A positively chargeable toner includes a plurality of toner particles. Each of the toner particles includes a toner mother particle and an external additive adhering to a surface of the toner mother particle. The external additive includes a plurality of resin particles. Each of the resin particles has a resin mother particle and a coat layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the resin mother particle. The coat layer contains a specific vinyl resin.

The present disclosure relates to a positively chargeable toner.
In order to improve fluidity and chargeability of a toner, it has been proposed that an external additive be added onto surfaces of toner mother particles. For example, an external additive including a plurality of fine resin particles having a core-shell structure is known. A shell layer of each of the fine resin particles contains a condensation product (a resin) of formaldehyde with a compound having at least two amino groups.


This invention relates to a sewing apparatus. Staples or tacks having the function of a sewing thread are first penetrated successively through a work placed on a bed. The staples or tacks are supplied and fed successively from a feeder which is provided over the work. The extremities of the staples or tacks are then transformed so as not to be removed from the work. The penetrating and transforming operations are performed simultaneously at a plurarity of points or successively from point to point, whereby seams or patterned seams adjacent to each other are accomplished to sew the work.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus of sewing, with staples or tacks made of synthetic resins or of similar materials which, in effect, perform the function of a sewing thread, work in the form of a fabric, film, board or netting, such as various kinds of textiles, plastics, leather, paper, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical prior device is an industrial sewing machine wherein the formation of continuous seams is accomplished by entwining of a sewing thread or of two sewing threads, upper and lower. In this prior device, quite a complicated construction of the machine and accuracy in its adjustment are required to ensure accomplishment of the formation of perfect seams. As, besides, the sewing thread is indispensable, there are problems of wrinkles, contractions, etc., arising on the sewn piece of work, and of the sewing thread being broken, caught in the machine head or getting entangled in the course of operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved, novel apparatus for sewing or connecting.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of sewing wherein the construction is simplified.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of sewing whereby the formation of seams is accomplished by means permitting easy adjustment and maintenance.
In the afore-mentioned prior device, a vertically reciprocating needle sews the work stitch by stitch over a long distance. As such, the operation extends over many hours and requires a high degree of skill and attentiveness of the operator. Accordingly, the improvement of productive efficiency at sewing factories has been held in check.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for sewing with an improvement in productivity to result in reduced costs.

Sewing apparatus using thermoplastic staples


An information processing system according to the embodiments includes an in-vehicle device (electronic device), a portable communication terminal, a terminal position computing unit (computing unit), and a specific process executing unit (executing unit). The in-vehicle device is provided in a vehicle (predetermined facility). The portable communication terminal is capable of mutual communication with the in-vehicle device. The terminal position computing unit computes a position of the portable communication terminal based upon a motion of the portable communication terminal. The specific process executing unit, when the position of the portable communication terminal computed by the terminal position computing unit is a predetermined position that is predefined in the facility, executes a specific process corresponding to the predetermined position.

Conventionally, an information processing system is known which includes an electronic device provided in a given facility and a portable communication terminal capable of intercommunication with the electronic device and performs information processing through the communication between the electronic device and the portable communication terminal.
As an example, this type of information processing system performs navigation processing for guiding a route to the destination by using a navigation device (in-vehicle device) provided in a vehicle and a portable communication terminal.
In a technology disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-145376, an application program for navigation processing run on a portable communication terminal is determined upon performing the navigation processing, according to which of connection terminals in an in-vehicle device the portable communication terminal is to be connected with.
However, in the conventional technology mentioned above, there is a room for further improvement in that the convenience of the portable communication terminal is utilized, and simultaneously, the information processing corresponding to predetermined positions in a given facility is facilitated.
Specifically, the portable communication terminal can be easily moved, for example, in a vehicle interior from a place close to the in-vehicle device to another place far from the same, and has the convenience that the portable communication terminal is easy to perform intuitive operation such as holding it up over any of the predetermined positions it moves to or touching such position. In this regard, the conventional technology mentioned above is insufficient in the sense of exploitation of the convenience as mentioned above because functions of the portable communication terminal are restricted by the positions of the connection terminals in the in-vehicle device.

Information processing system and information processing method causing a portable communications terminal to cooperate with an electronic device


A method and device for calibrating in-phase and quadrature-phase (IQ) mismatch. The device is used in a direct down-conversion circuit of a communication system. The device has a first mixer for mixing an RF signal with a first carrier signal, so as to generate an in-phase analog signal; a second mixer for mixing the RF signal with a second carrier signal, so as to generate a quadrature-phase analog signal; an operation unit for executing a Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm and thereby generating a compensation signal according to the in-phase analog signal and the quadrature-phase analog signal; and a calibration unit for compensating the in-phase analog signal and the quadrature-phase analog signal according to the compensation signal, so as to calibrate the IQ mismatch between the in-phase analog signal and the quadrature-phase analog signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for calibrating signals, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for calibrating mismatch between in-phase and quadrature-phase signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional zero-IF receiver 10. The zero-IF receiver 10 includes an antenna 11, a low noise amplifier (LNA) 12, mixers 14 and 24, low pass filters (LPFs) 16 and 26, analog to digital converters (ADCs) 18 and 28, and a digital signal processor (DSP) 19. Antenna 11 receives a radio signal, and LNA 12 amplifies the radio signal. Mixer 14 mixes the radio signal with a first carrier wave(COSωct in FIG. 1), so as to generate an analog signal Sa1. The other mixer 24 mixes the radio signal with a second carrier wave (SIN(ωct+δ) in FIG. 1), so as to generate an analog signal Sa2. LPFs 16,26 filter out high frequency components of the analog signals Sa1, Sa2, respectively. Additionally, ADCs 18,28 convert the analog signals Sa1 and Sa2 to corresponding digital signals Sd1 and Sd2, respectively, and DSP 19 further processes the digital signals Sd1 and Sd2.
Ideally, there should be a 90° phase difference between the above-mentioned first carrier wave and the second carrier wave for generating analog signals Sa1 and Sa2 with quadrature relation (i.e., an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal). However, in actual apparatus, temperature variation, process variation, and drift of supplied power may cause a phase offset δ between the first carrier wave and the second carrier wave such that the phase difference can't be ideal. This problem is called IQ mismatch.
IQ mismatch influences demodulation of signals and thereby increases the bit error rate in a communication system. Therefore, it is needed to compensate for the above-mentioned phase offset δ, so as to correct the analog signals Sa1, Sa2 and increase the bit rate of the communication system.
There are two typical calibration methods for solving the IQ mismatch in a zero-IF receiver. One is to generate a phase difference signal by measuring the phase offset δ of the digital signals Sd1 and Sd2 and then generate a calibration signal according to the phase difference signal for compensating for the phase offsetδ of the analog signals Sa1 and Sa2. The other is also to generate a phase difference signal by measuring the phase offset δ of the digital signals Sd1 and Sd2 but generate a calibration signal according to the phase difference signal for compensating for the phase offset δ of the digital signals Sd1 and Sd2.
The above-mentioned methods both measure the phase offset δ of digital signals Sd1, Sd2 by utilizing a digital circuit of a DSP executing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) on the digital signals Sd1, Sd2. Besides, phase compensation is done to the analog signals Sa1 and Sa2 by executing a Gram-Schmidt orthogonal procedure or done to the digital signals Sd1 and Sd2 by utilizing the digital circuit executing a LMS (Least-Mean-Square) algorithm. The related prior art are disclosed by the reference "Adaptive IQ mismatch cancellation for quadrature IF receiver", Isis Mikhael, Wasfy. B. Mikhael, http://bruce.engr.ucf.edu/%7Eprp/paper6.

Apparatus and method for calibrating in-phase and quadrature-phase mismatch


This is a feedback amplifier incorporating shunt feedback pairs which are emitter coupled for differential input transimpedance configuration whose characteristic includes a low differential input impedance and a high common load impedance that uses low input offset voltages to initiate the amplification and a latch coupled thereto to latch and amplify the amplifier input causing the effective amplifier input to be several orders of magnitude greater than the initial offset voltages. Thus, the amplifier of the invention uses the latch to not only sense the output of the amplifier but also the drive and reinforce the amplifier input through feedback.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sense amplifier circuits and more particularly to a sense amplifier circuit in which there is provided a positive latching feedback to the input of the amplifier to latch on the amplifier input and the gain in the amplifier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Negative feedback differential amplifiers are well known in the prior art. The IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 12, #12, May 1970, shows a basic negative feedback differential amplifier. Such an amplifier essentially consists of two current sense shunt feedback amplifiers connected to a differential configuration such that current input signals on the sense line are amplified and fed through the negative feedback transistor to the output. The feedback resistors between the output and the inputs of the amplifier are chosen so that the gain on the feedback amplifier is sufficient to trigger a detector circuit when a signal appears at either input. Variations on this basic differential negative feedback amplifier are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,777.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,539 also discloses still another latching negative feedback amplifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,176 teaches a sense circuit in which an output is detected by a differential amplifier controlling a latch with feedback.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,301 teaches a special responsive negative latching circuit used in positive feedback.
Generally, in differential sense amplifiers, error signals occur because of structural differences in the individual amplifiers which are coupled together.
Thus structural differences in the differential amplifiers cause an asymmetry which cannnot be avoided so that a differential current independent of the actual current at the input of the read amplifier flows and the output of such amplifier is a function not only of the amplified input signals but the amplified error signals as well. Moreover since such amplifiers are usually used in a cascade arrangement, i.e., the output of a first amplifier is coupled into the inputs of a second amplifier, any error signal is not only amplified within the amplifier itself but is also further amplified in the subsequent amplifiers through which it passes.


A modular remote control consistent with certain implementations has a first end module having a sliding connector disposed on one end thereof for sliding engagement with a mating sliding connector, wherein one of the sliding connector and the mating sliding connector is designated male and the other is designated female, respectively. A last end module has a mating sliding connector disposed on one end thereof for sliding engagement with a sliding connector. At least one intermediate module has both a sliding connector and a mating sliding connector, wherein, the modular remote control is assembled with the first end module mated by the sliding connection with the at least one intermediate module, and the last end module is mated to the at least one intermediate module by the sliding connection to produce a linear configuration of modules. A powered bus interconnects the first end module with the last end module and the at least one intermediate module via electrical connectors disposed on the sliding connector and the mating sliding connector. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Home entertainment devices commonly use remote controller devices to facilitate convenience in user control. Such devices are common with television sets as well as home theater components, set top boxes, video player devices, audio devices and game consoles. Remote controller devices have many configurations and designs having varying layouts. Users of such devices often have several or many such controllers with various functions or may utilize multifunctional controllers. Of those controllers, users may develop familiarity with or preferences for certain layouts. But, a user generally has little ability to control preferences for the layout of their remote controllers.


An optical encoder for a disc apparatus having a head arm to record and reproduce a disc-shaped recording medium, a scale swung together with the head arm, a reticle and a light sensitive element disposed on one side of the scale, and a light emitting element disposed on the other side of the scale. The phases of slit patterns in the reticle and light receiving portions of the light sensitive element opposed thereto are each divided into halves, and the divided phases are distributed symmetrically on the opposite sides of the reticle center in the directions of swing motion of the scale. And the same distributed phases of the light receiving portions are individually connected to each other, thereby eliminating the phase deviation of the detection output that results from temperature fluctuation and so forth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical encoder adapted for tracking control in a hard disc apparatus or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Relative to the conventional hard disc apparatus known heretofore, there is an exemplary one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,959 and Reissue 32,075. In such known apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hard disc 3 serving as a recording medium is rotated in the direction of an arrow a by a turntable 2 disposed on a chassis 1 used also as a case, and simultaneously a head arm 5 furnished with a flying magnetic head 4 at its fore end is so driven by a voice coil motor 6 as to swing in the directions of arrows b and b' on an arm shaft 7, so that an operation of recording or reproducing the hard disc 3 is performed by means of the magnetic head 4.
An optical encoder 9 employed to execute tracking control in such hard disc apparatus comprises a scale 11 composed of a glass plate and attached to the head arm 5 firmly through a wing 10, a reticle 12 of a glass plate and a light sensitive element 13 such as a photo diode disposed in one lateral lower portion of the scale 11, and a light emitting element 14 such as a light emitting diode disposed in the other lateral upper portion of the scale 11. A sensor 15 is constituted of such reticle 12, light sensitive element 13 and light emitting element 14. And the sensor 15 is anchored onto the chassis 1 by the use of a support 16 composed of synthetic resin or the like.
In the conventional optical encoder 9, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a multiplicity of slit patterns 11a formed in the scale 11 are arrayed radially with respect to the center 7a of the arm shaft 7 in a manner to be arcuate around the center 7a, and four slit patterns 12a each composed of a plurality of slit groups and formed in the reticle 12 are also arrayed radially with respect to the center 7a of the arm shaft 7 in a manner to be arcuate around the center 7a. And four light receiving portions (not shown) of the light sensitive element 13 are disposed under the four slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12.
For simplifying positional alignment of the scale 11 and the reticle 12, it has been customary that the phases of pairs of the slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12, i.e., a total of four phases A, A and B, e,ovs/B/ are arranged linearly on the two sides of the reticle center P (the central position of the reticle 12 in the swing directions b, b' of the scale 11 and on a radial line passing through the center 7a of the arm shaft 7 as illustrated in FIG. 5).
The light irradiated from the light emitting element 14 and passed through the slit patterns 11a in the scale 11 is passed sequentially through the slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12 and then is detected (sensed) by the light receiving portions of the light sensitive element 13. In this stage of the operation, if the scale 11 is in its motion in the direction of the arrow b for example, detection outputs of four phases in the order of B-A-B-A are obtained sequentially as shown in FIG. 8A. And tracking control is executed in accordance with such four-phase detection outputs to obtain a just track position H.sub.1 of the magnetic head 4 relative to the four tracks T on the hard disc 3, as represented by oblique lines in FIG. 8C.
However, there exists a disadvantage in the prior art that thermal off-track is error is prone to occur in case the reticle 12 and the light sensitive element 13 integral therewith are positionally deviated, because of temperature fluctuation from normal temperature to any higher point, with respect to the scale 11 in the direction of y-axis shown in FIGS. 5 through 7.
That is, due to the positional deviation of the reticle 12 in the y-axis direction, the four phases A, and B, B of the slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12 are shifted along the y-axis from the proper positions represented by solid lines in FIG. 7 to the positions represented by dotted lines, whereby one pair of phases A, A on the left side of the reticle center P are varied to have a positional deviation X.sub.1 in the direction of the arrow b', and another pair of phases B, B on the right side of the reticle center P are varied to have a positional deviation X.sub.2 in the direction of the arrow b.
Consequently, regarding the phases of the slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12 with respect to the slit patterns 11a in the scale 11 during the displacement of the scale 11 in the direction of the arrow b, a lead occurs in one pair of phases A, A on the left side of the reticle center P, while a lag occurs in another pair of phases B, B on the right side of the reticle center P. As a result, phase deviations are caused in the entirety of the four detection outputs B, A, B, A in such a manner that, as represented by solid lines in FIG. 8B, the phases B, A and B, A of the detection outputs mutually approach while the phases A, B and A, B mutually recede. Thus, as represented by one-dot chain lines in FIG. 8C, a track pitch error H.sub.2 is induced in the magnetic head 4 with respect to each of the entire four tracks T on the hard disc 3.
For the purpose of solving such a problem, it has been necessary heretofore to perform phase adjustment among the individual phases of the detection outputs by the use of four offset control rheostats and four gain control rheostats for the four phases of the slit patterns 12a in the reticle 12. Accordingly, another problem is existent that a total of eight control rheostats are needed on the light receiving side of the sensor 15.


A CT system includes a pair of detectors in its detector array which measure x-ray intensity from a source after passing through a differential x-ray filter. The ratio of the signals produced by these two detector elements are input to a KV calculator which produces a signal indicative of x-ray tube voltage.

The present invention relates to the measurement of x-ray tube voltage and, more particularly, to the measurement of tube voltage in a computed tomography (CT) imaging system.
In a contemporary computed tomography system, an x-ray source projects a fan-shaped beam which is collimated to lie within the X-Y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system, termed the "imaging plane." The x-ray beam passes through the object being imaged, such as a medical patient, and impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the transmitted radiation is dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the object and each detector produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam attenuation. The attenuation measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce the transmission profile.
The source and detector array in a conventional CT system are rotated on a gantry within the imaging plane and around the object so that the angle at which the x-ray beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group of x-ray attenuation measurements from the detector array at a given angle is referred to as a "view" and a "scan" of the object comprises a set of views made at different angular orientations during one revolution of the x-ray source and detector. In a 2D scan, data is processed to construct an image that corresponds to a two dimensional slice taken through the object. The prevailing method for reconstructing an image from 2D data is referred to in the art as the filtered back projection technique. This process converts the attenuation measurements from a scan into integers called "CT numbers" or "Hounsfield units", which are used to control the brightness of a corresponding pixel on a cathode ray tube display.
The quality of the image produced by any x-ray machine, and particularly a CT system, is determined in part by the quality of the accelerating voltage applied between the x-ray tube anode and cathode. This voltage is commonly called the peak kilovoltage (KVp) and its value is dependant on the particular machine in which the tube is used. In mammography, for example, better tissue contrast is achieved with relatively low voltages of around 30 KVp, whereas conventional x-ray machines and CT systems employ higher voltages in the range of 80 KVp to 140 KVp. All x-ray machines are subject to errors and image artifacts caused by incorrect tube voltage. CT systems are particularly vulnerable to variations in tube KVp, since they rely on a known KVp to make corrections to the acquired data for phenomena such as beam hardening. Also, special procedures such as bone mineral densitometry require an accurate KVp to provide the desired image contrast reproducibility. The KVp stability (or absolute KVp value) of an x-ray machine may be degraded by such events as long-term component drift, or component stress produced by x-ray tube "spits". As a result, KVp recalibration is performed regularly by service personnel and is a very time consuming task.
Commercial instruments are available which allow measurement of KVp from differential filtration of the x-ray beam, but these instruments are expensive, inconvenient, and are not highly accurate. In addition, available instruments do not allow measurements without service personnel being present to insert the measurement device into the beam, and beam measurements may not be made while the scanner is being used on a patient.

Indirect measurement of voltage applied to diagnostic x-ray tubes


The present disclosure relates to a preparing method of a zeolite core/silica zeolite shell composite, which includes adding a zeolite seed crystal into a gel solution containing a silicon-source compound, a structure directing agent and a fluorine anion-source compound, and then, crystallizing the gel solution for growing a silica zeolite shell containing a crystal structure which is coherent with that of the zeolite seed crystal; a zeolite core/silica zeolite shell composite prepared by the preparing method above; and catalytic use of the zeolite core/silica zeolite shell composite.

A natural or synthetic crystalline micro-porous molecular sieve has been demonstrated to have catalytic properties for various types of hydrocarbon conversion processes. In addition, the crystalline micro-porous molecular sieve has been used as adsorbents and catalyst carriers for various types of hydrocarbon conversion processes and for other purposes. The molecular sieve is a regular porous crystalline material having a limited crystalline structure when measured by X-ray diffraction, and has many small hollows therein, which can be connected to one another by smaller channels or pores. The channels or pores have about the size to allow adsorption of molecules in a specific size while refusing molecules in a large size. An interstitial space or a channel formed by the crystalline network structure enables a molecular sieve such as crystalline silicate, aluminosilicate, crystalline silicoalumino phosphate and crystalline aluminophosphate to be used as a molecular sieve for a separation process and as a catalyst and a catalyst support for a wide variety of hydrocarbon conversion processes.
Within the pores of the crystalline molecular sieve, hydrocarbon conversion reactions such as an isomerization reaction of paraffin, an isomerization reaction of olefin skeleton or double bonding, a disproportionation reaction, an alkylation reaction and a transalkylation reaction of an aromatic compound are controlled by a binding force granted by the channel size of the molecular sieve. Where a fraction of a feedstock is overly large so that it cannot be introduced into and reacted in pores, a problem of reactant selectivity occurs. Where a part of a product cannot leave channels or does not subsequently react, a problem of product selectivity occurs. Product distribution may vary depending on transition state selectivity, and this is because the reaction transition state is so large that it cannot be formed within the pores, and thus, a certain reaction cannot occur. In addition, where a size of the molecules is approximate to a size of the pore system, the problem of the selectivity may be caused from the structural binding to diffusion. A non-selective reaction on a molecular sieve surface, e.g., a non-selective reaction on an acid site of a molecule sieve surface, is not generally desirable, because the reaction is not applied to shape selective binding granted to a reaction occurring within channels of the molecular sieve.
Zeolite is a crystalline micro-porous molecular sieve formed of lattice silica and/or alternatively alumina, which is bounded to a replaceable cation (e.g., an alkali metal or alkali earth metal ion). The term "zeolite" includes a material containing silica and alternatively alumina, but parts of the silica and the alumina are recognized to be wholly or partially substitutable with different oxides. For example, germanium oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide, phosphorous pen oxide and a mixture thereof may substitute a part of the silica. Boron oxide, iron oxide, gallium oxide, indium oxide and a mixture thereof may substitute a part of the alumina. Accordingly, the terms "zeolite," "zeolites" and "zeolite material" used herein mean not only a material containing a silicon atom and alternatively an aluminum atom within its crystalline lattice structure, but also a material containing substitution elements suitable for the silicon and the aluminum, e.g., gallosilicate, borosilicate, silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) and aluminophosphate (ALPO). The terms "aluminosilicate zeolite" used herein mean a zeolite material essentially containing a silicon atom and an aluminum atom within its crystalline lattice structure.
In a certain hydrocarbon conversion process, it is sometimes preferable to reform a catalyst used in the process to maximize performance of the catalyst in the certain hydrocarbon conversion process [Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2002-0010143, etc.].
For example, it is sometimes preferable that a catalyst used in a hydrocarbon conversion process is a multi-functional catalyst, for example, a tri-functional catalyst or a bi-functional catalyst. The bi-functional catalyst includes two species of individual catalysts, e.g., two species of zeolites having different compositions or structures for inducing individual reactions. A reaction product may be separate, or two species of catalysts may be used together such that a reaction product of one catalyst may be carried on a catalytic site of a second catalyst to be reacted thereon. In addition, one of advantages in using the zeolite catalyst is that the catalyst is shape selective, and a non-selective reaction on a zeolite surface is not generally preferable. Thus, it is sometimes preferable that a catalyst used in a hydrocarbon conversion process has an ability to prevent or at least reduce an inappropriate reaction that may occur on the surface of the zoelite catalyst, by selectively selecting molecules within a supply stream based on their sizes or shapes so as to prevent inappropriate molecules existing in the supply stream from entering onto the zeolite catalyst and reacting with the catalyst. Furthermore, the performance of the zeolite catalyst may be sometimes maximized where the catalyst selectively selects target molecules based on their sizes or shapes to prevent the molecules from being out of the catalyst.
However, when conventional Al-containing zeolite is used as a catalyst for a hydrocarbon conversion reaction, there is a problem in that Al is eluted from the zeolite thereby deteriorating the hydrocarbon reaction. Thus, development of a zeolite structure that can resolve the problem is being demanded.

Zeolite core/silica zeolite shell composite, preparing method of the same, and catalyst including the same


A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor light emitting element includes: forming a stacked layer body of a nitride semiconductor having a second conductive-type layer, a light emitting layer, and a first conductive-type layer stacked on a growth substrate in this order; forming a first Bragg reflector made of a dielectric multilayer film above the first conductive-type layer; forming a first electrode over the first Bragg reflector with the first electrode being electrically connected to the first conductive-type layer; bonding the stacked layer body to a supporting substrate via the first Bragg reflector and the first electrode; removing the growth substrate from the stacked layer body to expose the second conductive-type layer; and forming over the exposed second conductive-type layer a second electrode and a second Bragg reflector made of a dielectric multilayer film so that the second Bragg reflector faces the first Bragg reflector across the stacked layer body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor light emitting element and to a nitride semiconductor light emitting element, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor light emitting element and to a nitride semiconductor light emitting element capable of use as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a light emitting diode (LED), a photodetector (PD) or a combination of these devices.
2. Background Information
Studies on laser elements capable of functioning as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser have been conducted using a nitride semiconductor. However, in fact, there is only one reference in the world reporting oscillation of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser of nitride semiconductor by current injection (Applied physics letters, vol. 92, p 141102). Such a vertical cavity surface emitting laser has, as shown in FIG. 14, a construction in which a Bragg reflector 51, an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 52, a light emitting layer 53, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 54 are stacked on a sapphire substrate 50 in this order. The Bragg reflector 51 is made of a multilayer film of AlN/GaN.
Such a vertical cavity surface emitting laser has an insulating film 55 made of SiN formed on a side surface of a nitride semiconductor layer and an upper surface of a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 54, a transparent electrode 57 formed on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 54, and a p-electrode 56 formed above the insulating film 55 so as to contact with the transparent electrode 57 and has an aperture. Formed over the transparent electrode 57 which is an aperture of the p-electrode 56 is a Bragg reflector 58 made of a dielectric multilayer film.
Further, a part of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 52, the light emitting layer 53 and the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 54 are etched from the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 54 to form a protrusion shape with the n-type nitride semiconductor layer 52 exposed at the bottom, and an n-electrode 59 is formed on the exposed n-type nitride semiconductor layer 52.
Also, proposed is a method of fabricating a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, in which a nitride semiconductor layer and a first distributed Bragg reflector are formed on a sapphire substrate, an other substrate is bonded on the first distributed Bragg reflector, the sapphire substrate is removed, a second distributed Bragg reflector is formed so as to face the first distributed Bragg reflector, and electrodes are formed on the surfaces of the semiconductor layer (JP 2000-228562A, JP 2000-228563A, and JP 2003-234542A). Further, proposed is a surface emitting semiconductor laser in which periphery of the element is etched (JP H05-190979A). Moreover, proposed is a nitride semiconductor light emitting element in which after forming a mesa in a semiconductor layer, a part of the layer is oxidized (JP 2006-216816A).
In a case where a Bragg reflector is made of a nitride semiconductor, a Bragg reflector having electric conductivity and a high reflectance is difficult to obtain. As a result, a Bragg reflector made of a nitride semiconductor with extremely low electrical conductivity as described above or a dielectric material is usually used. Therefore, in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, it is difficult to efficiently supply electric current to a light emitting layer which is interposed between the Brag reflectors facing each other. Also, as in a conventional structure, when a reflector is made of an insulating nitride semiconductor with extremely low electrical conductivity or a dielectric material, and two electric contact portions are formed on an upper surface (on the same plane) of the p-type layer and the n-type layer, uniform injection of electric current into the region contributing to laser oscillation (hereinafter referred to as the "element region") is difficult to achieve and the current density becomes locally high. Therefore, the matching of lateral distribution of light and gain becomes insufficient, resulting in a high threshold current. In addition, the current input becomes high, so that heat generated in the element region cannot be released, resulting in significant reduction of the emission efficiency.
On the other hand, as described in JP 2000-228562A, JP 2000-228563A, and JP 2003-234542A, in a case where using an other substrate which is different from a growth substrate, a p-electrode is formed in a region away from the element region, the electric current is difficult to spread in the p-type layer in a nitride semiconductor. Therefore, the electric current tends to crowd in a peripheral portion of the p-electrode and the current density becomes locally high. As a result, the electric current cannot be injected into the element region, so that emission and oscillation are difficult to achieve.
In addition, in a case where a mesa structure or a selectively oxidized layer is formed to reduce the threshold, the electric current path is narrowed and the heat generation is significantly increased.

Nitride semiconductor light emitting element


A locking device for detachably securing drawers or the like onto a guide rail, includes at least one locking element secured to the forward end of the movable part of the guide rail. The locking element (10) includes a spring-elastic actuating arm (14) which is equipped with a locking lug (17) receiving vertical forces. The slidable part of the guide rail (3) is equipped with a second locking lug (6) which receives horizontal forces and can also form part of the locking element (10).

The invention refers to a locking device for detachably securing drawers, pullouts, sliders or the like to a guide rail, including at least one locking element secured to the forward end of the movable part of the guide rail.
Such locking devices are known. The known locking devices have however the drawback of carrying visible, i.e. easily accessible actuating means. This is optically less pleasing. Moreover, the easy accessibility increases the risk of an unintentional detachment, with all adverse consequences like danger of accident, damage, etc.
When heavy, e.g. filled sliders, drawers, pullouts and the like are vehemently opened or closed, relatively great braking forces and acceleration forces may be encountered which will significantly strain the locking devices. This may lead to destruction or to deformations of the locking means which adversely affect the locking operation. This is serious when keeping the risk of accident in mind.


The invention relates to a geothermal exchanger comprising a casing containing a heat-transfer fluid with which it is in direct contact. The casing is flexible such as to be in direct contact with a wall of the borehole containing the exchanger under the effect of the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid.

What is meant by a closed geothermal exchanger is an exchanger that uses a heat-transfer fluid that circulates not in the surroundings but in sealed underground pipes. The heat-transfer fluid of these systems therefore does not form part of the geological surroundings. As a matter of principle, the heat-transfer fluid that circulates in a closed system is always the same and represents a limited volume. In the case of a closed geothermal exchanger, there is no exchange of matter between the exchanger and the environmental surroundings.
The only geostorage operations performed at the present time are the diffusive geostorage of heat using pressurized water as the heat-transfer fluid (Borehole Thermal Energy Storages—BTES). These geothermal exchangers are made up of coaxial U-shaped tubes, or tubes having another geometry, typically made of high density polyethylene (PEHD) or any other rigid material.
The boreholes in the subsoil in which these tubes are placed are plugged with a hydrated cement the purpose of which is to provide thermal coupling between the wall of the rigid tube that constitutes the exchanger and the wall of the borehole.
Existing closed geothermal exchangers are ill suited to operating temperatures in excess of 100° C. because of the thermal coupling with the encasing rocky massif which is performed by way of a hydrated cement which would experience impediment of its geomechanical properties above and beyond 100° C.
This is why, at the present time, the temperatures of the heat-transfer fluid in operations involving the diffusive geostorage of heat using pressurized water as the heat-transfer fluid in the closed geothermal exchangers are generally comprised between 50° C. and 70° C. The pressure in the exchangers is of the order of ten bar or so.
However, there is a need for closed geothermal exchangers in which the heat-transfer fluid can be at a temperature higher than 100° C.
Thus, for example, for the in-massif storage of electricity by thermal pair as described in document FR 3009613, the "hot" pole of the thermal pair is a heat geostore using closed geothermal exchangers. The heat-transfer fluid in the geothermal exchangers is carbon dioxide (CO2) in a supercritical state, at a temperature that can be as high as 140° C., and at a pressure that can be as high as 120 bar.
The heat-transfer fluid could also be superheated steam. The temperature in the exchanger could then, for example, reach 240° C.

High-pressure and high-temperature closed geothermal exchanger for a magmatic or metamorphic formation


Drive system torsional vibration resonance while an engine is idling is prevented. An input clutch pack is connected to a rotating drive plate connected to the engine. The input clutch pack is formed from a drive side comprising an input drum, metal plates, and a retaining plate and from a driven side comprising an input clutch hub and facing plates. When the input clutch pack is disengaged, the inertial mass on the engine side with the engine serving as the vibration source, the coil spring, and the inertial mass on the drive side form a single-degree-of-freedom drive system torsional vibration model. By increasing the thickness in the axial direction of the metal plates, the drive side inertial mass is made to be 50% to 100% of the engine side inertial mass. As a result, drive system torsional vibration resonance during idling is prevented while the weight increase is kept to a minimum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starting clutch that is provided on the input side of a transmission mechanism of a vehicle transmission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A starting clutch used for starting a vehicle is provided on the input side of a transmission mechanism. The starting clutch is disengaged while the engine is idling. When the vehicle starts running, for example, after a gear position for starting such as first speed gear has been set, the starting clutch is fully engaged after passing through a partially engaged state so as to transmit torque from the engine to the transmission mechanism.
Technology relating to a starting clutch is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-78052. In the technology of the publication No. 10-78052, a simplification and a decrease in weight of the structure of the starting clutch are aimed.
A description will now be given of the structure of this starting clutch. A cylindrical sleeve is fixed at the outer periphery of an end portion on the drive plate side of an input shaft of the transmission mechanism. A drum is fixed in connection with the sleeve. A pressure plate and a plurality of ring-shaped plates are spline fitted to the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion of the drum.
A hub that faces the cylindrical portion of the drum is disposed on the input shaft via a bearing so as to be freely rotatable. The hub is linked to the drive plate via a cylindrical case and the drum is disposed inside this case. Between the hub and the cylindrical portion of the drum, a plurality of ring-shaped discs that are capable of movement in an axial direction are fitted via a spline to the outer periphery of the hub. These discs and the aforementioned plates are provided in alternation and when the starting clutch is engaged, the discs and plates are united by the pressing force so as to transmit the rotation.
The discs that are fitted to the hub on the driving side to which the driving force of the engine is transmitted via the drive plate have a comparatively thin plate thickness, while the plates that are fitted to the drum on the driven side have a comparatively thick plate thickness.
In many vehicles, in order to prevent shock when the starting clutch is engaged, it is normal for a torsional damper to be installed between the engine torque output portion and the drive side drum.
However, when a torsional damper is used, in the structure in the above described conventional technology, the drive side inertial mass of the starting clutch is small, and the concern exists that resonance from torsional vibration in the drive system will be generated while the engine is idling and the starting clutch is disengaged.
Namely, in the conventional technology, because a hub having a small diameter is on the drive side, while a drum having a large diameter is on the driven side, and because comparatively thin discs are provided for the hub, while comparatively thick plates are provided for the drum, the inertial mass on the drive side is small. As a result, there is a strong possibility of torsional vibration resonance being generated in the vicinity of the idling speed.
Therefore, the present invention has been conceived in order to solve the above problem in the conventional technology, and it is an object thereof to provide a starting clutch that prevents resonance from torsional vibration in the drive system being generated while the engine is idling.
The first aspect of the present invention is a starting clutch that is provided at an input side of a transmission mechanism of a vehicle transmission comprising: a drum for receiving rotation drive force from an engine via a torsional damper provided with a spring; a hub that is provided at an inner side of the drum and that is linked to an input shaft of the transmission mechanism; and drive side plates and driven side plates that mesh respectively with the drum and the hub and are stacked together in alternation, wherein a plate thickness of the drive side plates is made thicker than a plate thickness of the driven side plates.
By using this structure, the inertial mass on the drive side is increased and it is possible to prevent drive system torsional vibration resonance from being generated when the engine is idling.
Further, the increasing of the plate thickness is also connected to an increase in rigidity and an increase in the thermal capacity and also improves the judder resistance as well as the heat resistance and durability of the clutch.
In addition, by altering the plate thickness of the drive side plates, it is possible to adjust the drive side inertial mass in accordance with the engine side inertial mass.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the plate thickness of the drive side plates is set such that drive side inertial mass from a member that is linked to the drum, sandwiching the torsional damper spring and including the drive side plates, is 50% to 100% of engine side inertial mass from an engine side member.
By using this structure, it is possible to keep the weight increase caused by increasing the drive side inertial mass to the minimum.
In the third aspect of the present invention, a floating plate is provided between the driven side plates and a flange portion formed integrally with the hub.
By using this structure, it is possible to prevent the facing surface of the driven side plate from peeling or becoming abraded.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, when no floating plate is provided, only the driven side plate closest to the flange portion is formed without a friction material being adhered to the surface of this driven side plate on the side that makes contact with the flange portion.
By using this structure, it is possible to prevent the facing surface of the driven side plate from peeling or becoming abraded even when no floating plate is provided.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the plate thickness of the drive side plates is made the same for each plate.
By using this structure, the heating value created by the friction is dispersed uniformly thereby increasing the heat resistance and durability.


A water sampling method includes acquiring, by an unmanned aerial vehicle, a sampling depth at which a water sample is to be taken. The sampling depth is sent by a portable electronic device or is a preset default depth. The method further includes calculating a descending distance based on the sampling depth and a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and a water surface, controlling the water sampler to descend for the descending distance, sampling, by the water sampler, a water sample, and sending a sampling result to a ground station or the portable electronic device.

In monitoring of environmental pollution and investigation of water body pollution, to truly reflect the status of water pollution, a representative water sample can be sampled. At present, water quality monitoring is away from the shore and in an occasion where manual water quality sampling is not easy, and the sampling personnel is required to take a boat or motorboat to a sampling site to sample the water quality. However, such a method evidently has its shortcomings. On the one hand, the sampling personnel needs to take a boat or motorboat, which requires much time and effort, and sometimes, a task can be accomplished only through multi-person cooperation. On the other hand, the boat or motorboat taken by the sampling personnel is driven to the sampling site, which may contaminate water quality of the sampling site and lead to inaccurate research results.

Unmanned aerial vehicle and water sampling method thereof


A method for dehydrating vegetive matter including the steps of heating a liquid medium to a predetermined temperature; applying negative pressure to the liquid medium; and placing the matter to be dehydrated in the liquid medium to cause dehydration thereof. An apparatus for dehydrating matter having a vessel having an internal vacuum chamber adapted to receive a liquid medium; a system for applying a negative pressure to said liquid medium; a system for heating the liquid medium; and an assembly for placing matter to be dehydrated in the liquid medium to cause dehydration thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dehydrating matter and, more particularly, to such a method and apparatus which are particularly well suited to the preservation of vegetive matter, such as fruit, in a dehydrated form which is of superior commercial quality and without the use of hazardous substances heretofore required by the prior art.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Preservation of food stuffs is one of the earliest technologic; developed by the human race. Without the capability of preserving perishable commodities in some form, human life cannot be sustained. As a consequence, the technologies developed through the centuries directed to this purpose are highly developed and diverse.
Nonetheless, since the products resulting from the practice of these technologies are ingested, sensitivity to potentially toxic substances borne by such food products is of continual concern. While experience through the ages has developed well entrenched principals as to which technologies may not be tolerated, a more recent public sensitivity to long range potential residual injury has indicated that some traditional technologies may nonetheless be objectionable.
For example, various processes have been developed for preserving vegetive matter and particularly fruit by dehydration producing such dried fruits as peaches, apricots, and grapes thereby forming raisins. More specifically, for example, apricots and golden seedless raisins are produced by pretreatment of the fresh fruit by dipping in a solution of water and sodium hydroxide heated to a temperature of 180.degree. Fahrenheit for 5 to 10 seconds. The fruit is subsequently exposed to a high concentration of sulfur dioxide applied in a gaseous form or, more traditionally, as a product of the combustion of elemental sulfur for this purpose. In the case of golden seedless raisins, the exposure of the fruit to sulfur dioxide bleaches the fruit to a bright yellow and commercially acceptable color thereby reversing the discoloration of the fruit which results from the heat of the pretreatment and dehydration. Residual sulfur dioxide adheres to the fruit tissue inhibiting discoloration due to oxidation and preserving the golden color of the fruit for as long as one year.
While the beneficial effects of the residual sulfur dioxide in inhibiting discoloration and preserving of the fruit for a lengthy period of time has long been recognized, more recently the potentially detrimental effects of its presence have been identified. The presence of sulfur on the fruit tissue in any of its several forms, has been identified by certain scientific authorities as harmful, or potentially harmful, when ingested.
A secondary consequence of such identification is the fact that governmental organizations, particularly in Europe, have banned the import of food stuffs retaining any residual sulfur. Since the state of technology in the production of commercially acceptable golden seedless raisins, for example, is solely dependent upon the use of sulfur in any of its various forms, these governmental bans have indirectly eliminated the market for such products in these countries.
The foregoing example is representative of a number of technologies directed to the preservation of food stuffs which have become inadequate due to the sensitivity of scientific and governmental authorities to the presence of residual substances adhering to the food stuffs as a result of the technology employed in its preservation. The attendant closing of these markets domestically and in foreign countries has in many instances dealt crippling blows to the agricultural industries devoted thereto.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for dehydrating matter having application to a wide variety of types of food stuffs which operate rapidly and dependably to preserve the matter in a state which is of superior commercial value while operating only with the use of benign substances and techniques which leave substantially no residual harmful substances on the food stuffs, but which in all other respects produce an entirely commercially successful product.

California State University, Fresno Foundation


A polycarbodiimide-polyisocyanurate foam is prepared by reacting. (A) mixture of a polyol blend comprising PA0 with surfactant, catalyst, and water; and reacting with PA0 (B) a polyphenyl polymethylene polyisocyanate such that the mixture of A is reacted with B at a 1:1 by volume mix ratio.. (a) 25 to 100% of an aromatic polyester polyol having the following structure: ##STR1## where n=1, 2, or 3 and having hydroxyl number 150 to 330, (b) 0 to 35% of a flexible polyether polyol with hydroxyl number 20 to 70, PA1 (c) 0 to 25% of a toluene diamine ethoxylated polyol, optionally with some propoxylate, and having hydroxyl number 330 to 480, PA1 (d) 0 to 25% of a nonyl phenol ethoxylate and having hydroxyl number 70 to9 150, and

Chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) apparently act to deplete the ozone layer in the stratosphere, yielding ecological damage. The amount of CFCs and ozone depletion potential can be reduced by using some water or CO.sub.2 as blowing agents, and the amount of CFC can be eliminated by using all water or CO.sub.2 blowing agents. Water reacts with isocyanate to yield substituted urea and gaseous CO.sub.2 : EQU H.sub.2 O+2RNCO.fwdarw.RN(H)--CO--N(H)R+CO.sub.2
The isocyanate reaction to carbodiimide also generates gaseous CO.sub.2 : EQU 2RNCO.fwdarw.RN.dbd.C.dbd.NR+CO.sub.2
However, it is known that the CO.sub.2 -blown foams shrink. In an article entitled "Novel Polyols for CFC Reduction" (M. Aoyagi et al., SPI ANTC (1980), pages 95-100), CO.sub.2 -blown foam which had passable dimensional stability in low temperature or high temperature accelerated aging tests showed large deformations after a certain passage of time when left at room temperature.
In another article entitled "Low Density Rigid Foam Without the Use of CFCs" (D. C. Krueger et al., SPI ANTC (1990), pages 90-94), a number of all water (CO.sub.2) blown urethane foams gave good room temperature dimensional stability but poor stability at elevated temperature. Shrinkage was especially pronounced at 158.degree. F./100% R.H.
In U.S Pat. No. 4,945,119, rigid closed cell urethane foams produced using 5 to 70 mole percent CO.sub.2 blowing gave cold shrinkage (-22.degree. F.) unless co-expanded with a low boiling cylindered gas (e.g., CFC-142b having a boiling point of 10.degree. C. or 263.8.degree. K.). A low boiling gas must be included so as to withstand the negative internal pressure from the departing CO.sub.2, otherwise shrinkage occurs. The use of low boiling gases will require that current foam producers purchase very expensive processing equipment. Most of the low boiling gases being considered, such as CFC-142b, are HCFCs. The Clean Air Act of 1990 moved up to the end of 1995 the deadline for the U.S. to cease production of CFCs and other ozone depleting chemicals. The HCFCs, such as CFC-142b, will be phased out in the 2015-2030 time frame, with current impetus to move this up. CFC-142b, for example, still has an ozone depletion level of 0.025, though this is lower than CFCl.sub.3 with an ozone depletion level of 1.0.
The three references cited above, whereby CO.sub.2 -blown foams are shown to shrink at room temperature, elevated temperature, and low temperature, show that shrinkage is a problem with CO.sub.2 -blown foams. Shrinkage is a problem because a freshly made foam containing CO.sub.2 in the cells rapidly loses this gas by outward diffusion, leaving a negative internal pressure and possible shrinkage. Conversely, the rate of diffusion of CFCl.sub.3 from a foam is almost negligible with much less chance of shrinkage.
In addition, water blowing yields high exotherm or heat of reaction. In the typical CFCl.sub.3 expanded urethane foam, the hydroxyl groups react with isocyanate in an exotherm reaction to give a peak exotherm temperature in the 280.degree.-320.degree. F. range. But in an all water blown foam, the water reaction with isocyanate is also exothermic, and adds to the heat generated and now liquids such as CFCl.sub.3 cannot be utilized to volatilize and dissipate some of the heat. So all water blown foams give much higher exotherm (e.g., in the 350.degree.-380.degree. F. range). At these high temperatures, foams can thermally split or scorch and char or even burst into flames, and some foams are even deformed and collapse at too high a temperature.

Carbodiimide-isocyanurate all water blown open celled foam


A method of treating an infection attributable to a retrovirus comprises the step of administering to the patient at effective amount of a compound of formula (I): EQU (R).sub.2 S(O).sub.n (I). wherein R is methyl or ethyl and n is 1 or 2.

Dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) is a known compound, a colourless oily liquid, for which a variety of physiologic properties have been described. For example, it has local analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, is bacteriostatic, acts as a diuretic inducing a negative salt balance, has a tranquilising effect and potentiates the effects of other compounds. It is also an antianoxic and has been known to increase the hypoxic survival of rats. Furthermore, it appears to have therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of mental illnesses and rheumatic diseases.
A few investigations into the anti-viral properties of DMSO have been carried out. Remission of crinkle strawberry virus symptoms in Fragaria vesca resulted from spraying infected plants with 500 ppm DMSO containing 500 ppm of 6-mercaptopurine or 100 ppm of 6-methylpurine. Suppression of symptoms and a change in the syndromes of peach mosaic (PMV) and necrotic ringspot viruses (NRSV) resulted from injection of peach trees with DMSO. However, very mild forms of the viruses were subsequently found in the trees. Local lesion symptoms of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in several hosts were reduced by mixing 0.05 to 1% DMSO with virus before innoculation (The Sulphur Institute Journal, Autumn 1969, 2-6).
The effect of DMSO on the infectivity of four RNA and two DNA viruses has also been studied (Chan and Gadebusch, Applied Microbiology, vol. 16, no. 10, 1625-1626, 1968). At a concentration of 80% in buffered saline DMSO inactivated the infectivity of every virus tested. However, experiments designed to study the chemotherapeutic value of DMSO showed the compound to possess no beneficial effect when administered parenterally to mice infected with influenza A (PR-8) virus or Semliki Forest virus.
The stabilisation of enveloped viruses by DMSO has been studied (Wallis and Melnick, J. Virol. vol. 2, no. 9,953-954, 1968). These studies showed that concentrations of DMSO as low as 5% effectively protected the enveloped viruses under test against the trauma of freezing, i.e. the viruses were not inactivated by freezing. There was no suggestion that DMSO could be used therapeutically to combat infections attributable to enveloped viruses.


A sabot comprising a substantially cylindrical body having an outside diameter, a receiving end, and a loading end located opposite the receiving end. The outside diameter is complementary to the inside diameter of the rifled bore in which the sabot is positioned during use. Located between the receiving end and the loading end of the sabot is a partition. Formed at the receiving end is a mouth for a receiving chamber. The receiving chamber extends from the receiving end to the partition. Formed at the loading end is a lip for a cupped recess. The cupped recess extends from the loading end to the partition. Annularly disposed about the cylindrical body and positioned between the receiving chamber and the loading end is at least one lubricating groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sabot. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plastic collar used to hold a single bullet during discharge from a muzzle loading rifle.
2. Background Art
A precursor of the modern rifle was the muzzle loader. Operation of a muzzle loader required one to first pour a defined quantity of black powder into a barrel. Next, a wad, typically a piece of cloth or leather, was tamped into the barrel compacting the powder and holding it secure. Finally, a lead ball was positioned on top of the wad. In this condition, the muzzle loader was ready to be fired. A piece of flint positioned on top of a hammer would ignite the powder causing the wad and lead ball to be discharged from the barrel. Although revolutionary for its time, the muzzle loader was extremely inaccurate and had minimal strength.
With the development of rifling being formed within the barrel, dramatic increases in the accuracy of the muzzle loader were discovered. Rifling, however, also increased the difficulty of loading the barrel. Rifling a barrel entails forming a plurality of grooves that are helically positioned along the length of the bore of the barrel. The portions of the bore between the grooves are known as lands.
The principle of rifling is to produce a spin on the projectile about its longitudinal axis as the projectile is discharged through the barrel. The spin produces a gyroscopic effect on the projectile, giving the projectile greater accuracy. However, for the lead ball to engage the rifling grooves in a muzzle loader, the lead ball must have a diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the muzzle bore. As the ball is pressed into the bore, the lead indents into the grooves. On discharge, the ball rotates following the grooves, thereby rotating the lead ball.
Although accuracy was increased, pressing the oversized lead ball the length of the barrel was a very strenuous and time consuming task. Furthermore, although it was known that a conical shaped bullet, as opposed to a ball, would be more aero-dynamic and produce a more accurate shot, the force required to position the bullet in the barrel deformed the conical nose of the bullet. As a result, the deformed bullet would have an erratic flight path.
With the invention of self-contained cartridges, muzzle loading became obsolete for conventional military and hunting uses. Nevertheless, the muzzle loader has continued to find favor with an ever-increasing group of purists who continue to use the muzzle loader for hunting and sport shooting. Although the principle of muzzle loading has remained relatively constant, the apparatus has improved in an attempt to alleviate past problems and improve the speed, distance and accuracy of the bullet.
To alleviate some of the previous problems with loading, a sabot was designed to replace the conventional wad. A sabot is a plastic sleeve that holds the bullet during discharge. The sabot typically comprise a cylindrical body having a receiving chamber accessible at a receiving end and a base at the other end. During operation, as before, the black powder is poured into the barrel. A bullet is then positioned within the receiving chamber of the sabot. Finally, the base of the sabot is pressed down the barrel, compacting the black powder.
In prior applications, the outside diameter of the sabot is normally slightly larger than the groove to groove diameter of the bore so that as the sabot is pressed into the barrel the sabot indents into the grooves of the rifling. Accordingly, as the powder is ignited, the sabot rotates in the rifling grooves during discharge, thereby simultaneously rotating the bullet. The sabot is useful in that the receiving chamber of the sabot can be made to fit any size or shape of bullet without having to change the barrel size or decrease the amount of black powder used. This is accomplished by varying the thickness of the walls of the receiving chamber.
Although it is easier to position a plastic sabot than a lead ball, the oversized plastic sabot still requires considerable effort and time to be pressed the length of the barrel. In fact, the amount of force required to position the sabot is so great that the ramrod will often deform the nose of soft, conical, lead bullets.
An additional problem associated with plastic sabots is that as the muzzle loader is discharged, the black powder leaves a rough, gritty residue on the wall of the barrel. As the muzzle loader is continually loaded and discharged, the gritty residue scrapes a portion of the plastic off the sides of the sabot forming a plaque on the wall of the barrel. In turn, this plaque increases the difficulty of loading the sabot and detrimentally affects the accuracy of the bullet shot.
The use of conventional sabots is also inadequate when firing higher velocity bullets. Discharging high velocity bullets from conventional sabots results in disruption of the sabots and irregular flight paths of the bullets. It is theorized that the combination of the mass of the bullet and the explosion of the black powder overcomes the strength of the sabot, causing the sabot to fail within the barrel. In turn, failure of the sabot results in an uneven force being applied to the bullet, thereby affecting the bullet's trajectory.


A circuit for controlling an anode-gate thyristor includes a first transistor that couples a thyristor gate to a first terminal to receive a potential lower than a potential of a second terminal connected to the thyristor anode. A control terminal of the first transistor is driven by a control signal which is positive with respect to the potential of the first terminal.

The control of a thyristor-type or triac-type power switch requires extracting or injecting a current from or into the gate thereof. The generation of this current may involve using a specific circuit to generate a current galvanically isolated from upstream circuits, which operate under a different voltage or with a different potential reference. This is particularly true in power applications where the switch controls an AC load or is connected to terminals of an AC voltage, as is the case for a rectifying bridge.
Other applications avoid an insulation transformer at the cost of utilizing a pulse control of the thyristors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,525,361 (incorporated by reference) describes a rectifying bridge having two anode-gate thyristors provided in the lower portion of the bridge, that is, with the anodes connected to the most negative potential of the rectified voltage (typically, a reference potential or ground).


A first image and a second image are presented to a user of a head mounted display (HMD) so that the first image and the second image are perceived as a combined image. The first image is inset into the second image and the first image may be a higher resolution image than the second image. The first image and the second image may be presented at different focal lengths and various techniques are utilized to gracefully blend the first image and the second image.

In certain contexts, display systems have been designed to include images that are blended together and presented to a user as a combined image that the user perceives as a single image. Presenting a combined image to a user may require blending the images together so that differences in the images are not readily apparent to a viewer. A Head Mounted Display (HMD) that includes a display system that blends images may present unique challenges in blending images.


A parallel analog-to-digital converter having high speed and high resolution, fabricated on a single integrated-circuit chip in such a manner as to avoid problems typically associated with high speed parallel converters. The converter disclosed by way of example has an eight-bit output, 256 matched comparators for quantizing an analog input signal, and encoding and latching logic for deriving digital outputs from the comparators. Problems related to comparator mismatching, high comparator input capacitance and high comparator input bias current, are effectively minimized by the use of a triple diffusion fabrication process, which substantially reduces the number of defects in the circuit and provides a relatively high component packing density.

The present invention relates generally to analog-to-digital converters, and, more particularly, to analog-to-digital converters capable of operating at very high speeds and suitable for processing signals having high frequency components, such as video signals.
In general, there are a variety of techniques available for conversion of an analog signal to an equivalent digital signal. An analog signal is one that can vary continuously over a range of values and can assume any value within the range, whereas a digital signal takes the form of a numerical quantity representing the value of one of a number of discrete steps in the signal range. The technique best suited for high speed analog-to-digital conversion is known as parallel conversion. In a parallel converter, an input analog signal is simultaneously compared with a number of different reference signals, each corresponding to a discrete step in the signal range. The simultaneous comparison operations are performed in a set of matched comparators. For a zero input signal, for example, all the comparators provide outputs of the same state, and as the input signal increases in value, an increasing number of the comparators provide outputs of the opposite state. In this manner, the analog input signal is quantized, i.e., is recognized as falling between two adjacent discrete levels in the signal range. If an n-bit binary output is required, the input signal is quantized into one of 2.sup.n different quantization levels, utilizing 2.sup.n -1 comparators. Typically, the outputs of the comparators are then processed to provide the desired n-bit binary code equivalent to the instantaneous value of the analog input signal.
For many high speed analog-to-digital conversion applications, the resolution required is equivalent to eight bits or more, and the analog signal must be quantized into 2.sup.8 or 256 discrete levels to attain the desired resolution. This would require 255 matched comparators and approximately 20,000 individual components. Such a device has been manufactured using discrete components, but was found to suffer from a number of significant drawbacks, not the least of which was extremely high cost. The principal disadvantage of such a converter was that the 255 discrete comparator circuits could not always be perfectly matched in their performance characteristics. Futhermore, the input capacitance of the comparators used was relatively high, and a costly buffer amplifier had to be used in many instances. To add further to the cost of such a device using discrete components, differential delays in the converter necessitated use of a sample-and-hold circuit.
Although it might appear that the use of field effect transistors (FET's) in a monolithic circuit would avoid these difficulties, this is not the case. If field-effect transistors are used, an inherently higher mismatch in threshold levels, usually referred to as .DELTA.V.sub.t, can lead to ambiguity in the states of the comparators, and resultant unreliability of the device.
An alternative approach for obtaining high resolution in parallel analog-to-digital converters is to use cascaded stages of smaller parallel converters. For example, a first four-bit converter could be used to quantize the analog input signal into one of sixteen levels, and a second four-bit converter used to provide a further four bits of resolution. Although this approach reduces the complexity of the overall conversion system, the two separate conversions result in a greater time delay, and necessitate the use of additional components, including a sample-and-hold circuit and a digital-to-analog conversion circuit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a parallel analog-to-digital converter with a resolution of at least five bits, which avoids all of the aforementioned disadvantages and thereby provides a practical, high resolution, high speed converter.

Monolithic triple diffusion analog to digital converter


A method for estimating the inclusion content of a metal, the method involving three steps. The first step is to section the metal to create an exposed inner surface of the metal. The second step is to measure the reflectance of the exposed inner surface of the metal. The third step is to estimate the inclusion content of the metal from the reflectance. When a physical property of the metal, such as tensile strength, elongation or impact strength, is related to the inclusion content of the metal, then the physical property can be estimated from the reflectance of the exposed inner surface of the metal.

This invention relates to a process for estimating the inclusion content of metals. In addition, this invention can be used to estimate any physical property of a metal if the physical property is dependent on its inclusion content.
Metal producers often have the need to quantify inclusion content in metals. Inclusions include materials such as oxides, nitrides, sulfides, and other foreign matter which is present in the metal. For example, magnesium oxide is a common inclusion found in magnesium and magnesium alloys. Inclusion content is important because inclusions can lead to diminished physical properties of the metal, propagation of cracks, and ultimate failure of the metal.
The common methods for determining inclusion content are lengthy, time consuming and expensive. A typical method for determining inclusion content involves light microscopy on a polished and etched metal surface, also known as light optical metallography. Optical metallography requires multiple steps: sectioning, grinding, polishing, etching, and examination. Sectioning exposes an inner surface of the metal. Grinding flattens the exposed surface. Polishing makes the exposed surface scratch-free and is accomplished using electrolytic, chemical, or mechanical methods. Etching is accomplished using electrolytic or chemical methods in order to better reveal the microstructure of the sample. Examination typically occurs under a microscope, where the inclusions are counted and analyzed. An image analyzer can be used to count the inclusions. Inclusion content may be expressed as weight percent, volume percent, area percent, number per unit area or any other similar quantity.
The above technique is relatively expensive and is sometimes difficult to employ since the number of inclusions per unit area of a polished surface may be relatively small. On the other hand, a fracture often propagates along a path of inclusions. Thus, there are generally more inclusions visible on a fractured surface than on a flat polished surface. As a result, fractography, the study of fractured surfaces of metals, is another method of inclusion analysis. In fractography, a sample of metal is fractured, and the fractured surface is examined for inclusions. Inclusion content is usually expressed as the number of inclusions per unit area of fracture surface. Accurate fractographic examination occurs under a light optical microscope. Fractographic examination using a microscope is relatively expensive, slow and cumbersome.
Light optical metallography of polished metal surfaces and fractography are difficult to utilize in clean die casting metals where the inclusion content is relatively low. As a result, inclusion concentrating techniques are often used to facilitate analysis of such metals. Most commonly, molten metal is pulled through a porous ceramic filter, forming a cake of inclusions next to the filter, and the metal and filter cake are frozen with the ceramic filter contained therein. The filter cake of inclusions is then analyzed using light optical metallography as described above. Again, this technique is expensive, slow, and cumbersome.
Another method of measuring the inclusion content of metals that has gained some acceptance in the aluminum industry is the use of a Liquid Metal Cleanliness Analyzer (LMCA). In order to use a LMCA, a tube with a small non-conducting orifice is immersed in molten metal. As the molten metal flows through the small orifice, the LMCA electrically counts and sizes the non-metallic inclusions. However, the materials of construction are not suitable for some metals such as magnesium. In addition, the small orifice may become plugged if the metal contains relatively large inclusions. Furthermore, although this method is relatively fast, the measurement instrument is expensive.
Other less common methods for measuring the inclusion content of metals include selective dissolution techniques, neutron activation analysis, glow discharge mass spectrometry, arc-spark emissions spectrometry, distillation, and ultrasonic techniques. However, these methods are also relatively expensive and cumbersome.
Optical metallography, fractography and LMCA are thorough and precise processes. In addition to revealing the inclusion content of a metal, these methods reveal the sizes and shapes of the inclusions. However, metal manufacturers and recyclers are often interested in the inclusion content alone and are not concerned with the size or shape of the inclusions. The thoroughness of optical metallography, fractography, and LMCA is not necessary if inclusion content alone is desired.
Furthermore, as discussed above, these other methods of inclusion analysis are expensive and usually cumbersome procedures. It would be a further advance in the art of inclusion analysis to have a faster, simplified and less expensive instrumental method for determining inclusion content in metals.

Method for estimating inclusion content of metals using reflectance


A magnetic recording medium comprising a support having two major surfaces, a magnetic layer provided on one major surface of the support, and a backside coating provided on the other major surface of the support wherein the backside coating comprises nonmagnetic, multicomponent particles dispersed in a polymeric binder. The nonmagnetic, multicomponent particles are comprised of a first component having a Mohs hardness equal to or less than 7 and a second component having a Mohs hardness greater than 7.

Magnetic recording media such as audio and video magnetic recording tapes and computer cartridge tapes are constructed of a magnetic recording layer provided on a nonmagnetic support. The performance of a magnetic recording medium depends, in part, upon the surface characteristics of the backside surface of the support. When the backside surface of the support is too smooth, the coefficient of friction between the support and the guide surfaces of the playing/recording apparatus tends to be substantially increased. As a result, the running properties of the magnetic recording medium suffer and the normal recording and reproduction of signals is hindered. In order to overcome this problem, a backside coating may be coated on the backside of the nonmagnetic support to provide a roughened, uneven surface and thereby reduce the coefficient of friction of the backside surface.
Backside coatings generally include a nonmagnetic pigment dispersed in a binder. Researchers have proposed that the inclusion of such pigments, in various amounts and sizes and of specific Mohs hardness values, will improve the performance characteristics of magnetic recording media. Mohs hardness refers to the hardness scale which ranks standard minerals according to their relative ability to scratch one another. See 12 Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 124 (3d ed. 1980).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,091 (Yanagita et al.) describes protrusions in the backside coating layer of a magnetic recording medium which are said to improve running durability and diminish the lowering of a radio frequency (RF) output. Yanagita et al. list several non-magnetic particles as being useful. Inorganic particles listed are those comprising silicon oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, chromium oxide, silicon carbide, calcium carbide, zinc oxide, .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, talc, kaolin, calcium sulfate, boron nitride, zinc fluoride, molybdenum dioxide, calcium carbide, and barium sulfate. Organic powders said to be useful in combination with the above inorganic particles include those of benzoguanamine type resin, a melamine resin, a phthalocyanine type pigment and carbon black. Yanagita et al., col. 5 lines 27-45.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,652 (Shimasaki) describes decreasing and stabilizing the coefficient of friction in a magnetic recording medium by including spherical particles in the backside coating. According to Shimasaki, the particles can be chosen from spherical particles of silicon dioxide, thermal black, fine particles of melamine formaldehyde condensation product and the like. Shimasaki, col. 2 lines 62-67. Shimasaki states that when the above-mentioned spherical particles are added to the backcoat layer, numerous "studs" are formed on the surface of the back coat layer, resulting in a "small touching area," which results in a low coefficient of friction. Shimasaki col. 3 lines 15-20.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,606 (Matsuura et al.) describes a back coat layer comprising a binder and non-magnetic particles dispersed therein. The particles are characterized in that they comprise a mixture of at least one soft inorganic pigment of less than 5 in Mohs scale of hardness, and at least one hard inorganic pigment of not less than 5 in Mohs scale of hardness. This combination of hard and soft particles is said to give suitable abrasion resistance. Matsuura et al., col. 1-2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,320 (Klingaman et al.) describes a particulate material composed of regular, well defined ellipsoidal particles, and a method of making this particulate material. The particles are said to be generally useful as a filler for polymeric media. Klingaman et al., col. 4 lines 7-8. The invention further includes composites of these particles with one or more polymeric media. Klingaman et al., col. 5 lines 3-15.

Magnetic recording media having a backside coating which includes multicomponent, nonmagnetic particles

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A transmitter that includes an amplifying element, an antenna, a gain stage, and a closed loop feedback may compensate for varying antenna loads without an isolator. This may be accomplished by determining the effects of the varying loading on overall loop gain. Knowing the effects, the transmitter adjusts the gain of the gain stage to maintain a constant overall loop gain, thus eliminating the need for an isolator.

As is known, radio frequency (RF) transmitters modulate baseband signals, such as analog voice or digital voice samples, onto an RF carrier, amplify the RF carrier, and transmit the RF carrier, via an antenna, through the air as electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy is subsequently received by a receiver's antenna, demodulated back to the baseband signal, and rendered audible (if voice was transmitted) by the receiver.
As is also known, many communication systems, such as cellular telephone and trunking, utilize spectrally efficient modulation techniques, such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and quaternary phase shift keying (QPSK) in a time division multiple access (TDMA) format. These spectrally efficient modulation techniques typically correlate the baseband signal to changes in RF carrier amplitude and phase via a digital symbol constellation format such as the QAM format, which is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/783,289, entitled "Communication Signal Having A Time Domain Pilot Component", assigned to Motorola Inc. Since the spectrally efficient modulation techniques require variation of the RF carrier amplitude, a linear class A or class AB amplifier must be used. If the amplifier is not linear, it provides unwanted RF energy, or splatter, at frequencies adjacent to the RF carrier. This splatter may subsequently interfere with two-way communications in process on the adjacent frequencies, or channels.
Linearity of an amplifier is affected by the varying loads presented by the antenna of the transmitter. Typically, an antenna is designed to provide a fixed load, fifty ohms for example. However, due to reflected energy received, the load changes.
To minimize variations in loading, transmitters generally incorporate isolators to provide a substantially constant load impedance to the amplifier. The isolator includes a circulator and a terminating impedance which is typically fifty ohms. The circulator is a three terminal device that provides directional flow of the RF energy from the amplifier to the antenna and from the antenna to the terminating impedance. Therefore, the RF energy sourced by the amplifier is provided to the antenna and any RF energy entering the antenna is absorbed in the terminating impedance. Thus, the isolator presents a constant impedance to the amplifier.
Although the isolator provides a constant load impedance to the RF amplifier, size, cost, and bandwidth limitations typically inhibit the use of a universal isolator in mobile radios, portable radios, and cellular telephones. For example, a radio that operates at 132 MHz requires an isolator that has a volume of 8.19 cubic centimeters (0.5 cubic inches), weighs 227 grams (0.5 pounds), and costs $30 each in quantities of 100,000 per year. As a result, an isolator puts obvious constraints on the design of such radios. Additionally, isolators have fixed bandwidths; therefore, multiple isolators may be required in transmitters which operate over wide frequency ranges. This bandwidth limitation is most noticeable at lower RF carrier frequencies, such as VHF, where the allocated frequency band covers a large percentage bandwidth.
To avoid the use of the isolator, existing frequency modulation (FM) transmitters, which include nonlinear amplifiers, utilize protective feedback circuitry. The protective feedback monitors the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) at the nonlinear amplifier's output and correspondingly reduces the amount of output power provided by the nonlinear amplifier to the antenna. This approach generally reduces the nonlinear amplifier's output power by a fixed amount when the VSWR exceeds a predetermined level. For example, when a 3:1 VSWR is detected at the nonlinear amplifier's output, the nonlinear amplifier's output power may be reduced by 3 dB. This approach works for nonlinear amplifiers, but does not include any provisions for maintaining amplifier linearity.
Therefore, a need exists for a method to compensate for effects of varying loading without the need for an isolator in a transmitter that has a linear amplifier.

Method for a transmitter to compensate for varying loading without an isolator


A monolithic integrated structure comprising a buried heterostructure semiconductor optical amplifier and a deep ridge optical receiver comprising such structure are disclosed.

Optical pre-amplification is widely used for example to increase photoreceivers sensitivity in order to improve the distance for data transmission over optical fiber in digital communication systems. In such systems cost is typically an important issue to be considered. In this regard, monolithic integration of a semiconductor optical amplifier (hereinafter also referred to as SOA) and a photodetector in one InP single chip become particularly important as it may contribute to reducing cost of the receiver terminal as well as its size.

Monolithic integrated structure comprising a buried heterostructure semiconductor optical amplifier and a photodetector


A memory card adaptor is provided herein. The memory card adaptor may include a housing having a slot configured to accommodate a memory card. The memory card may include a signal terminal and non-signal terminals. For example, the signal terminal may be a high-speed and/or data transfer terminal, and the non-signal terminal may be a power or voltage terminal. The signal terminal may be at least partially exposed via a signal terminal opening in the housing when the memory card is accommodated in the slot. The memory card adaptor may also include at least one card-side terminal arranged so as to be capable of contacting at least one of the non-signal terminals. The at least one card-side terminal may be electrically connected, for example via a wiring line, to at least one socket-side terminal arranged so as to be capable of contacting terminals of a host socket

With the development of technology related to storage media, various types of memory devices (for example, non-volatile memory devices) may be used as auxiliary storages of portable devices such as cell phones or digital cameras. Examples of various types of memory devices include CompactFlash cards, multimedia cards, Secure Digital (SD) cards, and the like.
Memory cards and memory devices may have various standards, and may have forms or dimensions that differ from each other according to the type. Adaptors for accommodating memory cards that have various forms or dimensions may be desirable. As data transmission speeds increase, research into methods or structures for decreasing problems related to transmission loss and malfunction of host devices and/or memory cards has been actively carried out.

Memory card adaptor having an opening to expose a terminal of a memory card


An automated system that constantly collects data from the tank monitor system, the fuel dispensing system and the point of sale equipment for the purpose of inventory reconciliation through statistical data analysis. The results of this data analysis is then transmitted by telephone means periodically to a central computer for further processing. This system will notify the central computer to indicate that a problem exists when any of the inventories have reached a minimum level or fail to reconcile due to unknown reasons. This system is designed to prevent loss of sales due to insufficient inventory and/or loss of inventory due to miscalibration of fuel dispensers, theft or tank leakage. This invention will interface with any equipment capable of serial communication and can be installed at existing service stations with a minimum amount of disruption to commerce.

This invention responds to the need for a better method of inventory reconciliation as related to the convenience store and auto/truck service station industry. An average store will pump in excess of 100,000 gallons per month and at today's prices losses can be considerable in a relatively short period of time. General accounting practices with their inherent time lags are not fast enough to identify these losses when they occur. This invention is designed to constantly reconcile these inventories and through statistical data analysis help uncover a loss before it becomes a problem.
The prior art discloses a means of detecting losses in fuel tanks which are frequently dispensed from, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,017 issued to D. McGarvey on Oct. 8, 1991. The McGarvey system requires a considerable amount of hard wiring between each metering means and each tank level sensing means to a processor. Such an installation for an existing store would be cost prohibitive. The installation of a pulser means and a level sensor means within an area in which Class 1 liquids are dispensed and stored would further preclude the installation of such a system without the use of expensive intrinsically safe devices. The addition of such a pulser means to an already approved metering means would void the metering means listing with the approval authorities.
The accuracy of a modern tank monitor system, such as the Veeder Root Model TMS250 which utilize magnetostrictive technologies, addresses fuel tank inventory considerations not even considered in the acoustical level sensor means described in the McGarvey system. These considerations include tank tilt, fuel temperature coefficients, temperature gradients within the tank and water in the tank. Any of these considerations can render the results obtained through the McGarvey system inconclusive.
The implementation of the McGarvey system would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to implement on a practical scale.

Automated statistical inventory reconcilation system for convenience stores and auto/truck service stations