power supply voltage fed from a vehicle-mounted battery to obtain an intermediate voltage, and a power supply control circuit unit which supplies a stabilization voltage with low electric power consumption and high accuracy to a control circuit unit including a microprocessor via a linearly controlled type constant voltage controlled power supply fed from the switching power supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a switching power supply (alternatively referred to as a switching regulator or a chopper regulator) which controls a current carrying duty of a switching element and obtains a predetermined stabilization voltage, low electric power consumption and a high power stabilization voltage can be obtained. However, ripple fluctuation of an output voltage due to switching operation of the switching element is generated; and therefore, a continuously controlled power supply (referred to as a linearly controlled power supply, a dropper power supply, a series regulator, or the like), which obtains a more highly accurate stabilization voltage by performing continuous control of a conductive state of a second switching element connected in series to the switching element, is subordinately connected. This technique has been widely and practically used.
In this case, when an input voltage of the continuously controlled power supply (output voltage of the switching power supply) is stable, a difference in voltage between input and output is small and thus electric power consumption is suppressed. However, a problem exists in that, when the input voltage is pulsative, the difference in voltage between the input and the output is large and therefore sufficient suppression of the electric power consumption cannot be performed.
In order to reduce pulsating components of the output voltage of the switching power supply, configuration may be such that inductance of a choke coil connected in series and capacitance of an output capacitor are made to increase to switch the switching element at high speed cycle; however, in this case, problems exist in that the choke coil and the output capacitor are increased in size and heat generation due to switching loss of the switching element is increased.
Furthermore, problems exist in that, in the case where a voltage drop of the switching element at the time when the switching element is conducted and driven, not only the heat generation of the switching element is increased, but also a target output voltage cannot be obtained when the power supply voltage of the vehicle-mounted battery is lowered and thus a minimum guaranteed voltage is increased and degraded.
For example, according to the following Patent Document 1, a switching power supply (chopper regulator) and an NPN type junction transistor serving as a continuously controlled power supply (series regulator), both of which are subordinately connected with each other, are used; and base current of each transistor is supplied from an external power supply which feeds to the switching power supply. Therefore, problems exist in that a base voltage of a former stage transistor is restricted to equal to or lower than a collector voltage and therefore a voltage drop between collector and emitter terminals at the time when the former stage transistor is conducted and driven is large; and accordingly, not only heat generation of the former stage transistor is increased, but also a target output voltage cannot be obtained when a power supply voltage is lowered and thus a minimum guaranteed voltage is increased and degraded.
Furthermore, according to the following Patent Document 2, in a switching power supply (first power supply regulator) and a continuously controlled power supply (second power supply regulator), both of which are subordinately connected with each other, the switching power supply on the former stage side uses a P channel type field effect transistor. In this case, a voltage drop between source and drain terminals at the time when the former stage transistor is completely conducted is small. However, a problem exists in that, in the case of the P channel type transistor, when the power supply voltage is lowered to equal to or lower than a load side voltage, a reverse conductive state of the transistor is generated and accordingly an undershoot is generated in a charging voltage of an output capacitor.
In order to prevent this problem, in the case of Patent Document 2, a diode for backflow prevention is connected in series to a source terminal of the transistor. Therefore, problems exist in that, even when the voltage drop between the source and drain terminals at the time when the former stage transistor is conducted and driven is small, a voltage drop including a voltage drop due to the diode for backflow prevention is large; and accordingly, not only heat generation of the former stage transistor including the diode is increased, but also a target output voltage cannot be obtained when the power supply voltage is lowered and thus a minimum guaranteed voltage is increased and degraded.
[Patent Document]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H07-095765 (FIG. 1, Abstract of the disclosure)
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-316482 (FIG. 1, Abstract of the disclosure)
According to a direct current stabilization power supply apparatus by Patent Document 1, even when reverse conduction of the switching element is generated, a problem does not exist because of high resistance; however, problems exist in that a forward voltage drop of the switching element is large, the heat generation is increased, and the minimum guaranteed voltage is increased and degraded.
Furthermore, according to a power supply circuit of Patent Document 2, problems exist in that, although reverse conduction of the switching element is possibly generated, the reverse conduction is prevented by the diode for backflow prevention, a forward voltage drop of the switching element including the diode is large, the heat generation is increased, and the minimum guaranteed voltage is increased and degraded.
Incidentally, in the case where reverse the conduction is generated in the switching element when the power supply voltage is abnormally lowered, charging electric charge of the output capacitor of the switching element is discharged to the upstream power supply side via a choke coil, current flowing through the choke coil is not steeply decreased even when voltages at both sides coincide, and discharging is maintained for an interim period; and accordingly, an undershoot in which a voltage at both ends of the output capacitor on the downstream side is more lowered than a voltage on the upstream power supply side is generated. As a result, a problem exists in that, despite that the power supply voltage is equal to or higher than the minimum guaranteed voltage, an actually obtained voltage is smaller voltage and a microprocessor driven by a constant voltage controlled power supply is erroneously operated.

Vehicle-mounted electronic control device


A mounting apparatus for the sonic transducer of a directional Doppler fish-finder includes an elongate tubular control arm and a clamp assembly for attaching the control arm to the side of a boat so as to extend along and pivot about a generally vertical axis. The upper end of the control arm includes a pivotally mounted control lever, and the lower end includes a pivotally mounted transducer mounting plate to which the transducer is attachable. The control lever and the mounting plate are interconnected by a pair of cables extending through the tubular control arm, whereby pivotal movement of the control lever causes pivotal movement of the mounting plate about a generally horizontal axis. Pivotal movement of the mounting plate about both the vertical and horizontal axes enables a fisherman to direct the sonic signal of the transducer in a locus of directions representing semispherical coverage of the water about the boat.

The present invention relates generally to fish detecting equipment of the type commonly used by fishermen to detect the presence and movement of fish in the vicinity of a fishing boat and, more particularly, to a Doppler fish-finder utilizing a directional sonic transducer.
Most commercially available fish detecting systems operate on the well-known "Doppler" principle, wherein a sonic signal is transmitted in a directional beam into surrounding water by means of a transmitting transducer. Sonic signals from the surrounding water resulting from reflections of the transmitted signal are received by a directional receiving transducer. Typically, the transmitting and receiving transducers are combined within a single directional transducer assembly If a reflected signal is received from a moving object in the surrounding water, the return signal will be shifted in frequency because of the "Doppler" effect. By electronically processing the frequency shift, the fisherman is provided with information concerning the presence and general location of a moving fish and objects within the beam of the transmitted sonic signal.
Prior art directional Doppler detection systems have become very popular with fishing enthusiasts, both amateur and professional. However, the utility of these prior art systems has been limited to some extent by the characteristic narrow beam directional transducer and the method of mounting it to the fishing boat. Typically, the transducer is mounted to the hull of the boat either temporarily, as by a suction cup, or permanently, as by a bracket attached to the boat. In either case, the transmission beam is directed downwardly. Consequently, the area of coverage is small and can only be expanded by moving the boat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,798, issued to Holloway et al, a portable fish-finder is disclosed including a directional transducer mounted to the end of a suitable handle. The angle between the transducer and the handle is selectively fixed by means of a bolt and wing nut that couple the two parts together. Although the disclosed handle arrangement permits the operator to direct the transducer beam to some extent, the apparatus must be held during use. Furthermore, no indication of the beam orientation is provided the operator.
The ultrasonic Doppler fish detector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,249, issued to Richard, provides for radial detection coverage with a directional transducer by mounting the transducer to a rotatable vertical shaft that is operably clamped to the side of a boat. In one embodiment, the transducer is attached to the lower drive housing of an electric trolling motor. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,338, issued to York, discloses a signalling apparatus for controlling the movement of pelagic fish, wherein a directional acoustic transducer is mounted to the end of a rotatable vertical shaft that is clamped to the side of a boat. A bearing indicator is provided to indicate the direction of the transmitted beam.
Efforts to overcome the disadvantages associated with narrow beam transducers for Doppler detection systems have also included the development of so-called wide beam and omnidirectional transducers. Although expanded somewhat, the coverage area for each of these types of transducers is still limited to some extent. Also, these special types of transducers are not necessarily compatible with existing directional Doppler detection systems and may require circuit modifications and/or enhancements.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the aforementioned problems associated with prior art fish detecting equipment, wherein it is desired to provide an improved mounting apparatus for the directional sonic transducer of a Doppler fish-finder.

Mounting apparatus for the sonic transducer of a fish-finder


A method for carrying out a replacement metal gate process comprises providing a transistor in a reactor, wherein the transistor includes a gate stack, removing at least a portion of the gate stack to expose a surface of a barrier layer, causing a temperature of the reactor be less than or equal to 150° C., introducing methylpyrrolidine:alane (MPA) proximate to the surface of the barrier layer, and carrying out a CVD process to deposit aluminum metal on the barrier layer using a bottom-up deposition mechanism.

In the manufacture of next generation integrated circuits, the fabrication of gate electrodes for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors has advanced to replace silicon dioxide and polysilicon with high-k dielectric materials and metal. A replacement metal gate process is often used to form the gate electrode. A typical replacement metal gate process begins by forming a high-k dielectric material and a sacrificial gate between a pair of spacers on a semiconductor substrate. After further processing steps, such as an annealing process, the sacrificial gate is removed and the resulting trench is filled with one or more metal layers. The metal layers can include workfunction metals as well as polysilicon electrode layers. This type of MOS transistor is often referred to as a high-k/metal gate transistor.
One conventional process flow for forming a gate stack for a high-k/metal gate transistor begins by depositing a high-k dielectric layer, a workfunction metal layer, a barrier layer, and a polysilicon layer on a semiconductor substrate. These layers are patterned to form a gate stack and then spacers are deposited and etched. An interlayer dielectric may then be deposited and planarized atop the gate stack and substrate.
It is highly desirable to remove the polysilicon layer and replace it with a metal layer to improve performance and decrease resistance within the gate stack. Unfortunately, after the polysilicon layer is removed from the gate stack, conventional metal deposition processes cannot easily deposit metal into the trench that is left behind. For instance, as CMOS transistor dimensions decrease, issues such as trench overhang and void formation become more challenging and more rampant. This is because at smaller dimensions, the aspect ratio of the trench between the spacers where the metal gate electrode is deposited becomes very aggressive. Accordingly, known processes cannot be used to replace the polysilicon layer with a metal layer.

Selectively depositing aluminum in a replacement metal gate process


At least two layers of fibrous mat have a layer of granular agent therebetween and are mechanically interlocked by means of needling.

It is well known in the processing industries to treat liquid and gaseous substances by contacting them with solids such as granular agents. Such processes are often called "sorption" processes and are usually performed in beds which include a tank or vessel with a supporting grid or screen onto which a layer of granular agent is evenly distributed and through which layer the liquid or gaseous substance flows and is subjected to the sorption treatment. In this respect, the screen has a mesh size small enough to avoid entrainment of the granular agent.
Inherent disadvantages of the above-described beds are that they require renewal of the granular agent after exhaustion of its activity; and, this, in turn, requires a means to drain the granular agent and a means to refill the bed with fresh agent. Additionally, the layer of granular agent has to be of an even thickness to obtain a constant contact-time of the liquid or gaseous substance as it flows in a perpendicular direction through the whole layer-area of the granular agent.
Other known contact assemblies for sorption processes include those where a granular agent is located between two screens which are arranged such that the granular layer can be oriented in any desired angle such as vertically, for example. In this manner, with a vertically oriented layer, the direction of flow of the liquid or gaseous substance can be horizontal. An assembly of this type, however, has the disadvantage that, during its use, the granular agent tends to settle thereby leaving a space for a reduced-density portion at the upper edge of the layer. In such event, portions of the liquid or gaseous substance can flow through the assembly while having little or no contact with the granular agent. Some of the substance, therefore, remains untreated or poorly treated because of the reduced contact-time with the granular sorption agent. This disadvantage has been overcome in the past by using flexible, but tight, membranes pressed onto the upper edges of the assembly by springs or the like, but these are costly and not always desirable.
Fibrous mats have also been used to support granular agents. Such mats, however, have been impregnated with a powdered agent that is retained by means of a sticky or gluey coating applied to the fibers. This has the serious disadvantage of reducing the contact-area of the agent wherever the agent is covered by the sticky or gluey coating.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a mechanically stable mat containing at least one layer of granular sorption agent which is easily replaced; and, wherein a liquid or gaseous substance flowing across the granular agent is subjected to a uniform contact-time with the granular agent.

Needled fiber mat containing granular agent


Reflected energy density signal as a function of distance in pulse counts determined from a side of stacked sheets is used to calculate sheet pulse counts. A working pulse range is determined from the nominal thickness range of the stacked sheets and thereafter pulse values within the working pulse range are selected. The calculated sheet pulse counts and selected pulse values are compared and acted on to develop a pair of sheet counts for each selected pulse value. The pair of sheet counts occurring at least 10 consecutive times is considered the number of sheets in the stack.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for determining the number of sheets, e.g., glass sheets in a stack.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problem and Prior Art
A predetermined number of glass sheets are loaded on racks and sent to fabricators. When the rack has more or less sheets than the predetermined number, the production planning schedules of the glass manufacture appears to be incorrect and may be erroneously revised.
Various techniques have been employed to determine the number of sheets on the rack but have been found to be unacceptable. For example, the racks have been weighed before loading and after loading to determine the weight of the sheets. Knowing the weight of one glass sheet, it would be thought that the number of sheets can be determined. However, since each glass sheet has a different thickness within the allowable glass thickness range, the weight of one sheet may not be and normally is not the weight of each sheet. Further, measuring peripheral dimensions and thickness or weighing the sheet to determine the number of stacked sheets is time consuming.
A technique commonly used is to count the number of stacked sheets during loading of the rack. Although this could be one of the most accurate techniques, it is not accurate because the packer has to count the sheets. Handling glass sheets requires the packer's undivided attention to avoid accidents. Concentration on handling the glass sheets causes sufficient distraction to result in inaccurate counting. Counting the sheets after they are loaded on the rack is another accurate technique; however, it is time consuming and adds to the cost of the sheets.
The prior art, e.g.,
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ 3,220,569 3,743,820 3,312,888 3,790,759 3,881,102 3,371,834 3,889,136 3,581,067 4,065,860 3,643,068 RE 27,869 3,663,803 ______________________________________
teach apparatuses for or methods of counting sheets, e.g., paper sheets. The drawback in the prior art is that sheet thickness must be measured. As can be appreciated, measuring the sheet thickness is time consuming. Further, the apparatuses of the prior art are not portable and therefore the sheets are normally carried to the apparatus. Although this may be acceptable for paper sheets, it is not acceptable for glass sheets loaded on rack. This is because it is expensive to move racks loaded with glass sheets.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 891,365 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,218 filed even date in the names of F. W. Decker and H. Kenton for a "Plate Counter", there is taught a portable device for generating a reflective energy density signal and pulse counts indicating the position of the device on the stacked sheets. It would be advantageous to provide a method of and apparatus for acting on the information from the density signal and pulse counts to determine the number of sheets in the stack.

Method of and apparatus for determining number of sheets in a stack


A tool for driving a fastener and uncoiling a spool of wire. The inventive device includes a handle for being grasped and manipulated by an individual. A driving assembly extends from the handle for engaging a fastener to permit manual rotation of the fastener. A wire engaging assembly extends through the handle for engaging an end of a spool of wire, whereby the driving assembly can be engaged to a drill to permit powered rotation of the handle to effect uncoiling of the wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tool structures and more particularly pertains to an fastener driving wire uncoiling tool driving a fastener and uncoiling a spool of wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tool structures is known in the prior art. More specifically, tool structures heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art tool structures include U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,091; U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,533; U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,767; U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,546; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,523.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a fastener driving wire uncoiling tool for driving a fastener and uncoiling a spool of wire which includes a handle for being grasped and manipulated by an individual, a driving assembly extending from the handle for engaging a fastener to permit manual rotation of the fastener, and a wire engaging assembly extending through the handle for engaging an end of a spool of wire, whereby the driving assembly can be engaged to a drill to permit powered rotation of the handle to effect uncoiling of the wire.
In these respects, the fastener driving wire uncoiling tool according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of driving a fastener and uncoiling a spool of wire.


A holding structure for holding a microphone includes a chassis configured to be separated into at least a first chassis and a second chassis; an elastic member formed of an elastic material, the elastic member including a holding unit configured to hold the microphone and an attachment portion provided in a periphery of the holding unit; and a retention member configured to retain the attachment portion at a predetermined position of the first chassis. The retention member is fixed to the first chassis by the second chassis in a state where the second chassis is attached to the first chassis.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein generally relate to holding structure of a microphone and an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conference system for conducting a remote conference with a remote location via a communication network such as the Internet is popular. In such a conference system, for example, images or voices of participants or the like of the remote conference are acquired by terminal devices for conference, converted into digital data, and sent to a terminal device of a communication destination. The terminal device of the communication destination displays the image of the participant that is received and outputs the voice of the participant. Such processes are performed bi-directionally, and thereby, the participants of the remote conference can conduct a video conference with the remote location in a state near an actual conference.
For example, when a speaker and a microphone are installed in a small-sized chassis of a terminal device used in such a conference system, there is a problem that a vibration of the speaker due to the sound output propagates to the chassis of the terminal device, and furthermore the vibration propagates from the chassis to the microphone. When the terminal device has an echo canceller, in a usual case, even if a voice reproduced from a speaker is input into a microphone, according to the function of the echo canceller, an echo component is removed. However, when the microphone picks up a vibration of the chassis, as described above, a distorted reproduction sound from the speaker is input to the microphone. That is, a path for transmitting voice from the speaker to the microphone is non-linear, and an echo may not be removed sufficiently.
As a technique for suppressing such propagation of a vibration of the chassis to the microphone, a technique of holding the microphone in a floating state is known. For example, a holding structure for microphone is known, in which a microphone is held in a floating state using a magnetic force to block an environmental vibration or noise (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-312094). Moreover, an electronic device in which a microphone is elastically supported inside a cabinet, a rear side of the microphone is covered with a back cover formed of a rubber-like elastic body, and the back cover is fixed to the cabinet using a fixation screw is known (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-304263). Furthermore, an attachment mechanism for microphone having an elastic member for covering a side face of a microphone with an approximately cylindrical shape and a retention member for retaining the microphone by engaging with the elastic member is known (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-299173).

Microphone holding structure and electronic device


A metal foil connection of first and second metal foils having a thickness of less than 0.05 mm includes a connecting point in which the metal foils are brazed to one another. The connecting point forms a wedge which is filled with brazing medium. A mass of the brazing medium, and a mass of sections of the metal foils which the brazing medium contacts in the wedge, have a given ratio. A honeycomb body, a brazing medium particle fraction and a method for manufacturing metal foil connections with a thickness of less than 50 micrometers, are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metal foil connection of a first and a second metal foil. The first and second metal foils each have a thickness of less than 0.05 mm, and are brazed to one another at a connecting point. The connecting point forms a wedge which is filled with brazing medium. The invention furthermore relates to a honeycomb body of sheet metal layers. The sheet metal layers are formed from metal foils which are at least partly structured and have a thickness of less than 0.05 mm. The sheet metal layers are at least partly brazed to one another. They have one or two respective wedges filled with brazing medium at the brazed connecting points. The invention also relates to a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction for manufacturing a brazed connection, and a method for manufacturing a metal foil connection of the first and second metal foils through the use of a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction.
Brazing methods and brazed connections, for example for a metallic honeycomb body, are state of the art for sheet metal layers. German Patent DE 42 19 145 C1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,330, disclose immersing a honeycomb body in a fluidized bed of brazing powder. The pre-prepared honeycomb body forms brazing medium particles at desired points from a brazing medium particle fraction. The size of the brazing medium particles should be between 1 and 200 micrometers, preferably between 38 and 125 micrometers. Particle sizes in the lower half of that range are more frequently desired than in the upper half. Other methods for applying brazing medium are also disclosed in that document. The methods for applying brazing medium belonging to the prior art are used successfully in brazing honeycomb bodies having sheet metal layers which are made of metal sheets with a material thickness of at least 50 micrometers and more.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a metal foil connection, a honeycomb body, a metal foil brazing medium particle fraction for metal foils and a method for manufacturing a metal foil connection, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods and devices of this general type and which provide a durable metal foil connection for thin metal foils with a thickness of less than 50 micrometers, in particular less than 40 micrometers.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a metal foil connection, comprising a first and a second metal foil having a thickness of less than 0.04 mm. The first and the second metal foils are brazed to one another at a connecting point forming a wedge. Brazing medium substantially fills the wedge and has a mass ML. The first and the second metal foils have sections contacted by the brazing medium in the wedge. The sections having a mass MF. The mass ML of the brazing medium and the mass MF of the sections of the metal foils contacted by the brazing medium in the wedge are in a given ratio MF/ML of between substantially 4 and substantially 8.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a metal foil connection, comprising a first and a second metal foil having a thickness DF of less than 0.04 mm. The first and the second metal foils are brazed to one another at a connecting point forming one or two wedges. Brazing medium fills each wedge and has a mass ML in the wedge. The mass ML of the brazing medium in the wedge and the thickness DF of the metal foils are in a ratio ML/DF of substantially between 8 g/m and 16 g/m.
When attempting to braze thinner metal foils with a material thickness of less than 50 micrometers, in particular when manufacturing a honeycomb body, it was determined that cells simply melt away when the honeycomb body is brought to the brazing temperature. It was also determined that the cells of the honeycomb body were deformed. It is only when an amount of brazing medium applied per connecting point was used in accordance with the rule for adjustment described herein-above with respect to sheet metal thicknesses used heretofore, that the amount of brazing medium defined thereby, and introduced into the wedge, could result on one hand in the metal foil not becoming detached and formation of gaps at the edges being prevented, while on the other hand a durable connection of the brazing points was created.
If a metal foil which is used for a metal foil connection has a metal foil thickness DF of between 0.05 mm and 0.03 mm, the mass of brazing medium ML to be used for the metal foil connection is selected, in an unexpected manner, in an approximately linear dependency with respect to the metal foil thickness DF. The thinner the metal foil thickness DF, the less the mass of the brazing medium ML to be used. An upper limit as well as a lower limit for the mass of brazing medium ML which can still be used can consequently be determined for some metal foil thicknesses DF, and interpolated or extrapolated for other metal foil thicknesses. If a relationship is established between the mass of the brazing medium ML and the metal foil thickness DF, an upper limit in the extent of the ratio of ML/DF=14.6 g/m, with a variation of +5% and xe2x88x925% has proved advantageous. A ratio of ML/DF=8.7 g/m, with a variation of +5% and xe2x88x925%, has proved advantageous as a lower limit for the still useable ratio of the mass of brazing medium ML to the metal foil thickness DF. The range to be used for a metal foil thickness DF of less than 0.05 mm to approximately 0.03 mm, can be very accurately determined from these two relationships, given as the upper limit and lower limit. The best results with respect to the durability of the metal foil connection have been produced when a ratio of the mass of the brazing medium ML in the wedge compared to the metal foil thickness DF is approximately ML/DF=11 g/m, with a variation of +15% and xe2x88x9210%.
When using metal foil thicknesses DF of approximately 0.03 mm or less for the metal foil connection, the linear relationship described hereinabove can also be used in order to obtain satisfactory results. However, in an unexpected manner, it has been shown that with metal foil thicknesses DF of less than 0.03 mm, it is not only a linear relationship which exists between the amount of brazing medium that can be used and the metal foil thickness DF. Instead, the gradient of this linearity changes with respect to a range of the metal foil thickness DF of less than 0.05 mm to approximately 0.03 mm. It flattens out somewhat. Preferably, with metal foil thicknesses DF of approximately, or less than, 0.03 mm, an upper limit of the mass of brazing medium ML is selected in dependence upon the metal foil thickness DF along a curve which passes through the following points with coordinates (ML/DF; DF): (14.6 g/m; 0.03 mm), (14.8 g/m; 0.025 mm), (16 g/m; 0.02 mm), (27 g/m; 0.01 mm). A lower limit with a metal foil thickness DF of approximately, or less than, 0.03 mm for the mass of brazing medium ML to be used, in dependence on the metal foil thickness DF, is advantageously selected from a curve which passes along the following points with coordinates (ML/DF; DF): (8.6 g/m; 0.03 mm), (9 g/m; 0.025 mm), (9.2 g/m; 0.02 mm), 16 g/m; 0.01 mm). Extremely durable metal foil connections with a metal foil thickness DF of approximately, or less than, 0.03 mm have been produced when the mass of brazing medium ML in dependence on the metal foil thickness DF is selected from a curve which passes through the following points with coordinates (ML/DF; DF): (11 g/m; 0.03 mm), (11.2 g/m; 0.025 mm), (12 g/m; 0.02 mm), (20 g/m; 0.01 mm). A variation of +5% and xe2x88x925% is also applicable for these curves.
A preferred area of application for the metal foil connections described hereinabove is honeycomb bodies of sheet metal layers.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is additionally provided a honeycomb body, comprising sheet metal layers formed of at least partly structured metal foils having a thickness of less than 0.04 mm or less than 0.05 mm. The sheet metal layers are at least partly brazed to one another at brazed connecting points. The connecting points each have a metal foil connection with two of the metal foils forming one or two wedges. Brazing medium substantially fills the wedges and has a mass ML. The metal foils have sections contacted by the brazing medium in the wedges. The sections have a mass MF. The mass ML of the brazing medium and the mass MF of the sections of the metal foils contacted by the brazing medium in the wedges are in a given ratio MF/ML of between substantially 4 and substantially 8.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is furthermore provided a honeycomb body, comprising sheet metal layers formed of at least partly structured metal foils having a thickness DF of less than 0.04 mm or less than 0.05 mm. The sheet metal layers are at least partly brazed to one another at brazed connecting points. The connecting points each have a metal foil connection with two of the metal foils forming one or two wedges. Brazing medium fills the wedges and has a mass ML in the wedges. The mass ML of the brazing medium in the wedges and the thickness DF of the metal foils are in a ratio ML/DF of substantially between 8 g/m and 16 g/m.
When using the rules for adjustment set out hereinabove for metal foil connections, it has been shown that the durability of the honeycomb body with respect to mechanical stresses was very much higher as compared to when using amounts of brazing medium which were previously standard. When using the most widely differing metal foil thicknesses, the most advantageous amount of brazing medium could be found in a more rapid and simple manner by taking into account the rule of adjustment between the mass of the brazing medium ML and the metal foil thickness DF. However, not only the durability but also the problems of cell burning, cell deformation, destruction of layers and gap formation at the edges described hereinabove were avoided by observing the rules for adjustment for the metal foil connections.
A further procedure for being able to manufacture a durable metal foil connection is obtained by using a suitable metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction.
Therefore, with the objects of the invention in view, there is furthermore provided a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction in a brazed connection between first and second metal foils forming a wedge, in particular for manufacturing a brazed connection in a honeycomb body formed of metal foil, comprising a particle size between 0.001 mm or 0.01 mm and 0.2 mm. A maximum diameter of 0.135 mm and a minimum diameter of 0.015 mm are provided for a metal foil thickness of substantially 0.05 mm. A maximum diameter of 0.08 mm and a minimum diameter of 0.02 mm are provided for a metal foil thickness of substantially 0.02 mm. A substantially linear maximum diameter and a substantially linear minimum diameter are provided for a metal foil thickness between substantially 0.05 mm and substantially 0.02 mm. A maximum value of a Gaussian distribution in percent is provided for a respective portion of the diameter disposed substantially centrally between the maximum and the minimum diameters.
In an unexpected manner, a linear relationship has been found between the maximum diameter and minimum diameter of the brazing medium particles of a brazing medium particle fraction for the respective metal foil thicknesses to be connected. Furthermore, very durable metal foil connections for metal foil thicknesses DF of approximately, or less than, 0.05 mm, in particular 0.03 mm or less, have been obtained, in that the maximum value of the Gaussian distribution is not displaced towards a smaller brazing medium particle fraction as the metal foil thicknesses become less, but instead remains disposed in the center within the distribution. An extremely durable metal foil connection resulted when the bell-shape of the Gaussian distribution was retained in the center with decreasing metal foil thicknesses, and when it did not change with metal foil thicknesses which were up to 0.01 mm.
In the case of a maximum diameter of the brazing medium particle fraction, the following rule for adjustment has proved extremely advantageous: the maximum diameter of the brazing medium particle fraction results from the following values:
brazing medium particles with a maximum diameter of 0.125 mm and particularly 0.105 mm, for a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm;
brazing medium particles with a maximum diameter of 0.07 mm and particularly 0.063 mm, for a thickness of approximately 0.02 mm; and
a maximum diameter of the brazing medium particles, which is produced in an approximately linear manner from the corresponding values for the thickness of the metal foil of 0.05 mm and 0.02 mm, for a thickness of metal foil which lies therebetween.
In the case of a minimum diameter of the brazing medium particle fraction, the following rule for adjustment proved extremely advantageous: the minimum diameter of the brazing medium particle fraction results from the following values:
brazing medium particles with a minimum diameter of 0.018 mm, in particular 0.023 mm, for a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm;
brazing medium particles with a minimum diameter of 0.03 mm, in particular 0.035 mm, for a thickness of approximately 0.02 mm and
a maximum diameter of the brazing medium particles, which is produced in an approximately linear manner from the corresponding values for the thickness of the metal foil of 0.05 mm and 0.02 mm, for a thickness of metal foil which lies therebetween.
In the case of a thickness of the metal foil of 0.03 mm or less, it was determined, in an unexpected manner, that the minimum diameter of the brazing medium particles should not decrease. Rather, the metal foil connections were particularly durable when the minimum diameter was approximately 0.03 mm, in particular 0.035 mm. Brazing medium particles with a diameter less than that did not increase durability. Rather, a deterioration was frequently determined.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for manufacturing a metal foil connection of first and second metal foils using a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction, in particular for a honeycomb body formed of metal foil, which comprises providing the first and second metal foils with a thickness of less than 0.05 mm; applying glue to the first and second metal foils; subsequently placing the metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction in contact with the first and second metal foils; and brazing the first and second metal foils together at a durable connecting point forming one or two wedges. The metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction is provided with a particle size between 0.001 mm and 0.2 mm; a maximum diameter of 0.135 mm and a minimum diameter of 0.015 mm for a metal foil thickness of substantially 0.05 mm; a maximum diameter of 0.08 mm and a minimum diameter of 0.02 mm for a metal foil thickness of substantially 0.02 mm; a substantially linear maximum diameter and a substantially linear minimum diameter for a metal foil thickness between substantially 0.05 mm and substantially 0.02 mm; and a maximum value of a Gaussian distribution in percent for a respective portion of the diameter disposed substantially centrally between the maximum and the minimum diameters.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is additionally provided a method for manufacturing a metal foil connection of first and second metal foils using metal foil-brazing medium particle fractions. The method comprises providing the first and second metal foils with a thickness of at most 0.03 mm and applying glue to the first and second metal foils. The first and second metal foils are subsequently contacted with a first metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction in a first step. The first and second metal foils are subsequently again contacted with a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction in a second step. The first and second metal foils are brazed together at a connecting point forming wedges.
In an unexpected manner, a two-step method of application of brazing medium has proved more advantageous with such material thicknesses of the metal foil than a single-step application of brazing medium, despite the high cost. A better durability was obtained, as well as a better control of the amount of brazing medium being introduced, as compared to a purely single-step application of the metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction.
This two-step method is further improved by selecting the first metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction in such a way that it has a greater maximum and a smaller minimum diameter of the brazing medium particles than a metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction used in the second step. Advantageously, in the first step, the first metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction is adjusted as has previously been described hereinabove. The second metal foil-brazing medium particle fraction is again advantageously selected for the second step in such a way that the maximum diameter of the brazing medium particles is less than 0.07 mm and the minimum diameter of the brazing medium particles is greater than 0.04 mm. When these rules for adjustment are observed, particularly durable metal foil connections are produced. In particular, with the brazing of a honeycomb body, the metal foil connections were produced with an extremely low or no failure rate, directly after the brazing procedure, as well as in subsequent tests.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a metal foil connection, a honeycomb body, a metal foil brazing medium particle fraction for metal foils and a method for manufacturing a metal foil connection, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Metal foil connection, honeycomb body, metal foil brazing medium particle fraction for metal foils and method for manufacturing a metal foil connection

Emitec Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH