The present invention relates to a method of determining the relative proportions of gases in a mixture, such that the relative proportions of N gases are determined using N-1 sensors, not all of which are specific to a particular gas. In the preferred embodiment, oxygen and carbon dioxide are measured in the presence of nitrogen by measuring magnetic susceptibility and speed of sound. The described method of gas analysis leads to very fast response times and exceptional stability, making the technology suitable for breath-by-breath analysis of respired air. Notably, the method does not require high-temperature components, electrochemical cells, or consumable components.

There are almost unlimited applications for the measurement of proportions of gases in a mixture. A particular example is rapid measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the presence of nitrogen for evaluation of metabolic activity in humans or other organisms by indirect calorimetry. Other uses include general laboratory use, monitoring of combustion gases, and monitoring of green house gases.
Commonly, to determine the proportions of N gases in a mixture, N-1 sensors are used, each one specific to a particular gas. This usually implies a multiplicity of instruments and sample paths, in many cases the necessity of making multiple adjustments to equalize delays and response times of the various instruments, the expense of procuring multiple instruments, and the inconvenience of dealing with them. An exception to this is the mass spectrograph, but this instrument is expensive, bulky, and complex. The present invention relates to the measurement of N-1 physical or chemical parameters in a mixture of N gases in order to determine the relative proportions of N gases. The measurements do not need to be specific to a particular gas, but they must be linearly independent in order to provide unique solutions for the proportions of all the gases.
In particular, the invention relates to the measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in a mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, by the measurement of the paramagnetic properties of the gas and the speed of sound of the gas. Desirable qualities of gas measurement include long term stability without readjustment, fast response time, low temperature, non-expendable sensor, ruggedness, and low cost relative to current technologies.
Commonly, oxygen is measured by (1) classical paramagnetic method (Pauling method), (2) zirconium fuel cell, (3) magnetic wind method, (4) acoustical methods based on modulated magnetic fields, and (5) wet chemical cell such as the Clark electrode. (1) suffers from slow response and is easily damaged by physical shock. (2) suffers from poor stability, high temperature, need for warm up, and a consumable cell which must be replaced at intervals. (3) suffers from slow response, interference by other gases, and unstable calibration. (4) appears promising, but has not enjoyed significant commercial success, possibly due to poor stability and interference by acoustical noise. (5) suffers from slow speed, depletion, and changing calibration.
The most prevalent method of measuring carbon dioxide is the measurement of infrared absorption. Such instruments work fairly well, but require relatively high temperatures, significant warm up, and frequent calibration.
As already pointed out, the combination of two separate gas sensing technologies to determine the proportional combination of three gases is a deficient method as regards to complication, cost, matching of delay times and response times.

Apparatus and method for the determination of the relative proportions of gases


An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate, a first electrode and an assistance electrode disposed on the substrate and separated from each other, an organic emission layer disposed on the first electrode, a contact hole which exposes the assistance electrode and is defined in the organic emission layer, and a second electrode disposed on the organic emission layer and electrically connected to the assistance electrode through the contact hole.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to an organic light emitting diode ("OLED") display. More particularly, the exemplary embodiments relate to an OLED display displaying an image by emitting light through a front (top) surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, OLED displays have received much attention as display devices for displaying images.
The OLED display has a self-luminance characteristic and does not require a separate light source, unlike a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), and thus a thickness and a weight thereof may be decreased. In addition, the OLED display exhibits high-quality characteristics such as low power consumption, high brightness, high response speed, and the like.
Generally, the OLED display includes an organic light emitting element having a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the organic light emitting layer.
The OLED display is generally classified into a front (top) emission type, a rear (bottom) emission type, and a dual (both-sided) emission type The front emission type OLED display has a structure in which the second electrode of an organic light emitting element is formed over an entire area of a substrate where the organic light emitting element is formed in a thin film shape in order to minimize deterioration of luminance of light generated from an organic emission layer.
However, since the second electrode formed in a thin film is formed over the entire area of the substrate in the front emission type of OLED display, a voltage drop occurs in driving power passing through the second electrode for driving the organic emission layer due to electrical resistance of the second electrode.

Organic light emitting diode display and method for manufacturing the same


A railroad freight car including a cargo well for carrying optionally either intermodal cargo containers or highway semitrailers has a side sill structure including a deep rectangular top chord and a depending web, supporting a well floor structure. The well floor structure includes reinforcing longitudinal and transverse channel members and horizontal top and bottom plates attached to the channels. Large circular openings, aligned with one another, are defined in both the top and bottom plates, and a peripheral ring of vertical material interconnects the margins of the top and bottom plates around the openings. A reinforcing walkway structure is located atop each side sill at each end of the cargo well. In a multi-unit car adjacent car units are supported on a single shared wheeled truck. A trailer hitch is carried on a body bolster of one of the adjacent units to support the front end of trailer whose wheels rest on the floor of the cargo well of the other of the adjacent units, so that a trailer otherwise too long can be carried on the multi-unit car.

The present invention relates to railroad freight cars, and particularly to a multi-unit railway freight well car of lightweight construction, for optionally carrying either intermodal cargo containers stacked one upon another or over-the-highway freight trailers supported on their own running gear in a cargo well of any car unit of the multi-unit car.
Railroad car units for carrying over-the-highway freight trailers are well known, as are multi-unit railroad freight cars defining cargo or container wells for carrying various combinations of intermodal cargo containers stacked one upon another in two tiers. Because the total weight which can be carried upon the rails limits the net amount of cargo which can be carried on a railroad freight car unit, it is desirable for a well car unit to be constructed in a configuration having a minimum tare weight consistent with the strength required to safely support a combination of cargo containers and trailers for which the car unit is configured. It is also necessary, however, to provide an adequate surface to support the tires of trailers carried in the cargo well. Additionally, it is necessary for a car unit to be strong enough to withstand the many forces resulting from movement of the laden car unit as part of a train.
Some highway freight trailers are longer than the cargo wells commonly provided for receiving stacked containers in the car units of such multi-unit well cars, but it is preferred not to build car unit bodies with longer wells to accommodate such trailers because of the limitation of cargo capacity resulting from the extra weight of such a longer car unit body. Nevertheless, it is desired to be able to carry such longer trailers safely in such multi-unit well cars. At the same time, it is desirable to provide in a railroad freight car the ability to carry a widely variable mix of containers and trailers of various sizes, and thus to minimize the number of spaces for trailers or containers left empty in loading the car units of a train.
To carry trailers efficiently in a well car unit it is necessary to provide a shallow well depth from a floor top surface to the top of a side sill, to give trailer loading equipment access to the bottom of a trailer floor above the side sills so that trailers can handily be inserted into and extracted from the well. The reduction of bending resistance resulting from shallower side sills must be restored by other structure.
Well car units utilize inter-box connectors (IBCs) to interconnect upper and lower containers when they are carried stacked one atop another in a well car unit. IBCs are usually located at a standard position between such stacked containers, corresponding to the location of an end of a standard intermodal container 40 feet long, for example, even though it is possible that a container more than 40 feet long may be carried.
It is necessary for a person to reach the IBC to operate it to interconnect or disconnect containers when a container is being loaded onto or removed from atop a lower tier container carried in a well of such a car unit. Since some containers are over 9' high, it may be difficult to reach the IBCs when standing atop a side sill of a well car unit, particularly one which has relatively low side sills. There is additional risk of falling where a well car unit is intended to carry containers having lengths greater than 40 feet. Some car units for carrying stacked containers therefore include walkways on which a person can stand to reach IBCs.
Some railroad freight car units are designed to carry trailers, or chassis and attached intermodal cargo containers, in a cargo well also equipped to carry stacked containers. The structure of such well car units must satisfy certain requirements. First, any walkways intended to provide access to IBCs interconnecting stacked containers carried in such a car unit should be located where they will not interfere with the proper operation of cranes used to move trailers into or out of such car units.
Second, it is necessary for the car unit structure to carry loads, imposed upon the car unit by the weight of containers or trailers, from the side sills to the wheeled trucks supporting the car unit. However, such loads are concentrated in the side sill structure of the car unit near the ends, because of the need for clearance for the wheeled trucks to pivot.
What is needed, then, is an improved multi-unit railroad car including cargo wells for optionally carrying either stacked containers or trailers of various lengths, including trailers longer than the cargo well in a car unit, yet without restricting availability of the cargo well of an adjacent car unit, and in which a well floor structure and the connection of such a well floor to other parts of the car provide adequate strength without unnecessary weight, yet with shallow well depth and small floor thickness, and in which provision is made for a person to reach and operate inter-box connectors safely when containers are stacked in the cargo well.


A method and sewing apparatus including a twin-needle sewing machine (3) for making a pocket insert having a flap. The workpiece (47) is placed in a preparation station (50) and gripped by clamping plates (41, 42), then transported into a sewing position (51), and thereafter into a cutting position (52). Before the seams are made, measurement variables which provide information with respect to the angles formed by the flap-limiting edges are fed to a control (23). As a function of the measurement variables, a control (23) automatically sets the angles of the corner knives (69, 70) provided at the cutting position (51).

U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,481 discloses a sewing system for the production of pocket inserts, which also permits the working of parts of sewing material in the form of flaps or strips. The quality of such pocket inserts is dependent to a large extent on how the length and shape of such sewing-material parts and pocket insert are adapted to each other.
In order to obtain exact agreement of the lengths of the workpieces, the sewing system is provided with a sensor device which detects the leading and trailing edges of the sewing-material part via a photocell in order to enable a control device to guide the formation of the seams and to cut properly. For this purpose, the control device automatically positions the corner knives in order to make the corner cuts in a manner corresponding to the detected length of the sewing-material part. With respect to the shape of the sewing-material part, a manual entry must be made into the control device, which accordingly controls the functions involved in producing a seam, making the middle cut, and angularly positioning the corner knives which make the corner cuts.
Because of the requirement that there be a manual entry with respect to the shape of the pocket insert to be produced, erroneous entries into the control can impair the quality or even cause rejection of the finished product.
Another difficulty is caused by manufacturing tolerances with respect to the angles with which the sewing-material parts to be sewed together are prepared. As a result, it is frequently necessary for an entry to be corrected. Furthermore, different shapes cannot be worked in rapid sequence.
In view of the necessary inputs, and possibly their correction, as well as verification and monitoring tasks, there is additional work for the operator, as a result of which, in the final analysis, the quality of the product and the output of the sewing system are impaired.
All prior art materials mentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference.

Method and sewing system for the production of a pocket insert


A mounting system for a vehicle steering system is provided. The mounting system includes a bushing, an isolator and a fastener. The bushing includes a retaining flange and a threaded internal cavity. The isolator includes a hollow body portion and a first end wall. The isolator is installed to a steering gear assembly such that the inner surface of the end wall contacts one surface of the steering gear housing. The bushing is installed through the isolator such that the retaining flange contacts an outer surface of one of the end walls. The steering gear assembly is positioned against a vehicle chassis such that the exterior surface of the other end wall contacts a structural member. The fastener is installed through the structural member and threadably engages the internally threaded cavity. The bushing limits the amount of clamping force transmitted to the end walls and permits the isolator to effectively dampen noise and vibration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vibration isolating mounting systems and more particularly, to a vibration isolating mounting system for a rack and pinion steering gear. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a vibration isolating mounting system for rack and pinion steering gear which provides increased clearance between the front axle assembly of a four-wheel drive vehicle and the steering gear mounting system.
2. Discussion
It is essential in automotive designs that vehicle components which produce vibration and noise be effectively isolated from the passenger compartment and vehicle steering system. Steering gear assemblies are commonly subject to vibrations emanating from road conditions wherein shocks and vibrations emanating from the steerable road wheels of the vehicle are transmitted to the steering gear assembly through the steering linkage.
Various mounting systems for steering gear assemblies have been developed to inhibit the transmission of vibration into the vehicle steering gear assembly. These systems, however, tend to be cumbersome to assemble due to their typical use of numerous washers and retaining nuts. These systems also typically require substantial room for the installation and servicing of the steering gear assembly. This latter drawback is of particular significance when the component "packaging" space of a vehicle is limited, as is typically the case with a four-wheel drive vehicles where the vehicle front axle consumes a large portion of this packaging space.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for a mounting system for a vehicle steering gear assembly having a reduced the number of components which permits the steering gear assembly to be easily installed and serviced and which consumes less packaging space.

Limited access four-wheel-drive rack & pinion mounting system


A field-effect semiconductor device, for example a MOSFET of the trench-gate type, comprises side-by-side device cells at a surface (10a) of a semiconductor body (10), and at least one drain connection (41) that extends in a drain trench (40) from the body surface (10a) to an underlying drain region (14a). A channel-accommodating region (15) of the device extends laterally to the drain trench (40). The drain trench (40) extends through the thickness of the channel-accommodating region (15) to the underlying drain region (14a), and the drain connection (41) is separated from the channel-accommodating region (15) by an intermediate insulating layer (24) on side-walls of the drain trench (40). A compact cellular layout can be achieved, with a significant proportion of the total cellular layout area accommodating conduction channels (12). The configuration in a discrete device avoids a need to use a substrate conduction path and so advantageously reduces the ON resistance of the device.

This invention relates to field-effect semiconductor devices, particularly but not exclusively insulated-gate field-effect power transistors (so-called MOSFETs) of trench-gate type, comprising side-by-side device cells at one major surface of the body, and at least one drain connection that extends in a drain trench from the one major surface to an underlying drain region. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing such devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,048 discloses such a field-effect semiconductor device in the context of allowing a plurality of MOSFETs to be integrated in and on the same device body. Each MOSFET comprises a plurality of side-by-side device cells at one major surface of the body. The configuration of each device cell is conventional in having a source region that is separated by a channel-accommodating region of a first conductivity type from an underlying drain region of an opposite, second conductivity type. In conventional manner, a gate electrode is capacitively coupled to the channel-accommodating region to control a conduction channel between the source and drain regions. The whole contents of U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,048 are hereby incorporated herein as reference material.
In the devices of U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,048, the drain region of each MOSFET comprises an individual highly-doped buried layer between a drain drift region and the device substrate. The individual buried layers allow separate drain connections to the individual MOSFETs. Because a plurality of these MOSFETs are integrated in the same device body, each MOSFET has at least one individual drain connection between the one major surface and the drain buried layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,048 discloses forming these drain connections as low resistivity material in a drain trench that extends through an area of the drain drift region, from the one major surface to the underlying drain buried layer. These trenched drain connections are of much lower resistivity than the drain drift region, and so reduce the ON resistance of the MOSFET.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide trenched drain connections in MOSFETs and similar devices, in a particularly advantageous manner that allows a more compact cellular layout. In addition, a configuration is desirable that may be used advantageously to reduce ON resistance by avoiding a substrate conduction path in discrete devices and to allow proportionally more of the total cellular layout area to accommodate conduction channels.
According to the present invention, there is provided a field-effect semiconductor device comprising a plurality of side-by-side device cells and at least one trenched drain connection, wherein the device has a channel-accommodating region that extends laterally to the drain trench, the drain trench extends through the thickness of the channel-accommodating region to the underlying drain region, and the drain connection is separated from the channel-accommodating region by an intermediate insulating layer on side-walls of the drain trench.
A compact cellular layout can be achieved, because no intermediate area of drain drift region is needed to separate the trenched drain connection from the channel-accommodating region. The invention provides a configuration of trenched drain connection that may even be used in low-voltage devices that do not have a low-doped drift region.
In a discrete device, the underlying drain region may comprise a monocrystalline substrate of the second conductivity type. The trenched drain connection to the upper surface of the body (typically an epitaxial layer) avoids the need to provide a conduction path in conventional manner through the substrate to its lower surface. As device design becomes more efficient in reducing the ON resistance, especially in trench-gate devices, this conduction path in the substrate would add noticeably (in the absence of the invention) to the total ON resistance between source and drain.
In order to accommodate conduction channels in proportionally more of the total cellular layout area, the drain trench may extend through a cell comprising an active source region. This source region can be laterally separated from the drain trench by an intermediate part of the channel-accommodating region.
In order to reduce the total cellular area occupied by the trenched drain connection(s), a drain trench or even each drain trench may extend through a connection cell that is laterally adjoined by device cells without a drain trench. These adjoining device cells may, for example, laterally surround the connection cell.
Several particularly advantageous features and options available with the invention are set out in the appended claims.
Several of the device structures can also be manufactured advantageously in accordance with the invention. Thus, for example, etching the drain trench through the thickness of the channel-accommodating region localises the layout of the channel-accommodating region at the major surface of the body. The channel-accommodating region may be formed from a continuous doped layer of the first conductivity type at this major surface. Thus, for example, it may be formed from a non-localised (blanket) dopant implantation and/or diffusion in at least the active area of the device, or a doped epitaxial layer. When the device is of the trench-gate type, the gate trench may be etched in the same process steps as the drain trench. Both trenches may even be of the same depth.


A network device for providing statistical sampling of packet at a port. The network device includes an ingress module for randomly selecting a packet at one of a plurality of ports for statistical sampling and an egress module for randomly selecting a packet at one of a plurality of ports for statistical sampling. The network device also includes a processing module for receiving a copy of a selected packet from at least one of the ingress module or egress module and for performing statistical flow processing on the packet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network device in a data network and more particularly to a system and method of providing support for statistical flow of data by randomly sampling packets at an ingress module and an egress module
2. Description of the Related Art
A packet switched network may include one or more network devices, such as a Ethernet switching chip, each of which includes several modules that are used to process information that is transmitted through the device. Specifically, the device includes an ingress module, a Memory Management Unit (MMU) and an egress module. The ingress module includes switching functionality for determining to which destination port a packet should be directed. The MMU is used for storing packet information and performing resource checks. The egress module is used for performing packet modification and for transmitting the packet to at least one appropriate destination port. One of the ports on the device may be a CPU port that enables the device to send and receive information to and from external switching/routing control entities or CPUs.
A current network device may support physical ports and logical/trunk ports, wherein the trunk ports are a set of physical external ports that act as a single link layer port. Ingress and destination ports on the network device may be physical external ports or trunk ports. By logically combining multiple physical ports into a trunk port, the network may provide greater bandwidth for connecting multiple devices. Furthermore, if one port in the trunk fails, information may still be sent between connected devices through other active ports of the trunk. As such, trunk ports also enable the network to provide greater redundancy between connected network devices.
In order to monitor traffic flow between network devices, the network has to statistically monitor packets travelling through the network. There are currently different methods of monitoring traffic flow in the network. For example, packet flows may be monitored at the ingress module or at the egress module of the network. However, these methods may be inaccurate in that some packets monitored at the ingress module may be dropped during processing. Thus, a system is provided to monitor packet flow by randomly sampling packets at the ingress and egress modules.


A helicopter deicing control system (10) is provided for selectively distributing D.C. electrical power to a plurality of deicing segments (80, 90) on main and tail rotor blades with only two slip-ring assemblies (60 and 61, 62 and 63) for each rotor drive shaft. A power distribution controller (20) receives electrical power from the helicopter's onboard, fixed electrical power system and provides an output signal including power and control D.C. electrical signals of opposite polarities. A distributor (70) receives the output signal from controller (20) and increments a rotary switch (74) upon receipt of a D.C. electrical control signal, and distributes power to the main rotor deicing segment (90) connected to the rotary switch (74) contact then engaged upon the receipt of a D.C. electrical power signal so as to sequentially deliver D.C. electrical power to the desired main rotor deicing segment.. Controller (30) includes provisions for individually preselecting the operating time for each deicing segment (80, 90), testing the operation and providing a continuous visual indication of the operational status of deicing control system (10).

Aircraft deicing systems are well-known and widely used saftey devices for the removal of ice accumulated on aerodynamically significant aircraft surfaces, such as propeller and helicopter rotor blade airfoils. It has been found that cycling the application of heat to the airfoil radially outwardly from root to tip of a rotating airfoil results in substantially improved ice shedding characteristics with significantly reduced energy requirements. Accordingly, most present-day aircraft deicing systems incorporate a plurality of electrical resistance-type heating elements, known as deicing segments, which are sequentially and cyclically energized in symmetrical pairs on opposing blades.
In order to selectively energize each deicing segment, a separate electrical connection was necessary for each opposing pair of deicing segments and a single additional electrical connection, common to all deicing segments, was required to complete each two-wire deicing segment circuit. Unfortunately, the energy requirements of these deicing segments are such that power must be obtained from one of the electrical power generator's located elsewhere on the aircraft. Thus, some mechanism is required for coupling the power from the aircraft's fixed generating system to the rapidly rotating propeller or rotor blades. Heretofore a suitable plurality of brush block assemblies were rigidly mounted to the aircraft, and slip-ring assemblies positioned on the rotating propeller or rotor drive shaft to effectuate this coupling. For example, in a helicopter with six deicing segments on each of four main rotor blades and a single deicing segment on each of two tail rotor blades, provided pairs of segments on opposing blades are simultaneously energized, a total of 13 slip-ring asssemblies for the main rotor blades and 2 slip-ring assemblies for the tail rotor blades were required. However, such assemblies are subject to substantial wear, require frequent maintenance and replacement and, because of the large number of assemblies required, present a constant threat of in-flight deicing system failure.
I am specifically aware of only one other control system for the cyclic distribution of D.C. electrical power to deicer elements on rotating propeller blades in which the number of required slip-ring assemblies is minimized, my previous invention, U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,514. However, the nature of that control system is such that its use is limited to selectively controlling only two sets of deicing segments, unlike the unlimited number that may be selectively controlled by the present invention, as detailed hereinafter.
Other deficiencies of the prior art deicing systems includes the inability to provide rapid testing of the deicing system when the aircraft is resting on land (and air cooling capabilities are limited), continual visual monitoring of the deicing system operational status, and a simple mechanism for the adjustment of deicer segment heating cycle times.


An optical waveguide 30 having a bending groove 34 parallel to two long sides of a rectangular shape thereof. The optical waveguide 30 is bent along the bending groove 34 so as to come into close contact with a frame of an optical touch panel. This makes it possible to attach the optical waveguide 30 to the frame without misalignment during assembly. Therefore, the optical waveguide 30 can emit light beams in a direction perpendicular to one side of a rectangular display screen opposed to one long side of the rectangular shape thereof. Further, the width of the frame of the optical touch panel 30 can be made smaller than that of the optical waveguide 30. This makes it possible to achieve reduction in the width of the frame of the optical touch panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical waveguide and an optical touch panel using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical touch panel using optical waveguides each having a plurality of cores and a cladding surrounding the cores has been conventionally known (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,709). Such an optical touch panel determines the coordinates of position of a finger or a pen blocking a grid of light beams (infrared light beams), which is formed over a display screen with the use of optical waveguides, by detecting the intensity of light beams blocked by the finger or pen. Further, an optical touch panel using optical waveguides is thin and highly sensitive, and is therefore expected to have great potential.
However, an optical touch panel using conventional optical waveguides has drawbacks in that it is difficult to perform the positioning of the optical waveguides and that it is also difficult to reduce the width of a frame thereof because the optical waveguides are arranged around a display screen.
FIG. 1 shows plan and sectional views of a main part of an optical touch panel 10 using conventional optical waveguides 13. In the optical touch panel 10 using the conventional optical waveguides 13, the optical waveguides 13 are provided on a frame 12 surrounding a display screen 11.
The two long sides of the rectangular flat plate-shaped optical waveguide 13 have to be parallel to the corresponding long side of the frame 12. However, actually, it is difficult to attach the optical waveguide 13 to the frame 12 so that the two long sides of the rectangular flat plate-shaped optical waveguide 13 becomes parallel to the corresponding long side of the frame 12 during assembly. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, misalignment (nonparallel) of the optical waveguide 13 is likely to occur. If such misalignment of the optical waveguide 13 occurs, as shown in FIG. 1, light beams 14 deviate from their normal emission direction, and are therefore not emitted in a direction perpendicular to one side of the rectangular display screen 11 opposed to one long side of the rectangular flat plate-shaped optical waveguide 13, thereby lowering optical transmission efficiency.
Further, in the optical touch panel 10 using the conventional optical waveguides 13, the width of the frame 12 represented by W1 needs to be equal to or larger than that of the optical waveguide 13 represented by W3. This makes it difficult to reduce the width "W1" of the frame 12.

Optical waveguide and optical touch panel


The present invention provides a system and method to accurately and safely allow the application of nutritional elements to the foliage of vegetation. The accuracy and safety are the result of the nutritional elements being pre-mixed and applied via a pressurized canister, which produces a foam-based delivery system. The foam is highly visible, dissipates rapidly, and is inert except for the nutrients which it contains (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and others including all of the micro-nutrients that are essential for plant growth). The nutrient content of the foam, for specific uses of the invention, is necessarily variable depending on the type and condition of the vegetation needing such an application.

In current practice, the foliar application of nutrients to vegetation is performed using back-pack type sprayers or hose-end "proportioners." While these methods are useful, they do not allow the applicator to precisely make the application (e.g., typical directions for use instruct application until the liquid material is "running off" the foliage). Since such clear liquid applications are difficult to observe until they do run off, some of the product will miss the intended target (i.e., the foliage), which makes the foliar uptake less precise and introduces the nutrients to the soil (where the nutrients can become unavailable to the plant and potentially contribute to off-site movement). Essentially, the foam delivery system is a method whereby the applicator (by eye contact) is able to confirm that the material is being applied to the proper location and that uptake is maximized and losses are minimized.
Old methods require mixing of the materials prior to application. They require that the applicator make decisions about the delivery that are highly subjective and lack precision.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,179, incorporated herein by reference, relates to the use of a composition including the compound 5-acetamido-2,4-dimethyltrifluoromethanesulfonanilide in spray foam form, as well as horticulturally acceptable salts thereof, certain intermediates therefor and processes for the preparation thereof. The compound is useful as a herbicide and plant growth modifier.
It was an object of that invention to provide a composition including the compound 5-acetamido-2,4-dimethyltrifluoromethanesulfonanilide and its horticulturally acceptable salts in spray foam form, suitable for homeowner and industrial use. The present invention introduces a further aspect to the application of nutrients to foliar vegetation, as described herein.

Foliar application of nutrients to vegetation


The present invention relates to a hot melt adhesive composition useful for articles such as plasters, bandages and tapes which are adhesively adhered to skin. The adhesive may be coated continuously and preferably, discontinuously onto a substrate. More preferably, the hot melt adhesive composition is pattern-coated. The adhesive is permanently adhered to at least one substrate of the article and removably or releasably attachable to skin. The adhesive advantageously does not cause skin irritation nor transfers adhesive to the skin upon removal.

Hot melt adhesives have been used to bond a variety of materials to many substrates. James P. Szymanski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,390, discloses pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesives comprising substantially saturated block copolymers, tackifying resin, and polybutene. This hot melt composition exhibits adhesive stability when exposed to ultra-violet light and is stable when contacted with plasticized surfaces.
Removable or releasable hot melt pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA's) for articles such as feminine napkins, adult incontinent pads and the like are described as "garment attachment" or "positioning" adhesives. During manufacture of such articles, the hot melt PSA is typically slot-coated directly or transfer coated onto a polyolefin film substrate and then covered with a release liner. There are a multitude of patents pertaining to adhesive compositions for tapes, labels, adhesive bandages and the like. Collins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,699 specifically relates to hot melt PSA positioning adhesive compositions comprising substantially saturated block copolymers for feminine napkins.
In recent years, manufacturers have attempted to replace the continuous slot-coat method with various discontinuous methods, particularly by spray application methods, such as spiral spray and melt blown techniques or by pattern coating methods, otherwise referred to as screen-printing. There are several advantages in using a pattern coating technique, including aesthetic advantages due to the variety of screen designs as well as the ability to strategically place adhesive in precise locations. The primary advantage pattern coating offered is the ability to vastly reduce adhesive consumption, since the surface area per mass of adhesive is greatly increased.
However, hot melt PSAs employed for slot-coat applications tend to exhibit hot melt adhesive transfer to the surface it is removed from when coated discontinuously onto a substrate. Further, the hot melt adhesives known from the prior art have the drawback that they cause skin irritation when in contact with skin for a period of time. To counteract such skin irriation, the adhesive compositions of the prior art necessitate the addition of zinc oxide. Moreover, articles constructed from these hot melt adhesives often do not adhere properly to skin and thus can easily shift and become unattached. Finally, the hot melt adhesive compositions known from the prior art can separate from the substrate permanently adhered to due to mechanical influence.
Hence, industry would find advantage in a hot melt adhesive composition wherein the adhesive is permanently adhered to a substrate and is removably attachable to skin in order to secure an article for a period of time and can be subsequently removed without causing skin irritation or adhesive transfer.

Hot melt adhesive compositions for adherence to skin and articles constructed therefrom


A self-cutting expansion anchor and system having a sleeve member with a plurality of expandable sections disposed about a shaft, the expandable sections having an end portion disposed toward a generally conical portion of the shaft, a heat hardened cutting portion protruding from at least some of the expandable sections of the sleeve member, the hardened cutting portions and the corresponding expandable sections are unitary members, and a threaded sleeve member having a driving end disposed about the threaded shaft toward a driving end of the sleeve.

The invention relates generally to expansion anchors, and more particularly to self-cutting expansion anchors and systems.
Known self-cutting expansion anchors generally comprise a sleeve having expansion tabs that expand in a pre-drilled bore, for example in concrete, upon axial displacement about a conical head portion of a dowel or shaft. The expansion tabs include cutters that form an undercut in the pre-drilled bore as the sleeve rotates therein, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,816,760, 5,911,550, and 5,921,733.
It is known to form the cutters of self-cutting expansion anchors with hardened alloy inserts embedded on corresponding portions of the expansion tabs thereof, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,733 and in German Patent No. DE 3,535,262.
An object of the present invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors and systems that overcome problems and improve upon the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors and systems that are reliable and economical.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors having expandable sections with hardened cutting portions formed unitarily therewith.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors having at least one pair of cutting portions disposed on corresponding expandable sections located on substantially opposites sides of an anchoring shaft thereof.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors comprising a sleeve member having a plurality of expandable sections disposed about a shaft having a generally conical portion, a heat hardened cutting portion protruding from at least some of the expandable sections of the sleeve member, the hardened cutting portions and the corresponding expandable sections are preferably unitary members.
Another more particular object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchors comprising a sleeve member having a plurality of expandable sections disposed about a shaft with a generally conical portion, and a cutting portion on exactly two of the plurality of expandable sections located on generally opposite sides of the shaft.
Yet another more particular object of the invention is to provide novel self-cutting expansion anchoring systems comprising an expansion sleeve member having a plurality of expandable sections disposed about a shaft, a hardened cutting portion protruding from at least some of the expandable sections of the expansion sleeve member on a portion thereof disposed toward a generally conical portion of the shaft, the hardened cutting portions and the corresponding expandable sections are unitary members, and a threaded driving sleeve member having a driving end disposed about the threaded shaft toward a driving end of the expansion sleeve member.
These and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the accompanying Drawings, which may be disproportionate for ease of understanding, wherein like structure and steps are referenced generally by corresponding numerals and indicators.


An adhesion detecting method detects the degree of adhesion of a protective tape having an adhesive layer to a wafer having devices on the front side. A protective tape is attached to the front side of the wafer with the adhesive layer facing the wafer. The protective tape is then peeled from the front side of the wafer. An arbitrary specific region on the front side of the wafer is imaged to detect a first height difference of first unevenness. A corresponding region on the adhesive layer of the peeled protective tape is imaged to detect a second height difference of second unevenness formed on the adhesive layer. The first height difference and the second height difference are compared with each other to determine whether or not the second height difference falls within an allowable range with respect to the first height difference.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adhesion detecting method for detecting the degree of adhesion of a protective tape attached to the front side of a wafer such as a semiconductor wafer.
Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor device fabrication process, a plurality of crossing division lines are formed on the front side of a substantially disk-shaped semiconductor wafer to thereby define a plurality of separate regions, and a plurality of devices such as ICs and LSIs are each formed in these separate regions. The back side of the semiconductor wafer thus having the devices on the front side is ground to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined thickness (back grinding step). Thereafter, the semiconductor wafer is cut along the division lines to thereby divide these separate regions where the devices are formed from each other, thus producing a plurality of individual device chips.
The back grinding step of grinding the back side of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined thickness includes the steps of attaching a protective tape to the front side of the semiconductor wafer to protect the front side of the semiconductor wafer, next holding the semiconductor wafer on a chuck table of a grinding apparatus in the condition where the protective tape is in contact with the upper surface of the chuck table, and next grinding the back side of the semiconductor wafer by using abrasive members included in the grinding apparatus.
As a method of dividing a wafer such as a semiconductor wafer, there has been proposed a laser processing method including the steps of applying a pulsed laser beam having a transmission wavelength to the wafer from the back side of the wafer along each division line in the condition where the focal point of the pulsed laser beam is set inside the wafer, thereby continuously forming a modified layer inside the wafer along each division line, next grinding the back side of the wafer to reduce the thickness of the wafer to a predetermined thickness, and next applying an external force to the wafer to thereby break the wafer along each division line where the modified layer is formed to be reduced in strength, thus obtaining the individual device chips.
Also in this wafer dividing method, a protective tape is attached to the front side of the wafer, so as to protect the front side of the wafer (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2009-290148, for example).


A nonlinear distortion detection device that includes a test signal generator that generates a test signal and outputs the test signal to have the power amplifier amplify the test signal, a Fourier transformer that converts an output signal of the power amplifier to a signal in a frequency domain, and a distortion factor calculator that calculates a distortion factor of the power amplifier based on amplitude information and phase information of the signal in the frequency domain.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a nonlinear distortion detection device that detects nonlinear distortion produced by a power amplifier used for a wireless communication device and the like and a distortion compensation power amplifier that is provided with the nonlinear distortion detection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, mobile equipment equipped with a wireless communication function, such as mobile telephones and laptop personal computers, have been increasingly spread. In the wireless communication devices equipped in such equipment, there is a demand for high linearity in order to suppress an increase in adjacent channel leakage power derived from nonlinear input/output properties of a power amplifier. However, since it is difficult to attain higher output and higher efficiency while keeping high linearity, it becomes important to apply a nonlinear distortion compensation technique.
As an approach to compensate nonlinear properties of power amplifiers, a predistortion approach has been attracting attention in recent years. A predistortion approach is a method in which properties opposite to the distortion properties produced by a power amplifier are given to an input signal in advance to be inputted to the power amplifier. As a distortion compensation power amplifier using the predistortion approach, there is one described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-079935, for example.

Nonlinear distortion detection device and distortion compensation power amplifier


A steam generator is disclosed for a cooking apparatus, having an intermediate duct admitting discharge water into the lowest central portion of the enclosure of the generator, and connected to a vane pump whose outlet feeds into an outlet duct rising as far as an upper bend then descending as far as an emptying duct. Heating tubes cause vaporization of the water which they contain and the steam escapes through a horizontal upper duct then a steam conduction duct. The generator applies in particular to ovens for cooking food.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for producing steam from liquid water, the steam being used more particularly in food cooking apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous steam generators are known which generally comprise a generator enclosure adapted for containing water, means for feeding water into the enclosure, a steam conduction duct for feeding the steam into a user enclosure and means for heating the water contained in the generator enclosure for bringing the water to boiling point and producing steam.
Thus, the document EP-A-0 323 939 describes such a steam generator comprising a horizontal lower duct, a horizontal upper duct, the two ducts being connected together by one or more parallel vertical heating tubes and by a return tube which is also vertical, a tapping of the return tube being fitted with water level detection means. The water contained in the generator can flow through a lower lateral orifice, closable by means of a valve, for emptying the generator at the end of use.
The Applicants have discovered a tendency to localized heating in such a steam generator, causing for example excessive heating of the heating tubes whereas the other tubes operate correctly at appropriate temperatures.
It appears that the heating problems do not occur at the beginning of operation but occur only after a sufficient operating time.
A thorough study of the problem has shown that the localized heating may be overcome by correctly removing the scale waste which tends to accumulate in the lower part of the steam generator.
Thus, the problem proposed by the invention is to suppress simply, automatically and inexpensively the excessive differential heating appearing on the heating elements of steam generators after an operating time.
The solution must allow the scale appearing at the low part of the steam generator to be sufficiently removed.
A first solution is suggested in the document EP-A-317 444 which describes a steam generator in which the heating means are of a special kind, using porous bodies. The porous heating body is plunged into an enclosure containing water and defined by a lower wall having an orifice discharging into a lower discharge duct closed by a valve. The document suggests removing the particles of scale by opening the lower valve for the flow of water, and simultaneously feeding rinsing water through an upper duct. Such a cleaning procedure requires a complementary volume of rinsing water and means for feeding and controlling the rinsing water flow, which substantially increases the cost of the installation. In addition, such a structure, with a water feed at the upper part of the enclosure would be difficult to apply to a steam generator in which the heating means are vertical tubes, for it would then be necessary to introduce the rinsing water into each of the tubes separately.
Another solution is proposed in the documents DE-U-8 901 904 and EP-A-383 327. In these documents, the heating means are introduced into an enclosure filled with water to an intermediate level. A suction and delivery pump causes the discharge water to flow into an intermediate duct disposed between the pump and the lower wall of the enclosure of the generator. These documents recommend placing the water discharge orifice in the lower enclosure wall close to the lateral wall of the enclosure, and positioning a rinsing water injection nozzle in a diametrically opposite situation. The combination of the pump and the rinsing nozzle produces a violent fluid stream in the tank, for cleaning it. This structure is also complex and expensive, since it requires not only a complementary supply of rinsing water, but also means for feeding the rinsing water, for controlling the rinsing water and a discharge pump. Furthermore, this solution would not be adaptable to cleaning steam generators in which the heating means are vertical tubes: the means described do not allow a fluid stream to be created inside the tubes, since the stream produced is perpendicular to the axis of the heating tubes.

Steam generator for cooking apparatus, with an emptying device

Societe Cooperative de Production Bouregois


A pre-chamber body for an engine is disclosed. The pre-chamber body may have a pre-chamber. The pre-chamber body may also have flow transfer channels fluidly connecting the pre-chamber and an exterior of the pre-chamber body. Each flow transfer channel extends along a flow transfer channel axis (B) from an inner opening via a throat section to an outer opening. A cross-section of the flow transfer channels converges from a first cross section (A1) of the inner opening to a second cross-section (A2) of the throat section and diverges from the second cross-section (A2) to a third cross-section (A3) of the outer opening along the flow transfer channel axis (B). At least one of the inner opening and the outer opening has an oval shape with a maximum diameter (a1, a3) and a minimum diameter (b1, b3), the maximum diameter (a1, a3) being greater than the minimum diameter (b1, b3).

Gaseous fuel internal combustion engines powered with a lean mixture of gaseous fuel and air may comprise a pre-combustion chamber (also referred to as pre-chamber) per cylinder for ignition purposes. Particularly, large-bore engines may benefit from those pre-chambers as it is otherwise difficult to consistently achieve complete and thorough combustion using lean fuel air mixtures.
Typically, such a pre-chamber is fluidly connected to a main combustion chamber of a respective cylinder via a riser channel and a plurality of flow transfer channels. The flow transfer channels and the riser channel allow the flow of the lean mixture of gaseous fuel and air from the main combustion chamber into the pre-chamber during a compression stroke. Enrichment of the lean mixture in the pre-chamber may be effected by providing a small quantity of (gaseous) fuel into the pre-chamber via a separate fuel feed passage, for example during the intake stroke. The enriched mixture is ignited in the pre-chamber by an igniter such as a spark plug. The ignition of the enriched mixture causes a flame front of hot gases that propagates from the pre-chamber via the flow transfer channels into the main combustion chamber. Thus, the lean mixture in the main combustion chamber ignites and burns, and thereby, expands against a movable piston that drives a crankshaft.
For example, JP 2014-129788 (A) discloses a pre-combustion chamber type gas engine. Here, the pre-combustion chamber type gas engine includes a pre-combustion chamber and a main combustion chamber that are in communication with each other through an injection hole disposed on a pre-combustion chamber cap. A combustion flame generated in the pre-combustion chamber is injected into the main combustion chamber through the injection hole so as to combust mixed air inside the main combustion chamber. The injection hole has a diameter that decreases gradually from an inlet into which the combustion flame flows toward a throat section having an opening diameter that is smaller than an opening diameter of the inlet, and has a Laval nozzle shape whose diameter gradually increases from the throat section toward an outlet from which the combustion flame flows out.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of prior systems.

Pre-chamber of an internal combustion engine


A platen assembly for a printer comprised of a platen roller assembly and a housing assembly that is structured to rotatably support the platen roller assembly. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a platen roller assembly comprising a platen roller defining first and second ends; a locking pin extending from at least one of the first and second ends of the platen roller; a housing assembly adapted to rotatably support the platen roller; and a drive assembly structured to rotatably engage the locking pin extending from one end of the platen roller. In this regard, the present invention provides a platen roller assembly that is simple, easily alignable, and readily replaceable by a user.

1) Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an improved platen assembly for a printer and, more specifically, to a platen assembly that is structured for quick and efficient installation, removal, and/or replacement.
2) Description of Related Art
Platen rollers are widely used in printers to drive media against a printhead during printing operations. The platen roller provides a soft, often rubberized, surface for gripping and manipulating the media against the printhead. For print quality purposes, it is often important for the platen roller to apply a relatively constant and uniform pressure against the printhead along the full length of the platen roller.
Over the lifetime of a printer, platen rollers may need to be replaced due to abuse or normal wear and tear. If not replaced, a worn out or otherwise defective platen roller may provide uneven pressure against the printhead causing poor print quality or other problems. Accordingly, a need exists to ensure that worn or defective platen rollers, and any associated components, may be quickly and efficiently replaced.
For repeatable high quality printing, the printhead is closely aligned with respect to the printer platen. However, each time the platen is exchanged, the alignment between the printhead and platen is disturbed. Thus, a need exists to ensure that a replaced platen may be readily oriented in a fixed and aligned position relative to the printhead.
FIG. 1 depicts a printer structured in accordance with the known prior art. The printer 10 includes a printer housing 14 having a media door 12 that may be opened by a user to expose various internal printer components. In the depicted printer 10, such internal printer components may include a media hanger assembly 13, a platen assembly 20, and a printhead assembly 40. The media hanger assembly 13 may be a hanger as shown for supporting a spooled media such as adhesively backed labels. As is readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the media is drawn from a media supply spool (not shown) supported by the hanger assembly 13 and fed between the printhead assembly 40 and the platen assembly 20 during printing operations. The printhead assembly 40 may include a thermal demand printhead, an ink jet printhead, or other conventional printhead technologies.
FIG. 2 is a detail view of the prior art platen assembly 20 shown in FIG. 1. The depicted platen assembly 20 includes a platen housing 36 that defines first and second support members 38, 39 that are adapted to support a platen roller assembly 60. The depicted platen roller assembly 60 includes a platen roller 21 and first and second clips 23, 24 for securing the platen roller 21 to the first and second support members 38, 39 at respective ends of the platen roller 21. A drive shaft 22 is provided for connecting to a stepper motor (not shown) that is adapted to drive the platen roller 21 during printing operations.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a platen assembly 20 structured in accordance with the known prior art. As noted above, the platen assembly 20 includes a platen roller assembly 60 that is secured to a platen housing 36 by the first and second clips 23, 24. The depicted platen roller assembly 60 includes a platen roller 21, a drive shaft 22, first and second support bearings 33, 34 disposed at opposite ends of the platen roller 21, and a wave spring or washer 35 used in mounting the second support bearing 34 as shown. When the platen roller assembly 60 is installed in the housing 36, the first and second support bearings 33, 34 are positioned within first and second support notches 31, 32 defined in the first and second support members 38, 39 of the housing 36.
In many prior art applications, replacement of the platen roller 21 requires the application of several relatively complex steps. First, the stepping motor (not shown) must be loosened with a screwdriver or similar tool and disengaged from the platen roller assembly 60. A drive belt (not shown) must then be removed from the disengaged stepping motor. Next, as suggested in FIG. 2, two flathead screwdrivers or other similar tools 5 are used to apply pressure to dislocate the barbed first and second clips 23, 24 from the first and second support members 38, 39 of the platen housing 36. Once the clips 23, 24 are removed, the platen roller assembly 60 may be removed from the first and second support members 38, 39 of the platen housing 36.
As will be apparent to one of skill in the art, it is typically quite difficult to manipulate screwdrivers or other tools within the tight confines of the printer housing. It also may be difficult to disassemble the drive assembly (e.g., stepping motor, drive belt, etc.). Thus, it would be desirable then to provide a platen assembly that may be quickly and simply installed and replaced without requiring the use of tools.


A non-metal film whose thermophysical properties are unknown is disposed between a first metal film and a second metal film, thereby forming a sample having a three-layer structure. The metal films have predetermined known thermophysical properties, belong to the same sort of substance and have the same thickness. The three-layer substance is disposed on a transparent substrate and is heated from below the second metal film, using a picosecond light pulse coming from below and passing through the transparent substrate. The light pulse used in the irradiation is converted into heat in the second metal film during only one picosecond, with such heat diffusing through interface/non-metal film layer/interface and thus arriving at the first metal film. By measuring a temperature change on the surface of the first metal film, it is possible to perform correct measurement by using the thermoreflectance method formerly suggested in a patent application by the inventors of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring a thermal diffusivity within a substance having a three-layer laminated structure. In particular, this invention relates to a method for measuring a thermal diffusivity and an interface thermal resistance, which method is suitable for correctly measuring a thermal diffusivity within a three-layer film structure containing a non-metal substance, such as a semiconductor device and an optical disc type data recording medium.
With regard to various technical fields, thin film technique is considered to be the most advanced technique and has attracted a considerable public attention. Particularly, thin film structure plays an important role in a highly integrated semiconductor device, DVD-RAM, MO and the like. Specifically, a multi-layered thin film structure has been put into practical use, so that analyzing the properties thereof has become an important task in this field. On the other hand, although there has been a great progress in the measurement of electric, magnetic and optical properties of the above described thin film, the present situation is that there has not been a sufficient progress in the measurement of thermophysical properties of such a thin film structure. Thus, it is demanded that a rapid development take place in the field of the measurement of the thin film""s thermophysical properties.
In order to fulfil the above task, the inventors of the present invention have previously developed a picosecond thermoreflectance method which involves a backside heating and a front side temperature measuring, and have been successful in measuring a thermal diffusivity in the thickness direction of a metal film having a thickness of 100 nm, as well as an interface thermal resistance between metal films. In fact, this method has already been suggested and described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-83113.
The basic principle of the above suggested method can be shown in FIG. 5. Namely, a metal film 10 is deposited on a transparent substrate 11. Afterwards, an interface 12 formed between the metal film 10 and the transparent substrate 11 is irradiated with a heating pulse light H so as to be heated. Meanwhile, one surface 13 of the metal film 10 is irradiated with a temperature measuring pulse light P, while a reflected light of the pulse light P is measured, thereby measuring a surface temperature of the metal film 10. In this way, it becomes possible to directly measure the thermal diffusivity of the metal film, in accordance with the metal film""s thickness d which has been measured in advance, as well as a passed time period lasting from the irradiation using the heating pulse light H to the temperature measurement using the temperature measuring pulse light P.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the aforementioned thermoreflectance system involving the backside heating and the front side temperature measuring, which has already been put into practical use on the base of the above discussed principle. As shown in the drawing, a light beam emitted from a titanium/sapphire laser 21 capable of generating a picosecond pulse light is splitted by a beam splitter 22, so as to be divided into two light beams, with one being a heating beam H and the other serving as a temperature measuring beam P. The heating beam H is modulated by a frequency which may be for example 1 MHz, using an acoustic optical modulator 23 controlled by an oscillator 29. The modulated heating beam H is then caused to travel through an optical delay line 25 capable of alterring a light path length by moving a prism 24.
The heating beam H having passed through the optical delay line 25 is then passed through a lens 26a so as to be focused on to an interface 30 between a metal film 27 and a transparent substrate 28. On the other hand, the temperature measuring beam P is passed through a xcex/2 plate 33 and a lens 26b, so as to be focused on to the metal film""s another surface 32 just opposite to the heated surface. The temperature measuring beam reflected from the surface 32 is thus detected by a silicon photo-diode 34. Meanwhile, AC component of photo-diode signal synchronized by a modulation frequency provided by the above transient thermoreflcetance oscillator 29 is detected by a lock-in amplifier 35. At this time, a signal is recorded by moving the prism 24 along the delay line 25. In fact, the above process for measuring a thermal diffusivity has been formed into a practically useful formula, and has been described in detail in a specification of a former patent application of the inventors.
On the other hand, in order to analyze the heat transfer properties of a multi-layered film structure such as a semiconductor device, DVD-ROM and MO disc, it is absolutely necessary to know not only the values of thermophysical properties of the respective layers forming the multi-layered film structure, but also the value of an interface thermal resistance existing between every two mutually adjacent film layers. However, in the case where it is required to measure an interface thermal resistance as well as a thermal diffusivity of a multi-layered film structure, the prior art method as described in the above has been proved to be extremely difficult in separately measuring a thermal diffusivity of each film layer and interface thermal resistance.
Further, with regard to a non-metal film such as a semiconductor film which is different from a metal film, in order for a laser pulse to be absorbed into the film at a depth of about 10 nm from the surface thereof, it is necessary to use a light source capable of emitting a light beam having a short wavelength. Moreover, since an absorbed light energy is usually accumulated in an excited state due to electron transition between different energy bands, a time period much longer than 1 picosecond is usually needed for arriving at a local thermal equilibrium state in which energy has been relaxed in lattice system. For this reason, the aforementioned measuring method has been found to be extremely difficult in measuring the thermal diffusivity of a non-metal thin film such as a semiconductor thin film.
An object of the present invention is to make it possible to correctly measure a thermal diffusivity of a substance even if it is a non-metal substance, also to correctly measure a thermal diffusivity within a three-layer film structure.
In more detail, the present invention is to make it possible to deal with even a non-metal substance, i.e., to simultaneously measure thermal diffusivity value as well as interface thermal resistance of the non-metal substance, by forming metal layers on both sides of the non-metal substance, using a conventional picosecond thermoreflectance method.
Further, the present invention is to make it possible to measure a thermal diffusivity within the above three-layer film substance, by preparing a plurality of substances which are different from one another only in their thicknesses and whose thermophysical properties values are unknown, and analyzing measured data about the three-layer sample, thereby making it possible to correctly measure the thermal diffusivity within the above three-layer substance.
In addition, the present invention is to make it possible to use a response function method to correctly measure the thermal diffusivity within a three-layer film structure, on the base of the above method for measuring the thermal diffusivity within the three-layer substance, in accordance with an area defined by a transient temperature history curve on the backside of the pulse-heated three-layer structure as well as the horizontal axis corresponding to a pulse-heating time.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for measuring a thermal diffusivity of a three-layer substance including a middle layer whose thermophysical properties are unknown, and two other layers formed on both sides of the middle layer, said two other layers belonging to the same sort of substance and having known thermophpysical properties, characterized in that one side of the three-layer substance is heated by a pulse light, while at the same time a transient temperature history on the opposite side of the three-layer substance is observed, thereby simultaneously measuring thermophysical properties and interface thermal resistance.
Further, the above-described thermal diffusivity measuring method of the present invention is characterized in that said method comprises preparing a plurality of substances which are different from one another only in their thicknesses and whose thermophysical properties values are unknown, forming on both sides of each of the substances other substance layers which are in the same identical state and whose thermophysical properties are known, measuring the thermal diffusivity and the interface thermal resistance of each of the three-layer substances.
Moreover, the present invention is a method for measuring a thermal diffusivity of the above three-layer substance, characterized in that said method comprises calculating an area defined by a transient temperature history curve on the backside of the pulse-heated three-layer substance and a horizontal axis corresponding to a pulse-heating time, thereby simultaneously measuring thermal diffusivity within the three-layer substance as well as the interface thermal resistance.

Method for measuring thermal diffusivity and interface thermal resistance

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


Systems and methods improve virtual reality and augmented reality functionality for mobile devices using radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by a tracked device and received at four or more spatially separated antennae. These antennae are connected, wirelessly or through wired connections, to a base station. Through RF signal time of arrival information acquired at the antennae, the base station can continuously determine accurate position information of the tracked device, without lighting or line of sight limitations experienced by camera and other optical systems. As the position of the RF-transmitting tracked device is registered within a virtual environment produced by an interactive software program in communication with (or part of) the base station, the virtual viewpoint of the tracked device is controlled to reflect the relative position and orientation of the tracked device with respect to the virtual environment produced by the software program and displayed on a view screen.

Since the early days of computers, efforts have been made to improve intuitive and realistic interaction between humans and computers. From mouse to touchscreen interface technologies, making a user's experience with their computer more lifelike and intuitive has been a key for increasing productivity and advancing how people can use and interact with their digital worlds. Virtual Reality (VR) is an artificial digital world that consists of images and sounds created by a computer, viewed and heard by a user, and at times affected by the actions of the user who is experiencing it. Augmented Reality (AR) is an augmented version of reality created by the use of technology to overlay digital information of an image on or in something being viewed through a device (such as a smartphone camera). Although all forms of human-computer interaction could be considered one form of VR, AR, or both, the VR/AR world has carried a reputation over the years as either being futuristic or just part of a small specialty or hobby industry.
When viewing digital images on a mobile view screen, like a Head Mounted Display (HMD), the effect of immersing a user in a virtual reality world with part of the digital world viewed that is not related in some way with the "real" world of the user can limit the experience, frustrate the user, or in some cases cause sickness. For example, an HMD with head tracking attempts to register a user's view and physical position within the digital world being seen by the user wearing the HMD, but delays in screen display responsiveness to position and orientation, as it relates the user's physical position or movement, produces an unsettled, uncomfortable sensation, similar to vertigo where the viewed world is out of sync with the viewer. Thus, enabling tablets and smartphones to be fully capable of VR/AR that accurately places the person's viewpoint in the computer generated environment in relation to its position in real world, helps to eliminate sicknesses that are related to VR/AR HMD applications, since tablets and smartphones do not entirely cover the field of vision of the user with the computer graphic (CG) image.
In addition to the physiological effects from the image display lag experienced in VR and AR applications that use HMD, or in VR glasses with position-registered head tracking, the cost of typical head tracking systems are extremely expensive. Typically, a VR system that uses an HMD to provide spatial registration of a user's viewpoint for a more immersive, realistic experience utilizes an optical tracking solution to track the user's HMD position and register that position with a virtual view displayed on the HMD monitor screen. The optical tracking approach is limited as it usually requires a special light or reflective marker placed on a part of the tracked HMD. This optical approach has several technical limitations such as small working volumes, line of sight dependence, limited freedom of movement, and awkward ergonomics as a result of the requirement for markers on the tracked device (HMD). Also, some of these optical tracking approaches require high speed cameras that are not only expensive, but also suffer from the same technical limitations and require relatively high numbers of cameras to cover the working area.

Virtual reality and augmented reality functionality for mobile devices


The invention is to provide an in-line screw type injection molding machine which can have a simplified configuration of an injection mechanism and a metering mechanism. The in-line screw type injection molding machine is characterized by comprising: a metering motor 9 which rotationally drives a rear end side of a screw; a screw mechanism which includes a nut body rotating integrally with the screw, and a screw shaft fitted to the nut body, the screw mechanism converting rotational motion of the screw shaft into linear motion of the screw through the nut body; an injection motor 16 which rotationally drives the screw shaft; an injection motor drive circuit which drives the injection motor 16 to allow a position of the screw to follow a predetermined position command pattern; a metering motor drive circuit which drives the metering motor 9 to allow rotation of the metering motor 9 to follow a predetermined speed setting pattern; and an adder-subtracter circuit which adds or subtracts a speed setting pattern signal of the metering motor drive circuit to or from a speed command signal of the injection motor drive circuit so as to compensate an axial displacement of the screw caused by the rotation of the metering motor 9.

As an injection molding machine, there is known an in-line screw type injection molding machine, which moves a screw backward while rotating the screw to melt a plastic material while metering the plastic material, and then suspends the rotation of the screw and moves the screw forward to inject the molten resin into a mold and fill the mold with the molten resin. This type injection molding machine has a metering motor as means for rotationally driving the screw, and an injection motor as means for injecting the molten resin to fill the mold therewith, and these motors are disposed axially in series (see Patent Document 1).
The metering motor is, for example, coupled with a base coupled with a rear end of the screw, and the injection motor rotationally drives a screw shaft abutting against the base so as to axially move the base along the screw shaft.
Then, the metering motor is driven to rotate the screw, while the injection motor is driven to drive the screw shaft, so as to move the screw backward while rotating the screw to melt the resin while metering the resin and to rotate the screw shaft reversely to thrust the screw forward through the screw shaft to thereby inject the resin.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a control circuit of an in-line screw type injection molding machine in the background art. The injection molding machine has a screw 6 which is, for example, disposed in a heating cylinder rotatably and movably forward/backward, a metering motor 9 which rotationally drives the screw 6, and an injection motor 16 which drives the screw 6 forward/backward.
When the screw 6 in the heating cylinder is rotated backward (clockwise in view from the illustrated motor shaft end), raw resin (for example, thermoplastic resin) supplied from a hopper is kneaded in the heating cylinder and moved toward the front end (left side) of the screw while being plasticized. Thus, metered molten resin is accumulated on the front end side. Next, the injection motor 16 is rotated forward suddenly. On this occasion, the screw 6 is pressed to the illustrated left so as to move forward suddenly. In this manner, the molten resin is injected into a not-shown mold through a nozzle.
An injection motor encoder 57 measures the rotational position of the injection motor 16, and a metering motor encoder 58 measures the rotational position of the metering motor 9. The injection encoder 57 is an absolute type encoder which outputs the absolute value of the rotational position, and the metering motor encoder 58 is an incremental encoder. A load cell 49 is a sensor for measuring an injection pressure and a back pressure imposed on the screw 6.
In FIG. 4, xij0 designates a backward position command pattern signal indicating a backward position of the screw, vij0 designates a backward speed command pattern signal indicating a backward speed of the screw, bp0 designates aback pressure setting pattern signal for setting a back pressure to be imposed on the screw, and vcg0 designates a metering motor rotational speed setting pattern signal for setting a rotational speed of the metering motor. These signals are, for example, supplied from a not-shown host controller.
A deviation e1 between the backward position command pattern signal xij0 and a screw position signal xijm is taken by an adder 32 using the screw position signal xijm as a feedback signal. The injection motor 16 is feedback-controlled based on the deviation e1.
The screw position signal xijm can be obtained based on the rotational displacement of the injection motor 16 from a reference position.
A PID controller 33 for the backward position command calculates an operation quantity u1 with which the screw position should be operated, based on the deviation e1. A speed calculator 34 calculates a speed command v1 based on the operation quantity u1. An adder 35 adds the backward speed command pattern signal vij0 as a feed-forward signal to the speed command v1 to obtain a backward speed control value v3. A minimum value selector 36 selects a smaller one of a back-pressure speed command calculated value v2, which will be described later, and the backward speed control value v3. The minimum value selector 36 outputs the selected value as a screw backward speed command vij.
A servo amplifier 38 controls the rotation of the injection motor 16 in accordance with the speed command vij. The rotational position of the injection motor is supplied to the adder 32 through the servo amplifier 38.
A PID controller 44 for setting the back pressure calculates an operation quantity u2 based on a deviation e2 between the back pressure bp0 indicated by the backpressure setting pattern and the back pressure measured by the load cell 49, which deviation e2 is obtained by an adder 43. A speed calculator 45 calculates a back-pressure speed command v2 based on the operation quantity u2, and supplies the calculation result to the minimum value selector 36. Thus, even when the back-pressure speed command value v2 is excessively large to pass over the backward position of the screw 6, the screw 6 can be prevented from passing over the position set by the backward position command pattern xij0
The metering motor rotational speed setting pattern signal vcg0 is supplied to a servo amplifier 47. The servo amplifier 47 controls driving of the metering motor 9 in accordance with the metering motor rotational speed setting pattern signal vcg0.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-5-345337

In-line screw type injection molding machine and method of controlling the same


A control panel used in combination with a power unit to control the operation of a sauna. The control panel is equipped with a microprocessor that has software and proper circuitry to allow a user to use buttons to input information into the control panel regarding the time, temperature, and day on which heating within the sauna is to occur. Additionally, the power unit has a microprocessor with a pulse width modulation output that causes individual heating elements to continuously produce varying intensities of heat in order to maintain a consistent desired temperature, and/or intermittently radiate heat creating a wave of heat to be emitted by each individual heating element.

Modern sauna compartments are often heated by an infrared heater which is controlled by a thermostat. The thermostat will be set at a maximum temperature such as 120° Fahrenheit. When that temperature is reached, the thermostat interrupts the flow of energy to the heater which is then energized. A person in the sauna immediately feels chilled when the infrared is completely turned off at the 120° Fahrenheit maximum temperature level.
Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and means of heating a sauna compartment and controlling the heat so that the heat is more evenly supplied.
A further object of the invention is to provide a programmable sauna control for setting the temperature of a sauna.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Method and means for heating and controlling the temperatures in a sauna


The present memory device includes first and second electrodes, an active layer and a passive layer, the active and passive layers being between the first and second electrodes, with either or both of the active layer and passive layer being made up a plurality of self-assembled sublayers.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to memory devices, and more particularly, to a memory device with improved data retention.
2. Background Art
The volume, use and complexity of computers and electronic devices are continually increasing. Computers consistently become more powerful, new and improved electronic devices are continually developed (e.g., digital audio players, video players). Additionally, the growth and use of digital media (e.g., digital audio, video, images, and the like) have further pushed development of these devices. Such growth and development have vastly increased the amount of information desired/required to be stored and maintained for computer and electronic devices.
Generally, information is stored and maintained in one or more of a number of types of storage devices. Storage devices include long term storage mediums such as, for example, hard disk drives, compact disk drives and corresponding media, digital video disk (DVD) drives, and the like. The long term storage mediums typically store larger amounts of information at a relatively lower cost, but are slower than other types of storage devices. Storage devices also include memory devices, which are often, but not always, short term storage mediums. Memory devices tend to be substantially faster than long term storage mediums. Such memory devices include, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), double data rate memory (DDR), flash memory, read only memory (ROM), and the like. Memory devices are subdivided into volatile and non-volatile types. Volatile memory devices generally lose their information if they lose power and typically require periodic refresh cycles to maintain their information. Volatile memory devices include, for example, random access memory (RAM), DRAM, SRAM and the like. Non-volatile memory devices maintain their information whether or not power is maintained to the devices. Non-volatile memory devices include, but are not limited to, ROM, programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), flash memory and the like. Volatile memory devices generally provide faster operation at a lower cost as compared to non-volatile memory devices.
Memory devices generally include arrays of memory devices. Each memory device can be accessed or "read", "written", and "erased" with information. The memory devices maintain information in an "off" or an "on" state, also referred to as "0" and "1". Typically, a memory device is addressed to retrieve a specified number of byte(s) (e.g., 8 memory devices per byte). For volatile memory devices, the memory devices must be periodically "refreshed" in order to maintain their state. Such memory devices are usually fabricated from semiconductor devices that perform these various functions and are capable of switching and maintaining the two states. The devices are often fabricated with inorganic solid-state technology, such as, crystalline silicon devices. A common semiconductor device employed in memory devices is the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).
The use of portable computer and electronic devices has greatly increased demand for non-volatile memory devices. Digital cameras, digital audio players, personal digital assistants, and the like generally seek to employ large capacity non-volatile memory devices (e.g., flash memory, smart media, compact flash, and the like).
Because of the increasing demand for information storage, memory device developers and manufacturers are constantly attempting to increase storage capacity for memory devices (e.g., increase storage per die or chip). A postage-stamp-sized piece of silicon may contain tens of millions of transistors, each transistor as small as a few hundred nanometers. However, silicon-based devices are approaching their fundamental physical size limits. Inorganic solid state devices are generally encumbered with a complex architecture which leads to high cost and a loss of data storage density. The volatile semiconductor memories based on inorganic semiconductor material must constantly be supplied with electric current with a resulting heating and high electric power consumption in order to maintain stored information. Non-volatile semiconductor devices have a reduced data rate and relatively high power consumption and large degree of complexity. Typically, fabrication processes for such cells are also not reliable.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies.
FIG. 1 illustrates a type of memory device 30, which includes advantageous characteristics for meeting these needs. The memory device 30 includes an electrode 32 (for example copper), a copper sulfide layer 34 on the electrode 32, an active layer 36, for example a copper oxide layer, on the layer 34, and an electrode 38 (for example titanium) on the active layer 36. Initially, assuming that the memory device 30 is unprogrammed, in order to program the memory device 30, ground is applied to the electrode 38, while a positive voltage is applied to electrode 32, so that an electrical potential Vpg (the "programming" electrical potential) is applied across the memory device 30 from a higher to a lower electrical potential in the forward direction of the memory device 30 (see FIG. 2, a plot of memory device current vs. electrical potential applied across the memory device 30). This potential is sufficient to cause copper ions to be attracted from the layer 34 toward the electrode 38 and into the active layer 36 (A) so that conductive filaments are formed, causing the active layer 36 (and the overall memory device 30) to be in a (forward) low-resistance or conductive state. Upon removal of such potential (B), the ions drawn into the active layer 36 during the programming step remain therein, so that the active layer 36 (and memory device 30) remain in a conductive or low-resistance state.
In the read step of the memory device 30 in its programmed (conductive) state, an electrical potential Vr (the "read" electrical potential) is applied across the memory device 30 from a higher to a lower electrical potential in the forward direction of the memory device 30. This electrical potential is less than the electrical potential Vpg applied across the memory device 30 for programming (see above). In this situation, the memory device 30 will readily conduct current, which indicates that the memory device 30 is in its programmed state.
In order to erase the memory device, a positive voltage is applied to the electrode 38, while the electrode 32 is held at ground, so that an electrical potential Ver (the "erase" electrical potential) is applied across the memory device 30 from a higher to a lower electrical potential in the reverse direction of the memory device 30. This potential is sufficient to cause copper ions to be repelled from the active layer 36 toward the electrode 32 and into the layer 34 (C), causing the active layer 36 (and the overall memory device 30) to be in a high-resistance or substantially non-conductive state. This state remains upon removal of such potential from the memory device 30.
In the read step of the memory device 30 in its erased (substantially non-conductive) state, the electrical potential Vr is again applied across the memory device 30 from a higher to a lower electrical potential in the forward direction of the memory device 30, as described above. With the active layer 34 (and memory device 30) in a high-resistance or substantially non-conductive state, the memory device 30 will not conduct significant current, which indicates that the memory device 30 is in its erased state.
It is highly desirable that the memory device, when programmed, be capable of retaining its programmed state for a long period of time, i.e., until it is desired that the state be changed to its erased state. Likewise, it is highly desirable that the memory device, when erased, be capable of retaining that state for a long period of time as chosen. While the above described device is effective in operation, it has been found that over a period of time, the conductive filaments formed in the programmed device can break down, causing the conductivity of the memory device to be significantly reduced, so that the memory device undesirably loses its programmed state. It will be understood that it is desirable for the device to be capable of stably retaining its programmed and erased states as desired. In addition, it will be understood that it is highly desirable that the memory device have a rapid switching speed when switching from the programmed to the erased state and vive versa.

Memory devices with active and passive layers having multiple self-assembled sublayers


The present invention discloses a storage container for an analytical device, capable of easily storing and using a sensor, The storage container for an analytical device in which a sensor is stored is configured such that the storage container has a cylindrical shape, the storage container has sensor storage portions therein radially arranged about a center point so that sensors can be inserted into the sensor storage portions, the storage container has an opening formed at a top surface of one side thereof and communicated to the sensor storage portions, and the storage container has a circumferential surface in which cut portions arc formed to be communicated with the sensor storage portions and cut to he extended from the end of the other side of the storage container to the opening along a lengthwise direction, thus allowing for ease of storage and use of sensors.

In laboratories, researches on a sensor and a storage container for the sensor which can be used for chemical or biochemical analysis of solid and liquid sample materials, for example, used in a portable analytical device are conducted.
Even though reactions associated with sensitive reagents are complicated, a sensor based on dry chemistry, which is specifically developed, is not complicated and therefore can be used by non-experts. As the most prominent example of such a sensor, a sensor that measures blood sugar levels of diabetic patients is used. Other than this, various types of sensors for analysis are used. In the present invention, a sensor that is used to measure the blood will be described as an example.
A dry chemical sensor storage container is usually packed several times for sales to users. The sensor is packed by a first packing material that directly wraps the sensor and an additional packing material (external packing material). First packing is performed for the purpose of meeting essential features for maintaining functions of chemical and biochemical components on test elements during a prolonged storage period. Such an essential feature means protecting the test elements from the influence of sunlight, atmospheric humidity, filth, the intrusion of microorganism and dust, and mechanical damage.
In general, the conventional sensor packing papers are sold in a state of being individually packed, and when a user wants to start blood analysis, a process in which a packing paper of any one of the individually packed sensors is torn, the sensor whose packing paper is torn is drawn into the analytical device, and then blood is inserted into the analytical device is performed.
The sensors having such a conventional structure are individually packed to cause difficulties in their storage, and should be manually drawn into the analytical device one by one by a user. In addition, in a process in which a user draws the sensor into the analytical device while holding the sensor with his or her hand, there are problems such that the user is likely to contaminate the sensor or cannot draw the sensor into an appropriate position to cause inaccurate result values.