The present invention involves screwdriver having a grip, a driver blade insertable into and rotationally affixed to said grip and a chuck. The chuck encloses and is longitudinally displaceable relative to the driver blade. The chuck has collets extending from an end disposed near the blade tip. The collets have claws extending from their free ends which are adapted to retain a screw on the blade tip when the chuck is in a retaining position. The collets may be either inwardly biased or outwardly biased. A sleeve, for pressing the collets inward, is provided for embodiments employing outwardly biased collets. A stop device is provided for inhibiting the longitudinal displacement of the chuck towards the blade tip beyond the retaining position. The stop device comprises a groove in the blade shaft and a cooperating detent spring located on the chuck. The free end of the detent spring extends toward the blade tip and is biased inward so that it is disposed within the groove. When the chuck is in the retaining position the detent spring bears against a stop face of the groove thereby inhibiting further longitudinal displacement of the chuck relative to the blade.

The present invention relates to screwdrivers, more specifically, to screwdrivers for bone screws.
A two part screwdriver with a grip part can be comprised of a driver blade and a chuck. The driver blade features a tip and is adapted for insertion into the grip part and is secured against rotation and unintentional removal relative to the grip part by means of a locking device. The chuck retains a screw which meshes with the blade tip, encloses the driver blade and allows displacement of the driver blade in the longitudinal direction. The displacement of the chuck is limited by a stop device when the chuck reaches a retaining position. The chuck possesses collets biased in the direction of the driver blade and has claws on the ends of the collets.
A three part screwdriver with a grip part can be comprised of a driver blade, a chuck and a sleeve. The driver blade features a tip and is adapted for insertion into the grip part and is secured against rotation and unintentional removal relative to the grip part by means of a locking device. The chuck retains a screw which meshes with the blade tip, encloses the driver blade and allows displacement of the driver blade in the longitudinal direction. The displacement of the chuck is limited by a stop device when the chuck reaches a retaining position. The chuck possesses collets biased away from the driver blade and has claws on the ends of the collets. A sleeve encloses the chuck, allows longitudinal displacement of the chuck and forces the outwardly biased collets toward the driver blade.
A screwdriver according to the initially cited two-part, inward biased, design is known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,441,956. Provided on this screwdriver is, cross-sectionally, an essentially quadratic driver blade, with a tip, which is surrounded by a longitudinally slidable chuck. For retaining a screw, the chuck possesses collets which are biased inwardly toward the driver blade, with claws on their ends. Provided as stop device for limiting the displacement of the chuck are four paired and opposed roundish grooves recessed in corresponding side surfaces of the chuck as well as two opposed projections pointing in the direction of the driver blade. Furthermore, the chuck is provided with a slot-shaped recess which is engaged by a pin arranged on the driver blade. The length of the recess matches the spacing of the groove pairs. The arrangement of the recess and the pin is such that, as the projections engage mutually opposed groove pairs, the pin strikes one end of the recess.
For grabbing a screw, the chuck is disposed in its front limiting position, in which the projections engage the grooves in the driver blade near the blade tip. A screw is insertable between the claws protruding beyond the blade tip when the collets are forced open. The screw is then retained by the inward bias of the collets. To mesh the screw with the blade tip, the chuck is retractable in the direction of the blade tip until the projections reach their retaining positions in the grooves pointing away from the blade tip. Thus, there are two defined positions of the chuck relative to the driver blade which allow easy adjustment.
The removal and restoration of the pin of this design make assembly and disassembly unsuitably expensive. This two-part screwdriver has the additional disadvantage that, as the chuck is being displaced between its retaining position and its front limit position, the projections run onto a section of the driver blade that has an enlarged cross section thereby reducing the retaining tension of the claws. As a result of the reduced tension, a screw can unintentionally drop-out relatively easily, for instance, when touching a side wall, under congested conditions. Moreover, once a screw has been placed, there is the risk of injuring sensitive biological tissue by bumping into it if the lateral forces necessary for chuck release are exerted under congested space conditions.
Known from DE 35 39 502 C1 is a screwdriver according to the initially cited three-part, outwardly biased, design. In this prior three-part screwdriver there is a driver blade surrounded by a longitudinally displaceable chuck which, in its end area near the tip, features outwardly biased collets with claws for retaining a screw. The collets are outwardly biased due to the relatively high outward spring tension of the collets. The chuck is surrounded by a longitudinally slidable retaining sleeve. By sliding the retaining sleeve toward the blade tip, the outwardly biased claws are longitudinally entrained by the chuck beyond the tip of the driver blade and are pressed inward to engage the screw head by the relative movement of the retaining sleeve over the collets. The movement of the retaining sleeve is a relatively energy-intensive action. To prevent the claws from sliding beyond the screw head, the driver blade is equipped with an annular shoulder of increased circumference which strikes a stop shoulder of the chuck at the level of the screw head when the claws reach a retaining position thereby preventing further advancement of the chuck.
To preclude an unintended displacement of the chuck in response to gravitational forces on the driver blade, for one, and of the retaining sleeve on the chuck for another, recesses and/or longitudinal slots with sections biased in the direction of the driver blade need to be provided in the chuck and retaining sleeve areas near the grip part. The recesses and/or slots are provided so that, due to the elevated frictional forces created by the sections bearing under bias, a displacement will take place only when intentionally actuated by the user. The defined adjustment of the friction forces makes fabrication relatively expensive. Additionally, necessary corrections, for example, due to damage in the screwdriver assembly attributable to the complex interaction of the various forces, are only possible with difficulty. Furthermore, due to the high outward bias of the collets, the user must exert relatively great forces to assemble the screw driver, and, during disassembly for cleaning, the risk of injury is undesirably high due to the numerous sharp edges.
In order for the chuck to be reliably advanced to its retaining position as the retaining sleeve is displaced toward the blade tip, the collets must expand relatively far outward, even when highly biased. This creates disadvantages not only during the assembly of the screw driver but also when the assembly is used in congested spaces and can result in injuries to biological tissues.
Known from CH-PS 369,416 is another three-part, outwardly biased, screwdriver that features a chuck surrounding a driver blade and having collets that are fitted on their ends with outwardly bent open claws. The collets are surrounded by a retaining sleeve for forcing the claws towards the driver blade in the area of a blade tip. The retaining sleeve possesses an inhibitory spring which is bent inward in the direction of the chuck and serves to enhance the frictional resistance between the chuck and the retaining sleeve. In this latter three-part screwdriver, the chuck and the retaining sleeve are independently displaceable by means of dish grips, however, defined positions to facilitate reliable operation are not provided. Instead, the user must take care that the chuck is correctly positioned relative to the driver blade and that advancing the retaining sleeve does not allow a retained screw to come off the driver blade. This is an extremely cumbersome process and is nearly impossible where the visibility of the screwing site is poor or nonexistent.
Known from DE 31 10 776 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 855,280 are screwdrivers featuring driver blades surrounded by a chuck with a slip-over retaining sleeve. Such screwdrivers, while provided with defined positions, are nonetheless costly to assemble and disassemble. In the case of DE 31 10 776 A1, defined positions are achieved with expensive toggle lever mechanisms arranged on the retaining sleeves which require spring-supported toggle levers to engage recesses in the chucks.
Known from DE 84 03 371 U1 is a telescoping support where an interior tube is movable relative to an exterior tube by means of a tapped ring which is rotatable on an external threading of the internal tube and bears on one end of the external tube. To prevent the internal tube from slipping out of the external tube, a tongue type locking member in the form of a leaf spring, arranged on the external tube, is biased in the direction of the internal tube and engages in its limit position a groove recessed in the internal tube, thereby blocking a further displacement of the internal tube relative to the external tube.


A method of end-to-end connection single- or multi-conductor electric cables having compressed mineral insulation and apparatus for end-to-end connection. The conductive metal sheath and the mineral insulation which covers the conductor(s) are removed along a short length at each cable end, a metal sleeve is fitted on the ends of the conductors, opposite each other, the sleeve is crimped on the ends of the conductors, a ring made of the same metal is fitted on each cable end, then a cylindrical connection sleeve with thin ends is fitted over the rings, then the ends of the cylindrical connection sleeve are crimped on the rings and on the ends of the cables.

The method of the invention is of a type in which the conductive metal sheath and the mineral insulation sleeve is fitted on the respective ends of each pair of corresponding conductors, said sleeve is crimped onto the ends of the conductors, and then a cylindrical connection sleeve is fitted and crimped onto the ends of the conductive metal sheath.
Difficulties are encountered when connecting electric cables with compressed mineral insulation, in particular when connecting power cables and heating cables such as those commercialized by the Applicant under the trademark "Pyrotenax" and more particularly when connecting multiple conductor cables, since they must be perfectly sealed to prevent any ingress of dampness into the mineral insulation via the cable ends and the mechanical properties of the cables and the electrical conductivity of the conductors must be maintained while the connection device must not be very bulky because the available accomodation space for these cables is often small.
A method of this type has already been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,500. This U.S. patent describes a copper sleeve crimped on the ends of the conductors, a powder-filled casing formed by a tubular sleeve which has an opening for inserting the mineral insulation, and an outside sleeve which can slide along the casing to compress the mineral insulation and which is crimped at its ends on the cable sheaths. Such a method takes a relatively long time and requires the use of powerful crimping clamps to crimp the outside sleeve on the cable sheaths in a fluid-tight manner.
Preferred methods in accordance with the present invention provide rapid and simple end-to-end connection of electric cable having compressed mineral insulation, together with easy and fluid-tight crimping of a sleeve on the ends of the cable sheaths.

Method for end to end connection of mineral-insulated electric cable and assembly for same


Process and device for reducing an ignition voltage of power pulses in plasmas operated in a pulsed manner with long pulse-off times. The process includes generating a power pulsed plasma at a pulse duty factor, the pulse duty factor being a ratio of pulse-on time to pulse-off time, and at least before the beginning of the pulse-on time of the power pulses, producing charge carriers using an additional plasma discharge at a lower power than that of the power pulses. The device includes a vacuum chamber including at least one pump system, an arrangement for producing plasma, the arrangement including at least one anode and at least one cathode, an energy source connected to the cathode and the anode which can be pulsed in the frequency range of between approximately 10 Hz to approximately 1 MHZ, and a mechanism for one of producing an additional plasma discharge.

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Patent Application No. 100 51 508.8, filed on Oct. 18, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and to related devices for reducing the ignition voltage of plasmas operated using pulses of pulsed power with a long pulse-off time. Such plasmas are used for treating substrates in, e.g., atomization processes which utilize vacuum coating devices, in plasma activation as part of various coating processes, and in other processes utilizing vacuum technology. Cathode atomization processes, also known as sputtering, represent a primary area of application for pulsed plasmas within the coating technology. With their aid, many things such as components, tools, partially finished products, as well as finished products which are used in optics and mechanical engineering can be coated. Many parts, such as those used in the packaging, glass, and electronics industries are also coated with individual layers or layer systems being deposited on a respective substrate.
2. Discussion of Background Information
In deposited layer systems of this type, bonding agent layers and functional layers with layer thicknesses of only a few nanometers are usually required. In order to deposit layers with such low layer thicknesses, the feed rate of the substrate during the coating process can usually be selected as being set relatively high, in order to shorten the coating duration, or the lag time of the substrate in the coating zone can be kept low, or the electrical power applied can be set very low, which leads to a low depositing of material on the targets of the atomization cathodes, and to a low growth rate of the layers to be deposited.
The substrate speed or the lag time has often been determined by the depositing rates of other layers present in the layer system or to be deposited subsequently. Because of the required stability of the coating plasma, an arbitrary reduction of the electrical power applied is not possible because if the power density is too low, it causes inhomogeneities in the coating plasma and therefore layer inhomogeneities and instability of the coating process. This is particularly problematic in the case of larger cathode arrangements. In practice, stable coating plasmas with a low power feed are presently possible only by using blinds and/or by covering of the sputtering cathodes. This, however, results in a considerable loss of effectiveness.
The bonding agent and functional layers mentioned above are pivotal in determining the properties of the entire layer system, based on their physical properties. Thus, it is important to deposit very thin layers, with precisely defined properties, having a high degree of evenness and reproducibility of these properties, in order to achieve certain target parameters of the entire layer system.
Research has shown that, with the aid of high power densities on the target, the properties of deposited layers can be influenced and, optionally, improved, i.e., Kouznetsov et al., xe2x80x9cA Novel Pulsed Magnetron Technique Using Very High Target Power Densities,xe2x80x9d Surface and Coatings Technology, Vol. 122, 1999, pages 290-293, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Thus, it is often physically necessary to deposit very thin and/or slowly growing layers on the target, as well as using high power densities.
Devices are already known that, with the aid of a pulsed power supply, produce pulses with high electric pulse power utilizing, at the same time, a low average introduced electric power, e.g., DE 41 27 317 A1, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. The result is a high plasma density on the sputtering target during the pulse-on time. This stabilizes the sputtering plasma at low average electric power levels. However, at the time of coating, a high plasma density is constantly available on the target. The deciding disadvantage of this arrangement lies in the fact that, due to pulse-off times during re-ignition of the discharge on the target, a high ignition voltage results. The value of the ignition voltage depends primarily on the ratio of the pulse-on time to the pulse-off time and the length of the pulse-off time. If the pulse-off times are increased and the pulse-on times are decreased, a very high plasma density on the sputtering target will indeed be achieved at the same average electric power; however, as a result of the long pulse-off time the ignition voltage increases to values that lie substantially above the burning voltage of the plasma and may amount to several kilovolts. This can again cause damage in the various switching arrangements and undesired arcs. Such a result is caused by the fact that, during the long pulse-off time, i.e., at pulse-off times of greater than approximately 1 xcexcs, a sputtering plasma becomes depleted of charge carriers and, as a result, may go out. At the beginning of each pulse, the production of charge carriers must occur again until enough charge carriers are present that ensure that the initially excessive ignition voltage is decreased to the value of the actual burning voltage of the sputtering plasma.
The problem described above generally occurs in plasmas that are pulsed at medium frequency. Wherever the pulse duty factor, i.e., the ratio between pulse-on and pulse off times, is set in such a way that the pulse-off time increases above a critical value or when a longer pulse-off time is necessary for another reason, the critical excesses in ignition voltage may occur.
The invention provides for a process for operating pulsed plasmas which, independently of the pulse-off time, causes an increase in ignition voltage that is as low as possible relative to the burning voltage of the plasma. The process should be suitable in various devices for various vacuum technology processes.
The invention provides for a process for reducing an ignition voltage of power pulses in plasmas operated in a pulsed manner with long pulse-off times, the process comprising generating a power pulsed plasma at a pulse duty factor, the pulse duty factor being a ratio of pulse-on time to pulse-off time, and at least before the beginning of the pulse-on time of the power pulses, producing charge carriers using an additional plasma discharge at a lower power than that of the power pulses.
The charge carriers may be produced by the additional plasma discharge during the entire pulse-off time of the power pulses. The charge carriers may be produced by the additional plasma discharge during part of the pulse-off time of the power pulses. The charge carriers may be produced by the additional plasma discharge partially during the pulse-on time of the power pulses. The charge carriers may be produced by the additional plasma discharge during the entire pulse-off time and pulse-on time of the power pulses. The charge carriers may be produced in a pulsed manner by the additional plasma discharge. The process may further comprise feeding the additional plasma discharge using a separate energy supply device. The process may further comprise regulating a power density of the additional plasma discharge.
The invention also provides for a device for reducing an ignition voltage of power pulses in plasmas operated in a pulsed manner, the device comprising a vacuum chamber or vessel including at least one pump system. An arrangement for producing plasma is provided and the arrangement includes at least one anode and at least one cathode. An energy source is connected to the cathode and the anode which can be pulsed in the frequency range of between approximately 10 Hz to approximately 1 MHz. A mechanism for one of producing an additional plasma discharge is also provided.
The mechanism for producing the additional plasma discharge may be adapted to regulate the additional plasma discharge. The mechanism for producing the additional plasma discharge may comprise at least one device for producing an RF discharge. The mechanism for producing the additional plasma discharge may comprise at least one device for the producing a microwave discharge in the GHz frequency range.
The invention further provides a device for producing a pulsed plasma comprising a vacuum chamber or vessel including at least one pump system. An arrangement for producing plasma is provided and the arrangement includes at least one anode and at least one cathode. An energy source is connected to the cathode and the anode which can be pulsed in at frequency range. A mechanism for one of producing an additional plasma discharge is provided. An ignition voltage of power pulses in the plasma utilizes long pulse-off times. The pulsed plasma is generated at a pulse duty factor, the pulse duty factor being a ratio of pulse-on time to pulse-off time, wherein, at least before the beginning of the pulse-on time of the power pulses, charge carriers are produced using the additional plasma discharge at a lower power than that of the power pulses.
The invention also contemplates a process for producing a pulsed plasma in a device which includes a vacuum chamber or vessel including at least one pump system, an arrangement for producing plasma which includes at least one anode and at least one cathode, an energy source connected to the cathode and the anode which can be pulsed in at frequency range, a mechanism for one of producing an additional plasma discharge, wherein an ignition voltage of power pulses in the plasma utilizing long pulse-off times, the process comprising generating the pulsed plasma at a pulse duty factor, the pulse duty factor being a ratio of pulse-on time to pulse-off time, and at least before the beginning of the pulse-on time of the power pulses, producing charge carriers using the additional plasma discharge at a lower power than that of the power pulses.
The invention is based on the realization that only a fraction of the charge carrier density of technological plasma is necessary in order to effectively prevent highly excessive ignition voltages. If, during the pulse-off times, the plasma is prevented from completely going out or the charge carrier density in the discharge chamber is prevented from decreasing to below a certain low amount, an ignition voltage will occur at the beginning of the following pulse which is only slightly increased relative to the burning voltage of the plasma. The technological purpose of a long pulse-out time, such as, e.g., to guarantee an increased pulse performance with a lower overall average power of the plasma discharge or to prevent defective operating states by using prolonged recovery times, and to prevent additional pulse pauses, is achieved in many cases in spite of the additional charge carrier density.
The process can, in particular, be used for the purpose of producing medium frequency pulsed sputtering plasmas in depositing very thin layers, which leads to a distinct improvement in layer properties. For this purpose, a pulsed energy supply may be connected to a cathode that contains a target made of the material to be sputtered and an anode. The direct current voltage source is characterized in that it operates in the frequency range of between approximately 10 Hz to approximately 1 MHz at possible ratios of pulse-on time to pulse-off time of between approximately 1:1 to approximately 1:100 and above. Thus, it is guaranteed that, at a low average introduced electric power, a high pulse power is produced in the pulse-on time of the discharge.
A second discharge is combined with and/or overlapped with the first such that sufficient charge carriers are produced in the pulse-off time. The task of the second discharge does not lie in sustaining another sputtering plasma and/or a stable discharge for sputtering the target, but rather in maintaining only a certain minimum density of charge carriers during the pulse-off time for the first discharge, which is used for coating. The charge carriers produced in this manner serve to alter the ignition process at the beginning of the pulse-on time of the discharge used for coating, in such a way that the ignition voltage is significantly reduced because of the charge carriers that are present and, in the most favorable case, the burning voltage is approximated. The result is that even very long pulse-off times and very short pulse-on times, which are associated therewith in the exemplary case, can be used. This allows an increase in the power density on the sputtering target at the same average introduced electric power, without the power supply being burdened with a highly excessive ignition voltage.
According to the invention, the ignition voltage may be decoupled from the parameter of the pulse-off time. In such a case, it would depend only on the density of the charge carriers, which are provided by the second discharge.
It is also possible to operate the second discharge in a regulated manner in such a way that the ignition voltage of the power pulses is adjusted to a predetermined value. This is advantageous if, on the one hand, a particular value of the ignition voltage may not be exceeded and, on the other hand, if as low a plasma density as possible is to be present between the individual power pulses.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.

Process and device for reducing the ignition voltage of plasmas operated using pulses of pulsed power

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


In order to prevent injury to the back, a lumbar supporting belt includes a relatively wide inner belt and a relatively narrow outer belt. The inner belt is adapted to extend about the waist of a person. It has a middle region adapted to be positioned in the lumbar region of the back and has opposing ends adapted to be placed in proximity to one another. The inner belt is formed of a soft, flexible material which can have its opposing ends releasably connected. The outer belt is also adapted to extend about the waist of a person. It overlies the inner belt and has opposing ends corresponding to the opposing ends of the inner belt which are adapted to be placed in proximity to one another. The outer belt is formed of a flexible, non-stretchable material which can have its opposing ends releasably connected. In addition, the lumbar supporting belt may have a tool pouch which is supported in position by at least the outer belt thereof.

Over the years, there have been a wide variety of support belts, especially those commonly worn by carpenters, electricians and other workmen. These typically comprise a belt adapted to be worn around the waist and a tool pouch having a loop through which the belt extends. By way of example, it can be noted that such a belt is illustrated in Snyder U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,105, issued May 8, 1990.
Also, it is common knowledge that many workmen are particularly susceptible to back injury. This can result from a number of different sources such as the relatively heavy or awkward lifting, pulling or pushing that can and is often encountered. In addition, the weight of the tools that are typically carried by workmen is a constant strain on the back.
In view of the foregoing, there has been a continuing need for suitable equipment for the average workman. This equipment should ideally combine the multiple aspects of lumbar support and tool belt usage. If this was accomplished, workmen would then be able to function as required in a safer, more efficient and effective manner.
In addition, there has also been a recognized need for supporting the back during exercise of various types. These applications, of course, do not require a tool pouch or any other equivalent type of component to be support. Nevertheless, there has been a very real need for an improved lumbar supporting device in the field of exercise as well.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the foregoing problems and achieving one or more of the resulting objects.


[PROBLEM] A collision of a blower motor with an electric storage unit is prevented.

It is known that a rise in temperature of a battery deteriorates input/output characteristics of the battery. To avoid this, a battery mounted on a hybrid car or an electric car to supply power for running of such a vehicle is cooled by air for temperature adjustment. The air for temperature adjustment can be directed to the battery through an intake duct by driving a blower, for example. The blower may be disposed adjacently to the battery.
When an external force is applied to the blower disposed adjacently to the battery, the blower, particularly a blower motor, may collide with the battery. When a monitor unit for the battery is disposed between the battery and the blower, the blower motor may collide with the monitor unit.

Abstract: [SOLVING MEANS] The present invention provides a vehicle including an electric storage unit having a plurality of electric storage elements and outputting an energy for use in running of the vehicle, a blower disposed closer to the exterior of the body of the vehicle than the electric storage unit and supplying the electric storage unit with air for adjusting the temperature of the electric storage element, and a duct disposed between the electric storage unit and the blower and connected to the electric storage unit or the blower. The duct has a collision avoiding portion guiding a blower motor of the blower in an up-down direction or a side direction of the electric storage unit when the blower motor is moved toward the electric storage unit upon application of an external force.


A method of removing polluting noxious substances from a flow of flue-gas including sulfur dioxide, nitric oxides and heavy metals is disclosed. The method consists of passing the flue-gas material through sized-reduced leonardite to assure that it will have a high display of adsorption capacities. The Leonardite is superior to commercially available carbonized char products such as activated carbon, as well as the traditional lignite coke material.

Lignite is the youngest, most chemically reactive species of the family of coals found throughout the world. Typically, low in ash and sulfur but high in volatile matter, United States lignites have moisture contents in the range of 30-40% and carbon levels of 40-50%. Lignites are surface mined, principally in North Dakota and Texas, with approximately 110 million tons mined in 1990. North Dakota has over 80% of the lignite in the continental U.S. with a total resource in excess of 500 billion tons.
Lignite char is produced by heating raw lignite at temperatures sufficient to drive off most of the water (>400.degree. C.) and the other volatile materials (tar oils). In this process, known as "carbonization" the remaining char particles become highly porous as the volatile liquids are driven off. The resulting chars typically have carbon contents in the range of 59-82%; ash contents of 9-28%; and 5-12% volatile matter.
In the past, conventional thinking was that lignite chars, that is low range chars, could not be used for making effective filters, primarily because of their high moisture content and their typically, as tested, lack of high adsorption capacity, particularly for materials developed in power station flue-gas, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and heavy metal ions, such as mercury. Nevertheless, there has been some prior work with lignite in general as a possible char adsorbent. In particular, activated carbons and char adsorbents from "brown coal" and lignite have been produced for several decades. A material known as F-Coal was produced in the former German Democratic Republic and a similar S-Coal was produced in the USSR dating back to the 1950's. These were made from "brown coal", semi-coke by activation with a steam and CO.sub.2 mixture. Their principal application was for desulfurization applications. An activated carbon known as Darco, derived from Texas lignite, has been produced by the Atlas Chemical Company in the U.S. Presently, the largest known producer of lignite char/coke for adsorbent applications is Rheinbraun AG of Koln, Germany. The char is produced from the brown coal of the Rhine Valley region and sold principally as a flue-gas sorbent in a process developed jointly with Stadtwerke AG.
Technical work on lignite char adsorbents and activated carbons dates back to the early part of the century at the University of North Dakota. A 1937 report by C. R. Bloomquist, "The Production of Activated Carbon from Lignite," summarizes work by University of North Dakota researchers and others on early attempts to produce a good adsorbent from lignite feedstocks.
A 1963 study by Thelan investigated the feasibility of producing an activated carbon from North Dakota lignite in a fluidized bed reactor. Carbonized lignite was reacted with steam at elevated temperatures up to 950.degree. C. Amick and Lavine and, in a separate study, Cooley had conducted earlier trials in producing an activated carbon for comparison against the Darco product being produced by the Atlas Chemical Company from Texas lignite. Their initial trials had yielded a product which gave a benzoic acid adsorption considerably higher than that of Darco.
Batch tests by Thelan indicated that steam activation became significant at temperatures over 540.degree. C. with increasing benefit up to 1040.degree. C. (the limit of his equipment). At the upper limit of activation, the activated char from North Dakota lignite had greater adsorption capacity than one of the Darco products, but less than a second product. The optimal conditions, based on limited testing, appeared to be produced by activation at 950.degree. C. with a particle size of -40, +60 mesh, a steam rate lower than 0.35 ft.sup.3 /min, and a char feed rate of 300 gm/hr into a fluid bed reactor.
In 1969, an unpublished thesis study by Schroeder focused on "The Production of Activated Carbon from North Dakota Leonardite." The goal of the study was to assess the adsorptivity potential of an activated carbon produced from a North Dakota Leonardite. Since Leonardite has lost much of its structural integrity, relative to lignite, the study focused on producing a granular activated carbon using a method of colloidal suspension and precipitation followed by drying to yield hard dense granules. A method of pelletizing powdered Leonardite by spraying a 5% solution of sodium hydroxide onto the powdered Leonardire in a rotating drum was investigated.
The Schroeder study produced a Leonardite activated carbon with a bulk density of 0.5 gm/ml in a 8-14 mesh size. Carbonization was carried out at 294.degree. C. followed by cooling by a water mist and then activation in a steam environment at 925.degree. C. The maximum adsorptive power was displayed from a pelletized Leonardite with a zinc chloride additive yielding a higher adsorptive level than Darco S-51 (Texas lignite based) and 60% of Columbia Grade C (coconut shell based).
The study recommended using zinc chloride and calcium hydroxide before briquetting to increase the adsorptive properties. Likewise a precarbonization step before briquetting may enhance granule strength.
In 1970, McNally prepared another thesis entitled, "Activated Carbon from North Dakota Lignite," designed to determine the prevailing factors in the activation process. A lignite-based activated carbon was produced which demonstrated an iodine adsorption capacity of 0.725 gm/gm C compared to 0.55 gms/gm C for a commercial Texas lignite char being produced at the time. The study concluded that the effects of activation residence time ranging between 6-24 minutes has a greater impact on adsorption capacity than activation temperatures in the range of 775.degree.-950.degree. C.
The study recommended the use of a fluidized bed reactor for activation and the reduction of ash from the char by leaching. The study also suggested that future studies should investigate the direct activation of raw and dried lignite and that lignites from different mines be characterized for adsorption capacity.
With the general advent of desulfurization systems for industrial and utility emissions control in the 1970's and 1980's, more attention was given to finding low-cost feedstocks for producing adsorbent carbons. Kassebohm, et al. 14th Annual Lignite Symposium, pp 2 Al:1-16, 1987, described the work of Stadtwerke AG in using brown coal chars in flue-gas adsorbers in the Rhine Valley region of the Federal Republic of Germany. G. Q. Lu and D. D. Do, Carbon Vol. 29, NO.2, pp 207-213, 1991, also report preparation of a sorbent for SO.sub.2 and NO.sub.x removal using coal washery reject in Australia. This solid waste material generated in coal preparation processes was pyrolyzed at around 550.degree. C. and then activated with carbon dioxide at 900.degree. C.
Lu and Do reported using carbonaceous sorbents prepared from these wastes to remove SO.sub.2 at 100.degree.-200.degree. C. resulting in sulfuric acid production. After the SO.sub.2 removal stage, the flue-gas was cooled down to around 25.degree.-50.degree. C. to achieve primarily NO.sub.2 and subsequent adsorption on the char. The NO.sub.2 was then desorbed at 200.degree.-350.degree. C. to generate a gas stream of concentrated carbon dioxide, nitrogen, NO, and CO. The NO is then catalytically reduced in the presence of CO. The equations are as follows: EQU [C--NO.sub.2 ]=NO+CO+CO.sub.2 +N.sub.2 EQU 2NO+2CO=N.sub.2 +2CO.sub.2
This process replaces the use of expensive sorbents like mixed metal oxides and activated carbons without using ammonia at the expense of using some carbon in the NO.sub.x reduction mechanism.
Tests conducted in producing chars from this waste material showed an optimal carbonization temperature of 565.degree. C. at four hours and followed by activation with CO.sub.2 at 900.degree. C. NO.sub.x adsorption was increased by nearly a factor of two with activation, whereas SO.sub.2 adsorption for this material was not significantly affected. The study by Lu and Do demonstrated the importance of pyrolysis and activation temperatures in developing the optimum porous infrastructure prior to activation. The washery waste may become an economically viable flue-gas adsorber material.
In summary, the literature highlights the need to identify the optimal carbonization temperature which yields the maximum porosity infrastructure prior to any activation process. This temperature will be specific to the carbon feedstock but usually lies in the range of 400.degree.-600.degree. C. Activation by steam or carbon dioxide is usually optimized in the range of 850.degree.-950.degree. C. Slower carbonization processes at lower temperatures tend to yield a more porous infrastructure by driving off nearly all the volatiles without consuming the carbon. The optimal activation temperature will gasify surface carbon to the extent that the pores produced in carbonization are increased in size without consolidating them resulting in a loss of internal surface area.
Nearly all studies to date indicate enhanced adsorption of particularly SO.sub.2 and NO.sub.x in the presence of basic surface oxygen radicals. The presence of alkaline ash, while not as decisive, also tends to be positive by further disrupting the graphitic-like surfaces of carbon thereby creating additional basic adsorption points.
It can be seen from the above described state of the art, that while there have been some processes developed for producing chars from lignite, none have been successful in producing a lignite char that has the full range of capability of far more expensive activated carbon, particularly from the standpoint of developing a filter char which can be used particularly as a carbonaceous sorbent for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide removals, particularly in power plant flue-gas streams.
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to produce a carbon adsorbent material from low rank coal with an optimized adsorption capacity for oxides of sulfur and nitrogen and also heavy metals (i.e. mercury, cadmium, lead, etc.). It also adsorbs volatile organic compounds including the elements which make up dioxins and furans.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide carbon adsorbents of the above described undesirable pollutants that have the capacity to nearly completely remove these chemical substances from flue-gas and industrial process streams to achieve full compliance with environmental regulations.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive carbonaceous absorbent material which can fully compete with more expensive activated carbons in price, and at the same time, provide at least as efficient filtration, and in many instances, more efficient filtration than the more expensive activated carbons.
The method and manner of achieving the above objectives will become apparent from the description of the invention given hereinafter. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that certain modifications can be made in the process and conditions hereinafter described and yet still achieve the objectives of the present invention.

University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center Foundation


The present invention relates to novel cleaning compositions that are substantially free of cocamide diethanolamine. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions utilize a surfactant system and coupling agents as a replacement for the rheology modifier cocamide diethanolamine. The combination of a surfactant system and coupling agents can be used as a replacement for traditional rheology modifiers and foaming agents which are under regulatory pressure while providing concentrated liquid cleaning compositions with a viscosity of 400 cps or less. In another aspect the invention relates to novel cleaning compositions such as pot and pan soaking compositions, dishwashing compositions, food and beverage foaming cleaners, vehicle cleaning and the like suitable for use in hard water, which can be solid or liquid. The invention further relates to methods of making these compositions, and to methods employing these compositions.

Transportation costs associated with an aqueous diluent portion of a formulated aqueous product can be a significant part of the cost of aqueous liquid products. Products, such as sanitizing or cleaning solutions, when used in large amounts can be expensive to use due to transportation costs associated with the aqueous portion. For this reason, many commodity liquid products are shipped from the manufacturer as an aqueous concentrate, an aqueous alcoholic concentrate, or as a viscous concentrate to be diluted in a dispenser with an aqueous diluent at the use locus or site. For example, liquid detergents and cleaning solutions used in hospitality locations, institutional or industrial installations such as hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and the like are often shipped as liquid concentrates that are mixed and diluted using a dispensing device at an appropriate ratio to obtain a useful solution.
Concentrates can be diluted in many ways, varying from manually measuring and mixing to utilizing a computer controlled dilution device. One common dilution technique involves utilizing a dispensing device that combines, under mixing conditions, a flow of concentrate and a flow of diluent. The flow of the liquid diluent can be directed through an aspirator such that, as the diluent passes through the aspirator, a negative pressure arises inside the aspirator drawing the liquid concentrate into the aspirator to mix with the liquid diluent. Both U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,649 to Copeland, according to the invention and are presented for exemplary illustration of the invention. et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,825 to Freese disclose dispensers having aspirators for diluting liquid concentrates to produce liquid products in this general way. Such aspirator-type dispensers have been used for diluting a liquid concentrate of an arbitrary viscosity with a low viscosity liquid diluent to produce a use solution of intermediate or low viscosity, i.e., the viscosity of the product falls between the viscosity of the concentrate and the diluent.
A use solution of high viscosity is often desirable. Increased viscosity can increase clinging ability to surfaces of an inclined or vertical substrate for more effective and prolonged contact. In addition, a high viscosity hand soap is often easier to use and tends to feel better than low viscosity hand soaps. Relatively viscous use solution made by diluting a low viscosity liquid concentrate with water to form a high viscosity dilute product are described in the prior art. For example, see European Publication No. 0 314 232; U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,246 to Bertha et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,667 to van Baggem et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,664 to Lao et al. It was found that the use of cocamide diethanolamine (DEA) provided use solutions with good viscosity; however, DEAs have recently come under criticism and regulation for concerns relating to carcinogenic effects. Hodge et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,187 is provided a good concentrate and dilutable composition, which included DEA. However, the compositions taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,187 did not perform well in hard water conditions. For example, hard water conditions reduce flash foam and injure foam stability. This is further complicated in a typical wash setting, where the foam is exposed to soils which also injure foam stability. Thus, there is a need to develop use solutions with desirable viscosity, flash foam, and foam stability, that are capable of shipping in concentrated forms and dilutable for use solutions that are free of DEAs, including cocamide DEA, and that perform well in hard water.
A dispenser for dispensing a viscous use solution by diluting a less viscous concentrate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,446 to Steindorf, et al., which is assigned to Ecolab Inc. of Saint Paul, Minn., the assignee of this application.
Many cleaning compositions include a rheology modifying agent in order to provide the desired viscosity. Further, rheology modifiers that act as foaming agents are particularly desirable in order to increase contact time on surfaces to be cleaned. The most widely used rheology modifier/foaming agent is cocamide DEA, or cocamide diethanolamine, a diethanolamide made by reacting a mixture of fatty acids from coconut oils with diethanolamine. The agent may also been known as lauramide diethanolamine, Coco Diethanolamide, coconut oil amide of diethanolamine, Lauramide DEA, Lauric diethanolamide, Lauroyl diethanolamide, and Lauryl diethanolamide.
It is a viscous liquid and the chemical formula is CH3(CH2)nC(═O)N(CH2CH2OH)2, where n can vary depending on the source of fatty acids. Coconut oil contains about 50% of lauric acid, thus the formula of cocamide can be written as CH3(CH2)10CON(CH2CH2OH)2, though the number of carbon atoms in the chains varies. Cocamide DEA has come under criticism lately and is under regulatory pressure to have it removed from products. It is an allergen that can cause contact dermatitis in individuals who are susceptible to skin allergies. More recently, cocamide DEA has been linked to cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) lists coconut oil diethanolamine condensate (cocamide DEA) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen, which identifies this chemical as possibly carcinogenic to humans. In June 2012, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added Cocamide DEA to the California Proposition 65 (1986) list of chemicals known to cause cancer.
Thus, there has been a desire to replace DEA-based cleaners. However, it was found that once DEA-based rheology modifiers were created to have sufficient viscosity, the formulas failed to provide foam at the desired volume and stability in hard water.
Accordingly it is an object herein to provide cleaning compositions with a combination of components that can be used as a replacement for cocamide DEA while still providing adequate foaming properties.
A further object is to provide cleaning compositions that have adequate foaming properties in hard water.
Still a further object is to provide cleaning compositions that have adequate flash foam and foam stability in hard water.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide cleaning compositions that are safe, environmentally friendly and economically feasible.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art in view of the following disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims.

DEA-free pot and pan cleaner for hard water use


Various device embodiments may comprise an implantable medical device for implantation in a body and for applying neural stimulation to a neural target in the body. The device may comprise a neural stimulation electrode configured for use in stimulating the neural target, a neural stimulator configured to deliver neural stimulation through the electrode to the neural target, a sensor configured to sense a physiological response to stimulation of motor fibers at the neural target, and a controller operatively connected to the neural stimulator to control the neural stimulation and operatively connected to the sensor to receive a signal indicative of the physiological response. The controller may be configured to detect a potential neural injury and perform an action in response to the detected potential neural injury.

Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) have been designed or proposed to treat various conditions. For example, some IMDs are designed to treat cardiac conditions and perform functions such as pacing, cardioversion and defibrillation. Some IMDs deliver neural stimulation. By way of example and not limitation, neural stimulation has been proposed as a therapy for respiratory problems such as sleep disordered breathing, blood pressure control such as to treat hypertension, cardiac rhythm management, myocardial infarction and ischemia, heart failure (HF), epilepsy, depression, pain, migraines, eating disorders, obesity, inflammatory diseases, and movement disorders.

Systems and methods for monitoring for nerve damage


Drawer slide for drawers and other such drawer-like furniture parts, consisting of preferably two tracks of approximately channel-shaped cross section and different web height, and fastened to opposite sides of the drawer and to the fixed furniture part respectively, stops being provided at the ends of the tracks, which are engaged by a ball cage in the maximum outdrawn position and thereby prevent any unintentional separation of the tracks. The cage has limbs projecting into the interstices between flanges of the tracks, in which openings holding the balls of the ball cage are provided. The web section has a resiliently deformable tongue section projecting, in the maximum outdrawn position, at least partially beyond the end of the track fastened to the fixed furniture part, and having at least one detent projection projecting towards the track fastened to the drawer. A detent aperture is provided in the area of the track provided on the drawer and is situated opposite the detent projection in the maximum outdrawn position. The detent projection can be arrested in the aperture by resilient deformation of the tongue section. A counterstop of the cage is provided in the resiliently deformable area of the tongue section and co-operates with the end stop on the furniture-fast track and is so dimensioned that, when the tongue section is deformed in the position of engagement of the detent projection in the detent aperture it is offset from its stop position so far that it can be over-ridden by the end stop of the furniture-fast track.

The invention relates to a slide for drawers and other such drawer-like furniture parts, consisting of at least one pair, preferably two pairs of channel-shaped tracks of different width, one track fastened by its web to each side of the drawer and another fastened by the web of the channel to the carcass of the furniture opposite and parallel to the first track, the flanges of the narrower channel being disposed between the flanges of the wider channel, and bearing balls held in a cage are disposed between the outside of the flanges of the narrower channel and the inside of the flanges of the wider channel and rolling in ball races formed in the flanges, and stops are provided at the ends of the tracks to engage the ball cage when the slide is fully extended and thereby prevent any unintentional separation of the tracks from one another.
Such drawer slides are increasingly used in modern furniture, especially for drawers, work boards, appliance carriers and the like, because they are less bulky than roller guides, and because they require little effort to open even when heavily loaded. In the first assembly of furniture provided with such drawer slides, the problem is encountered that, when the track fastened to the drawer is to be attached to the track fastened to the carcass, the ball cage has to be in a certain position. Furthermore, although the drawer must be secured by stops against being pulled too far out, it must nevertheless be possible to remove it completely when desired.

Karl Lautenschlager KG, Mobelbeschlagfabrik


A light fixture may include a light source and an optical element, such as a light transmissive waveguide and/or a diffuser, having a surface forming a light output surface of the light fixture. The optical element is located to receive light from the source and is configured to supply the light for illumination, via the output surface. In an example of the fixture having a waveguide, the source is coupled to supply light to at least one of the lateral surfaces of the waveguide. At least the output surface of the optical element has a three-dimensional compound curvature and a perimeter that includes two or more edges connected at vertices.

Electrically powered artificial lighting has become ubiquitous in modern society. Electrical lighting devices or luminaires, such as light fixtures or lamps, are commonly deployed, for example, in residences, buildings of commercial and other enterprise establishments, as well as in various outdoor settings.
In recent years, there have been increasing demands for effective and aesthetically pleasing lighting for spaces with open architectures, including many with high ceilings. In many cases, light fixtures for such applications are hung at some distance below the ceiling, although not necessarily as low as the more traditional eight to ten foot ceiling heights in office or older residential buildings. Traditional large scale luminaires (e.g. drums, bowl pendants) often do not efficiently provide enough useful light to serve as the ambient layer. Such products are visually massive due to their vertical height. Higher efficient products designed for higher mounting heights, such as high bay light fixtures or high output cylinder fixtures, come with high luminance and the potential for glare.
It may also be useful in large spaces to sub-divide the area into smaller virtual areas or zones of association or intimacy for a specific function without walls; and the lighting for such smaller areas or zones is configured to provide separately controllable illumination at appropriate levels within those areas or zones.
Also, existing large format luminaires have very limited form factors or are built in place. The main light emitting surface in these form factors typically are flat cylindrical, hemispherical or semi-cylindrical, which may unduly limit appearance as well as lighting performance, particularly for applications in large open spaces and/or spaces with open ceilings.
Satisfying these competing demands has led manufacturers to customize light fixtures to specialized applications in different parts of different customers' buildings. Customized light fixtures, however, come at substantially higher cost than mass produced light fixtures.

Light fixture using a light waveguide with compound curvature


Apparatuses, computer program products, and methods for authenticating digital signals are provided in which copies of a watermark are extracted from a digital signal with at least some of the copies potentially having distorted values. The original values of the watermark may be reconstructed exclusively based on the extracted copies of the watermark. The method includes estimating one or more bit error rates without training or reference information. The bit error rates are modeled as being equivalent to transmitting the copies through binary symmetric channels. The estimated bit error rates and the distorted values are combined to reconstruct the original values of the watermark. The reconstructed watermark may be compared to an original watermark for authenticating the received digital signal. Also, the estimated bit error rates may be compared to a random sequence of bits for verifying the presence of the watermark without knowing the original values of the watermark.

Information and multimedia services today are predominantly published and distributed in a digital format rather than an analog format. The reasons for the shift to digital formats include the ease and economy at which digital content can be distributed. However, digital content providers face a constant threat of unauthorized copying and distribution of their digital content.
Techniques have been developed to help protect digital content from unauthorized or pirated use. The techniques include systems for encrypting and/or authenticating the digital content. One example of authentication is the use of digital watermarks. Digital watermarking is the process of inserting one or more sequence of bits, called watermarks, into a digital file or signal, referred to as the host signal. The watermarks may be used to carry information about the host signal, including authorship and ownership. Moreover, the watermarks or lack thereof may be used for authenticating and/or tamper proofing purposes.
A digital watermark may be perceptible or imperceptible. A perceptible watermark is one that alters the host file or signal such that the watermark itself is perceptible to a consumer. For example, the digital watermark may add a copyright notice onto an image that is visible to the consumer. However, the utility of a perceptible watermark is limited.
For example, the visibility of the watermark makes the location of it known to potential attackers which makes it easier for the attackers to remove it. Also, in some applications such as imaging and video, it is undesirable to mar an image or other digital content with a perceptible watermark.
In contrast, because an invisible watermark is imperceptible, its location within the host file or signal is unknown, which in turn makes it harder for someone to remove or alter the watermark. However, an invisible watermark is not immune to attacks, deliberate or otherwise. For example, if a watermark is casually embedded into the host signal it can be distorted or even completely destroyed by simple operations such as cropping or filtering.
"Robust watermarks" have been developed that are capable of withstanding a reasonable degree of attacks. In general, two types of techniques, "spread spectrum" and "diversity based," have been used to develop robust watermarking.
A spread spectrum technique is the insertion of a pseudo-randomly generated sequence of bits, i.e. the watermark, in a host file or signal in either a spatial domain or in a transform domain, e.g., discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients or wavelet transform coefficients. Later a digital file or signal may be tested for the presence of the watermark by extracting the bits from the digital signal that correspond to the expected location of the watermark. If the extracted bits correlate with the known or reference watermark sequence to a sufficient degree, that correlation would indicate the presence of the original watermark and the authentication of the digital signal as the host signal.
Although the spread spectrum technique has been effective against some narrow band interference, it has not proven effective for extraction of long watermark sequences due to the high bandwidth requirements. Other known drawbacks associated with the spread spectrum technique include vulnerability to near-far problems and inflexibility to statistical variations in the signal.
A diversity based technique has been proposed to overcome some of the drawbacks of the spread spectrum technique. In general, a diversity based technique involves embedding and extracting multiple copies of two types of watermarks, reference watermarks and robust watermarks. The copies of a reference watermark are used to estimate the robust watermark's reliability. Specifically, the multiple copies of the reference watermark are used to estimate the bit error probabilities or distortion of the extracted reference watermark bits and then the multiple copies of the extracted robust watermark are combined, through linear weighting and the estimated bit error probabilities, to find an overall estimate of the original robust watermark. A high enough correlation value between the original undistorted robust watermark and the overall estimate of the original robust watermark would indicate the presence of the original robust watermark and the authentication of the digital file or signal.
The reliance on two types of watermarks adds to the payload of the signal or increases the size of the file. Also, the diversity based technique makes the assumption that the bit error probabilities for the copies of the reference watermark is the same as the bit error probabilities for the copies of the robust watermark. This assumption may be problematic when localized distortions are introduced to the digital signal that affects one type of watermark more than the other. Furthermore, if a localized attack destroys the reference watermarks but leaves the robust watermark unaltered, the prior art robust watermarking schemes will fail to recover the robust watermark. Hence the efficiency of prior art robust watermarking schemes is not in proportion to the payload embedded within the host signal.
Given the above described limitations and problems, it may be advantageous to provide an improved method, apparatus, and computer program product for embedding and extracting digital watermarks in and out of digital files and signals.


A PCI load card includes a PCI interface, an operational amplifier, at least two switches, and a controller. A terminal of each switch is connected to an input terminal of the operational amplifier and connected to a standby power pin of the PCI interface via a first resistor. The other terminals of the at least two switches are respectively connected to ground via at least two resistors. The other input terminal of the operational amplifier is grounded. An output terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to a first terminal of the controller, a second terminal of the controller is connected to a system power pin of the PCI interface, a third terminal of the controller is grounded, the power of the controller is adjusted by controlling the at least two switches.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) load card which is used for simulating PCI loads in testing stability of motherboards.
2. Description of Related Art
In motherboard manufacturing, it is necessary to test motherboard stability, for example, when load power of the motherboard is maximal, it is necessary to test whether the motherboard is stable. The load may be a central processing unit (CPU), a hard disk drive (HDD), an optical disk drive (ODD), a floppy disk drive (FDD), a PCI device, and so on.
There are two typical methods for testing motherboard stability. By one method, actual PCI devices are inserted in the corresponding slots of the motherboard. However, it is costly to use the actual PCI devices for testing. By the other method, a card simulating a PCI load is inserted into the corresponding slot of the motherboard. However, since the card has a fixed/rated power consumption, the motherboard cannot be tested under different power conditions.
What is needed, therefore, is a PCI load card with adjustable power consumption settings for simulating different PCI loads.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A tape carrier for electronic components is provided with enlarged regions along cut out lines defining the boundaries of the electronic component mount area. Provision is made for temporarily maintaining the cut out mount area substantially coplanar with remaining portions of the tape carrier. In the preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by way of an adhesive tape bridging the enlarged openings or by tabs or micro connectors bridging the enlarged openings. Thereafter, the mounts can be totally removed from the carrier film by severing the tape or the tabs. The enlarged regions facilitate the severance of the tape or tabs in an automated assembly line environment.

This invention relates generally to a method of mounting of electronic component mounts formed on FPC tape carriers.
It is the practice in the manufacture and assembly of electronic apparatus, such as circuit boards or circuit display panels, to feed a series of electronic component mounts to a mounting apparatus for the purpose of mounting or otherwise mechanically and/or electrically securing the electronic component mounts to the apparatus. These electronic component mounts are formed spatially along the length of a tape carrier and are generally wound on a reel after electronic components, such as semiconductor integrated circuit chips, have been mounted relative to printed circuit lead patterns provided on the tape carrier. Then, the reel of component mounts is transferred to a mounting apparatus wherein the component mounts are separated from the tape carrier and mounted relative to the electronic apparatus being assembled. More recently, FPC tape carriers have been developed to provide for securing, such as by gang bonding, of integrated circuit chips to preformed printed circuit lead patterns spatially provided along the length of tile tape carrier. In some cases, these tapes have now been de facto standardized to the size of 35 mm photographic film.
An example of such a tape carrier is shown in FIG. 13 comprising tape carrier I having a series of sprocket holes 1B along each edge of the carrier between which are spatially formed electronic component mounts 2 each comprising an electronic device or semiconductor integrated circuit chip 2' having electrical connections or output pads gang bonded to the inner ends of one or more lead patterns 2", which lead patterns have been previously formed directly onto tape carrier 1. Tape carrier 1 may be made of polyimide film or the like. Sprocket holes 1B as well as holes in carrier 1 at the position of chip 2' are formed by a punch press. After these holes are formed in carrier 1, a thin metal film or leaf, such as a laminate copper leaf, is formed along the surface of the tape over the holes formed for chips 2'. Thereafter, photolithography is performed employing a photoresist to pattern and selectively etch the film to form lead patterns 2".
There may also be an opening 2A provided in the film adjacent to the outer ends of the lead pattern 2" to provide a series of lead portions overhanging opening 2A forming a mounting region 2"' when electronic component mounts 2 are removed or separated from tape carrier film 1 by means of cutting or severing along a cut out boundary 4.
In the past, it has been the practice to separate electronic component mounts 2 from tape carrier I primer to their assembly relative to electronic apparatus. Thus, the first step is to remove all electronic components 2 from a single tape carrier 1. Since electronic component mounts 2 are physically separated from tape carrier 1, hereinafter referred to as their out-of-tape state, they are autonomic relative one another and relative to carrier tape 1. In this out-of-tape state, component mounts 2 will, of course, have no predetermined alignment relative to one another as they did in their in-tape state. Therefore, they must be transferred as a plural group, properly aligned and positioned for their final assembly relative to mechanical and electrical connection to electronic apparatus being assembled. Thus, the removal of component mounts 2 from carrier tape 1 prior to assemblage relative to such electronic apparatus renders it difficult to consider and successfully improvise a continuously automated process from the electronic component in-tape state to their out-of-tape state, such as in the case wherein the individual electronic component mounts 2 are assembled into electronic apparatus by means, for example, via an outer lead bonding (OLB) process relative to the outer ends of the leads or mounting regions 2"' of lead patterns 2".
Thus, in prior component and mount assembly technology relating to the OLB process for tape carrier lead patterns 2", individual electronic component mounts 2 were separated from FPC tape 1 in their out-of-tape state rendering it difficult to automate the OLB process. Even if the OLB process was automated to handle mounts 2 previously separated from tape carrier 1, means would have to be provided for the individual handling, orientation, transport and positioning in OLB apparatus for accomplishing pressure adhesion attachment and lead connection into electronic apparatus undergoing assembly. Such means is complicated in design and operation since the out-of-tape state mounts 2 have to be individually handled and manipulated by such means prior to application of the OLB process. Thus, production efficiency is not increased with a significant advancement in automation of the overall assembly process by such an approach.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a tape carrier that can be automated with the outer lead bonding (OLB) process performed from the in-tape state wherein the electronic component mounts are separated from the tape carrier and assembled via mounting apparatus into electronic apparatus undergoing assembly.
It is another object of this invention to provide minimal securing means for maintaining electronic component mounts within the confines of the body of a tape carrier but easily separated therefrom by appropriately severing the securing means for immediate mount assembly.

Method of forming a mounting structure on a tape carrier


Implementations disclose methods and systems for rendering, by a browser, a content item projected on a mesh. A method includes providing, by a browser executing on a user device, an application programming interface (API) to communicate with a web application that includes a user interface to present a content item on the user device; receiving, by the browser from the web application via the API, an instruction to project the content item on a mesh, where the instruction identifies the content item and the mesh; rendering, by the browser and without involvement of the web application, a first frame of the content item projected on the mesh in a first orientation; and causing, by the browser, the rendered first frame to be displayed on the user device.

A web application may receive a user request to display a content item projected on a mesh, such as a 360-degree video projected on a spherical mesh. The web application may render frames of the content item projected on the mesh and display the rendered frames on a user device.


A device for gauging the thickness of refractory lining, comprising an electric pulse measuring unit connected to a lining thickness pulse transducer. The latter is mounted on that portion of the lining which is subjected to thickness measurements, and comprises a fast neutron source, a protective shield, and a thermal and epithermal neutron detector; these are successively arranged in a sealed housing. The thermal and epithermal neutron detector contains a plurality of thermal neutron counters with the number thereof being determined by the activity of the fast neutron source, and a neutron moderator intended to expand the energy interval of neutrons counted by the thermal neutron counters.

Heating plant employed in different industries tends to operate at increasingly growing temperatures, which imposes stringent requirements on the methods of controlling the state of lining in the course of operation so as to obtain exact information on the span of trouble-free operation of each individual unit.
There is known a device for gauging the thickness of refractory lining (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,076, cl. 250-83,3, of 1967), comprising a lining thickness pulse transducer mounted on that portion of the lining which is subjected to thickness measurements. The transducer incorporates a fast neutron source, an ionizing radiation detector, and a protective shield interposed between the source and the detector. The source, shield and detector are accommodated in a sealed housing. The device further includes an electric pulse measuring unit connected to the lining thickness pulse transducer. The ionizing radiation detector is a spectrometer-type gamma ray detector. The device under review is disadvantageous in that the gamma radiation is largely absorbed by the lining material, which affects the accuracy of measurements in the case of thick linings.
In addition, the small cross-section of activation and radiative capture of neutrons by atomic nuclei of elements contained in refractory lining materials call for a fast neutron source capable of producing a neutron flux of about 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.6 neutron/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec on the lining surface. To comply with this requirement, one must use complicated equipment and unwieldy biological protection shields.
The device in question is further disadvantageous in that the spectometer-type gamma radiation detector can operate only within a relatively narrow range of temperatures; this accounts for the complicated design of the lining thickness pulse transducer, as well as for difficulties involved in arranging the transducer on the lining of an operating unit.

Device for gauging thickness of refractory lining


The present invention relates to a method for heat processing a substrate. After a coating film is formed on the substrate, the substrate is baked at a predetermined high temperature. The baking step is performed by first increasing the substrate temperature from a predetermined low temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature that is lower than a predetermined reaction temperature at which the coating film reacts. Next, a second baking step maintains the substrate at the predetermined intermediate temperature for a predetermined period of time, and is followed by a third step of increasing the temperature of the substrate to the predetermined high temperature that is higher than the predetermined reaction temperature. This results in uniform temperature within the surface of the substrate when the temperature of the substrate reaches the reaction temperature. Consequently, a chemical reaction due to heat processing of the coating film within the surface of the substrate is performed uniformly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for heat processing of a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a photolithography process in the fabrication of a semiconductor device, various heat processings such as baking processing (prebaking) for vaporizing a solvent in a coating film after a resist solution is applied on the surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter called "a wafer") to form the coating film, baking processing (post-exposure baking) for promoting a chemical reaction of the coating film after a pattern is exposed, cooling processing after each baking processing, and the like are performed.
For example, in the aforesaid post-exposure baking processing, in order to activate an acid as a catalyst produced in the coating film by exposure, the temperature of the wafer is increased nonstop to a temperature between about 120° C. and about 160° C. so as to exceed a reaction temperature at which the acid is activated, for example, 80° C., and the wafer is baked at that temperature for a predetermined period of time.
Experimentation by the inventor, et al., however, reveals that when the temperature of the wafer is increased nonstop to the temperature between 120° C. and 160° C., the temperature within the surface of the wafer is made nonuniform in the early stage and not increased uniformly as shown in FIG. 9.
Accordingly, when the temperature is rapidly increased nonstop, the temperature of the wafer exceeds the reaction temperature while the temperature within the surface of the wafer is nonuniform, and hence the timings in which the temperature reaches the reaction temperature and the timings in which a reaction is started differ from portion to portion within the surface of the wafer. As a result, difference in reaction period occurs within the surface of the wafer, finally leading to the nonuniformity of the line width of a pattern formed on the wafer and a reduction in yield.


A determination is made that data stored in an extent of a first storage resource is to be moved to an extent of a second storage resource. Operations that are still awaiting to start execution in the first storage resource after the data stored in the extent of the first storage resource has been moved to the extent of the second storage resource, are configured for execution in the second storage resource.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a method, system, and computer program product for processing a set of pending operations for a switchover from a first storage resource to a second storage resource.
2. Background
In certain storage system environments, a storage controller (or a storage controller complex) may comprise a plurality of storage servers that are coupled to each other. The storage controller allows host computing systems to perform input/output (I/O) operations with storage devices controlled by the storage controller, where the host computing systems may be referred to as hosts.
Tiered storage is the assignment of different categories of data to different types of storage devices to reduce total storage cost. Tiers may be determined by performance and cost of the storage devices, and data may be ranked based on how often the data is accessed. Certain tiered storage policies may place the most frequently accessed data on the highest performing storage device, and rarely accessed data may be placed on low-performance, cheaper storage devices.
In certain situations, data may be moved from one storage tier which is performing operations relatively slowly, to another storage tier that is able to perform operations relatively faster.

Processing of a set of pending operations for a switchover from a first storage resource to a second storage resource

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A filtering device for a narrow-band terminal in a private installation connected to an access network carrying narrow-band services (analogue or ISDN) and broad-band services (xDSL or HomePNA). The device has a low-pass filter associated with an insulation enabling the device to have a high input impedance insulating the installation when the narrow-band terminal is on hook while allowing the ringing signal to pass. Applicable to private telephone-teledata installations.

The invention relates to a low-pass filtering device for a private installation connected to an access network carrying narrow-band services (analogue or ISDN) and broad-band services (xDSL or HomePNA) and the private installations including such devices.
1. Field of the Invention
Private installation means a Customer Premises Network (CPN). It starts at the terminal strip of the premises (NID, Network Interface Demarcation), and comprises all the cables, copper pairs and telephone sockets. It is connected (possibly via active equipment such as a PABX) to a network for access to narrow-band services and to broad-band services. It will in practice be a telephonic and teledata installation connected to the telephone network comprising one or more narrow-band terminals such as the telephone handsets, faxes, answering machines, modems or any other type of analogue or digital equipment (ISDN) and one or more broad-band terminals based on DSL or HomePNA technology.
Hereinafter the narrow-band terminals will be referred to by the abbreviation NBT and broad-band terminals by the abbreviation BBT.
Broad-band service means any service transmitted in a spectral band situated above narrow-band services (that is to say telephony or ISDN, frequencies higher than 10 kHz). Typically these are services delivered by the xDSL network, or based on purely private systems known as HomePNA, for example.
The term xDSL will be given to the broad-band services grouping together all the technological families such as SDSL, ADSL and ADSL-lite.
HomePNA is a Consortium set up in 1998 with a view to federating the specifications of transmission systems on telephone pairs: Home Phoneline Networking Alliance. By extension of this description, the so-called HomePNA systems will designate all transmission systems on a telephone copper pair, whether or not in conformity with the specifications of the HomePNA Consortium.
2. Description of the Related Art
The publications produced up to the present time relate exclusively to the following subjects:                ADSL-lite and more generally the problems of distributed filtering and its impact on telephony;        design of low-pass filters.
The publication researches emanating from the following bodies:                UAWG: Universal ADSL Working Group        ADSL-Forum        ITU SG15Q4 International Telecommunications Union-Study Group 15-Question 4
Amongst the recommendations and standards relating to the technical field of the invention, there are the following:                ITU-T:        SG15/Q4: determination G.992.1 (ADSL modems),        SG15/Q4: determination G.992 (ADSL-lite or Splitterless modems),        SG15/Q4: determination G.996.1 (test procedures for evaluating performances of DSL systems),        Recommendation Q.552 "Transmission characteristics at 2-wire analogue interfaces of digital exchanges".
And of the                ETSI:        TBR21: Terminal equipment (TE); Attachment requirements for pan-European approval for connection to the analogue Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs) of TE (excluding TE supporting the voice telephony service) in which network addressing, if provided, is by means of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) signalling,        TBR37: Draft EN 301 437 V1.1.1 (1998-09)—Terminal Equipment (TE); Attachment requirements for pan-European approval for connection to the analogue Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs) of TE supporting the voice telephony service in which network addressing, if provided, is by means of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) signalling.
The situation with the problem encountered by the applicant is as follows:
An IPC is connected to an access network. It makes it possible to deliver narrow-band services to the different NBTs.
This same IPC can be used for delivering broad-band services to one or more BBTs (either of the xDSL type, or a private LAN of the HomePNA type for example).
The simultaneous transportation of the two ranges of services on the same IPC is effected by a frequency multiplexing of the corresponding signals.
Frequency multiplexing of broad-band and narrow-band services on the same IPC is liable to require the use of a low-pass filter (or LPF in English terminology) in front of (or in) one or more NBTs in order to guarantee transparency between the two ranges of services (no mutual interference). The concept of distributed filters ('distributed LPF', or more generally 'distributed filter') is then evoked. This concept is detailed below:
The use of a number of filters which is a prior unknown and may change over time then poses problems of impedance mismatching between the TBE or NBTs and the private installation. For conventional telephony services, for example, this impedance mismatching results in an impairment of the phonic quality.
Bringing an ADSL modem into service conventionally requires the installation of a separator or splitter for narrow-band signals (analogue or ISDN services) and ADSL signals (broad-band services) at the input to the private installation. Each of the services is then routed separately over two distinct infrastructures (copper pairs) to the ad-hoc NBTs or BBTs (typically an ADSL modem).
During 1998 a new concept arose: "splitterless", which assumes an elimination of the signal separator. However, in the great majority of cases, it then becomes necessary to install low-pass filters before some or all of the NBTs, failing which the broad-band signals interfere with the telephony and vice-versa.
The concept of distributed filtering or "Distributed Filter" is then evoked. The essential aspect of this concept lies in the possibility for the client of installing the ADSL modem and the filters in an autonomous and simple fashion as illustrated by the diagram in FIG. 1A.
An example of a filter used in the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1B. This is a filter sold by the company Excelsus.
In order to be viable such a solution requires compliance with the following points:                1. the use of distributed filters must preserve the quality of narrow-band service perceived by each NBT;        2. the use of narrow-band services must not interfere with the broad-band services carried by the ADSL signals (for example hanging up or picking up a telephone set), and vice-versa;        3. points 1 and 2 must be complied with whatever the number of filters installed in the private installation of the customer;        4. the type of filter used must be independent of the number of filters installed in the private installation of the customer;        5. the unit price of each filter must remain low.
When a filter is inserted in the private installation of the customer, it must not impair the retrieval of the narrow-band service. It must for example have an impedance matched to the access impedance of the NBT. An impedance mismatch results in an impairment of the parameters of retrieval of the analogue service, and therefore non-conformity with the specifications or recommendations current in the country in question.
In terms of voice services, for example, an impedance mismatch between an NBT and the telephone access causes a phenomenon of local echo, whose level is related to the degree of mismatching.
In the European recommendations and standards, for example, the NBTs (voice and non-voice) can have several types of impedance described in the ETSI publication: -TBR21 and TBR37.
At the international level, the recommendations and standards published by the ITU-T deal with the same points: recommendation Q.552 "Transmission characteristics at 2-wire analogue interfaces of digital exchanges".
These publications also describe the parameters for qualifying the narrow-band services, and give recommendations to be complied with in terms of "Return Loss", or insertion losses, and insertion loss distortion, etc.
Putting several filters in parallel in front of as many NBTs modifies the resulting impedance of the assembly formed by the private infrastructure of the customer (IPC) and the filters: "IPC+filters" seen at each of the NBTs.
The only exception to this rule is the so-called first order filters. This is a case of simple inductors. Putting several of them in parallel does not modify the resulting impedance at the IPC.
The drawback is as follows: the stiffness of a filter is as a first approximation n×6 dB per octave, where "n" is the order of the filter. The first order filters do not sufficiently protect the narrow-band services from the broad-band ones. In terms of telephony, a residual noise (hiss) is then perceptible.
For filters with an order greater than 1, one possible solution would consist of designing them so that the impedance seen by each NBT is matched to a given configuration. For example, if the installation of the customer requires the use of "n" filters, it is possible to manufacture a low-pass filter adapted to this particular situation: "n" filters installed in parallel on the IPC.
The drawback is then: the addition or removal of a filter changes the impedance of the whole, and leads to the situation described above: mismatched impedance between NBT and the assembly consisting of IPC and filters.
A new class of filter has also been proposed by B. Beeman-Siemens Telecom Networks. The objective sought for consists, for this technique, of modifying the impedance Z of the filter in order to limit the variation in the "Return Loss" level (measured here at 4 kHz) when the number of filters installed in parallel changes.
Each filter does not individually have an impedance strictly matched to the NBT, but the return loss varies little within the limit of a few given configurations.
This solution reduces the effect of the number of filters, but does not cancel it out completely.
It is not satisfactory since it does not guarantee compliance with the current recommendations in the different countries (for example ITU-T q; 552, or ETSI TBR21 and TBR37).
In conclusion, there does not exist at the present time any device for simultaneously reconciling the following aspects:                Preservation of the quality of the analogue or ISDN service or services,        Design of a single model of filter able to be installed before (or in) one or more NBTs, the total number of filters being indeterminate and variable over time.

Low-pass filtering device with integrated insulator and private installation comprising same