A barrel-type epitaxial vapor phase growing apparatus in which a susceptor for mounting wafers to be treated on a plurality of plates is rotatably hung by a rod inside a bell jar. Purge gases are supplied to the casing housing the drive mechanism and a baffle directs the gases along the rod and into the susceptor. The purge gases carry dust which is thus kept away from the wafers on the outside of the susceptor as it passes through the susceptor to an exhaust at the lower end of the reaction chamber. The flowing purge gases also cool the susceptor more quickly after treatment.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor vapor phase growing apparatus, specifically to a barrel type epitaxial vapor phase growing apparatus.
FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional barrel-type of epitaxial vapor phase growing apparatus. In the figure, a bell-jar 11 made of quartz defines a reaction chamber 12 closed at the top by a seal plate 20 made of stainless steel and a ring 19 of stainless steel with O-ring packings 18 and 18A between a flange 17 at the top of bell-jar 11 and plate 20. Seal plate 20 has an opening 20A at its center through which hanger rod 25 hangs a susceptor assembly S rotatably mounted by a roller bearing assembly 20B on seal plate 20. An air-tight gear box 22 mounting a driving motor 23 thereon is also provided on plate 20. A gear 24 driven by a drive axis 23A of motor 23 meshes with a gear 26 fixedly connected on the top of hanger rod 25. A quartz baffle 21 hangs from seal plate 20 to cover and protect the inside surfaces of reaction chamber 12, seal plate 20 and ring 19 from corrosive gases such as Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) or Silicon Tetrachloride (SiCl.sub.4) flowing into reaction chamber 12 from a nozzle 27 mounted on ring 19.
Susceptor assembly S includes a carbon top plate 13 fixed at the lower end of hanger rod 25, a carbon bottom plate 14. The circumferences of plates 13 and 14 are formed as a polygon, for example hexagonal or octagonal, and a plurality of carbon plate susceptors 15 extend therebetween. Each susceptor 15 is located between top plate 13 and bottom plate 14 with a slight slope outwardly with respect to the downward direction. On the surface of each susceptor 15 is provided a plurality of small recesses in which a semiconductor substrate 16 (hereinafter called a wafer) is mounted for treatment. Outside of bell-jar 11, a plurality of infrared ray lamps 30 surrounded by a cover 30A heat susceptors 15 and wafers 16. Outlet 31 exhausts gases from reaction chamber 12.
As mentioned above, ring 19 mounts nozzle 27 in an air tight connection, through which reaction gases such as Dichlorosilane (SiH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) or Silicon Tetrachloride (SiCl.sub.4) flow into reaction chamber 12. Seal plate 20 mounts an inlet 28 in an air-tight connection, through which purge gases such as nitrogen gas (N.sub.2) or hydrogen gas (H.sub.2) flow into reaction chamber 12 through a gap 21A between seal plate 20 and baffle 21. Also, on the side plate of gear box 22, an inlet 29 for purge gases such as "N.sub.2 " or "H.sub.2 " is mounted in air tight connection, through which the purge gases flow into the inside of gear box 22. The purge gases inside of gear box 22 flow through bearing 20B into reaction chamber 12. The flow of purge gases from inlets 28 and 29 into reaction chamber 12 prevents reaction gases from invading gear box 22 and gap 21A between seal plate 20 and baffle 21, and prevents reaction gases corroding seal plate 20, bearing 20B and gears 24 and 28.
In the conventional type of epitaxial vapor phase growing apparatus mentioned above, the purge gases from inlet 29 flowing through gear box 22 and bearing 20B into reaction chamber 12 carry particles of dust from the driving mechanism including gears 24 and 26, bearing 20B, etc. Those particles of dust adhere to the surface of wafer 16 reducing the quality of the wafer. Furthermore, they produce "auto doping" and lowered resistance values in the wafer.

Barrel type of epitaxial vapor phase growing apparatus


In some examples, a programmable device may load configuration data into a configuration storage to configure programmable logic of the programmable device. The programmable device may include a key generation logic that may read at least a portion of the configuration data from the configuration storage. The key generation logic may generate a cryptographic key based at least in part on the at least a portion of the configuration data read from the configuration storage.

A programmable logic device is an electrical circuit having hardware logic elements, also known as programmable logic, that may be configured by loading application-specific configuration data into configuration storage in the programmable logic device. The configuration data may configure the logic elements so that they perform functionality defined by the configuration data. The configuration data for a programmable logic device may carry critical information that is encrypted to protect the critical information from unauthorized access. The configuration data may configure the programmable logic of the programmable logic device to decrypt the encrypted critical information, so that the critical information may be further processed.

Configuration based cryptographic key generation


The invention includes a method of fabricating a circuit in a manner to place certain structures within a predefined distance of one another. Electrical connections are formed between certain structures of silicon, by annealing a conductive material to cause silicon out-diffusing to form local interconnects. The silicon out-diffusion can be facilitated without a masking step thereby simplifying as well as speeding up the fabrication process. The invention also includes a local interconnect thus formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the fabrication of solid state devices and, more particularly, to the fabrication of local interconnects.
2. Description of the Background
Local interconnects are a mechanism used during the fabrication of solid state devices to make connections between structures, such as between the terminals of transistors, to thereby provide electrical interconnections between devices. xe2x80x9cLocal interconnectsxe2x80x9d, as the name implies, refers to interconnects that extend between adjacent devices, or devices that are relatively close to one another, as opposed to connections extending across a circuit or chip. Connections that are approximately thirty microns or less are typically referred to as local interconnects.
One type of circuit where local interconnects are used is a six transistor, static random access memory, or 6T SRAM. A circuit diagram of a 6T SRAM cell is illustrated in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, a 6T SRAM cell 10 is coupled between complimentary bit lines 12 and 14 and is coupled to a word line 16. Memory cell 10 includes a load transistor 18, a load transistor 20, a drive or pull down transistor 22 and a drive or pull down transistor 24. Transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24 are coupled together to form cross-coupled inverters having a storage node 26 and a storage node 28.
Transistors 18 and 20 are preferably P-channel transistors, but may be replaced by polysilicon or other resistors, N-channel depletion mode transistors, or other electrical devices for raising the voltage at storage nodes 26 and 28 when pull down transistors 22 and 24 are turned off, respectively. Pull down transistors 22 and 24 are preferably N-channel transistors, although other types of transistors such as bipolar transistors or other devices may be utilized.
Storage node 26 is coupled to a pass gate transistor 30 which is controlled by word line 16. Storage node 28 is coupled to a pass gate transistor 32 which is also controlled by word line 16. Pass gate transistors 30 and 32 are preferably N-channel enhancement mode transistors, although other types of transistors may be utilized.
Transistors 18 and 22 form a first inverter having an input at conductive line 23, and transistors 20 and 24 form a second inverter having an input at conductive line 25. Conductive line 23 is coupled to the output of the second inverter formed by transistors 20 and 24 (i.e. storage node 28). Similarly, conductive line 25 is coupled to the output of the first inverter formed by transistors 18 and 22 (i.e. storage node 26). Thus, transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24 form cross coupled inverters having outputs at storage nodes 26 and 28.
In operation, cell 10 stores logic signals, or information such as a logic 1 (e.g., VCC) or logic 0 (e.g., ground) on nodes 26 and 28.
With reference to FIG. 10, a top view schematic layout drawing of a portion of cell 10 is shown. Transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24 are illustrated as lateral transistors. Alternatively, transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24 can be vertical transistors, or thin film transistors. A gate 34 of transistor 22 is coupled to node 28 via polysilicon conductive lines 23 and 36 and a gate 38 of transistor 24 is coupled to node 26 via polysilicon conductive lines 25 and 40. Lines 23, 36 and 25, 40 cross couple transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24.
A drain 42 of transistor 22 is coupled to node 26 via a local interconnect 44, and a drain 46 of transistor 24 is coupled to node 28 via a local interconnect 48. A source 50 of transistor 22 is coupled to ground, and a source 52 of transistor 24 is coupled to ground.
The local interconnect 44 is electrically coupled to the polysilicon conductive line 25 at node 26. The local interconnect 48 is electrically coupled to the polysilicon line 23 at the node 28. Local interconnects 44 and 48 can be any conductive material such as doped polysilicon, amorphous polysilicon, a single layer of metal (tungsten), or other substances. Additionally, local interconnects 44 and 48 can each be coupled to various other items associated with cell 10 or other integrated circuit elements. Preferably, local interconnects 44 and 48 are utilized to provide additional connections for cell 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,899 entitled Local Interconnect Structure And Process For Six-Transistor SRAM Cell discloses a method of fabricating local interconnects and a local interconnect that is comprised of a glue layer and a plug layer. An etch is performed to remove the plug layer from above the surface of the insulating layer. That leaves the glue layer for forming the local interconnects.
The particular geometry, and materials described with reference to FIG. 10 are shown only as exemplary embodiment. The particular geometry of cell 10 can be adjusted various ways to provide particular operating parameters for cell 10. For example, transistors 18, 20, 22 and 24 can be provided at various orientations to form cell 10. Changes in orientation will change the location of the local interconnects. Design rules are used to determine the size and position of structures within a given circuit design.
Some of the design rules which must be considered when designing a 6T SRAM cell utilizing local interconnects as well as other types of memory cells and other devices are explained with reference to FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, a moat 58 underlies a conducting line 60. These two elements are generally separated by a dielectric (not shown). A transistor may be formed from these elements. A conducting line 62 is located outside of moat 58. Local interconnect 64 overlies and connects moat region 58 and conducting line 62.
As is well known, design rules must be formulated and applied to any integrated circuit design configuration or process. These rules specify minimum (or maximum) distances for reliability and operation of the device. The rules are dependent upon many factors such as the variability in dimensions of the structures fabricated and the variability in alignment of one structural material to another. Both variabilities depend in turn on fabrication techniques applied and tolerances of the equipment used in fabrication. Illustrated in FIG. 11 are five minimum design rules which together dictate the minimum width to which the configuration shown may be fabricated. Distance xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d is the minimum line width for a polysilicon conducting line for a given device and fabrication process. A minimum distance xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d may be, for example, 0.8 xcexcm. Note that the distances specified herein for design rules are exemplary only and would vary for different configurations and design processes. Distance xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is the distance required between two conducting lines. A typical minimum distance xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d may be 1.0 xcexcm. Distance xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d represents the minimum allowed distance between a local interconnect and an unrelated conducting line. This distance may be, for example, 0.7 xcexcm. Distance xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is the distance that the local interconnect 64 overlaps the moat region 58. A typical minimum design rule for distance xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is 0.8 xcexcm. Distance xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d is the distance that the local interconnect 64 overlaps the conducting line 62. A typical design rule minimum for distance xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d may be 0.6 xcexcm. As can be seen then, the minimum width for this configuration from one conducting line to the other, including the width of both lines, must be at least a+c+d+e+(axe2x88x92e). For the exemplary design rule distances given above, that would result in a minimum distance of 3.1 xcexcm.
Additionally, it can be seen that the alignment of the local interconnect 64 over the conducting line is critical to achieve minimum distance xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d while not extending over the conducting line to thereby increase the width. Thus, production of local interconnects requires the careful alignment of a dedicated local interconnect mask.
The drive to make the fabrication process for circuits faster and easier depends, in part, on the ability to fabricate circuits in a manner that requires fewer masking steps. Thus, there is a need for a method of fabricating local interconnects without a separate step for aligning and using a local interconnect mask.
The invention is a method of fabricating a circuit in a manner to place certain structures within a predefined distance of one another. Electrical connections are formed between certain structures by a silicon out-diffusion which forms local interconnects. The silicon out-diffusion can be facilitated without a masking step thereby simplifying as well as speeding up the fabrication process.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of fabricating local interconnects in a circuit without using a mask to define the local interconnects begins by fabricating the structures that are to be connected by a local interconnect within a bridging distance of one another. A metal layer is formed on top of at least the structures to be electrically connected together. The layer of metal is heated to cause an out-diffusion of a conductive element from material adjacent to the deposited metal so as to form electrical connections between the structures within the bridging distance. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the metal is formed on top of polysilicon such that the out-diffusion of the conductive element includes the out-diffusion of silicon. Residual metal/metal nitrides are removed from the oxide surface after local interconnect formation, i.e. post silicon out-diffusion and RTP anneal.
The present invention eliminates a masking step which is typically required to form the local interconnects. The present invention is particularly useful in the fabrication of a 6T SRAM cell and may be used on various types of integrated chips which carry more than one type of memory and logic on a chip. These advantages and benefits, and others, will be apparent from the Description of the Preferred Embodiment hereinbelow.

Method of selectively forming local interconnects using design rules


A selected spatial portion of digital base content is selected, and one or more alternative content objects is selected to replace the spatial portion. The spatial portion may comprise less than a full frame of the base content, although it may span multiple frames, and may move within the successive frames. The replacement may occur before or after distribution of the content. The selections may be made based upon knowledge of general or specific audiences. The selections may facilitate bandwidth or processing, allow for product placements, or generally enhance the audience experience.

The present invention relates generally to the field of digital content preparation, creation, delivery, and playback, and particularly to the adaptation of content by spatial replacement of all or portions of base content.
Over the past decades, delivery of content to audiences (e.g., for entertainment, educational, and similar purposes) has evolved very significantly. Historically, films, books, and print matter were delivered by conventional cinemas, through the mail, and through retail establishments. Conventional television transmissions evolved from broadcast technologies to cable, satellite and digital delivery, such as via the Internet. While all of these technologies still exist in parallel, of increasing importance has been the delivery of content via digital means, and the adaptation of content to specific audiences, typically upon request. In many situations, audiences may still experience content on regular schedules, such as through linear broadcast, satellite and cable programming. However, increasingly audiences select times and places for reception and playback, using time shifting techniques, storage techniques, on-demand techniques, non-linear Internet-based content retrieval, and so forth.
While audiences may increasingly select particular content based at least in part on the particular device on which the content is to be experienced (e.g., television, computer, smartphone, etc.), there is increasing interest in adapting content for both large audiences, as well as for individuals with or without active participation of the audience. That is, it is commonplace for advertisements to be adapted for particular demographics, times, audiences, and even individuals. These advertisements may be added to or fed prior to, during or after desired content based upon detectable audience preferences, but typically simply placed into available slots ("avails") designated for commercial content. It has also become common to superimpose graphics, lines, text, advertisements, and so forth on base content. These may vary in transparency, and may direct the audience to optional content or activities. Enhancement in this area are still needed, however.
For example, apart from ad placement in specifically allocated timeslots, the adaptation of actual content based upon potential audience interest is not commonly performed today. In general, once compiled and prepared for distribution, the content itself is generally not altered, although certain minor supplements may be made to it, such as closed captioning, language options, and the like. Similarly, as noted, superimposed advertisements and recommendations are common with various types of content, but these have not been used to alter the content stream itself. Few or no successful attempts have been made at altering content based upon potential audience interest during the content experience.
The present disclosure addresses a number of exciting possibilities for altering and/or supplementing content distributed to audiences based upon a range of factors or "dimensions" that may better accommodate audience interests and preferences.

Digital content spatial replacement system and method


The invention is related to a feedback method and apparatus for a capacitive differential pressure transducer. According to the method, a pressure-transducing conducting diaphragm (1) forming a first, moving electrode of the transducer capacitances is kept in a force balance state by means of a pulse train signal applied to a fixed electrode (2, 3). According to the invention, the diaphragm (1) is kept stationary in a geometrically constant state and a desired electric potential is applied to the diaphragm (1), the pulse train signal is applied to at least two of the fixed electrodes (2, 3), or alternatively, sets of fixed subelectrodes. The signals applied to separate electrodes (2, 3) or sets of subelectrodes are at opposite polarities referenced to the electric potential of the pressure-transducing diaphragm (1) for at least a portion of the measurement duration, and are of equal amplitude at least for each pair of electrodes (2, 3). The same pulse train signal is simultaneously used for both establishing the force balance and performing the capacitance measurement. Changes in the dielectric coefficient of the transducer fill medium are compensated for by altering the pulse amplitude, pulse width or pulse rate depending on the primary modulation method used in the feedback control.

The invention is related to a feedback-control method for an asymmetric differential pressure transducer.
The invention also concerns an apparatus for the feedback-control of an asymmetric differential pressure transducer.
A micromechanical element kept at a given electric potential can be controlled by an electrostatic force which is generated by means of potential differences applied to the electrodes surrounding the element and the element itself. As known, the electrostatic force generated between two electrodes is expressed as: ##EQU1## where U is the potential difference between planar electrodes, .epsilon..sub.r, dielectric coefficient of the medium, dA elementary area element and d distance between the planar electrodes. The integration is carried out over the electrode surface. On the basis of Eq. (1), the electrostatic force between the electrodes can be interpreted as an electrostatic pressure acting on the electrode surface: ##EQU2##
Next, a differential pressure transducer structure is examined comprising a body structure supporting a fixed electrode and a diaphragm attached at its edges to said body structure and adapted to deflect under an imposed differential pressure. If the deflection of the diaphragm remains extremely small, each surface element of the diaphragm will be subjected to an equally large force effect by both the electrostatic pressure expressed by Eq. (2) and the externally applied physical pressure, which is thus cancelled by the electrostatic pressure at any point of the diaphragm surface, that is, p.sub.ext =p.sub.electric. This means that a differential pressure transducer can be operated as a servotransducer in an electrically feedback-connected mode. When the diaphragm is controlled to the nondeflected state, the external pressure can be expressed as: ##EQU3## where Q is the charge on the electrodes.
Such a feedback arrangement is, however, handicapped by three basic problems:
1) The relationship between the electrostatic pressure and the feedback control voltage employed as the transducer output voltage is nonlinear on the basis of Eq. (2). PA1 2) The equation p.sub.ext =.epsilon..sub.0 .epsilon..sub.r U.sup.2 /2d.sup.2 is valid in a force balance state only when the diaphragm deflection is zero. To identify this state, the diaphragm position must be known. PA1 3) The factor linking the feedback voltage to the generated electrostatic pressure is dependent on the dielectric coefficient of the medium between the electrodes.
A solution to these problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,750 to Suzuki et al., "Semiconductor Capacitance-Type Accelerometer with PWM Electrostatic Servo Technique", by S. Suzuki, S. Tuchitani, K. Sato, S. Ueno, Y Yokota, M. Sato and M. Esashi, Sensors and Actuators A21-A23, pp. 316-319, 1990 and Design and Test of a Precision Servoaccelerometer with Digital Output, by Y. de Coulon, T. Smith, J. Herman, M. Chevroulet and F. Rudolf, The Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, Yokohama, Japan 1993, pp. 832-835. If the feedback arrangement is implemented using a pulse-width or pulse-rate modulated signal, i.e., with a constant-amplitude pulse (voltage level), a linear relationship can be established between the electrostatic pressure and the duty cycle of the pulse train: ##EQU4## where D=T.sub.ON /T.sub.total, that is, the ratio of the pulse ON time to the total pulse period. Eq. (4) may be further written as: ##EQU5## where U.sub.pulse is the amplitude of the pulse train, T.sub.pulse is the pulse width and f.sub.pulse =n/T.sub.total is the pulse rate (pulses/unit time). In conjunction with pulse-width modulation, a linear output voltage is obtained by taking the pulse train output signal via an integrator. A pulse-rate modulated signal can be directly processed as a digital signal formed by a bit stream. A problem of the pulsed feedback-control scheme is that the pulse train signal fed back as the control signal acts as an AC signal that may affect the capacitance measurement and even saturate the measurement circuits employed in the capacitance measurement.
A starting point for the design of a pulsed feedback control of an acceleration transducer is to operate appreciably above the transducer natural frequency (see U.S. Pat. 5,095,750 and the two articles referred to above) whereby the transducer seismic mass by its moment of inertia is not capable of exhibiting a fast response to individual pulses, and thus, the pulsed feedback force effect is averaged. By contrast, in a differential pressure transducer the diaphragm natural frequency is significantly higher (typically in the order of 30-200 kHz depending on the diaphragm thickness and diameter). However, when operated at atmospheric pressure, the diaphragm is subjected to extremely heavy viscose damping, so again the diaphragm is prevented from responding to individual pulses imposed at a high pulse rate, and also here the pulsed feedback force effect is averaged.
In capacitive measurement techniques, particularly when employing the force balance principle, a problem arises from the dependence of the dielectric coefficient on the temperature, humidity and other factors affecting the dielectric fill medium of the transducer. Therefore, the dielectric coefficient must be measured and its changes compensated for. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,492 to Kusima according to which the actual transducing electrode of a pressure transducer is surrounded by another electrode having a low sensitivity to pressure change thus being suited for detecting changes in the dielectric coefficient.

Method and apparatus for feedback-control of an asymmetric differential pressure transducer


A thermal protector includes a stationary electrode having a contact end connected to the top end of a zigzag plate heater and a snap-acting thermosensitive element having a movable electrode with a contact end connected thereto. The stationary electrode and the movable electrode are opposed to each other and the two contact ends can be open or closed. The stationary electrode and the movable electrode are fixed within a container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal protector used in various kinds of electric components and appliances for protecting the electric components and appliances from over heating and over current accidents due to heating and overcurrent under abnormal conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional thermal protector has the following structure: An electrode mount comprising a movable electrode and a stationary electrode which are fixed with a glass bead so as to oppose to each other is contained in a glass envelope. The glass envelope is pinch-sealed by melting an opening thereof located under the glass bead. After being exhausted and filled with gas, the glass envelope is hermetically sealed by tipping off the top thereof. Such a structure is described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-42912.
The thermal protector with the above-mentioned structure is provided on a heating unit of various kinds of electric components and appliances. When a temperature of the unit is raised or an excess current flows through the unit due to some abnormality or other, a snap-acting and thermo-sensitive element of the movable electrode is reversed in order to be removed from the stationary electrode, thereby as a protective function shutting the current to the electric components or appliances.
Recently, as the electric components and appliances are made compact, there has been a desire for developing a thermal protector with a small size and an excellent opening sensibility in a low current region.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, the desired opening sensibility of a compact thermal protector in a low current region cannot be obtained even if a resistance wire of a nickel-chromium alloy is used as a lead wire of the stationary and the movable electrodes in the glass envelope.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A control arrangement for controlling a superheat of a vapour compression system includes a first sensor and a second sensor for measuring control parameters allowing a superheat value to be derived, a first controller arranged to receive a signal from the first sensor, a second controller arranged to receive a superheat value derived by a subtraction element, and to supply a control signal, based on the derived superheat value and a reference superheat value, and a summation element arranged to receive input from the the controllers, the summation element being arranged to supply a control signal for controlling opening degree of the expansion device. According to a first aspect the control arrangement includes a low pass filter arranged to receive a signal from the first sensor and to supply a signal to the subtraction element. According to a second aspect the first controller includes a PD element.

When controlling a vapour compression system, such as a refrigeration system, an air condition system or a heat pump, the supply of refrigerant to an evaporator is normally controlled in such a manner that the superheat value of refrigerant leaving the evaporator is maintained at a small, positive value. The superheat value is the temperature difference between the temperature of refrigerant leaving the evaporator and the dew point of refrigerant leaving the evaporator. Thus, a high superheat value indicates that gaseous and heated refrigerant is leaving the evaporator, and therefore the refrigeration capacity of the evaporator is not utilised optimally, and the vapour compression system is not operated in an efficient manner. On the other hand, zero superheat value indicates that the refrigerant leaving the evaporator is at the dew point. Thereby there is a risk that liquid refrigerant is leaving the evaporator. If liquid refrigerant reaches the compressor, the compressor may suffer damage, and it is therefore desirable to avoid that liquid refrigerant leaves the evaporator. Thus, a small, but positive, superheat value ensures that the vapour compression system is operated in an energy efficient manner, without risking damage to the compressor.
The supply of refrigerant to the evaporator may be controlled by controlling an opening degree of an expansion device, e.g. in the form of an expansion valve. The control signal for the expansion device may be supplied by a control arrangement, which derives the control signal on the basis of the superheat value which has been derived from suitable measured parameters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,103 discloses an example of such a control arrangement. The control arrangement contains a measuring device connected to the evaporator, which device produces a measurement signal that is a measure of the superheat temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator. The control arrangement further comprises a comparator to which the measurement signal and a desired superheat signal are arranged to be supplied. A PID controller is arranged between the comparator and the expansion valve. For rapid compensation of changes in the superheat temperature, a control signal proportional to the evaporating temperature of the refrigerant is arranged to be supplied additionally to the PID controller.
The control arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,103 can only be used in combination with a PID control algorithm. This is a disadvantage, because in some applications another control algorithm would be more suitable.

Control arrangement for controlling superheat


A horizontal forwardly-extending handle is connected to a downwardly arched upright elongated lever rigidly attached to a center point of a horizontal support for a plurality of parallel spaced-apart tines, the horizontal support extending in from the center point in opposite lateral directions for an extended length, having rigidly mounted along the extended length the plurality of parallel spaced-apart tines all extending also forwardly substantially horizontally, the downwardly arched upright lever arching substantially rearwardly, and an intermittently mountable removable tines-ends protective encasing shield structure.

The particular invention as its primary area of use is directed to activities associated with commercial gardening centers at which commercial shrubs, plants or bushes that have been previously dug-up and the bottom soil-carrying roots thereof wrapped typically in burlap bag or the like, are thereafter portably manually lifted and portably carried manually from one location to another at which they are placed in a position for sale or carried at time of sale to a customer's vehicle, or are packed for shipping, or the like. At the time of portably lifting and portably conveying the burlap-bag wrapped roots and attached associated soil, preventing the falling-loose of soil and moisture from the roots as life-preserving matter for the shrubs or plants or bushes, the manual task previously has been one that is awkward to the conveying person. Also normally the worker soils his pants, together with the task of portably manually lifting and carrying the load requiring back-rending bending of the worker's back in order to lift the shrub, bush, plant or the like, and requiring strenuous efforts during the manual portably holding and walking with the conveyed shrub or bushes or plant or the like. During the typical carrying of the shrub, bush or plant or the like, typically with the wrapped roots and dirt as the bottom thereof and with typically the enlarged bushy top or upper body thereof, requires the person to lean sidewardly and/or forwardly during the conveyance, resulting in potential straining of side or back muscles or at least placing substantial strain on the worker's body, back and/or side muscles to the potential detriment of the worker portably manually lifting and conveying the shrub, plant or bush or the like.

Portable manual tool for hand lifting and carrying bulk


A semiconductor module comprises a semiconductor chip comprising a semiconductor switch having a collector, emitter and gate, a collector terminal connected to the collector, gate terminal connected to the gate, an emitter terminal connected to the emitter via an emitter conductor path having an emitter inductance, an auxiliary emitter terminal connected to the emitter, a first conductor path connected to the emitter, and a second conductor path connected to the emitter having a different mutually inductive coupling with the emitter conductor path as the first conductor path. The first conductor path and the second conductor path are connectable to the auxiliary emitter terminal and/or the first conductor path is connected to the auxiliary emitter terminal and the second conductor path is connected to a second auxiliary emitter terminal. The semiconductor switch is an IGBT and each of the first conductor path and the second conductor path comprises bridging points for connecting the respective conductor path to the auxiliary emitter terminal.

Semiconductor modules comprise one or more semiconductor chips, which each comprise one or more semiconductors like diodes, transistors, thyristors and the like. In such modules, high power semiconductor switches like IGBTs are used for switching currents of more than 10 A and/or more than 1000 V.
As a rule, switching losses should be kept at a minimum, which may be achieved by fast switching. On the other hand, fast switching may also cause electromagnetic interference problems. The switching speed is therefore often controlled via a gate resistor or via intelligent gate drives controlling the gate current IC (for example by using IC or dlc/dt feedback). However, gate resistors usually do not help in case of short circuits and intelligent gate drivers may be expensive and complex to implement and control.
In most IGBT modules, the common emitter impedance is carefully designed to be identical for all IGBTs (in case of paralleled IGBTs) and not too large or too small. Usually, the actual value is chosen by the module manufacturer and cannot be changed by the module user.
Some IGBT modules provide an auxiliary emitter terminal, which may be used for providing the voltage for the gate drive. In particular, high current IGBT modules usually need an auxiliary emitter. Otherwise switching would be too slow. The PCB design cannot compensate the coupling.
Other types of modules do not provide auxiliary emitter terminals at all, thus leaving the responsibility to the PCB and gate drive designer. As a rule, short circuit protection for modules with low dl/dt damping has to be applied with external circuits, typically adding extra losses and extra components.
In this technical field, generic semiconductor modules are know from US 2013/153958 A1 and DE 100 05 754 A1.

Semiconductor module with two auxiliary emitter conductor paths


A shade including a frame member being formed from a flexible twistable material and a membrane is disclosed. The shade includes an adjustable tension strap coupled to two ends of the membrane.

This invention relates generally to a shade having multiple configurations, and in particular, to a shade that self-opens into an extended configuration, and also can be in a collapsed position and a curved configuration.
Conventional sunshades are typically used, for example, to provide shade from the sun while a person rests or lies in the sun. Difficulty exists, however, in adjusting the shape and the position of the sunshades when being used for such purposes. For example, conventional sunshades cannot easily be adjusted to provide shade as the sun changes position.
The need exists for a sunshade that can be easily adjusted to provide various configurations of shade and coverage to a user.
A shade includes a frame member being formed from a flexible twistable material and a membrane. The shade includes a tension member coupled to two ends of the membrane. In one embodiment, the tension member is a strap that includes coupling mechanisms that enable the length of the strap to be adjusted.
In one embodiment, the shade has an open or extended configuration. When the coupling mechanisms of the strap are coupled together, the strap length is shortened and the ends of the shade are brought closer together. In this arrangement, the shade has a curved configuration. The shade can also be folded from an extended configuration and a curved configuration into a collapsed configuration.
In one embodiment, the shade includes an extension member and a retention or anchor member that can be anchored into the ground or sand using a stake. The extension member is pulled rearwardly of the shade to adjust the angle at which the shade is tilted.
In an alternative embodiment, the shade includes two additional sets of extension members and anchor members that are pulled forwardly (or anchored straight down) in front of the shade to anchor the shade when a towel or other article is not positioned on the strap.

Self-opening shades and methods of using the same


An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens having positive refractive power; and a fourth and a fifth lens having negative refractive power. The first lens is formed so that a curvature radius of an object-side surface is positive and the second lens is formed so that a curvature radius of an object-side surface and a curvature radius of an image plane-side surface are positive. The third lens is formed so that a curvature radius of an object-side surface is positive, and the fifth lens is formed so that a curvature radius of an object-side surface and a curvature radius of an image plane-side surface are both positive. An Abbe's number from the first and the third to the fifth lens is greater than 45, and an Abbe's number of the second lens is less than 35.

The present application is a reissue application of U.S. Pat. No. 8,879,167, and is a continuation reissue application of the application Ser. No. 15/062,295, allowed, which is a continuation reissue application of the application Ser. No. 14/824,208, issued as U.S. Pat. No. RE46,066, which is a reissue application of U.S. Pat. No. 8,879,167.
The present invention relates to an imaging lens for forming an optical image on an imaging element such as a CCD sensor and a CMOS sensor. Particularly, the present invention relates to an imaging lens suitable for mounting in a relatively small camera such as a cellular phone, a digital still camera, a portable information terminal, a security camera, an onboard camera, and a network camera.
Performances of a camera mounted in a cellular phone have been improved every year, and there is even a camera having optical performances comparable to those of a digital still camera. The resolution of an imaging element that used to be several hundred thousand pixels has been improved to several megapixels, and the resolution of a camera has been dramatically improved. An imaging lens for mounting in such camera needs to not only have a small size, but also have resolution comparable to that of a high-resolution imaging element, i.e., ability to satisfactorily correct aberrations.
Conventionally, in order to attain both sufficient optical performances and miniaturization, it is typical to adopt an imaging lens having two or three-lens configuration. However, optical performances required for such a high-resolution imaging element have been increased each year, so that it is difficult to sufficiently correct aberrations anymore. Further, it is difficult to meet those optical performance requirements with such a two- or three-lens configuration. For this reason, a four- or five-lens configuration has been studied and practically applied in recent years.
Among them, since a five-lens configuration has high flexibility in designing, it is expected to be a lens configuration to be applied to a next generation imaging lens. For example, an imaging lens described in Patent Reference includes a first lens that is convex on an object-side surface thereof and is positive; a second lens that has a shape of a negative meniscus lens directing a concave surface thereof to an image plane side; a third lens that has a shape of a positive meniscus lens directing a convex surface thereof to the image plane side; a fourth lens that has aspheric shapes on both surfaces thereof, is concave on an image plane-side surface thereof near an optical axis, and is negative; and a fifth lens that has aspheric shapes on both surfaces thereof and is positive or negative, arranged in this order from the object side. In addition, there are limitations in a lower limit of Abbe's number of the first lens and an upper limit of Abbe's number of the second and the fourth lenses. With the lens configuration like this, according to the imaging lens, it is possible to satisfactorily correct an axial chromatic aberration and a chromatic aberration of magnification.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-264180
According to the imaging lens described in Patent Reference, it is possible to obtain relatively satisfactory aberrations. However, since the total length of the lens system is long, it is difficult to attain both miniaturization of the imaging lens and satisfactory aberration correction. Here, such challenge of attaining both miniaturization and satisfactory aberration correction is not specific to the imaging lens for mounting in a cellular phone, but common among imaging lenses for mounting in relatively small cameras such as digital still cameras, portable information terminals, security cameras, onboard cameras, and network cameras.
In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging lens that can satisfactorily correct aberrations in spite of the small size thereof.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


Disclosed is an apparatus for heat development of a migration imaging member containing migration marking material and a softenable material capable of softening upon exposure to heat at a development temperature, which apparatus comprises a heating source, a conveyance means for conveying the migration imaging member past the heating source, a first pinch roller in contact with the conveyance means, and a second pinch roller in contact with the conveyance means, wherein the imaging member passes through a nip between the conveyance means and the first pinch roller subsequent to entering the apparatus and prior to exposure to the heating source and passes through a nip between the conveyance means and the second pinch roller subsequent to exposure to the heating source and prior to exiting the apparatus, wherein the surface temperature of the first pinch roller is maintained at a temperature at least 20.degree. C. below the development temperature of the migration imaging member during the period in which the first pinch roller contacts the migration imaging member, wherein the surface temperature of the second pinch roller is maintained at a temperature at least 20.degree. C. below the development temperature of the migration imaging member during the period in which the second pinch roller contacts the migration imaging member, and wherein the heating source is maintained at the development temperature of the migration imaging member during development.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and process for developing images. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and process for heat development of migration imaging members. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for heat development of a migration imaging member containing migration marking material and a softenable material capable of softening upon exposure to heat at a development temperature, which apparatus comprises a heating source, a conveyance means for conveying the migration imaging member past the heating source, a first pinch roller in contact with the conveyance means, and a second pinch roller in contact with the conveyance means, wherein the imaging member passes through a nip between the conveyance means and the first pinch roller subsequent to entering the apparatus and prior to exposure to the heating source and passes through a nip between the conveyance means and the second pinch roller subsequent to exposure to the heating source and prior to exiting the apparatus, wherein the surface temperature of the first pinch roller is maintained at a temperature at least 20.degree. C. below the development temperature of the migration imaging member during the period in which the first pinch roller contacts the migration imaging member, wherein the surface temperature of the second pinch roller is maintained at a temperature at least 20.degree. C. below the development temperature of the migration imaging member during the period in which the second pinch roller contacts the migration imaging member, and wherein the heating source is maintained at the development temperature of the migration imaging member during development.
Migration imaging members are well known, and are described in detail in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,195 (Goffe), U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,262 (Goffe et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,457 (Tam), U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,458 (Ng), U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,462 (Goffe et al.), and "Migration Imaging Mechanisms, Exploitation, and Future Prospects of Unique Photographic Technologies, XDM and AMEN", P. S. Vincett, G. J. Kovacs, M. C. Tam, A. L. Pundsack, and P. H. Soden, Journal of Imaging Science 30 (4) July/August, pp. 183-191 (1986), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. Migration imaging members containing charge transport materials in the softenable layer are also known, and are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,457 (Tam) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,458 (Ng), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. A typical migration imaging member comprises a substrate, a layer of softenable material, and photosensitive marking material in the form of a fracturable layer contiguous with the upper surface of the softenable layer. The member is imaged by first electrically charging the member and exposing the charged member to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as light, to form a latent image on the member. Subsequently, the imaged member is developed by one of several methods, such as application of heat, solvent, solvent vapor, or the like, causing the marking material in the exposed areas of the member to migrate in depth through the softenable material toward the substrate.
The expression "softenable" as used herein is intended to mean any material which can be rendered more permeable, thereby enabling particles to migrate through its bulk. Conventionally, changing the permeability of such material or reducing its resistance to migration of migration marking material is accomplished by dissolving, swelling, melting, or softening, by techniques, for example, such as contacting with heat, vapors, partial solvents, solvent vapors, solvents, and combinations thereof, or by otherwise reducing the viscosity of the softenable material by any suitable means.
The expression "fracturable" layer or material as used herein means any layer or material which is capable of breaking up during development, thereby permitting portions of the layer to migrate toward the substrate or to be otherwise removed. The fracturable layer is preferably particulate in the various embodiments of the migration imaging members. Such fracturable layers of marking material are typically contiguous to the surface of the softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate, and such fracturable layers can be substantially or wholly embedded in the softenable layer in various embodiments of the imaging members.
The expression "contiguous" as used herein is intended to mean in actual contact, touching, also, near, though not in contact, and adjoining, and is intended to describe generically the relationship of the fracturable layer of marking material in the softenable layer with the surface of the softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate.
The expression "optically sign-retained" as used herein is intended to mean that the dark (higher optical density) and light (lower optical density) areas of the visible image formed on the migration imaging member correspond to the dark and light areas of the illuminating electromagnetic radiation pattern.
The expression "optically sign-reversed" as used herein is intended to mean that the dark areas of the image formed on the migration imaging member correspond to the light areas of the illuminating electromagnetic radiation pattern and the light areas of the image formed on the migration imaging member correspond to the dark areas of the illuminating electromagnetic radiation pattern.
The expression "optical contrast density" as used herein is intended to mean the difference between maximum optical density (D.sub.max) and minimum optical density (D.sub.min) of an image. Optical density is measured for the purpose of this invention by diffuse densitometers with a blue Wratten No. 94 filter. The expression "optical density" as used herein is intended to mean "transmission optical density" and is represented by the formula: EQU D=log.sub.10 [l.sub.o /l]
where l is the transmitted light intensity and l.sub.o is the incident light intensity. For the purpose of this invention, all values of transmission optical density given in this invention include the substrate density of about 0.2 which is the typical density of a metallized polyester substrate used in this invention.
There are various other systems for forming such images, wherein non-photosensitive or inert marking materials are arranged in the aforementioned fracturable layers, or dispersed throughout the softenable layer, as described in the aforementioned patents, which also discloses a variety of methods which can be used to form latent images upon migration imaging members.
The background portions of an imaged member can sometimes be transparentized by means of an agglomeration and coalescence effect. In this system, an imaging member comprising a softenable layer containing a fracturable layer of electrically photosensitive migration marking material is imaged in one process mode by electrostatically charging the member, exposing the member to an imagewise pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, and softening the softenable layer by exposure for a few seconds to a solvent vapor thereby causing a selective migration in depth of the migration material in the softenable layer in the areas which were previously exposed to the activating radiation. The vapor developed image is then subjected to a heating step. Since the exposed particles gain a substantial net charge (typically 85 to 90 percent of the deposited surface charge) as a result of light exposure, they migrate substantially in depth in the softenable layer towards the substrate when exposed to a solvent vapor, thus causing a drastic reduction in optical density. The optical density in this region is typically in the region of 0.7 to 0.9 (including the substrate density of about 0.2) after vapor exposure, compared with an initial value of 1.8 to 1.9 (including the substrate density of about 0.2). In the unexposed region, the surface charge becomes discharged due to vapor exposure. The subsequent heating step causes the unmigrated, uncharged migration material in unexposed areas to agglomerate or flocculate, often accompanied by coalescence of the marking material particles, thereby resulting in a migration image of very low minimum optical density (in the unexposed areas) in the 0.25 to 0.35 range. Thus, the contrast density of the final image is typically in the range of 0.35 to 0.65. Alternatively, the migration image can be formed by heat followed by exposure to solvent vapors and a second heating step which also results in a migration image with very low minimum optical density. In this imaging system as well as in the previously described heat or vapor development techniques, the softenable layer remains substantially intact after development, with the image being self-fixed because the marking material particles are trapped within the softenable layer.
The word "agglomeration" as used herein is defined as the coming together and adhering of previously substantially separate particles, without the loss of identity of the particles.
The word "coalescence" as used herein is defined as the fusing together of such particles into larger units, usually accompanied by a change of shape of the coalesced particles towards a shape of lower energy, such as a sphere.
Generally, the softenable layer of migration imaging members is characterized by sensitivity to abrasion and foreign contaminants. Since a fracturable layer is located at or close to the surface of the softenable layer, abrasion can readily remove some of the fracturable layer during either manufacturing or use of the imaging member and adversely affect the final image. Foreign contamination such as finger prints can also cause defects to appear in any final image. Moreover, the softenable layer tends to cause blocking of migration imaging members when multiple members are stacked or when the migration imaging material is wound into rolls for storage or transportation. Blocking is the adhesion of adjacent objects to each other. Blocking usually results in damage to the objects when they are separated.
The sensitivity to abrasion and foreign contaminants can be reduced by forming an overcoating such as the overcoatings described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,262, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. However, because the migration imaging mechanisms for each development method are different and because they depend critically on the electrical properties of the surface of the softenable layer and on the complex interplay of the various electrical processes involving charge injection from the surface, charge transport through the softenable layer, charge capture by the photosensitive particles and charge ejection from the photosensitive particles, and the like, application of an overcoat to the softenable layer can cause changes in the delicate balance of these processes and result in degraded photographic characteristics compared with the non-overcoated migration imaging member. Notably, the photographic contrast density can degraded. Recently, improvements in migration imaging members and processes for forming images on these migration imaging members have been achieved. These improved migration imaging members and processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,458 (Ng) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,457 (Tam).
Methods of developing or fixing images by heat are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,072 (Adachi et al.) discloses an image formation apparatus having a fixing station for applying high frequency waves to fix an image on a recording medium. In operation, a latent image is formed on a photosensitive drum, and the latent image is developed with a developer. The developed image is then transferred to a recording medium and exposed to high frequency waves to affix the transferred image to the recording medium. In one embodiment, the fixing apparatus comprises one or more pairs of rollers of a high-frequency wave absorbing material. High frequency waves are applied to the image in a manner so as to reduce escape of high frequency waves from leaking; the absorbing rollers help reduce leakage and also become heated by absorption of high frequency waves, which assists in fixing the image to the recording medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,790 (Suzuki et al.) discloses an apparatus for heat-fixing a toner image onto a support sheet wherein fixing is effected through both infrared radiation and direct contact with a heated surface of fixing roller in succession. An endless belt transparent to infrared light and trained over a pair of rollers is disposed within a heat insulating casing, an upper run of the belt defining a path of movement of a toner image-bearing support sheet to be fixed. An infrared radiator is disposed beneath the upper run of belt while a reflecting plate is disposed at the opposite of the belt. A fixing roller is disposed downstream of the radiator along the path for completing the fixing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,803 (Gravel) discloses a method and apparatus for uniformly charging a single layer thermoplastic recording surface either positively or negatively to a potential just below the first threshold level for exposing the thermoplastic surface to light in image configuration, and for applying a heat pulse to the thermoplastic surface for a time relatively short compared to the duration of the light exposure interval and during the exposure. The charging event is arranged so that the thermoplastic surface is raised only to a relatively low potential with respect to ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,644 (Yanagawa et al.) discloses an electric heater means for thermally fixing a toner image to a copy sheet to produce a permanent electrostatic copy of an original document. The heater means is normally energized at partial power but is switched to full power by means of microswitches at the inlet and outlet of the heater means which are actuated by the copy sheet while the copy sheet passes through the heater means. The heater means is switched to full power for a shorter length of time during a multiple copy operation than during a single copy operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,528 (Spehrley, Jr. et al.) discloses a hot melt ink jet system including a temperature controlled platen provided with a heater and a thermoelectric cooler electrically connected to a heat pump and a temperature control unit for controlling the operation of the heater and the heat pump to maintain the platen temperature at a desired level. The apparatus also includes a second thermoelectric cooler to solidify hot melt ink in a selected zone more rapidly to avoid offset by a pinch roll coming in contact with the surface of the substrate to which hot melt ink has been applied. An airtight enclosure surrounding the platen is connected to a vacuum pump and has slits adjacent to the platen to hold the substrate in thermal contact with the platen.
Although known apparatuses and processes are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for apparatuses suitable for heat development of migration imaging members. In addition, a need remains for heat developer apparatuses that can develop migration imaging members without damaging them in such a manner as to impair image quality. Further, there is a need for heat developer apparatuses that do not cause dimensional distortion to migration imaging members during development, which could result in difficulties such as color misregistration when the migration imaging members are used to prepare color separation xeroprinting masters for color xeroprinting. A need also exists for heat development apparatuses that do not contact migration imaging members in such a manner as to impair image quality. In addition, there is a need for heat development apparatuses that enable automatic feeding of migration imaging members into the apparatus and enable practical implementation in a machine environment. Further, there is a need for heat development apparatuses that enable automatic feeding of migration imaging members and enable uniform heat development. There is also a need for heat development apparatuses with a simple and compact design and which can easily accommodate imaging members of different sizes.

Heat development process of migration imaging members


The invention relates to a viral inactivated biological liquid or dry mixture and to its preparation. Principally, the invention relates, but is not limited, to a mixture derived from a platelet source.

Platelets are small, irregularly-shaped a-nuclear cells that play a fundamental role in hemostasis and healing. Platelets contain a complete array of pre-synthesized proteins, among which are signaling proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, membrane proteins and regulatory proteins. They are involved in key stages of tissue regeneration and healing processes at the site of injury, mainly due to the content of platelet granules comprising a multitude of bioactive molecules including growth factors (GFs), cytokines and chemokines.
Platelet growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and others are key players in all the following phases of the wound healing cascade: inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling phase.
Studies have shown that platelet derived growth factors stimulate angiogenesis, mitogenesis, cell proliferation, neutrophils and macrophages, collagen synthesis, wound contraction, extracellular matrix synthesis, epithelialization and chemotaxis.
Platelets are routinely used by transfusion e.g. to improve hemostasis. Recently, platelets are increasingly used in the form of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), also referred to as PRP gel, platelet gel, PRP-clot etc. Typically, PRP is an ex vivo preparation consisting of autologous platelets concentrated in a limited volume of plasma (Lacci K M, Dardik A. Platelet-rich plasma: support for its use in wound healing. Yale J Biol Med. 2010 March; 83(1):1-9).
For topical application, PRP is usually activated by the addition of thrombin and/or CaCl2 resulting in the formation of fibrin gel by the interaction between thrombin (endogenous or exogenous) and fibrinogen. Upon activation, the platelets undergo active degranulation and release various mediators including GFs (Lacci K M, Dardik A, 2010). The use of PRP for injection currently comprises a small but rapidly growing segment of the market. The rationale for using PRP in soft and hard tissue augmentation is its potential to enhance tissue regeneration in non-healing injuries, accelerate wound maturity, vascularization and epithelialization, decrease scar formation, and reduce post operative complications and morbidity (Lacci K M, Dardik A, 2010).
Studies using activated PRP together with various cell types have shown that factors e.g. growth factors released from PRP can induce cell proliferation [(e.g. Kanno et al. Platelet-rich plasma enhances human osteoblast-like cell proliferation and differentiation. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2005 March; 63(3):362-9; Bertrand-Duchesne et al. Epidermal growth factor released from platelet-rich plasma promotes endothelial cell proliferation in vitro. J Periodontal Res. 2010 February; 45(1):87-93; Kakudo et al. Proliferation-promoting effect of platelet-rich plasma on human adipose-derived stem cells and human dermal fibroblasts. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008 November; 122(5):1352-60), modulate the angiogenic capability of human endothelial cells (Sulpice et al. Cross-talk between the VEGF-A and HGF signalling pathways in endothelial cells. Biol Cell. 2009 September; 101(9):525-39; Rughetti et al. Platelet gel-released supernatant modulates the angiogenic capability of human endothelial cells. Blood Transfus. 2008 January; 6(1):12-7), and induce osteo-inductive properties (Intini G. The use of platelet-rich plasma in bone reconstruction therapy. Biomaterials. 2009 October; 30(28):4956-66)]. Moreover, activated PRP was found to support in vitro cell growth and maintained viability of a number of target cells including myelomas, hybridomas, hepatocytes, fibroblasts and epithelial cells, at a level comparable or superior to the level supported by fetal bovine serum (Johansson et al. Platelet lysate: a replacement for fetal bovine serum in animal cell culture? Cytotechnology. 2003 July; 42(2):67-74).
PRP and released growth factors are currently used in various surgical tissue regeneration procedures, predominantly in orthopedic and dental surgery (Nurden et al. Platelets and wound healing. Front Biosci. 2008 May 1; 13:3532-48). In orthopedic surgery PRP is used mainly for knee arthroplasty, lumbar spinal fusion, and in intervertebral disc degeneration (reviewed in Nurden et al, 2008). Dentistry and maxillofacial surgery PRP applications include mainly consolidation of titanium implants, maxillary sinus augmentation and bone remodeling (reviewed in Nurden et al, 2008). PRP is also increasingly used for tendon and ligament repair, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, chronic skin wound healing, ophthalmology, facial nerve regeneration, as well as in cardiac and bariatric surgery (reviewed in Nurden et al, 2008).
However, a major disadvantage of the current use of autologous PRP and released factors resides in the lack of standardization. Of note, different manual, semi-automated and fully-automated systems for preparation of PRP are commercially available that differ in parameters such as preparation time, platelet yield and collection efficiency (Mazzucco et al. Not every PRP-gel is born equal. Evaluation of growth factor availability for tissues through four PRP-gel preparations: Fibrinet, RegenPRP-Kit, Plateltex and one manual procedure. Vox Sang. 2009 August; 97(2):110-8).
Another important variable is the technique used for platelet activation [autologous, heterologous or recombinant thrombin, calcium chloride or batroxobin (Rozman P, Bolta Z. Use of platelet growth factors in treating wounds and soft-tissue injuries. Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Panonica Adriat. 2007 December; 16(4):156-65)], which can affect the efficiency of granule release and the amount of secreted GFs (Rozman P, Bolta Z, 2007). Moreover, since platelets are very sensitive to mechanical stress and changes in the surrounding environment, they may be activated and GFs may be released during processing, prior to the intended activation step (Mazzucco et al, 2009). This uncontrolled activation may further increase the variability in the composition of the final product when using different PRP preparation systems. Additionally, a major inherent weakness of autologous PRP preparation is that the platelets GFs content varies among individuals, and therefore may lead to sub-optimal results. Finally, the financial burden of dedicated machinery, disposable PRP processing kits, and the need for trained personnel, should be taken into consideration when working with autologous PRP.
Background art includes Su et al. "A virally inactivated functional growth factor preparation from human platelet concentrates". Vox Sang. 2009 August; 97(2):119-128; Burnouf et al. "A novel virally inactivated human platelet lysate preparation rich in TGF-beta, EGF and IGF, and depleted of PDGF and VEGF". Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2010 Aug. 6; 56(4):151-60; and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2012-0156306.


Closed circuit lines (33, 43, 53, 63) for connecting hydraulic cylinders (17, 18, 19) and closed circuit pumps (31, 41, 51, 61) are provided with a charge pressure adjustment apparatus (75) via a charge line (72) to variably adjust the pressure in the charge line (72). An operating device (12) for operating the hydraulic cylinders (17, 18, 19) and the charge pressure adjustment apparatus (75) are connected to a control device (81). In the case of extending the hydraulic cylinders (17, 18, 19), the control device (81) increases a set pressure of the charge pressure adjustment apparatus (75) to be high to increase the pressure in the bottom side of the hydraulic cylinders (17, 18, 19) in accordance with an operating amount of the operating device (12).

In recent years, there has been a demand for a further improvement on energy saving in a working machine such as a hydraulic excavator, a wheel loader or the like. Here, for the energy saving of the working machine, the energy saving of a hydraulic system itself becomes important. Therefore, there have been made studies on adopting a hydraulic closed circuit system, in which a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic actuator are connected in a closed circuit and the hydraulic actuator is directly controlled by the hydraulic pump, for the working machine (Patent Document 1).
The hydraulic closed circuit system can control pressure losses due to a control valve to be smaller as compared to a hydraulic open circuit system that connects a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic actuator in an open circuit. Along with it, since the hydraulic pump delivers only a required flow amount, it is possible to suppress the flow amount loss also. In addition, it is possible to perform regeneration of potential energy or kinetic energy at deceleration of the actuator. Accordingly, the high-level energy saving is made possible.
Here, Patent Document 1 describes the working machine using the hydraulic closed circuit with a hydraulic drive system in which when a hydraulic cylinder is at a stop, the delivery pressure of a charge pump is made lower than usual, thus making it possible to reduce the loss of consumption power in the charge pump.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


Indicating wheels of a combination lock are normally viewed through respective windows which are displaced from alignment with the wheels when the lock is released. The wheels are then obscured so that the combination to which the lock has been set for release cannot be observed. The windows contain optical lenses.

This invention relates to a combination lock mechanism, by which we mean a lock mechanism comprising an operating member which, when the mechanism is in use, normally imposes a constraint on an associated device but can undergo releasing movement to discontinue the constraint and a plurality of settable members, each of which can be set by an operator in a selected one of a number of alternative positions, it being necessary for the operator to establish a predetermined combination or one of two or more predetermined combinations of respective positions of the settable members before releasing movement of the operating member can occur. In some locks incorporating a combination lock mechanism, the settable members are accessible and are moved directly by the operator. In other locks incorporating a combination lock mechanism, the settable members are not accessible directly and a separate driving member is provided through which the operator transmits drive to the settable members.


According to one embodiment, a method includes: assigning a target port to a control path thread of an application to access data stored in a storage device of a data storage system; creating a storage device path corresponding to the target port; running the data path thread to access the data stored in the storage device; and running a control path thread to process a management work request to operate on one of objects including the target port, the storage device path, and the storage device. The control path thread is configured to send the management work request to the data path thread asynchronously. The data path thread is configured to complete the management work request and send a management work request completion response to the control path thread asynchronously.

A data storage system provides a pool of persistent data storage spaces for different clients. In the context of small computer system interface (SCSI), a client that sends input/output (I/O) requests is referred to as an initiator, and a data storage device that stores data is referred to as a target. Initiator and target are applicable not only to the traditional parallel SCSI, but also to Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP), Internet SCSI (iSCSI), HyperSCSI, Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Serial ATA (SATA), ATA over Ethernet (AoE), InfiniBand, and any other storage networking protocols.
A target can serve as many I/O requests as possible to one or more initiators. A set of software modules of the data storage system that processes I/O flows from an initiator to a target is referred to as an I/O stack. An I/O stack can include two main components: a data path that provides I/O processing to and from data objects; and a control path that manages the data objects required for the I/O processing in the data path. Examples of the control path management include, but are not limited to, addition, deletion, and modification of data objects.
In an I/O stack of a data storage system, control operations in the control path can modify the state or content of data objects that are used by the data path. This may cause contention and introduce synchronization primitives that can degrade the I/O performance and affect scalability of the data storage system. Typically, synchronization primitives between a control path and a data path are used to ensure that the data objects that are being used in the data path are not modified by the control path. The use of synchronization primitives requires that a data path process that executes I/O workloads has to acquire synchronization primitives, thus adding an overhead to the I/O processing and increasing the likelihood of contention. The synchronization primitives are required on the data objects themselves and also on a global list of data objects. As the scope of the synchronization primitives increases, the likelihood of contention among different data path threads running in the data path increases as well.
Interactions between a control path and a data path include an addition, a deletion, and modification of an object in the data storage. The data path is typically faster than the control path. The control path typically interacts with the same data objects that the data path has to access. Therefore, the control path and the data path may contend for the same data objects. The accesses of the data objects by the control path and the data path are typically protected by a synchronization mechanism. However, the synchronization mechanism may add a delay, including contention and longer code paths, resulting in degraded performance and parallelism.
In a conventional storage target implementation, data objects such as logical unit numbers (LUNs), connections, and access control lists (ACLs) are managed by a control path. The data object management by the control path includes addition of new objects, deletion or modification of existing data objects. These data objects are typically maintained using data structures such as lists, trees, or arrays. Although these storage management objects are owned and managed by the control path, a data path still has to reference these objects. In such a situation, a control path and a data path have to synchronize with each other by acquiring necessary locks.

System and method for providing a zero contention parallel data stack


A wallboard carrier with a supporting platform to hold the wallboard and a pair of shanks extending upwardly from said platform and leading to a horizontal handle. A lip on the outer edge of the platform, opposite the shanks, holds the wallboard on the platform between the lip and the shanks. Ridges or grooves running across the platform prevent the board from slipping horizontally along its longitudinal edge. The bottom of the platform is rounded, so the lip may be placed underneath the edge of a piece of horizontal wallboard and the board rolled onto the platform and into a vertical position for carrying.

Workmen on construction jobs must, of necessity, carry considerable amounts of wallboard and plywood. The usual four by eight foot sheets are heavy and clumsy to carry. Ordinarily, one grasps one of the two eight-foot edges in one hand and the opposite edge in the other hand. This is cumbersome and means that the board will extend above the workman's head and often make it difficult for him to pass through doorways.
One partial solution to these problems is found in Russo U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,202. This, however, is a somewhat complicated and more expensive design and could result in the workman dropping the wallboard.

Wallboard carrier for readily lifting and carrying wallboard and the like


A system for delivering an anaesthetic-containing fluid to a desired site in a patient includes a catheter for channeling the fluid into a unitary portal penetrating a body. A pump capable of delivering fluid at a constant flow rate is dimensioned to retain sufficient fluid for at least a one-day delivery and is adapted to permit being affixed to the body to permit portability. A fluid line, such as tubing, transports fluid from the pump to the catheter. A kit further includes an introducer needle dimensioned to permit the catheter to pass therethrough. A method of relieving pain at a surgical site postoperatively over an extended period of time includes the steps of inserting an anaesthetic-containing fluid into a pump interior having a capacity sufficient for at least a two-day delivery. The skin of a patient is punctured with an introducer needle at a desired site adjacent the surgical site, and an epidural-type catheter is passed through the introducer needle, which is then removed, leaving the catheter at the desired site. The catheter connects tubing to the pump interior, and fluid is permitted to flow from the pump to the desired site.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing postoperative pain relief and, more particularly, to such systems and methods for local, site-specific, time-released administration of an anaesthetic.
2. Description of Related Art
Anaesthetic medication is generally required postoperatively for alleviation of discomfort at the surgical site. It has been considered desirable to deliver such medication via a single puncture in order to avoid multiple injections adjacent an area that is already painful.
Two such systems are known to have been disclosed: Reese (U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,192) teaches a cannula and catheter system that is fed by a spring-loaded syringe wherein the spring has nonlinear characteristics that effect a gradually decreasing delivery rate with spring expansion. LeFevre (U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,420) describes a portable drug delivery device for administering a medication at a constant and self-regulated rate. This device includes a spring-loaded syringe having a reverse-taper cylinder to compensate for the decreasing force exerted by the spring as it expands.
Medication-delivery pumps have been marketed for use in oncological applications to deliver chemotherapeutic agents and for the delivery of antibiotics (the "OutBound" pump, McKinley, Inc., Wheat Ridge, Colo., and others). This pump has a flow-control restrictor and a filter to remove particulates.
In some procedures such as orthopedic operations, a patient can feel very comfortable even immediately after surgery because an anaesthetic will have been delivered into the surgical site, such as a joint. Therefore, until that dose of anaesthetic wears off, the patient experiences less post-operative discomfort. When it does wear off, however, the patient is often dependent upon medication to relieve postoperative pain. Such medication may have side effects and may not alleviate the pain completely, as it is circulated systemically and takes time to reach the target site.

Site-specific postoperative pain relief system, fit and method


An apparatus is provided for evaluating the tonal characteristics of an object with respect to a nominal tone which comprises a striker for causing the object to generate an audio signal and a microphone for inputting the audio signal. A reference signal generator generates plural reference signals in accordance with the nominal tone, and those signals are mixed with the audio signal by a mixing circuit. The accuracy of the audio signal with respect to the nominal tone is evaluated in accordance with the audio signal mixed by the mixing circuit.

In commonly-assigned application Ser. No. 07/771,346, filed Oct. 4, 1991, a musical display such as a Christmas display is provided comprising a plurality of ornaments. Each of the plurality of ornaments includes a pair of bells, wherein each bell is capable of playing a distinctive note or tone. Each ornament also includes a striker for striking, one at a time, a selected one of the pair of bells. An electronic controller is provided for generating electrical sights to each ornament to strike each bell in coordination and, thus, playing a musical tune.
Such a Christmas display is fabricated from bells which are mass-produced and are low-cost. These low-cost bells typically deviate from their respective nominal or ideal tones by, for example, up to five percent. However, in such an apparatus, in order to produce a pleasing musical tune, all of the bells must be in tune, that is, each bell must accurately emit its respective nominal note. Otherwise, if such a Christmas display comprises bells which have tonal characteristics that deviate from their respective nominal tones, the musical Christmas display will sound "off-key" or out of tune and not very pleasing to the listener.
To avoid the above-discussed disadvantages, manufacturing techniques include the use of suitable testing equipment known in the art, such as digital frequency meters, oscilloscopes, etc., to measure the note or, more specifically, the frequency characteristic of each bell. If the tested bell has a frequency characteristic within a predetermined tolerance of its nominal frequency, the bell is used; otherwise, the bell is discarded.
This manufacturing technique has several disadvantages. First, the testing equipment is rather complex, costly, and time-consuming to use. And due to its complexity, operators of such equipment must have a higher skill than is generally required for the manufacture of such Christmas ornaments. Therefore this technique does not lend itself well to low cost mass-produced products. Second, such test equipment typically indicates the absolute tonal characteristic. That is, the test equipment will display the fundamental frequency of the bell. Therefore, the operator must interpret these results to determine whether the bell is acceptable or not. Such interpretations could lead to inconsistent and/or inaccurate determinations, especially for those operators who are not familiar with the test equipment. Moreover, bells having frequencies outside the acceptable tolerance of nominal frequencies are generally discarded. This results in discarding many bells, generally raising manufacturing costs.
The inventors recognize that a reasonable rendition of a musical tune can be produced if the bells used in the display are in tune relative to one another. In other words, if each bell emits a note which is, by way of example, 2% higher than its respective nominal note, the playing of such device will produce a pleasing musical tune or melody, even with bells that would have been discarded by using conventional manufacturing techniques.
Therefore, the inventors propose an inexpensive device which is simple to use and can simply grade the bells with respect to deviation from their respective nominal notes. In such a manufacturing technique, the bells are first graded according to their deviation from their respective nominal notes. The display is then assembled from bells of the various nominal notes having the same grade. Accordingly, with such a technique fewer bells are discarded resulting in a higher utilization rate of the bells. Therefore, manufacturing costs may be reduced.

Apparatus for determining tonal characteristics of an object and method thereof


The invention relates to a method of positioning and soldering of electronic components on a printed circuit board. To this end, soldering material is first heated to a suitable molten temperature, after which the component is put in the liquid soldering material with its connections and the soldering material is then allowed to cool. Soldering is preferably carried out in an inert or slightly reducing atmosphere. Heating of the soldering material may take place in a single stage or in two stages.

The invention relates to a method of positioning and soldering of electronic components on a printed circuit board, in which method soldering material is locally applied on the printed circuit board and a positioned component is fastened to the printed circuit board by melting and subsequent cooling down of said soldering material.
Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,692. As described in this Patent, SMD components (Surface Mounted Devices) are put on the printed circuit board in contact with soldering paste, upon which the assembly is heated to a high temperature to soften or melt the soldering paste to a sufficient degree for obtaining a good adhesion between the components and the soldering material. The assembly is subsequently allowed to cool down again. As this Patent discloses, however, a disadvantage of this method is that components can easily become displaced during soldering, so that the positioning accuracy cannot be guaranteed, while also the formation of an even solder layer is difficult.
To solve these problems, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,692 proposes to fix the components first on the printed circuit board with an adhesive, which is cured by irradiation. The assembly thus obtained of printed circuit board and components glued to it may then be brought into contact with molten soldering material in order to achieve the soldered joint. A disadvantage of this method is that glueing of the components on the printed circuit board involves an additional process step, which considerably increases both the manufacturing cost and the time required for manufacture.

Method of positioning and soldering of SMD components


An optical fiber distributed monitoring system and method is provided. The system includes a laser device, an acousto-optic modulator, a phase matching interferometer, a photoelectric detector and a phase demodulation module. After entering the phase matching interferometer, the Rayleigh backscattering light containing parameter information output from the sensing optical fiber enters the two arms of the phase matching interferometer respectively, and the light of the two arms of the phase matching interferometer is phase-modulated by the first modulation wave and the second modulation wave, respectively and then interfere with each other to generate interference light. The photoelectric detector converts a light signal into an electric signal, and the phase demodulation module processes the electric signal based on the Hilbert algorithm to obtain the parameter change of the environment under test.

The optical fiber distributed sensing technology allows for continuous measurement on external physical parameters distributed along a geometric path of optical fiber, and is widely used in the fields of intelligent bridge, expressway, important building and gas pipeline monitoring, etc. With regard to optical fiber distributed monitoring, there are mainly two kinds of distributed monitoring systems, i.e., intensity demodulation-based distributed monitoring systems and phase demodulation-based distributed monitoring systems, wherein the intensity demodulation distributed monitoring systems can only demodulate the light intensity variation information of the Rayleigh backscattering light in a unit pulse and has a limited application scope, while the phase demodulation distributed monitoring systems can demodulate the phase information of the interference light of the Rayleigh backscattering light in a unit pulse and has a wide range of application scenarios. At present, the phase demodulation solutions of a phase demodulation distributed monitoring system mainly consist of two solutions, i.e., phase generated carrier (PGC) and 3×3 coupler demodulation.
The PGC solution requires the addition of carrier and requires signal acquisition for the interference light and the modulation waves simultaneously, that is, it needs to demodulate two signals at the same time, so both the frequency and the amplitude of the carrier need to be quantized strictly to meet the requirement of the system demodulation accuracy, in addition, the dynamic range of the system is limited by the carrier frequency. The 3×3 coupler demodulation requires simultaneous signal acquisition of three signals, which involves larger data amount and makes the system complicated. The principle of the 3×3 coupler demodulation is based on an angle of 120°, but the 3×3 coupler actually produced do not precisely have the 120°, thus, the angle of the 3×3 coupler also affects the demodulation accuracy.
To sum up, the process of acquiring demodulation data in the prior art is relatively complicated, and there are many factors affecting accuracy, resulting in low accuracy of the acquired demodulation data.

Optical fiber distributed monitoring system and method

Laser Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences