An arrangement of a rear axle module on a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially electrically driveable by an electric motor is provided in which a rear axle bracket designed for the fastening of wheel-guiding links of a rear axle and a housing for accommodating components for providing electrical energy together form the module, with the housing arranged in a front region of the rear axle module. The rear axle module includes bearing brackets by which the module is connected from below to the vehicle body, including two rear axle bracket bearings which are to the rear of the rear axle module with respect to the direction of travel, two central rear axle bracket bearings arranged in a central region of the rear axle module, and two front bearings arranged on the housing in the front region of the rear axle module.

The invention relates to an arrangement of a rear-axle module on a vehicle body for a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially electrically driveable by an electric motor, wherein the rear-axle module has a rear-axle member designed for the fastening of wheel-controlling links of a rear axle, and has a housing for receiving components for providing electrical energy, wherein, in a state in which it has been arranged on the vehicle body, the housing is arranged in a front region of the rear-axle module and is fastened to the rear-axle member or forms a constituent part of the rear-axle member, and wherein the rear-axle module is attached to the vehicle body from below by way of two rear-axle member bearings, which are situated to the rear in the direction of travel and which are arranged in a rear end region of the rear-axle module, and by way of two middle rear-axle member bearings, which are arranged in a middle region of the rear-axle module.
The invention also relates to a rear-axle module for an arrangement of said type, and to a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially driveable by an electric motor and which has an arrangement of said type.
The provision of an adequate amount of electrical energy for a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially driveable by an electric motor constitutes a major challenge firstly with regard to the required structural space and secondly owing to the high additional weight of the components required for generating the electrical energy. In particular, there is a conflict of aims with regard to comfort, acoustics and driving dynamics. In order to implement an electric drive in abovementioned vehicles in a manner which satisfies requirements, that is to say in hybrid vehicles (driveable partially by an electric motor) or in purely electric vehicles (driveable only by an electric motor), it is necessary for the electrical components required for this purpose, that is to say the batteries for generating the electrical energy and the associated power electronics, to be accommodated in the vehicle, or arranged on the vehicle body, in the most weight-saving or weight-optimized and structural space-saving or structural space-optimized manner possible.
From the prior art, for example from German patent publication no. DE 10 2011 081 836 A1 or International patent publication no. WO 2012/065787 A1, it is known for the components for generating electrical energy to be arranged in a housing which is arranged on the rear-axle member or in a housing which forms the rear-axle member, wherein normally, the rear-axle member and the housing are preassembled together with other components, such as for example the rear-axle differential or the wheel-controlling links of the rear axle, to form a so-called rear-axle module, and are subsequently fastened as a unit to the vehicle body or to a vehicle bodyshell. Here, for reasons relating to acoustics and comfort, the rear-axle module is preferably fastened to the vehicle body by way of four rear-axle member bearings which are received in the rear-axle member and which are in the form of rubber bearings or hydraulically damped bearings.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement of a rear-axle module on a vehicle body for a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially electrically driveable by an electric motor, by means of which arrangement the abovementioned conflict of aims can be better resolved.
Accordingly, a rear-axle module according to the invention is characterized in that it is additionally attachable or connectable to the vehicle body by way of two front bearings which are arranged on the housing in the front region of the rear-axle module, and a two-axle, two-track vehicle according to the invention which is at least partially electrically driveable by an electric motor, and which has a rear-axle module, is characterized in that it has a rear-axle module according to the invention, which is arranged on the vehicle in accordance with the invention.
Here, in the following text, a rear-axle module is to be understood to mean a preassembled unit of parts and/or components, which preassembled unit is, during the assembly process, connected as a unit to the vehicle body or to a vehicle bodyshell.
Here, the rear-axle member is preferably a subframe or of frame-like form and, in a state in which it has been arranged on the vehicle body or vehicle bodyshell, said rear-axle member is arranged in a rear region of the rear-axle module, that is to say, during forward travel of the vehicle, the rear-axle member is arranged toward the vehicle rear end in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the rear-axle member preferably forms the rear region of the rear-axle module. The rear-axle member preferably has two crossmembers, one front and one rear, which extend substantially perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction and which are furthermore preferably connected to one another by way of two longitudinal members which extend substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction. On the crossmembers themselves, there are preferably provided bearing receptacles for a rear-axle differential, wherein preferably, a 3-point bearing arrangement is provided, with two bearing receptacles in the front crossmember of the rear-axle member and one bearing receptacle in the rear crossmember, wherein, for reasons relating to acoustics and comfort, the rear-axle differential is preferably attachable to the rear-axle member by way of elastic rubber bearings. It is however also possible for an electric motor to be fastened to the rear-axle member. For the fastening of wheel-controlling links, bearing lugs or the like are preferably provided on the rear-axle member.
The housing for receiving components for the provision of electrical energy is in this case arranged, in a state in which it is arranged on the vehicle body or on the vehicle bodyshell, in a front region of the rear-axle module as viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction during forward travel of the vehicle, that is to say in the direction of the front of the vehicle, and said housing preferably forms, by way of a front part, the front region of the rear-axle module. The rear part of the housing is preferably connected to the rear-axle member. The rear housing part may however also form a part of the rear-axle member, for example the front crossmember, whereby particularly advantageous utilization of the available structural space is made possible.
The housing is preferably at least partially a cast housing, and is in particular designed such that components received therein can be protected against environmental influences, in particular against moisture. Here, the housing may also comprise multiple individual housings and/or be assembled from multiple parts. It is furthermore preferable for the housing to likewise be designed for the connection of wheel-controlling links.
Components for storing electrical energy which can be received in the housing are for example high-voltage storage cells or high-voltage storage cells combined in each case to form high-voltage storage modules, that is to say components which provide a voltage from 200 V to 400 V. It is however also possible for fuel cells with associated accumulators to be received therein, or conventional accumulators, for example one or more conventional 12 V vehicle batteries. In this case, it is advantageous for the associated power electronics to likewise be received in the housing.
For the attachment of the rear-axle module to the vehicle body, two rear-axle member bearings are provided inter alia in the rear end region of the rear-axle module. Said rear-axle member bearings are preferably arranged in the rear corner regions of the rear-axle member, for example in the end regions, in particular at the ends, of the crossmembers or of the longitudinal members of the rear-axle member. The rear-axle member may however also have supporting arms which project obliquely rearward and outward, with the rear-axle member bearings then being arranged at the outer ends of said supporting arms.
Furthermore, in the middle region of the rear-axle module, there are provided two rear-axle member bearings for the connection of the rear-axle module to the vehicle body. In this case, the middle region is not imperatively a region arranged around the geometrical middle which lies in the vehicle longitudinal direction, but is a region which lies between the front region and the rear region as viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In particular, the middle region is a connecting region in which the housing, which is arranged in the front region or which forms the front region, is connected to the rear-axle member, which is arranged in the rear region or which forms the rear region.
What has proven to be particularly advantageous is the use of hydraulically damped rear and middle rear-axle member bearings, in particular rear and middle rear-axle member bearings which are hydraulically damped in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
According to the invention, it is furthermore the case that two front bearings are provided which are arranged on the housing in the front region of the rear-axle module, by which bearings the rear-axle module is attached to the vehicle body. In this way, the oscillatory characteristics of the rear-axle module or of the vehicle, in particular with regard to pitching oscillations, that is to say with regard to oscillations about a vehicle transverse axis (Y axis), can be positively influenced, such that acoustics and in particular comfort can be improved. The additional support of the rear-axle module in its front region furthermore has the effect that the middle rear-axle member bearing is relieved of load, such that the latter can be designed to be of smaller dimensions in relation to the attachment of the rear-axle module only by way of a total of four bearings, as is known from the prior art.
It is preferably the case that the middle rear-axle member bearings, in particular the middle and rear rear-axle member bearings, from a conventional vehicle, that is to say from a vehicle driven only by an internal combustion engine, are carried over for the hybrid variant. This means that, despite the high additional weight arising from the components for storing electrical energy, the rear-axle member bearings do not have to be designed to be of larger dimensions. As a result, further components for the attachment to the vehicle body, such as for example the bearing receptacles on the vehicle body or on the rear axle member, can likewise be carried over. Furthermore, for a hybrid vehicle, no additional structural space is required for the rear-axle member bearing in relation to a conventional vehicle.
By the housing which is integrated in the rear-axle module, it is possible for components received therein to be quickly and easily integrated into the vehicle or arranged on the vehicle body. Furthermore, the available structural space is optimally utilized. Through the possibility of designing the housing to also receive wheel-controlling links or other corresponding parts, it is possible for the attachment points in the case of the hybrid variant to be arranged geometrically identically to those in the conventional vehicle, which allows multiple parts to be carried over, and thus increases the economic viability of the hybrid variant.
Here, it is preferably the case that the two additional front bearings are arranged in the region of a front edge or directly at the front edge of the housing or of the rear-axle module. Here, said bearings are preferably designed and arranged on the housing such that they can be attached to the vehicle body, in particular to the vehicle bodyshell, from below, that is to say they can be supported on the vehicle body from below.
In a particularly preferred refinement of the invention, the rear-axle module is, by way of the two additional front bearings, attached to the vehicle body in the region of a footwell, in particular of a rear footwell, that is to say in particular in the region of the footwell in the rear-seat compartment, in particular in a heel region of the rear footwell. Here, the heel region refers to that region of the rear footwell on the vehicle body or on the vehicle bodyshell which surrounds the heels or the feet of a rear-seat passenger in a normal seating position, that is to say refers to the corresponding part of the floor of the rear footwell and to the rear wall of the footwell below the seat bench, in which a rear-seat passenger places his or her feet. In the case of a vehicle without a rear-seat compartment, for example in the case of a two-seat vehicle, the attachment of the rear-axle module to the vehicle body or to the vehicle bodyshell is preferably correspondingly realized in a rear region of a front footwell, that is to say correspondingly in the rear region of a driver or front passenger footwell, behind the seats.
In a refinement of the invention, the two additional, front bearings arranged on the housing, by means of which bearings the rear-axle module is additionally attached in the front region to the vehicle body, are elastomer bearings. Here, the elastomer bearings are preferably designed to be at least three times as stiff in a z direction, that is to say along the vehicle vertical axis, as in an x direction, that is to say in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In particular, the two front additional bearings have stiffnesses in x, y and z directions which are in a ratio x:y:z of 2:5:7. Said ratio has proven to be particularly advantageous with regard to the conflict of aims in terms of acoustics, comfort and driving dynamics.
In one refinement of the invention, the housing has an upper shell and a lower shell, wherein, when the housing is in an assembled state and the rear-axle module is in a state in which it has been arranged on the vehicle body, a parting joint between the housing upper shell and the housing lower shell preferably runs obliquely downward through the housing from top front to bottom rear as viewed counter to a vehicle longitudinal direction.
In this way, in the case of a housing formed by casting, that is to say in the case of a housing upper shell formed by casting and a housing lower shell formed by casting, the necessary draft angles required for demolding purposes after the casting process are distributed approximately uniformly between the two housing shells, whereby the internal volume of the housing can be enlarged, such that more structural space is available for the components that are to be arranged in the housing.
In a preferred refinement, the middle rear-axle member bearings are integrated into the housing, preferably in the middle region of the rear-axle module, in particular in the connecting region or in a region directly adjacent thereto. Here, in the case of a housing with housing upper shell and housing lower shell, the middle rear-axle member bearings are preferably integrated into the housing upper shell. In this case, the above-described profile of the parting joint has the further advantage that the parting joint runs not through but past the bearing receptacles of the middle rear-axle member bearings.
In a preferred refinement of the invention, the housing is of catamaran-like form and has two housing hulls which are arranged substantially parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein one of the two front additional bearings is arranged in each case in the front region of a housing hull.
Here, the housing hulls are preferably connected to one another in the front region and/or in the middle region of the rear-axle module. For the connection of the housing hulls in the front region, provision is preferably made of one or more substantially vertically arranged plates which extend transversely with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction, whereas a front crossmember of the rear-axle member is preferably provided for the connection of the housing hulls in the middle region and/or at the rear ends thereof.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Arrangement of a rear axle module on a vehicle body, and a rear axle module for such an arrangement and a two-axle, two-track vehicle which is at least partially driveable by means of an electric motor and has such an arrangement

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A control valve for fluid media has an adjusting piston which is displaceable by a drive and whose face end can be seated against a valve seat. The adjusting piston and the drive are disposed in a valve housing which is completely filled with fluid. The adjusting piston is formed by a hollow body through which fluid can flow on both sides in the direction of its axis, and the hollow body surrounds a cavity. The cavity is sealed by a first sealing member extending transversely of its axis against the valve housing, and by a second sealing member which extends against a dividing wall which is contained in the cavity and is displaceable in a direction of the axis. The valve housing is filled on one side of the first and second sealing member facing away from the valve seat with an incompressible hydraulic protective fluid.

Control valves of this kind are generally known. For instance, mushroom-type valves which can be actuated from outside by drives are used to control the fluid flow in lines of an internal combustion engine. Mushroom valves consist of a valve stem and axial adjacent valve plate, usually made of solid material. For example, the valves are mounted in lines through which fluid flows and fluid can flow around them. Moreover, spring means can be associated with the valves to assist the drives.
It should be noted, however, that the forces for the actuation of the valves vary because of different levels of pressure, in a cooling system, for example. Furthermore, sealing the adjusting mechanism against aggressive fluids containing impurities causes additional problems.

Control valve with pressure equalization


An information processing device includes at least a first storage device and a second storage device each to store a boot program, a first processor to read the boot program from the first storage device to boot the information processing device from the first storage device, and a second processor connected to each of the first storage device and the second storage device and the first processor. The second processor detects a completion or a failure of the boot from the first storage device, and when detecting the failure of the boot, switches a storage device to be used for booting from the first storage device to the second storage device to control the first processor to read the boot program from the second storage device.

Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an information processing device, a method for booting the information processing device, and a non-transitory recording medium.
Related Art
An information processing system, such as a computer system boots an operating system from a boot device in response to a start signal.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are block diagrams each illustrating a basic configuration of a computer system for booting an operating system from a boot device according to a related art. FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary basic configuration that includes a single boot device. FIG. 10B illustrates an exemplary basic configuration that includes two boot devices.
With the configuration of FIG. 10A, a central processing unit (CPU) 110 and the single boot device that is a boot device 112 boot the operating system. In booting the operating system, the CPU 110 reads a basic input/output system (BIOS) program (boot program) from the boot device 112. In such a system, the CPU 110 cannot boot from the operating system if the boot device 112 fails.
With the configuration of FIG. 10B, the CPU 110 and the two boot devices that are a boot device_A 113 and a boot device_B 114 boot the operating system. When booting the operating system, the CPU 110 and the boot device_A 113 are connected to each other, as indicated by a dashed line (1) in FIG. 10A, but the CPU 110 and the boot device_B 114 are not connected. When failing to boot the operating system from the boot device_A 113, the CPU 110 is caused to connect, not to the boot device_A 113, but to the boot device_B 114, as indicated by another dashed line (2) in FIG. 10B, for example, according to a user instruction.
In view of the above, JP-2002-259130-A1 discloses a technique for two disc devices (boot devices), and a switching controller to automatically control switching between these disc devices. In the technique, the switching controller controls switching a master and slave relationship of these disc devices in response to a switching signal, to switch between the two disc devices to select one of the two disc devices to boot an operating system (OS). To control switching the boot devices, a computer counts, using a timer, an elapsed time from generation of a start signal for booting the OS, and then determines whether completion of the OS boot is detected in a predetermined elapsed time.
This technique, however, simply controls the master and slave relationship between the two boot devices, using a controller that is mounted in each boot device. More specifically, each controller recognizes whether the corresponding boot device is master or slave, and thus determines an on state or off state of the corresponding boot device.

Information processing device, method for booting information processing device, and non-transitory recording medium


Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling and selectively setting back the comfort condition, such as temperature, within a conditioned zone utilizing a system which includes both preferred and back-up conditioning means, the former exhibiting more favorable energy consumption characteristics than the latter. The system is operable in both a normal mode, and in an economy mode during which the comfort condition is permitted to degrade toward an economy level during a setback period of predetermined duration. Selective operation of the preferred and back-up conditioning means is effected in order to minimize energy consumption during both modes and especially during the time that the comfort condition is restored to the normal level from the economy level. In a preferred embodiment, the preferred conditioning means comprise an electrically operated heat pump of the vapor compression type and the back-up conditioning means comprise electrical resistance-type heating means. A second aspect of the present invention involves the provision of a system which includes a refrigeration system for cooling a conditioned zone in conjunction with economizer means for supplying cool ambient air to the conditioned zone during those times when it is available and wherein operation thereof is effected in both normal and economy cooling modes so as to minimize the overall energy consumption of the system.

With increased emphasis being placed upon energy conservation in recent years, it has become important that air conditioning systems designed for space heating and cooling be operated in the most efficient and economical manner possible. In response to this desired objective, heating and cooling systems have been redesigned in order to improve their efficiencies, increased emphasis has been placed upon the use of more energy-efficient types of heating and cooling systems; work has been done on control systems which enable such systems to operate at the minimum level required in order to maintain a desired level of comfort conditioning; and building occupants have been asked simply to tolerate higher temperatures during the cooling season and lower temperatures during heating. As examples of the foregoing, one may note the increased use of heat pumps of the vapor compression type for supplying space heating, the use of solar heating to provide at least a portion of a building's space heating requirements, when possible; and the increased use of an economizer cycle wherein outdoor ambient air is used to satisfy building cooling loads during those times that the condition of the outdoor air is suitable for this purpose.
A control concept which has seen increasing popularity recently is referred to commonly as "temperature setback" wherein the comfort condition, usually temperature, to be maintained within a conditioned zone is varied from a normal level to an economy level during those times that it is feasible to do so. For example, during the heating season, the temperature within a particular conditioned zone may be maintained at say 70.degree. F. during the daytime hours when the zone is occupied, and at, say 60.degree. F. during the nighttime hours when the zone is either unoccupied or its occupants are asleep. In the case of commercial structures, it is often possible that the temperature may be set back over a weekend period when the zone is unoccupied. Similarly, during the cooling season, the temperature may be maintained at a normal level of say, 72.degree. F. when the zone is occupied, at at an economy level of, say, 80.degree. F. when it is unoccupied.
While there is no doubt that temperature setback is an effective method of reducing energy consumption for air conditioning systems wherein a single type of heating and/or cooling apparatus is involved, questions have been raised as to the applicability of the temperature setback concept in conjunction with systems of the type wherein two sources of either heating and/or cooling are available, one of which exhibits more favorable energy consumption characteristics than the other. A specific example of such a system would be one in which an electrically operated heat pump of the vapor compression type, representing a preferred conditioning means, and electrical resistance-type electrical heating means as a back-up conditioning means are provided, the former exhibiting more favorable energy consumption characteristics than the latter.
Similar considerations relative to the applicability of the temperature setback concept would be presented in the case of a cooling system wherein both a refrigeration system and an economizer cycle are provided, the latter of which would exhibit more favorable energy consumption characteristics than the former in providing cooling of a conditioned zone.
The present invention addresses the problems presented in adapting temperature setback to air conditioning systems of this type and sets forth control schemes therefor which insure that energy savings will be realized.

Method and apparatus for controlling comfort conditions including setback


A connector includes an elongated member. The elongated member includes a longitudinal axis of the elongated member and further includes a top side and a bottom side. The top side includes a first planar surface and a second planar surface joined at 144 degrees from each other, wherein each of the first planar surface and the second planar surfaces are parallel to the longitudinal axis. The bottom side includes a third planar surface parallel to the longitudinal axis and oriented at an angle with the first planar surface, the angle selected from one of 108 degrees and 126 degrees.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Conditions are known wherein rapid deployment of temporary structures is desired. Natural disasters can destroy homes and residences. Refugees can rapidly become a concern under conditions of natural disaster or warfare.
Commercial situations can additionally benefit from rapid deployment of temporary structures. Sporting events can draw large crowds to a venue, where vendors, tailgaters, first aid stations, police, and other interests can require a structure in which to operate for a brief time associated with the event. Colleges can benefit from temporary structures around campus during new student orientations or other large events. Conventions or tradeshows can benefit from use of temporary structures. Designs used for temporary structures can be made of durable material, such as sheet metal, for use as outbuildings or utility structures for storage or other purposes.
Temporary structures can include a number of embodiments. One embodiment of a temporary structure includes a panelized structure. Panelized structures utilize a plurality of rigid panels that are joined to form a three-dimensional shape. Such a temporary structure can be shaped as a cube, but cubes lack structural strength and can be vulnerable to high winds or other stresses. Failure of a single joint can cause the structure to structurally fail. More complex geometric shapes can be used with increased structural strength. Complex polyhedrons include shapes that only fit together in a single configuration. Rigidity of the multiple panels and the inter-relation of the shapes increase the structural strength of the temporary structure. Any three dimensional structure can be described as a geometric structure, but for the purposes of the disclosure, a geometric structure will be defined as a complex polyhedron having more sides than a cube. One particular exemplary structure is described as a rhombic triacontahedral enclosure.
Rhombic triacontahedral structures are known in the art, wherein the structures enclose space by incorporating panels fastened at precise angles through the use of a plurality of connectors at panel edges. An exemplary rhombic triacontahedral enclosure includes a number of flat panels, with defined geometric properties including set angles between various geometric surfaces. Angles for many of the geometric surfaces are set at 144 degrees. Wherein a face to the object is defined such that a door can be placed upon the face of the object, such as is used for a rhombic triacontahedral structure, an angle of 126 degrees between the face and adjoining panels can be used to create a flat front to the face or an angle of 108 degrees can be used to form a face wherein sides of the face angle inwards.
In one embodiment of those structures, connectors with a singledihedral angle of 144 degrees between all panels forms a hemispheric enclosure in the shape of a partial rhombic triacontahedron. Other embodiments connect a portion of the said panels at 108 degrees and 126 degrees to create enclosures with alternative features. Known connectors feature channels at either side of the connector, each channel accepting a panel with a width fitted to the width of the channels. Panels connected by a connector with channel connections are connected only at panel edges. All panels fit into channels upon connectors such that al panel edges are substantially contained within connector channels. Such a configuration requires all panels to have edges of similar or substantially the same length to adjacent panels. Such a configuration includes a number of inherent weaknesses. Channel widths dictate panel thicknesses. Known connectors are configured to include uniform panel thicknesses. Additionally, because every panel must fit with a channel of an adjacent connector, the panels cannot overhang a lower panel. Further, as the panel must fit within a channel of an adjacent connector, rain falling upon a panel and running down the panel will necessarily contact the connector holding the edge of the panel. Water collecting within the channel can infiltrate the structure and/or degrade the edges of the panel. Further, replacing a panel wherein the panels are held on all sides by channels is difficult, requiring a substantial portion of the structure to be disassembled to repair the structure.


Systems for coupling a satellite antenna to a structure is provided. The system may include a first element, a second element, a third element, and a tightening mechanism. The first element may include at least one protrusion. The second element may also include at least one protrusion. The third element may be rotatably coupled with the first element. The third element may also be rotatably coupled with the second element. The third element may further be configured to couple with the satellite antenna. The tightening mechanism may be operable to rotate at least one of the first element or the second element with respect to the third element such that at least one protrusion of the first element and at least one protrusion of the second element engage with the structure located between the first element and the second element.

Various systems exist for attaching objects to structures. However, each of these systems have prerequisites regarding what portion, types, and/or constructions of structures they may be successfully employed on. Hence there is always a need for additional options to fill the gaps in application types left by existing systems.
Embodiments of the present invention provide improvements to existing systems, as well as solutions for scenarios left unresolved by existing systems.

Satellite antenna mounting systems and methods


The present invention relates to methods of preparing and using substantially debris-free gelled aqueous well treating fluids containing a cellulose gelling agent. The preparation methods comprise the steps of forming a gelled aqueous fluid and then mixing an amine phosphonate compound therewith to cause the hydration of unhydrated gelling agent remaining therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gelled aqueous well treating fluids, and more particularly, to methods of preparing and using such fluids which are substantially debris-free.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gelled well treating fluids are utilized in a variety of oil and gas well treatments, e.g., stimulation treatments such as fracturing and acidizing, gravel packing treatments to prevent sand and other loose materials from flowing from the producing formation into the well bore, enhanced hydrocarbon recovery processes, etc. Generally, a filterable gel which leaves minimal residue or debris in the treated formation is desirable, and in some treatments such as gravel packing, it is critical that the gelled treating fluid be substantially debris-free. If not, the debris left in a gravel packed formation can plug the permeability of the gravel pack and/or portions of the formation and reduce or terminate the production of hydrocarbons therefrom.
In the preparation of viscous aqueous well treating fluids, a solid gelling agent such as hydroxyethylcellulose is commonly mixed with water to form a viscous gelled aqueous fluid. The term "water" is used herein to mean fresh water, salt water, oil field brines, seawater and other similar aqueous fluids commonly used in oil field treating applications. The hydration and dissolution of the gelling agent and in particular, hydroxyethylcellulose, in the water leaves two types of formation damaging debris in the gelled fluid. The first type, commonly known as micro-fisheyes, are fragments of the solid gelling agent surrounded by an unhydrated gellatinous layer. The second type of debris is non-hydratable particles of raw gelling agent or amorphous debris.
To produce a hydroxyethylcellulose gelled well treating fluid relatively free of debris, it has heretofore been conventional practice to subject the gelled aqueous fluid produced after conventional mixing and hydration to additional high shear mixing so that the gelling agent debris is more thoroughly dispersed and hydrated, and then to filtration to remove substantially all of the remaining micro-fisheyes and unhydratable particles. These extra steps of shearing and filtering the gelled treating fluid after its formation are time consuming and expensive. Also, if the additional high shear mixing results in too much or too little shearing, the gelled aqueous fluid can lose its viscosity and/or still contain debris.
Thus, there is a need for a method of preparing and using substantially debris-free gelled aqueous well treating fluids whereby, depending upon the application to which the treating fluid is to be put, one or more of the steps of high shear mixing and filtering of the treating fluid can be omitted.

Methods of preparing and using substantially debris-free gelled aqueous well treating fluids


A microminiature power converter includes a semiconductor substrate on which a semiconductor integrated circuit is formed, and a thin magnetic induction element. The magnetic induction element includes a magnetic insulating substrate having first and second principal planes and a plurality of through-holes. A coil is formed on a central region of the magnetic insulating substrate, and electrodes are formed on the first and second principal planes at peripheral regions of the magnetic insulating substrate, and electrically connected to the magnetic insulating substrate via respective through-holes. Wiring is formed on the first principal plane in the central region of the magnetic insulating substrate and connected to a capacitor. One end of the wiring is connected to one of the electrode electrodes, and an insulator layer is provided between the wiring and the coil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microminiaturemicrominiature power converter, such as a DC-DC converter, composed of a semiconductor element (an electronic component) such as a semiconductor integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as an IC) and passive components such as a coil, a capacitor, and a resistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, electronic information equipment, various types of mobile electronic information equipment in particular, have become remarkably widespread. Most of these types of electronic information equipment have batteries for power supply and contain a power converter such as a DC-DC converter. The power converter is generally constructed as a hybrid power supply module in which discrete parts of active components such as switching elements, rectifiers, and control ICs, and passive components such as magnetic parts, capacitors, and resistors, are packaged on a ceramic board or a plastic printed circuit board.
With the current demand for a reduction in size, thickness and weight of various types of electronic information equipment including the mobile ones, the need for built-in power converters having a reduced size, thickness and weight is correspondingly urgent. Miniaturization of the hybrid power supply module has been achieved by an MCM (multi chip module) technique and by a technique in which laminated ceramic parts are used. However, since discrete parts are packaged and arranged on one and the same substrate, the reduction possible in packaging area of the power supply module is limited. Particularly since a magnetic part, such as an inductor or a transformer, has a very large volume as compared with an integrated circuit, the size of the magnetic part constitutes the most critical limitation restricting the reduction in size and thickness of electronic equipment.
For reduction in size and thickness of a magnetic part, two approaches are conceivable. In one approach, the magnetic part is made as small and thin as possible and packaged on a planar board; in the second approach, the magnetic part is made in a configuration of a thin film and mounted on a silicon substrate. An example has been reported recently in which a thin micro-magnetic element (coil, transformer) is mounted on a semiconductor substrate by applying semiconductor technology. In particular, a planar magnetic part (a thin inductor) formed by using a thin film technology has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-196542) in which a thin film coil is sandwiched by a magnetic substrate and a ferrite substrate, and formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate in which semiconductor parts, such as a switching element and a control circuit, are formed.
The foregoing structure has made it possible to reduce the thickness and packaging area of the magnetic element. This structure, however, requires a vacuum process, which increases manufacturing costs. In addition, it needs extensive steps for laminating a multiple of magnetic films and insulator films, especially when use at a high electric current is contemplated, which significantly increases costs.
A type of a planar magnetic element has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-233140 (FIG. 1)) in which a resin material mixed with magnetic fine particles is filled in the gap of a spiral coil conductor, and ferrite substrates are put on upper and lower surfaces of the conductor.
In this method, since the inductance of the coil conductor is approximately proportional to the number of turns of the spiral, it is necessary to increase the number of turns for achieving a large inductance. When the number of turns is increased without increasing the packaging area, the cross-sectional area of the coil conductor must be decreased. That is, in order to obtain a large inductance, it is necessary to decrease the cross-sectional area of the coil conductor and to elongate the conductor wire length. The decreased cross-sectional area of the coil conductor and the elongated conductor wire length bring about an increase in DC resistance of the coil conductor and an increase in power loss.
In order to solve this problem, a thin magnetic element has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-274004 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,584 and Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN 1525631 A) that comprises a magnetic insulating substrate, and a solenoid coil conductor in which are connected a first conductor formed on a first principal plane of the magnetic insulating substrate, a second conductor formed on a second principal plane of the magnetic insulating substrate, and a connection conductor formed in a through-hole passing through the magnetic insulating substrate.
The foregoing structure provides a microminiaturemicrominiature, thin power converter in which terminals for connection to a semiconductor element and a circuit board can be formed at the same time in the process for forming the through-holes and the coil conductors on the magnetic insulating substrate. Then, the IC chip only needs to be mounted on the magnetic insulating substrate for forming the coil, thus eliminating necessity for a separate packaging substrate.
The microminiature power converter disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-274004 features a power converter comprising a thin magnetic induction element that includes a through-hole formed in a magnetic insulating substrate, coil conductors electrically connected through the through-hole and formed on the first principal plane and the second principal plane, and further electrodes (connection terminals) formed on the first principal plane for electrical connection to the semiconductor element, and other electrodes (packaging terminals) formed on the second principal plane for electrical connection to a printed circuit board that is used in actual operation. The proposed constitution provides a power converter with a reduced thickness while limiting the number of parts composing the converter to the minimum. This microminiature power converter is described in the following.
FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) show a microminiature power converter of the prior art, in which FIG. 15(a) is a sectional view of a thin magnetic induction element on which is mounted an IC chip, and FIG. 15(b) is a plan view of the thin magnetic induction element seen from the side of the first principal plane (front surface). FIG. 15(a) is a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y in FIG. 15(b). In FIG. 15(b), the IC chip 80 is indicated by a dotted line.
The thin magnetic induction element 300 of the prior art includes a solenoid coil formed in a central region of a ferrite substrate 86 and electrodes 82, 88 formed in a peripheral region. The solenoid coil is composed of a coil conductor 84 (including connecting conductors) formed on the first principal plane and the second principal plane of the ferrite substrate 86 and in the through-holes 85. The electrode 82 is formed on the first principal plane and the electrode 88 is formed on the second principal plane, both electrodes being connected by a connection conductor 83a formed in the through-hole 83.
An IC chip 80 is bonded to the electrode 82 formed on the first principal plane through a stud bump 81. An under fill resin 89 is filled in the space between the IC chip 80 and the ferrite substrate 86. The coil conductor 84 formed on the second principal plane is covered by a protective film 87.
A lamination substrate, though not a microminiature power converter, has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-183890) in which a coil is internally formed of a coil conductor and a magnetic material, external electrodes for mounting a circuit component are formed on the upper surface, and a wiring pattern is internally formed for wiring the external electrodes and the coil. The lamination substrate has enhanced freedom of arrangement of circuit component to be mounted.
The structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-274004 has, as shown in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) herein, bonding electrodes (electrodes 82) in the peripheral region of a thin magnetic induction element for bonding to IC chip 80, i.e., a semiconductor element. Since the coil of the thin magnetic induction element having the configuration of a solenoid coil must be located in the central region of the magnetic induction element, the bonding electrodes for bonding with a semiconductor element such as IC chip 80 are necessarily located in the peripheral region of the thin magnetic induction element.
Among the characteristics of a thin magnetic induction element, the inductance value largely depends on the size of the magnetic induction element. As such, element size primarily affects feasibility of necessary characteristics.
Concerning the size of a semiconductor element, however, the size can be restricted of course by the characteristics, but may be reduced in large extent depending on desired performance in some cases.
Thus, there is no intrinsic correlation between the size of a semiconductor element and the size of a thin magnetic induction element. Nevertheless, a semiconductor element is mounted on the magnetic induction element in planar configuration in the foregoing structure and electrodes 82 are arranged in the peripheral region. As such, the problem arises that the size of the semiconductor element is eventually restricted by the size of the thin magnetic induction element.
Thus, even though a semiconductor element could be minimized, if a thin magnetic induction element is not minimized, the semiconductor element must have a large size, inhibiting cost reduction.
Further, since the electrodes 82 are arranged in the peripheral region, it is difficult to package two or more semiconductor elements. Thus, the restriction arises that the number of semiconductor elements that can be packaged on one thin magnetic induction element is limited to only one. This restriction has inhibited multi-functionality of the device.
Although the lamination substrate of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-183890 has the freedom of arrangement of parts connecting to the internally formed coil (inductor), it also has a complicated structure, which leaves the problems of cost and micro-miniaturization.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and provide a microminiature power converter in which components including a semiconductor element smaller than a thin magnetic induction element can be packaged in a planar arrangement at a predetermined place on the thin magnetic induction element without restriction on positioning of the electrodes formed in the peripheral region of the thin magnetic induction element.


A fuzzy inference unit includes membership function generation circuits, each of an analog type operable in an electric voltage mode. The fuzzy inference device includes thereon a sweep signal generation circuit, switches for switching the input to the membership function generating circuits between the output of the sweep signal generation circuit and an external input, and membership function observing terminals for taking out externally the outputs of the membership function generation circuits. Due to the fact that the sweep signal generation circuit is provided on the fuzzy inference unit, even if a function generator is not prepared externally, the shape of the membership function can be observed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system which realizes the application of a fuzzy theory in terms of hardware.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the application of a fuzzy theory, which is able to treat equivocal knowledge or information by quantifying the same, has been realized in the fields of home electric appliances and plant control. The practical application of the fuzzy theory includes both hardware application and software application and, recently, there has been introduced hardware for exclusive fuzzy use due to demand for increased speed or the like. The exclusive hardware includes analog and digital types of hardware. The present invention relates to the fuzzy hardware of an analog type.
To execute a fuzzy inference, at least, there are necessary a part (a membership function generation circuit) which calculates the goodness of fit between an input value and the membership function of an antecedent part, a part (a minimum value operation circuit) which finds an inference result for every rule, a part (a maximum value operation circuit) which integrates a plurality of inference results, and a part (a non-fuzzing circuit) which non-fuzzes the inference result. If these parts are arranged as a system, then the system is able to execute inference.
In the hardware of an analog type, the value of the membership function is expressed in terms of an analog voltage and a concrete membership function generation circuit is composed of a differential amplifier circuit, an operational amplifier circuit, or the like. Such membership function generation circuit outputs one membership function value for each externally applied input value.
On the other hand, since the shape of the membership function differs according to the object thereof, it is necessary to adjust the membership function shape and, in such shape adjustment, it is convenient to be able to observe the shape of the whole of the membership function. Thus, conventionally, in order to observe the shape of the whole of the membership function set at a glance, a sweep signal generated by a function generator provided externally is input to a membership function generation circuit and the output of the membership function generation circuit is observed on a time axis by means of an oscilloscope or the like. An example of conventional observation of the shape of the membership function is shown in FIG. 6 in which a function generator 100, membership function generator 210 in a fuzzy inference device, and an oscilloscope 300 are connected.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, it is necessary to prepare the function generator for generating the sweep signal in addition to a fuzzy inference unit.


After introducing an impurity into a polysilicon semiconductor film formed on a substrate, heat treatment is carried out under the conditions not to activate the implanted impurity. The thickness of the polysilicon film and the sheet resistance after introducing the impurity are measured, and the conditions of forming the semiconductor film are adjusted so that the product of the thickness and the sheet resistance is always constant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device that uses a polycrystalline semiconductor film such as a polysilicon film.
2. Background Art
Polysilicon film is one of thin-film materials widely used in the processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices. Since polysilicon film with low resistance can be easily formed by doping of impurity, polysilicon can be easily processed to form fine patterns, and polysilicon is thermally stable and provides high freedom for heat treatment, the polysilicon film is used in high-precision resistor elements, electrodes for bipolar transistors, TFTs (thin film transistors), or polysilicon diodes and the like.
In the processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices, provision of constant qualities, that is, provision of semiconductor devices with same characteristics is required. In the case of a semiconductor device with polysilicon film, since the quality of the polysilicon film affects the characteristics of the elements, providing the films with even quality is one of the issues in the manufacturing processes.
However, since the properties of silicon grains varies due to doping of impurities or heat treatment, it is difficult to provide same conditions for the factors that determine the quality of polysilicon film, such as grain diameter of polysilicon and inter-grain states. In particular, when a polysilicon films are formed using a plurality of polysilicon depositing apparatuses, or when a polysilicon depositing apparatus is replaced, properties of the manufactured elements may vary depending on manufacturing apparatuses.
Although it has been known as methods of observing polysilicon grains to observe the structure or to measure grain diameters using a transmission electron microscope or a scanning electron microscope, these methods have difficulties for quantification, and are unsuitable for the process control in mass production.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes these processes below. First, a polycrystalline semiconductor film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Then, the thickness of the polycrystalline semiconductor film is measured. Next, an impurity is introduced in the polycrystalline semiconductor film, and a part of the impurity is activated by heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the sheet resistance of the polycrystalline semiconductor film is measured. Then the conditions of forming the polycrystalline semiconductor film is adjusted so that the product of the film thickness and the sheet resistance becomes a predetermined value.
The present invention also provides the semiconductor device, such as a resistor element, a transistor and a diode. The polycrystalline semiconductor film is preferably used as an electrode.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device


A composite bobbin (10) for use in an optical fiber canister has a surface with a spirally groove base layer (38) in which the first layer of an optical cable (42) is wound. The base layer (38) is prepared by coating the external surface of a central portion (12) of the bobbin (10) with an adhesive layer (16) of a curable two-stage epoxy, winding a tensioned wire (22) in a spiral pattern along the length of the central portion (12), and heating the bobbin (10) to cure the epoxy. The proper combination of tension and curing cycle permits the grooves of the base layer (38) to be formed to a depth of about 1/3 of the diameter of the optical cable (42).

This invention relates to the use of optical fibers, and, more particularly, to the construction of a bobbin upon which an optical fiber cable is wound.
Optical fibers are strands of glass fiber processed so that light beams transmitted therethrough are subject to total internal reflection. A large fraction of the incident intensity of light directed into the fiber is received at the other end of the fiber, even though the fiber may be hundreds of meters long. Optical fibers have shown great promise in communications applications, because a high density of information may be carried along the fiber and because the quality of the signal is less subject to external interferences of various types than are electrical signals carried on metallic wires. Moreover, the glass fibers are light in weight and made from a highly plentiful substance, silicon dioxide.
Glass optical fibers are typically fabricated by preparing a preform of glasses of two different optical indices of refraction, one inside the other, and processing the preform to a fiber. The optical fiber is coated with a polymer layer termed a buffer to protect the glass from scratching or other damage, the resulting combination of an optical fiber within a buffer layer being termed an "optical cable". As an example of the dimensions, in a typical configuration the diameter of the glass optical fiber is about 125 micrometers, and the diameter of the fiber plus the polymer buffer (optical cable diameter) is about 250 micrometers (approximately 0.010 inches).
For such very fine fibers, the handling of the optical fiber and optical cable to avoid damage that might reduce its light transmission properties becomes an important consideration. The optical cable is typically wound onto a cylindrical or tapered bobbin made of aluminum or a composite material, with many turns adjacent to each other in a side-by-side fashion. To establish a base upon which the first layer of optical cable is wound, a base layer of steel wires of about the same diameter as the optical cable is first wound onto the bobbin. The optical cable is then wound onto that wire base. After one layer is complete, another layer of optical cable is wound on top of the first layer, and so on. The final assembly of the bobbin and the wound layers of optical cable is termed a canister, and the mass of wound optical cable is termed the fiber pack. When the optical cable is later to be used, the optical cable is paid out from the canister in a direction parallel to the axis of the bobbin and the canister, termed the payout axis.
It has been found by experience that, where the optical cable is to be paid out from the canister in a rapid fashion, as for example over a hundred meters per second, the turns of optical fiber must be held in place on the canister with an adhesive. The adhesive holds each turn of optical cable in place as adjacent turns and layers are initially wound onto the canister, and also as adjacent turns and layers are paid out. Without the use of an adhesive, payout of the optical cable may not be uniform and regular, leading to snarls or snags of the cable that damage it or cause it to break as it is paid out.
Although the optical cable may be wound onto the bobbin and wire base layer smoothly to form a uniform fiber pack, during prolonged storage and temperature changes the adhesively bound fiber pack can shift due to differences in the thermal expansion between the bobbin, the base layer, and the fiber pack. Instability can also result from other factors including the longitudinal forces resulting from the winding tension and the bobbin taper, which can cause the wires of the base layer to pop up. The resulting shifting of the fiber pack causes separations or slumps in the fiber pack, and the optical cable may not later pay out uniformly.
A similar problem had been encountered in prior practice wherein metallic conductor wires had been wound upon aluminum bobbins. The problem had been alleviated by forming a grooved surface upon the bobbin of the proper pitch so that the wire could be wound into the grooves. The grooves were formed by applying a curable adhesive to the surface of the bobbin, B-staging the adhesive, winding a wire around the bobbin in a spiral pattern under a very specific applied tension, and fully curing the adhesive with the wire in place. When the groove-forming wire was removed, the spiral pattern remained in the cured adhesive, and the conductor wire was wound onto the spiral. However, when this same approach was tried for the graphite-epoxy composite bobbin used with optical cables, it was not possible to form a regular spiral pattern with properly sized grooves.
There therefore exists a need for an approach for forming a fiber pack upon a composite bobbin, in a manner such that the fiber pack is resistant to separation-type failures during storage, which in turn can lead to an inability to achieve proper payout during use. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Optical cable composite-material bobbin with grooved base layer


A pressure-contact terminal includes: a contact portion (21); and a pressure-contact portion (32) which has a bottom plate, a pair of side plates formed by bending from the bottom plate in the same direction, and at least a pair of pressure-contact plates (34, 35) formed to stand from the pair of side plates above the bottom plate and to face each other. In the construction, the pressure-contact plates (34, 35) include: electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A) formed by bending which have contact faces (34G, 35G) to be in contact with a core of a covered electric wire; and cover cutting-off portions (34B, 35B ) formed on upper portions of the electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A ) to cut and remove the cover portion of the covered electric wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure-contact terminal formed with pressure-contact blades between which an end of an electric wire is press-fitted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is a known pressure-contact terminal of this type as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-261442 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, a pressure-contact terminal 1 is formed at its one side with a contact portion 2 for connection to an opposed terminal and at its the other side with an electric wire connecting portion 3 for retaining an electric wire and for connection to the electric wire. The electric wire connecting portion 3 is formed with pressure-contact plate portions 6, 7, 8, and 9 cut and bent inward from a pair of side walls 4 and 5. The electric wire connecting portions 3 is formed at its end portion with a pair of electric wire retaining chips 10 and 11.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the pressure contact plate portion 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressure-contact plate portion 9 is formed at its tip end with a pressure-contact blade 12 bent toward the contact portion 2. The pressure-contact blade 12 is formed on its tip end side with a thin portion 13 with a small thickness and the thin portion 13 is bent to form an angle of 90xc2x0 to form a contact face 14 on an outer peripheral face of the thin portion 13. The other pressure-contact plate portions 7, 8, and 9 are also formed with pressure-contact blades respectively and are formed with thin portions and pressure-contact faces similarly to the pressure-contact plate portion 9.
By the pressure-contact terminal 1 with such a structure, by press-fitting a covered electric wire in the electric wire connecting portion 3, the pressure-contact blades 12 cut the cover to bring the contact faces 14 into contact with a core, thereby establishing connection.
However, because the contact face 14 is formed by bending the thin portion 13 in the above-described pressure-contact terminal 1, the contact face 14 has low strength and may be deformed in coming into pressure contact with the electric wire.
Furthermore, because a bent portion formed by bending the thin plate portion exists on an upper side of the contact face, cut opposite sides of the cover portion may not be removed to portions other than the contact faces and may remain on the contact face sides after cutting the cover portion. In this case, there is doubt about reliability of connection between the contact faces and the core portion.
The present invention has been achieved with such points in mind.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure-contact terminal by which a cover of an electric wire can be reliably removed and electric connection with the electric wire can be reliably established.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a pressure-contact terminal, comprising: a contact portion (21) in contact with an opposed terminal and formed on a tip end side of the pressure-contact terminal; and a pressure-contact portion (32) formed on a rear end side of the pressure-contact terminal, the pressure-contact portion (32) having a bottom plate, a pair of side plates formed by bending from the bottom plate in the same direction, and at least a pair of pressure-contact plates (34, 35 . . . ) formed to stand from the pair of side plates above the bottom plate and to face each other; wherein the pressure-contact plates (34, 35 . . . ) include: electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A . . . ) formed by bending thin plate portions formed at tip ends of the pressure-contact plates, the electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A . . . ) having contact faces (34G, 35G . . . ) to be in contact with a core of a covered electric wire; and cover cutting-off portions (34B, 35B . . . ) formed on upper portions of the electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A . . . ) to cut and remove the cover portion of the covered electric wire.
In the invention with such a structure, the cover portion of the covered electric wire is cut and removed by the cover cutting-off portions when the covered electric wire is inserted between the pair of pressure-contact plates. By inserting the covered electric wire between the pair of pressure-contact plates, the electric wire contact portions are brought into contact with the core portion of the covered electric wire to connect the pressure-contact terminal and the covered electric wire. In this case, because the core portion comes in contact with the contact faces after the cover cutting-off portions have reliably cut off the cover portion, electric reliability in connection is improved. Because the contact faces are plated, conductivity is further improved, thereby improving the electric reliability in connection.
According to a second aspect of the invention as it depends from the first aspect, in addition to an arrangement of the first aspect, there is provided a pressure-contact terminal, wherein the cover cutting-off portions (34B, 35B . . . ) include: cutting slopes (34E, 35E . . . ) for guiding the covered electric wire to between the pair of pressure-contact plates (34, 35 . . . ) facing each other and for cutting the cover of the covered electric wire; and removing portions (34F, 35F . . . ) formed on tip end sides of the cutting slopes (34E, 35E . . . )to remove the cover portion cut by the cutting slopes to opposite side portions of the pressure-contact plates; and wherein the removing portions (34F, 35F . . . ) include: cover separating faces (34H, 35H . . . ) for separating the cut cover portions to the opposite side portions of the pressure-contact plates (34, 35 . . . ); and cutting-off edge portions (34I, 35I . . . ) formed at continuous portions from the cover separating faces (34H, 35H . . . ) and the cutting slopes (34E, 35E . . . ) to divide the cut opposite cover portions.
Therefore, when the covered electric wire is inserted between the pair of pressure-contact plates, the covered electric wire is guided to between the pressure-contact plates by the cutting slopes and the cover portion is cut and moves to the removing portions. At the removing portions, the opposite sides of the cut cover portion are divided by the cover edge portions and reliably separated to the opposite side portions of the pressure-contact plates by the cover separating faces. Thus, it is possible to reliably remove the cover portion of the covered electric wire and to reliably bring the core portion into contact with the contact faces.
According to a third aspect of the invention as it depends from the first aspect or the second aspect, in addition to an arrangement of the first aspect or the second aspect, there is provided a pressure-contact terminal, wherein the electric wire contact portions (34A, 35A . . . ) include: bent portions (34C, 35C . . . ) formed by bending thin plate portions formed at tip ends of the pressure-contact plates land formed with the contact faces (34G, 35G . . . . ) to be connected in a conductive manner to the covered electric wire; and folded portions (34D, 35D . . . ) formed by further folding tip ends of the bent portions (34C, 35C . . . ) toward the bent portions (34C, 35C . . . ).
Therefore, strength of the bent portions is maintained by the folded portions and contact property of the contact faces formed on the bent portions with the core is ensured to reliably establish electric connection.


A cooling control system for an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger. The control system includes an electrically-driven pump for circulating coolant for cooling the supercharger, and an electrically-driven fan arranged in an engine room. The cooling control system controls the operation of the electrically-driven pump and the operation of the electrically-driven fan, based on an output from a sensor for detecting stoppage of the engine as well as on operation of a timer for counting a predetermined time period. The cooling control system controls, during operation of the engine, the operation of the electrically-driven pump and the operation of the electrically-driven fan, based on an output from a sensor or sensors for detecting operating conditions of the engine.

The invention relates to a cooling control system for an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger, which controls cooling of the engine, supercharger, etc. in an improved manner.
Some internal combustion engines for automotive vehicles have a turbocharger arranged in the intake passage thereof as a supercharger for enhancing the engine output.
In an engine equipped with this type of supercharger, the temperature of the turbocharger increases during operation thereof, which may cause thermal damage to engine components, such as seizure of bearings and carbonization of lubricating oil and hence degradation of its lubricity. A cooling control system for a water-cooled type turbocharger, which is intended to prevent the thermal damage, is conventionally known. The cooling control system is adapted to drive a pump to cause cooling water to circulate through the turbocharger during operation of the engine to thereby water-cool the turbocharger.
Further, a cooling control system of this type has been proposed, for example, by Japanese Provisional Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 59105029, in which a pump is driven for water-cooling the turbocharger for a predetermined time period after stoppage of the engine in order to prevent the thermal damage which tends to occur after stoppage of the engine since the turbocharger continues to rotate by inertia after stoppage of the engine to thereby rise in temperature.
However, the proposed cooling control system is constructed such that simultaneously when the ignition switch of the engine is turned off, the pump is started to operate and supply the turbocharger with cooling water over the predetermined time period immediately after stoppage of the engine. Therefore, the pump is driven for operation even when the turbocharger does not require cooling by water circulated by the pump.
More specifically, the thermal damage described above due to high &temperature of the turbocharger after stoppage of the engine tends to occur when the engine is stopped after being operated under a medium or high load. Therefore, when the engine has been stopped after being operated under a medium or high load, the necessity to cool the turbocharger by circulating the cooling water by the pump is high for positive prevention of the thermal damage. However, if the engine has been under a low load condition before stoppage of the engine, it is not very necessary to cool the turbocharger after stoppage of the engine since the temperature of the engine is not very high. Therefore, the above proposed system which cools the turbocharger through driving of the pump after stoppage of the engine may not always meet actual thermal conditions of the engine and turbocharger.
Further, according to the above proposed cooling control system, the control of cooling of the turbocharger is carried out while the engine is in stoppage, i.e. while the battery installed on the vehicle is not charged with electricity. Therefore, unnecessary driving of the pump results in wasteful consumption of the battery.
The temperature of the turbocharger on and after stoppage of the engine depends, on an operating condition in which the engine has been immediately before stoppage, such as load on the engine and ambient temperature, and may vary according to different cases. Therefore, even if the temperature of the turbocharger on stoppage of the engine is identical between the cases, the rise in the temperature of same thereafter can be different from each other.
In particular, the degree of rise in the temperature of the turbocharger after stoppage of the engine largely depends on the load on the engine applied immediately before stoppage thereof. That is, it is larger and hence is more liable to cause the thermal damage as the load on the engine immediately before stoppage is higher. Further, the temperature of the turbocharger on stoppage of the engine not only depends on the load on the engine immediately before stoppage but also on external factors such as air streams produced by running of the vehicle and cooling the turbocharger, capacity of the radiator fan, etc. to a large extent. The degree of dependency on the external factors is large particularly in the case where the temperature of the turbocharger is detected by the use of cooling water temperature, since the specific heat of cooling water is small.
However, in the aforesaid conventional cooling control system the pump is driven over the predetermined time period, depending on the temperature of the turbocharger on stoppage of the engine, the temperature of same being influenced by external factors as above. Specifically, when the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value, the predetermined time period is set to a constant value, while when the detected temperature is lower than the predetermined value, the predetermined time period is set to 0, that is, the pump is not driven. Therefore, it is impossible to carry out cooling control in response to the load condition of the engine immediately before stoppage of the engine. Further, it is impossible to drive the pump to just a sufficient extent depending on different manners of rise in the temperature of the turbocharger after stoppage of the engine. If the predetermined time period is set to a longer time period for prevention of the thermal damage, in case that the temperature of the turbocharger rises to the maximum possible degree after stoppage of the engine, the pump will be driven for an excessively long time period even when the turbocharger temperature actually rises to a lower degree than expected, which will result in wasteful consumption of the battery. On the other hand, if the predetermined time period is set to a shorter value for prevention of such wasteful battery consumption, it is impossible to prevent the thermal damage when the turbocharger temperature actually rises to a higher degree.
Further, the aforesaid conventional cooling control system is not provided with a fail-safe function against malfunction of its component parts or related devices. If the pump goes out of order, for example, the turbocharger may suffer from seizure etc. i.e. inoperativeness of the turbocharger itself resulting from malfunction of the cooling system therefor.
In the meanwhile, an engine-room cooling control system has been conventionally proposed by Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokoku) No. 55-34101, in which an electric fan is arranged in the engine room to be operated or stopped depending on the temperature of the engine room and that of the engine, so that the temperature of the engine room may be controlled to a proper value to thereby prevent thermal damage to the engine such as overheating of the engine and vapor locking of fuel.
However, this cooling control system has disadvantages such that if the engine is equipped with a turbocharger, the temperature of the turbocharger and that of the engine room cannot be properly controlled after stoppage of the engine.
More specifically, the conventional cooling control system is constructed such that the control of operation of the electric fan responsive to the engine room temperature etc. is carried out only during operation of the engine, so that it is impossible to prevent rise in the temperature of the turbocharger after stoppage of the engine, and hence to prevent thermal damage to the turbocharger. Further, since the engine room temperature also rises with rise in the temperature of the turbocharger which is a heat source in the engine room, it is impossible to prevent the above-described thermal damage to the engine.
A cooling control system is also known in which a control device is provided separately from a control device for controlling the engine itself, for controlling the operation of a cooling device which cools the engine, in response to an output of a sensor for detecting operating conditions of the engine whereby the engine is cooled to just a sufficient extent so as to prevent excessive rise in the engine temperature. A cooling control system of this type has been proposed by Japanese Provisional Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 57-191415 in which an electric fan is provided which operates in the event of malfunction of a driving device for a water pump as the cooling device or malfunction of the first-mentioned control device to air-cool the engine even during the malfuction to thereby prevent rise in the engine temperature.
However, in this cooling control system, the water pump and the electric fan ar intended for cooling the engine alone. Therefore, if the control system is applied to an engine equipped with a turbocharger, it is impossible to prevent excessive rise in the temperature of the turbocharger, and hence excessive rise in the temperature of the engine due to rise in the temperature of the turbocharger, which is one of main heat sources in the engine room, and therefore the proper performance or sufficient durability of the engine may not be obtained.

Cooling control system for internal combustion engines equipped with superchargers


In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises an overmold charging handle having dimensions including a total length and a total width, wherein the overmold charging handle comprises: a shaft assembly including a first end to insert into a receiver of a firearm and a second end opposite the first end, the second end of the shaft assembly including a head, wherein a width of the head is less than the total width of the overmold charging handle; a latch to prevent movement of the shaft assembly away from the receiver when in a closed position; and a first material-cored handle fastened to the second end of the shaft assembly, the first material-cored handle comprising: an exterior of a second different material, the exterior exposing a section of a recessed core of the first material-cored handle. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

Typical firearms propel a bullet or other type of projectile through the expansion of gas within a firearm barrel. The majority of the gas may be expelled out of the front of the firearm barrel together with the bullet. However, some firearms may exploit a portion of the gas to automatically cycle the action of the firearm (e.g., "charge" the firearm), which may include ejecting the used casing and reloading another round of ammunition into the firing chamber.
Firearms also may include a charging handle for manually charging the firearm. The charging handle may be used at times such as after loading a magazine—to load the initial round of ammunition from the magazine into the firing chamber. Examples of charging handles are the military specification variants for AR15s and M16, and improvements thereof such as ambidextrous charging handles (e.g., charging handles with a pair of handles to be operated identically with the left or right hand) or improved single-handled charging handles. The ambidextrous charging handles or improved single-handled charging handles may be compatible with AR15/M16 pattern rifles.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A foamed polymer having a top portion with ruptured cells and a bottom portion of non-ruptured cells is provided. The ruptured cells are formed using mechanical or chemical abrasion to form a plurality of fibrous members that simulate a grass-like surface. The abrasion may be accomplished using sanding or solvents that rupture the cells of the top portion.

Golf is one of the most popular sporting games played both recreationally and professionally worldwide. There are many aspects and subtleties to the game of golf that require practicing and mastery of various skills and techniques. For example, there is the long game that requires driving, the intermediate game that requires the use of irons, and the short game that generally includes short irons and wedges as well as putting. As they say, drive for show, putt for dough. Thus, improving ones game generally requires significant practice putting. The putting green practice develops mastery of clubs referred to as putters. These are the three primary aspects to the game of golf that both amateurs and professionals seek to become proficient at and master. While the game of golf can be played year round in warm, sunny climates and regions, in climates and regions that experience winter—as well as less than optimum spring and fall weather—golf is generally restricted to the summer season. Even in warmer climates, in some cases it is difficult to regularly get to the golf course. While indoor facilities do exist in some places, most golfing aficionados don't have access to such facilities nor do they necessarily have the time to engage in such outside golf practice. Because putting is the easiest part of the golf game to simulate indoors, it is a simple matter to create makeshift putting greens that consist of nothing more than a cup laid on its side and placed at one end of a carpeted office room or game room. However, carpets and existing artificial putting greens fail to realistically simulate the tightly mown texture and feel of natural grass.
Many of today's conventional artificial surfaces for putting greens lack the flexibility of a natural turf or other desired surface. Any activity or occupation, which requires long periods of standing or moving on foot, is enhanced by a reasonable flexibility of the surface. This reasonable flexibility can add to a person's reasonable endurance and minimize injury. Moreover, conventional artificial surfaces usually lack the flexibility of a grass covered surface. This lack of flexibility and simulation of real grass diminishes the value of the practice and, in certain instances, can cause injury even if the contact with the surface is merely walking or standing.
Additionally, artificial surfaces used in professional sports, which is commonly known as artificial turf, is mounted on a typically rigid surface. Artificial turf, similarly to other artificial surfaces, lacks the resiliency of grass. Moreover, the artificial turf may delaminate.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for improved putting greens.

Putting green formed from aerated polymers and methods of making the same to simulate a natural grass surface


An apparatus for processing a non-interlaced image includes a wavelet transform part and a determination part. The wavelet transform part performs two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform of a level higher than or equal to level one on the data of the non-interlaced image. The determination part determines the movement speed of an object within the non-interlaced image based on at least the values of the wavelet coefficients of a 1LH sub-band of the wavelet coefficients obtained by the wavelet transform unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for processing a moving image, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for processing a series of interlaced image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, JPEG2000 has been known as a compression and coding method suitable for processing high-definition images. Further, there is also a standard known as Motion JPEG2000 that displays a moving image by successively reproducing still encoded according to JPEG2000.
The inter-field movement (change) of an object, which is a parameter that does not pertain to a still image, exists in a series of interlaced images captured by a video camera, comparing the interlaced image of a field with that of the previous field. There have already been proposed Motion JPEG2000-compliant moving image processing apparatuses that detect the movement speed of an object within a frame using the above-described parameter of movement, and adaptively perform a compression and coding process. Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. 4-77517 (corresponding to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 63-148790) discloses one of such moving image processing apparatuses.
The Motion JPEG2000-compliant moving image processing apparatuses perform the operation of obtaining an inter-field difference in the image data of an object and calculating the movement speed of the object based on the obtained difference data. Accordingly, a large amount of data should be processed so that a large amount of time and a large amount of memory capacity are required for the operation.
There are a variety of well-known conventional image processing apparatuses that convert image data into frequency-region coefficients by discrete cosine transform (DCT) or two-dimensional wavelet transform (DWT), quantize the coefficients frequency by frequency, and perform entropy coding on the quantized coefficients. For instance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-186816 discloses an image processing apparatus that converts a quantization step size employed in the above-described quantization into a unit of image quality control (for instance, the unit of a sub-band in the case of using wavelet transform) in order to increase the amount of data compression while preventing the degradation of image quality.
This image processing apparatus, which uses two-dimensional DWT, sets the quantization step size for quantizing the wavelet coefficients obtained by the DWT so that the  quantization step size is the largest for the HH sub-band, the second largest for the HL sub-band, and the smallest for the LH sub-band with respect to a luminance signal, and is the largest for the HH sub-band, the second largest for the LH sub-band, and the smallest for the HL sub-band with respect to a color difference signal.
The contents of the adjustment of the quantization step size are obtained based on experimental data obtained from experiments using "Mobile & Calendar," which is a standard MPEG image and are not specified based on the characteristics of a halftone image.
Further, a non-interlaced image having the interlaced images of two fields successively captured by a video camera at every interval of 1/60 second includes a comb-shaped pixel offset corresponding to the horizontal movement speed of an object. The above-described image processing apparatus does not take into consideration the fact that the comb-shaped pixel offset changes with the movement speed of the object. Accordingly, depending on the movement speed of the object, an originally single vertical line may become two separate lines or the outline of a reproduced image may include horizontal blurring, thus causing a great degradation of image quality.
Recently, improvements in image input and output technologies have greatly increased demand for high-definition images. In the case of digital cameras as image input apparatuses, for instance, high-performance charge coupled devices (CCDS) having 3,000,000 pixels or more have been reduced in price to be widely used in digital cameras in a popular price range. It is expected that products employing CCDs having 5,000,000 pixels or more will be commercially available in the near future. It is expected that this trend toward an increasing number of pixels will continue for a while.
On the other hand, there have also been remarkable developments in the high-definition  property and significant progress in the price reduction of image output apparatuses and image display apparatuses such as hard-copy apparatuses including laser printers, inkjet printers, and sublimation-type printers, and soft-copy apparatuses including flat panel displays made of CRTs, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and plasma display panels (PDPs).
Due to the introduction of these high-performance, inexpensive image input and output apparatuses to the market, high-definition images have become popular. As a result, it is expected that there will be an increasing demand for high-definition images in various fields in the future. Actually, the developments in technologies related to PCs and networks including the Internet have accelerated such trends at an increasing rate. Particularly in recent years, mobile equipment such as mobile phones and notebook personal computers has become so popular that opportunities to transmit or receive high-definition images anywhere through communication means have increased rapidly.
It seems inevitable that, with these background trends, demand for improvement in the performance and multi-functioning of image compression and/or decompression technologies will become stronger in the future so that processing of high-definition images can be facilitated.
Therefore, in recent years, a new image compression method called JPEG2000, which can restore with high quality an image compressed at a high compression rate, has been standardized as one of image compression techniques satisfying such demand. According to JPEG2000, by dividing an image into rectangular regions called tiles, compression and decompression can be performed on the image with a small memory capacity. That is, each individual tile serves as a basic unit in performing compression and decompression processes, So that the tiles can be subjected to the compression and decompression processes independent of  one another.
Further, such single-frame JPEG2000 images may be successively displayed at a predetermined frame rate (representing the number of frames reproduced per unit of time) as a moving image. There is an international standard called Motion JPEG2000 for successively displaying single-frame JPEG2000 images as a moving image.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-309381 discloses the technique of compressing and encoding image data using DWT as Motion JPEG2000. According to this technique, not only pixel values are compressed and encoded by DWT, but also the images of different frames are correlated in order to eliminate the redundancy of moving image data in the case where no image movement between the frames occurs. As a result, the rate of data compression can be further improved. However, in order to obtain the correlation between the frames, this technique requires the complicated processing of decoding and inversely quantizing the encoded orthogonal transform coefficients, thus requiring more processing time. Further, this technique requires a memory capacity for storing a preceding one of the frames used for obtaining the inter-frame correlation.

Apparatus and method for processing image data based on object movement speed within a frame