Methods and systems for mitigating degradation of an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) induced by polarization dependent loss (PDL) in an optical network include determining an increase in power (ΔP) corresponding to a PDL-induced decrease in OSNR for a given channel being transmitted over an optical signal transmission path. The increase in power (ΔP) may be adjusted for at least some of the network nodes in the optical signal transmission path. At certain network nodes, the increase in power (ΔP) may be realized with a combination of attenuation and gain.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to optical communication networks and, more particularly, to a system and method for mitigating degradation of optical signal-to-noise ratio induced by polarization dependent loss (PDL) in dual-polarization optical systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telecommunications systems, cable television systems and data communication networks use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through optical fibers. Optical networks may also include various network elements, such as amplifiers, dispersion compensators, multiplexer/demultiplexer filters, wavelength selective switches, couplers, etc. configured to perform various operations within the network.
However, each of these network subsystems may also introduce polarization dependent effects on the optical signals traveling through the network. These effects may cause the different polarization components of the optical signals to experience different signal degradation due to polarization dependent loss (PDL). For example, PDL may cause an imbalance in the optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) between polarization of the optical signal, such that one polarization component exhibits a degraded OSNR at a receiver compared to another polarization component. Furthermore, depending on the symbols transmitted, cross talk among polarization components due to PDL may result in intensity variations that are observed as nonlinear phase noise.

Mitigation of optical signal to noise ratio degradation arising from polarization dependent loss


A urinal discharge pipe assembly comprising a discharge pipe having a passageway therethrough from an inlet in communication with a urinal discharge outlet and an outlet in communication with a urine disposal system, a foam dispensing device having a foam outlet open into the passageway for discharge of an allotment of foam into the passageway between the inlet and the outlet adequate to form a temporary foam plug across the passageway blocking the passageway.

Conventional urinals and toilets have a waste outlet into which urine, feces and the like passes.
Sanitation codes require the discharge conduit from a urinal be provided with a trap to contain gases which develop in the drain system. Typically, the trap is an S-shaped trap in which a residual portion of fluid fills an upwardly opening U-shaped segment of the trap providing a barrier to sewer gases and odors passing from below the trap upwardly. The upwardly facing liquid surface in the trap freely communicates via the urinal outlet with air in the washroom. Many urinals have the disadvantage that to keep liquid in the trap free of residue urine requires copious flushing with water after each use.
Conservation desires have increased the need for a reduction of water usage in flushing urinals and toilets with a view to reduce water consumption and to also reduce waste water disposal requirements. Low flush toilets are also known to be provided with an S-trap with a small diameter such that a smaller volume of flushing liquid is required in order to provide clean liquid in the trap.
Waterless or low flush urinals are also known in which a layer of oil which has a lower density than water is used in the trap to act as the odor seal. Oil-sealed odor traps suffer the disadvantage that some of the urine typically remains in the oil resulting in odors passing into a washroom area. Insofar as the oil may have disinfectant properties, the oil typically disadvantageously requires frequent cleaning and replacement, sometimes daily.


A control device configured to determine a primary first drive signal, based on a first error signal representing a difference between desired and measured positions of a first body, for driving a positioner driving the first body; determine a primary second drive signal, based on a second error signal representing a difference between desired and measured positions of a second body, for driving a positioner driving the second body; determine, based on the second error signal, a secondary first drive signal for driving the first body positioner; determine, based on the first error signal, a secondary second drive signal for driving the second body positioner; combine the primary and secondary first drive signals and combine the primary and secondary second drive signals; and output the combined first and second drive signals to the respective positioning devices.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device for controlling a synchronous positioning of a multi-body system, a control method controlling a synchronous operation of a multi-body system, a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device.
Description of the Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In such a case, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Conventional lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at once, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction.
During such synchronous scanning, a relative position between the target portion and the pattern should be in accordance with a desired position or set point, thus ensuring that the pattern is projected on the appropriate position on the substrate. If the pattern is not projected onto the appropriate position on the substrate, a so-called overlay error may occur, which may adversely affect the proper operation of the integrated circuit. Typically, the position of the substrate (comprising the target portion) and the patterning device is controlled by controlling the position of the supports (or stages) to which the substrate and patterning device are mounted. In general, a pair of separate closed loop controllers is applied for both controlling a set point to be followed by the stage provided with the patterning device (or reticle) and a set point to be followed by the stage provided with a substrate.
In such approach, both stages are independently controlled to each follow a particular set point, which set point is configured in such manner that the desired synchronous operation is achieved. In a more advanced control strategy (as e.g. described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,072), the control of both stages is coupled. In such coupled control strategy, a position error of the substrate stage (i.e. the stage provided with the substrate) may be used to derive a control signal for controlling a position of the reticle stage (i.e. the stage provided with the reticle), in addition to the reticle stage set point. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,072, such approach is referred to as a feedthrough method, whereby a position error of the substrate stage is fed through to the controller of the reticle stage.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


An array-type exposing device, for exposing an image forming body incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a flat light source for emitting a UV rays and a light modulator unit disposed above the flat light source so as to be associated with at least one unit area derived by dividing each of pixels on the image, the light modulator unit modulating the UV ray by electromechanical operation to expose the image forming body.

The present invention relates to an array-type light modulator incorporating flexible thin films to change transmittance of light, an array-type exposing device for use in a UV sensitive material, a visible light sensitive material or an IR sensitive material and a flat-type display unit incorporating the array-type light modulator to cause a phosphor to emit light to perform display.
Hitherto, digital exposing methods for use in a variety of image forming processes include a method using a laser beams, a method using a UV light source and an LCD shutter and a method using a UV light source and an electrooptic crystal shutter.
The method using a laser beam, for example, raster is a scan for relatively moving an image forming member and a laser beam so that successive exposing operations are performed. The foregoing method is able to form a fine image by an image generating function thereof.
The method using a UV light source and an LCD shutter uses change in the optical characteristic occurring when changes in the arrangement of molecules by dint of an electric field of the LCD shutter so as to selectively shield UV rays so that exposure is controlled.
The method using a UV light source and an electrooptic crystal shutter, such as Pockels cell, uses a linear electrooptic effect of electrooptic crystal, the refractive index of which is changed in proportion to the first power of an applied electric field. The Pockels cell is obtained by cutting a parallel and flat plate of electrooptic crystal vertically to an optical axis thereof. An electric field is applied in a direction of the optical axis. Then, birefringence which occurs when a UV ray is allowed to pass in the foregoing direction is used to control the exposure.
A variety of thin and flat display units have been disclosed which are represented by, for example, a liquid crystal display unit, a plasma display unit and a field emission display (FED).
The liquid crystal display unit has a structure that oriented liquid crystal is enclosed and sealed between a pair of substrates each having a conductive transparent film. Moreover, the foregoing structure is held between perpendicular deflection plates. The liquid crystal display unit performs display such that voltage is applied to the conductive transparent film so that liquid crystal is oriented perpendicular to the substrates so as to change transmittance of light emitted from a backlight. To perform full color display or to display a dynamic image, an active matrix liquid crystal panel incorporating TFT (a thin film transistor) is employed.
The plasma display unit has a structure that a multiplicity of electrodes corresponding to an anode and a cathode and arranged regularly are disposed between two glass plates between which a rare gas, such as neon, has been enclosed. Moreover, intersections of opposing electrodes serve as unit pixels. The plasma display unit performs display in accordance with image information to selectively apply voltage to opposing electrodes with which an intersection is specified. Thus, the intersection is caused to perform discharge and emit light so as to excite phosphor with a generated UV ray.
The FED has a structure formed into a flat display tube which covers a pair of panels disposed apart from each other for a short distance to be opposite to each other. A fluorescent film is formed on the inner surface of the displaying panel. Electric field emission cathodes for corresponding unit light emitting regions are disposed on the rear panel. The electric field emission cathode incorporates pointed electric field emission type micro-cathode called an emitter tip having a small size. Display performed by the FED is performed by causing the emitter tip to emit electrons which are then accelerated so that the phosphor is irradiated. As a result, the phosphor is excited.
However, the above-mentioned light modulator, the exposing device and the flat-type display unit have a variety of the following problems.
That is, the structure using a laser beam cannot reduce the size of the apparatus. What is worse, the cost of the apparatus is raised excessively. Since the laser beam is used to perform scanning so as to perform the exposure, exposure of the overall image forming member cannot be performed. Therefore, a multichannel structure cannot easily be constituted and high speed exposure cannot easily be performed.
The structure using the UV light source and the LCD shutter involves transmission of the UV ray to pass through a plurality of transmissive elements which constitute the LCD shutter. Therefore, the efficiency in using light deteriorates. Another problem arises in that the durability of the LCD shutter against the UV ray is unsatisfactory.
The structure using the UV light source and the electrooptic crystal shutter must be applied with a very high operating voltage. What is worse, a two-dimensional array structure cannot easily be constituted because the electrooptic crystal shutter is manufactured by cutting crystal, such as ADP (NH.sub.4 H.sub.2 PO.sub.4) or KDP (KH.sub.2 PO.sub.4).

Array-type exposing device and flat type display incorporating light modulator and driving method thereof


Enclosed are crystallized glasses suitable for a substrate for an information recording medium such as a magnetic disc, optical disc, or optomagnetic disc, a substrate for information recording medium using such a crystallized glass substrate, and an information recording medium using such a substrate for information recording medium. The crystallized glasses are capable of providing a glass substrate having a high Young's modulus, as well as excellent mechanical strength, surface flatness, and heat resistance and having an excellent surface smoothness upon polishing. Glass substrate having an excellent surface smoothness using such a crystallized glass are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a crystallized glass suitable for a substrate for an information recording medium such as a magnetic disc, optical disc, or optomagnetic disc, a substrate for information recording medium using such a crystallized glass substrate, and an information recording medium using such a substrate for information recording medium. More particularly, this invention relates to a crystallized glass capable of providing a glass substrate having a high Young's modulus, as well as excellent mechanical strength, surface flatness, and heat resistance and having an excellent surface smoothness upon polishing and to a glass substrate having an excellent surface smoothness using such a crystallized glass.
2. Description of Related Art
Major components of a magnetic recording apparatus in, e.g., a computer, includes a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head for magnetic recording and reproducing. As a magnetic recording medium, known are a flexible disc and a hard disc. Aluminum alloy, among materials, has been used for the substrate material for hard disc. The floating amount of the magnetic head is significantly reduced in accordance with recent trends that hard disc drives for note type personal computer are made smaller and that the magnetic recording is made with higher density. A very high precision, according to those trends, is required for surface smoothness on the magnetic disc substrate. In the case of an aluminum alloy, however, it is difficult to manufacture a flat surface with a precision of a certain degree or higher, because the polished surface may be plastically deformed due to a low hardness even if a polishing material having a high precision and a machine tool are used for polishing. Even if nickel-phosphorus plating is made on a surface of the aluminum alloy, the surface roughness Ra cannot be controlled at five angstroms or less. According to the developments of the hard disc drives that become smaller and thinner, there are strong demands for making thinner the magnetic disc substrate. The aluminum alloy, however, has low strength and rigidity, and therefore, it is difficult to make the disc thin while the hard disc drive maintains certain strength as required from the specification for the drive.
To solve such problems, a glass substrate for magnetic disc claiming high strength, high rigidity, high impact resistance, and high surface smoothness has been developed. Chemically reinforced glass substrates whose substrate surface is reinforced with an ion exchange method and crystallized substrates subjecting to a crystallization process, inter alia, are known well.
As a glass substrate reinforced by ion exchange, e.g., a glass disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-239,036 has been known. This ion exchange reinforced glass substrate is made of a glass including, by percent by weight, SiO2 of 50-65%, Al2O3 of 0.5 to 14%, R2O (wherein R denotes alkali metal ion) of 10 to 32%, ZnO of 1 to 15%, and Ba2O3 of 1.1 to 14% where the glass is reinforced by forming compression stress layers on a surface of the glass substrate by an ion exchange method with alkali ions, and the above publication discloses such a glass substrate for magnetic disc.
As a crystallized glass, e.g., there is a disclosure in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2,516,553. This crystallized glass includes, by weight, SiO2 of 65 to 83%, Li2O of 8 to 13%, K2O of 0 to 7%, MgO of 0.5 to 5.5%, ZnO of 0 to 5%, PbO of 0 to 5% (provided that MgO+ZnO+PbO is of 0.5 to 5% by weight), P2O5 of 1 to 4%, Al2O3 of 0 to 7%, and As2O3+SbsO3 of 0 to 2% and is a crystallized glass for magnetic disc including fine crystal particles of LiO2.2SiO2 as a primary crystal.
A crystallized glass is disclosed also in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-291,660. The crystallized glass is obtained by melting a glass composed of, by percent by weight, SiO2 of 38 to 50%, Al2O3 of 13 to 30%, MgO of 10 to 20% provided that, by weight ratio, Al2O3/MgO is 1.2 to 2.3, B2O3 of 0 to 5%, CaO of 0 to 5%, BaO of 0 to 5%, SrO of 0 to 5%, ZnO of 0.5 to 7.5%, TiO2 of 4 to 15%, ZrO2 of 0 to 5%, and AsO3 and/or Sb2O3 of 0 to 2% and thermally treating it after molding, and is a cordierite based crystallized glass having a feature that the glass contains as a primary crystal a cordierite based crystal. The above publication also discloses a substrate for magnetic disc made of a crystallized glass.
Another crystallized glass is also disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-77,531. This crystallized glass is a glass ceramic product having a Young's modules in a range from about 14×106 to about 24×106 psi (96 to 165 Gpa) and a breakdown tenacity more than 1.0 Mpa·m½. The crystallized glass is constituted of a crystal phase conglomerate mainly made of a spinel type crystal uniformly sized and evenly dispersed in the residual glass matrix phase including rich silicon. The glass is substantially made of, by percent by weight, SiO2 of 35 to 60%, Al2O3 of 20 to 35%, MgO of 0 to 25%, ZnO of 0 to 25%, TiO2 of 0 to 20%, ZrO2 of 0 to 10%, Li2O of 0 to 2%, NiO of 0 to 8%, wherein the total of MgO and ZnO is at least 10%, and may contain an arbitrary component selected up to 5% from a group constituted of BaO, CaO, PbO, SrO, P2O5, B2O3 and Ga2O3, and R2O of 0 to 5% selected from a group constituted of Na2O, K2O, RbsO, and CssO, and a transitional metal oxide of 0 to 8%. The glass may be a glass ceramic having a composition in which the total amount of TiO2+ZrO2+NiO is of 5% or more in the case where Al2O3 is contained only in an amount of about 25% or less, and the above publication also discloses a substrate for magnetic disc made of a glass ceramic.
However, in accordance with recent trends that the hard discs are made smaller and thinner and that the recording is made with a higher density, flying height of the magnetic head is lower, and the disc is rotated at a higher speed, so that strength, Young's modulus, and surface smoothness of the disc substrate material are further severely needed. Particularly, the surface smoothness and surface flatness of the substrate material are strictly on demands due to trends for higher density information recording on 3.5 inch hard discs for personal computers and servers, and the disc has to be rotated at 10,000 rpm or more in corresponding to higher speed of data processing. While the rigidity of the substrate material is subject to a further strict standard, it is apparent that the conventional aluminum substrate is already limiting itself. As far as demands for disc drives having a higher capacity and higher speed are necessary from now on, a substrate material for magnetic recording medium is required doubtlessly to have high Young's modulus, high strength, excellent surface flatness, good impact resistance, and so on.
The necessity for high Young's modulus can be illustrated based on the following facts. That is, according to recent trends for HDDs (hard disc drives) which are made smaller with high capacity and high operation speed, future substrates for magnetic recording medium may have the thickness of 0.635 mm, currently 0.8 mm in the case of 3.5 inches and of 0.43 mm or 0.38 mm, currently 0.635 mm in the case of 2.5 inches, and the rotation speed of the substrate may predictably be made higher to 140,000 rpm from current 100,000 rpm as the maximum speed. Such a substrate for magnetic recording medium may tend to sustain more looseness and undulation and warp as the substrate for magnetic recording medium becomes thinner, and the stress (force exerted to the disc based on an air pressure created from rotation) that the substrate receives predictably becomes larger as the substrate spins with a higher speed. Based on a dynamics theory, flexion W of a disc which receives load P per unit area is denoted as follows:   W               ∞              P                                               a        4                            h        3                  E      wherein: a represents the outer diameter of the disc; h represents the thickness of the substrate; E represents the Young's modulus of the disc material. Only gravity is exerted to the disc at a still state. The warp is indicated as, where the specific gravity of the disc material is represented by d,       W    ∝                  h                                                   d                                                             a          4                                      h          3                        E              =                    d                                                             a          4                                      h          2                        E              =                                                               a          4                                      h          2                        G            Herein, G represents the specific modulus of elasticity (=Young's modulus/specific gravity) of the disc material. Meanwhile, in the case that the gravity component can be neglected upon balancing centrifugal components in a rotational state of the disc, the force exerted to the disc can be deemed as air pressure based on the rotation. Such an air pressure is a function relating to the rotation speed of the disc, and it can be said generally as proportional to square of the speed. Accordingly, where the disc spins at a high speed the warp W can be represented as follows:   w  ∝                              (          rpm          )                2                                                     a        4                            h        3                  E
According to this consequence, it turns out that a substrate material having a high Young's modulus is required to suppress the vibration in the substrate that is subject to high speed spinning. From a calculation done by the inventors, the specific modulus of elasticity of the substrate material is required to be at least 37 MNm/kg or higher if the substrate thickness is reduced to 0.43 mm from 0.635 mm in the case of 2.5 inch substrates and to 0.635 mm from 0.8 mm in the case of 3.5 inch substrates. If the rotation speed of the 3.5 inch high end substrate is made faster from current 7,200 rpm to future 10,000 rpm, the aluminum substrate having a Young's modulus of around 70 Gpa cannot correspond to it, and a new substrate material having a Young's modulus of at least 110 Gpa or higher is required. Because the substrate has not only a higher rigidity but also a higher impact resistance and strength as the substrate material has higher specific modulus of elasticity and higher Young's modulus, the market of the hard disc drive strongly seeks a glass material having a higher modulus of elasticity and a higher Young's modulus.
The chemically reinforced glass as disclosed above in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-239,036, however, has a Young's modulus of about 80 Gpa, and it is apparent that such a glass cannot response to strict demands on upcoming hard discs. The conventional glass for ion exchange reinforced substrate has alkali ions in a large amount introduced into the glass for ion exchange, and therefore, the reinforced glass has a low Young's modulus (90 Gpa) as well as a low rigidity, so that the glass cannot correspond to substrates for 3.5 inch high end disc or thinner disc. A large amount of alkali component can be contained in a glass subjecting to a chemical reinforcement by the ion exchange. Therefore, if the glass is used for a long time under a high temperature and moisture environment, alkali ions may be deposited from pin holes in the magnetic film, thin portions of the magnetic film such as vicinities of the magnetic film, or exposed portions of the glass and may disadvantageously induce corrosions and deterioration of the magnetic film. During the manufacturing process for the magnetic recording medium, a prescribed thermal process can be used for improving characteristics such as coercive force of a magnetic layer after the magnetic layer is formed on the glass substrate. With such a conventional ion exchange reinforced glass, however, the glass transition temperature is at most around 500° C., and since the glass lacks heat resistance, there also raises a problem that the glass cannot obtain a high coercive force.
The conventional crystallized glass as disclosed above in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2,516,553 has a little better property than the above chemically reinforced glass substrate in terms of the Young's modulus and the heat resistance. However, it has the surface roughness of 10 angstroms or higher, poor surface smoothness, and a limitation against lower flying of the magnetic head. Therefore, there raises a problem that the glass may not correspond to high density trends of the magnetic recording. Furthermore, the Young's modulus is at most about 90 to 100 Gpa, so that such a glass cannot be used for substrates for 3.5 inch high end disc or thinner disc.
The crystallized glass disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-291,660 has a Young's modulus of at most 100 to 130 Gpa, which is inadequate for use. Moreover, the glass has a limited surface smoothness in which the mean roughness of central line (Ra) is about only eight angstroms and lacks smoothness. In addition, the glass has a high liquid phase temperature of about 1400° C., and therefore, the glass has a disadvantage that the glass is hardly subject to a high temperature melting and high temperature molding.

Crystalized glass for information recording medium, crystallized glass substrate, and information recording medium using the crystallized glass substrate


A structure for vertically housing an electronic component is disclosed as including a bottom support member and a top support member. The top support member is substantially parallel to the bottom support member. An open space is formed between the top support member and the bottom support member whereby the electronic component may be placed into the open space in a vertical orientation. A ventilating structure is disposed outside of the open space and is capable of channeling air into a middle portion of the electronic component in the open space.

As the size and complexity of software and computer-related tasks grow, the ability of a single computer to handle all of the requirements associated with the software diminishes. One way to handle these increasingly complex software systems and tasks is to use a group of computers rather than just a single computer. Groups of computers are often placed in racks where they may be physically grouped together.
Other electronic components may also be placed in racks. Electronic components may include, but are not limited to, an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), a switch, a router, a hub, etc. The more electronic hardware that is needed at a particular location, the more likely it is that a rack or similar type of structure capable of holding multiple electronic components may be needed.
Typically large racks are used to hold multiple computer systems or to hold multiple electronic components. Generally, a user needs tools and time to place a computer system or electronic component into such a rack or to remove it. It is desirable to provide structures for holding computer systems or electronic components, to provide structures that allow the computers or electronic components to be more efficiently placed into and/or removed from a rack, and/or to meet necessary density requirements.
A computer or an electronic component may have problems with one or more of its electronic parts if it overheats. This problem is exacerbated by electronic devices being placed close together in large groups because of the combined heat being generated by all of the devices. Thus, it would be beneficial if systems and methods were available to provide adequate cooling for groups of electronic devices.

Ventilated housing for electronic components


A lock-up clutch control device is provided for a vehicle having a torque converter with a lock-up clutch disposed between an engine and a continuously variable transmission such that the occurrence of shocks during lock-up engagement is suppressed. The vehicle lock-up clutch control device is provided with a control unit that controls the lock-up capacity based on an engine torque signal when engaging the lock-up clutch. The control unit uses a predictive engine torque as the engine torque signal for use in the lock-up capacity control. The predictive engine torque is calculated based on an engine torque air response delay and a hydraulic response delay in the lock-up differential pressure and is faster in response than the actual engine torque.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock-up clutch control device for a vehicle that engages a lock-up clutch of a torque converter.
Background Information
A device that calculates a lock-up capacity command value according to an engine torque signal when engaging the lock-up clutch is known (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2011-202776).


Apparatus is provided comprising non-magnetic male and female coupling sections having reciprocally mating interrupted screw portions. The male section has a permanent magnet disposed in a first cylindrical chamber in the mating end thereof. The female section has a movable magnetic plunger captively disposed in a second cylindrical chamber in the mating end thereof which is free to enter the first chamber when the male and female sections are properly aligned and the interrupted screw portions are locked. Magnetic attraction holds the plunger in the first chamber. The male and female sections are thus precluded from further rotation relative to one another. A strong external magnet is used to withdraw the plunger from the first chamber thus allowing rotation and demating of the male and female sections.

The present state of the art related to sonar towed arrays involves the use of electrical or fiber optic cables for the transmission of data between a pressure transducer and processing electronics located in a submarine or surface vessel. Generally the array is towed up to a mile or so behind the submarine or surface vessel, and the array may be on the order of 1500 feet in length and one inch in diameter. The towed array is generally made in sections of about 300 feet or so which requires a mechanical coupling between sections to secure the 1500 foot array together.
Any mechanical coupler used in the towed arrays must be sealed to prevent water contamination of the fiber optic waveguides, electrical conductors, or the transducers inside the towed array. Present couplers have generally incorporated a number of screws to lock the coupler together. It is necessary to seal the screws to prevent water intrusion, however the general sealing capability has always been very poor and unreliable. Additionally, use of screws which were of a dissimilar metal than the coupler has led to screw erosion because of the galvanic action between the two dissimilar metals. This galvanic action has caused leakage which has produced generally catastrophic failures including loss of the towed array transducer. Also mating and demating of such mechanical couplers has generally been time consuming and has involved use of special tools to accomplish these tasks.
In addition the presently existing mechanical couplers are bulky and not very streamlined along the outside surface of the coupler. The non-streamlined design has led to turbulance which produces unwanted towed array self-noise.


A method has been discovered for attracting Colorado potato beetles to an area of object or area, which method involves treating the object or area with a Colorado potato beetle attracting composition which contains a carrier material and a Colorado potato beetle attracting effective amount of (S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-oct-6-ene-1,3-diol.

The present invention relates to an attractant composition for Colorado potato beetles, which composition contains a carrier material and a Colorado potato beetle attracting effective amount of (S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-oct-6-ene-1,3-diol. The present invention also relates to a method for attracting Colorado potato beetles to an object or area, which method involves treating the object or area with a Colorado potato beetle attracting composition which contains a carrier material and a Colorado potato beetle attracting effective amount of (S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-oct-6-ene-1,3-diol.
Insect behavior is governed by complex interactions among chemical and physical signals in the environment. For example, host plant volatiles may (1) facilitate orientation of insects to potential feeding sources (Bernays, E. A., and R. F. Chapman, 1994, Host Plant Selection by Phytophagous Insects, xiii+312p, New York, N.Y., Chapman & Hall); (2) provide a mechanism for insects to avoid nonhosts (Dickens, J. C., et al., Experientia, 48: 523-524 (1992)); or (3) either enhance behavioral responses to pheromones (Dickens, J. C., Ent. exp. Appl., 52: 191-203 (1989); Dickens, J. C., et al., Naturwissenschaften, 77: 29-31 (1990)) or disrupt behavioral responses to pheromones (Dickens, J. C., et al., Experientia, 48: 523-524 (1992)). Insect-produced volatiles or pheromones attract conspecifics for mating (Cardé, R. T., and T. C. Baker, 1984, Sexual communication with pheromones, In Chemical Ecology of Insects (eds. W. J. Bell and R. T. Cardé), pp. 355-383, New York: Chapman & Hall) or disrupt behavioral responses of closely related species (Hansen, K., Physiol. Entomol., 9: 9-18 (1984); Borden, J. H., 1997, Disruption of semiochemical-mediated aggregation in bark beetles, In Insect Pheromone Research New Directions (eds. Cardé, R. T. and Minks, A. K.), pp. 421-438, New York, N.Y.: Chapman & Hall).
The existence of a sex attractant pheromone for the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae) has been a subject of dispute. Boiteau (Boiteau, G., Ent. exp. Appl., 47: 183-187 (1988)) considered that plant odors attracted both sexes to the crop where sexual encounters were at random. The existence of a short-range or contact sex pheromone on the elytra of female CPB that elicited copulatory behavior in males was first shown by Levinson et al. (Levinson, H. Z., et al., Naturwissenschaften, 66: 472-473 (1979)) and later verified by others (Jermy, T., et al., Ent. Exp. Appl,. 59: 75-78 (1991); Otto, D., 1996, Further evidence for the presence of a female sex pheromone in the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say. and its biological characterization, In Practice Oriented Results on Use and Production of Neem Ingredients and Pheromones IV (eds. H. Kleeberg and V. Micheletti), pp. 135-147, Lahnau, Germany: Trifolio-M GmbH).
Prior to the work of Boiteau (1988) cited above, DeWilde et al. (DeWilde, J.; et al., Netherlands J. Plant Pathol., 75: 53-57 (1969)) observed that female emissions enhanced the anemotactic response of males in a laboratory behavioral bioassay. Experiments by Levinson at al. (Levinson, H. Z., et al, Naturwissenschaften, 66: 472-473 (1979)) showed that males responded differentially to male and female extracts from a distance of 8 mm. These observations could not be verified in a different behavioral assay in which male CPB did not show any sign of percepting the presence of females kept in small cages. Later Edwards and Seabrook (Edwards, M. A., and W. D. Seabrook, Canad. Entomol., 129: 667-672 (1997)) demonstrated that males move upwind towards females from a distance of at least 50 cm. Their results were based on greenhouse studies where all possible sex combinations placed on potted potato plants were tested; however, only 22% (11 of 49) of male beetles moved toward the female containing plant.
Based on laboratory behavioral studies in which antennal segments were selectively extirpated, olfactory receptors for the sex attractant pheromone in male CPB were thought to be located on the terminal and penultimate antennal segments (DeWilde, J., et al., Netherlands J. Plant Pathol., 75: 53-57 (1969)). Electroantennograms elicited by pentane extracts of female beetles were nearly twice as large as those elicited by extracts of males or potato foliage (Levinson, H. Z., et al, Naturwissenschaften, 66: 472-473 (1979)). Dubis et al. (Dubis, E. E., et al., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 87A: 839-843 (1987)) demonstrated chemical differences in cuticular hydrocarbons of male and female beetles; such differences could function in the recognition of females by males and as a releaser of copulatory behavior.
We report herein the discovery of a male-specific compound ((S)-3,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-oct-6-ene-1,3-diol (CPB I)) released by males feeding on potato plants; this compound is absent in collections of volatiles from females feeding on potato plant. Both male and female CPB are attracted to CPB I in laboratory behavioral bioassays. Since the accepted paradigm for chrysomelid beetles in general (Mayer, M. S., and J. R. McLaughlin (1991), Handbook of Insect Pheromones and Sex Attractants, Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 1083 pp.), and the CPB in particular (DeWilde, J., et al., Netherlands J. Plant Pathol., 75: 53-57 (1969); Edwards, M. A., and W. D. Seabrook, Canad. Entomol., 129: 667-672. (1997), was a female-produced attractant pheromone, our discovery of a male-produced pheromone in CPB surprisingly breaks the previous paradigm and provides a new model for chemical communication in these insects.

Attractant pheromone for the Colorado potato beetle

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture


A sealing system (20) for an optical sensor of a turbine engine that diverts and exhaust seal leakage away from the seal (22, 24) to prevent ingestion of humid air through the seal (22, 24) is disclosed. The sealing system (20) may include inner and outer optical housings (26, 28) with first and second seals (22, 24) positioned there between separating inner and outer optical housings (26, 28) radially. The sealing system (20) may include one or more leakage manifolds (30) positioned between the first and second seals (22, 24) and containing one or more manifold rings (32). The manifold ring (32) may be positioned between and in contact with the first and second seals (22, 24) enabling the first and second seals (22, 24) to form a double seal. The manifold ring (32) may also be configured to capture leakage air that has seeped past the first seal (22) and exhaust that leakage air through one or more exhaust vents (34) in the outer optical housing (28) before leaking through the sealing system (20).

In turbine engines, optical sensors, such as those used for flame scanning in the combustion regions of the turbines, need to be able to detect a flame for safety and to ensure optimal engine operation. Currently, various existing technologies and methods for sealing such optical sensors typically allow a small leakage of humid air from the combustion region of a turbine to leak past the optical barrier for the optical sensors, such as shown in FIG. 1. A lens containment housing 10 may be releasably attached to a lens support 12 and sealed with a single pressure seal 14. The seal 14 is often susceptible to leakage. The leakage of humid air may allow for condensation to occur within the optical sensing region of the turbine, and the condensation often causes droplets or moisture to form on the optical fibers that transmit light signals to the signal processor of the optical sensing region. The droplets or moisture may cause a deterioration of light signals transmitted to the signal processor, and, as a result, may cause false trips of the turbine engine when the system incorrectly determines that a flame out condition exists when in fact the opposite is true. False trips of turbine engines often cause substantial customer dissatisfaction, loss of substantial revenue, loss of turbine availability, and loss of productivity. Furthermore, current technologies and methods are often prone to failures as well. Moreover, electrical heating, which is often used to address vapor issues, requires added complexity and substantial costs. Thus, a need exists for a more robust system that provides for improved sealing for optical sensors or flame detecting devices.

Sealing system for optical sensors in gas turbine engines


A floating structure which comprises (a) a plurality of floats, each having a flat, polygonal or irregularly polygonal shape, with the upper and lower half parts staggered horizontally a given distance relative to each other, at least one edge forming an overhanging upper extension and the opposite edge a steplike lower extension, said upper and lower extensions being formed with connecting holes which, when the float is arranged to overlap with floats of the same construction in a mutually complementary manner, come in alignment with connecting holes of the lower and upper extensions of the neighboring floats so that said connecting pins are inserted through the aligned holes, and (b) connecting pins adapted to be fitted into the connecting holes formed in the floats.

This invention relates to floating structures for use as waterborne leisure lands (artificial floating islands), floating piers and the like and also relates to unitary floats to be assembled into those structures.
Conventional floating structures are roughly divided into two; large structures of unitary construction and structures consisting of a number of small floats joined together. The latter structures are preferable because they are easier to manufacture and handle, e.g., in transportation and assembling. The floating units are joined by connector means in such manner that they are not disjoined by the action of wind or waves or by variation of loads they support and also that the vertical movements of the individual units are minimized. Usually eye plates are attached to the edges of the units for interconnection by means of bolts and nuts, chains, ropes, etc., or long iron bars are passed through a plurality of floats to interlock them together. A further alternative has been to unite the units with rubber belts. The joining means of eye plate-bolt-nut combination normally involve partial projections from the edges of the floats, providing considerable spaces among the adjacent units. This makes the assembly unable to maintain stability with irregular or ununiform loads. One recent approach to the problem is to form recesses in edges of floats and fix eye plates within the recesses. Interlocking with iron bars produces such an integrity that the assembly cannot be bodily hauled up from the water. Once the bars are pulled off, the units are difficult to reassemble. The disadvantage of the eyelet and rubber belt joints is that the parts are repeatedly subjected to varying loads due to vertical motion of the floats with waves and changes in loads and are eventually broken down.
In an effort to overcome these problems of the prior art, I proposed a floating structure and unit floats for assembly into the structure in Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure (Kokai) No. 216386/1990. Products made in conformity with the embodiments described in the published specification have come into practical use. The invention remedied many of the shortcomings of the prior art floats and provided a floating structure easy to assemble and stable as assembled. The construction of the float disclosed in the specification will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. As shown specifically in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of floats 10, 10 of the same construction are formed from plastics, e.g., polyethylene. They are stepped so that they are mutually complementary in shape when arranged closely side by side and end to end. To be more exact, steplike lower extensions 14, 15 of each float 10 and overhanging upper extensions 16, 17 of each adjacent float 10 are superposed, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, with upright connecting posts 11 formed in one piece with the lower extensions inserted into corresponding connecting holes 19 formed in the upper extensions and fastened in place with bolts 13 threadedly engaged with nuts 18, or internally threaded portions of the connecting posts 11. The horizontal and vertical planes of the steplike configurations permit horizontal and vertical dispersion of the stresses resulting from the external forces due to vertical, horizontal, and other motions of the floats. Thus, the stress concentrations in the connections are substantially reduced and the stability of the assembled floating structure is enhanced. Given some allowances at the connections, the assembly can smoothly ride on the waves, even billows, with the overall stress concentration decreased to some extent.
However, the structure, in which the connecting posts 11 for joining use are molded in one piece with the float body from the same resin material, presents a problem. While the assembled structure is in use, the waving water surface causes the individual floats to drift toward and away from one another, with the result that stresses are repeatedly concentrated in the roots of the connecting posts. Experiments have revealed that this leads to cracking or breaking of the posts after long time service, necessitating the replacement of the entire float assembly even though the other parts are sound enough for continued use.
Another problem arises from the use of such a floating structure in a shallow water such as sandbank (e.g., about three meters deep). Sand then gains entrance into the gaps between the overlapping parts of the individual floats and abrades the roots of the connecting posts 11 rapidly with the aid of the changing load due to the incessant undulation of the water surface.


Disclosed is a correction container of a Marinelli, wherein a first groove is formed in the lower portion of the container body formed with a diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the lower surface of the Marinelli beaker, to be attached to a detector of a detecting system for nuclide analysis, a second groove having a diameter smaller than that of the first groove is formed on the upper portion, and an intake and exhaust hole is formed through the first groove to the second groove.

In general, samples for radionuclide analysis have a variety of shapes, chemical and physical properties. The radiation level may be low in a large sample, or it may be high in a very small sample. In the case where the sample is composed of a material of a high density and a high atomic number, measurement by gamma ray attenuation may be difficult.
Accordingly, the sample should be mounted on the detector of the optimum condition in order that radiation spectrum can be obtained well along with reliable figures. On the other hand, in order to analyze the gamma ray emission nuclide existing in the sample, it is important how the gamma ray penetrates the substance and how the gamma ray shall be detected. High Purity Germanium Gamma Spectroscopy Systems (hereinafter referred to as "HPGe") which show efficiency at low energy and excellent resolution across the entire energy range is widely used to meet these requirements.
With the use of HPGe in Korea and other countries as described above, there have also been various types of Marinelli beakers (1 L) for charging samples so as to correspond to a detecting device installed. And since a new type of Marinelli beaker recently supplied has become larger by considering the diameter of the detecting device mounted on various HPGe products, a space is formed between the detecting device and the lower portion of the beaker where the detecting device is inserted, thereby increasing the uncertainty of the detection value. Accordingly, it is needed to develop a complementary container that can reduce the experimental error (geometrical uncertainty) occurring during mounting the sample by the space existing between the Marinelli beaker and the detecting device.
The above-mentioned experimental error can be expressed by the following standard uncertainty. That is, the combined standard uncertainty (UC) is the standard uncertainty of the measurement result when the measurement result is obtained from several different input quantities and is obtained by combining the uncertainty (UA) obtained by statistically analyzing a series of observed values and the uncertainty (UB) by the mathematical method as in Equation 1 below when the uncertainty factor (input quantity) is independent.
In other words, by installing the correction container in the space existing on the lower portion of the Marinelli beaker where the detector is contacted, a calibration error that occurs during the equipment calibration as well as a standard deviation that occurs during the repeated experiment can be reduced, and this is related to statistics analytical uncertainty UA.Uc=√{square root over (Ua2+Ub2)}  [Equation 1]
In Equation 1, UC is the combined standard uncertainty, UA is the uncertainty by observation statistics, and UB is the uncertainty by a mathematical method.
On the other hand, the correction container must be replaced since the required size becomes different in order to measure radionuclides in a sample using the small amount of sample measuring bottle. In order to measure radionuclides in a small amount of sample, a small measuring bottle having a capacity of 80 ml should be used. In order to measure radionuclides using a small measuring bottle, the bottle must be fixed steady with the height kept constant from the surface of the HPGe detecting device. In the past, there was not a correction container for sealing the space existing on the surface of the lower portion of a Marinelli beaker where the detecting device is contacted or another particular device or instrument capable of fixing on the correction container by changing a small measuring bottle.

Marinelli beaker correction container for stable radionuclide analysis

Abstract: According to the present invention, a Marinelli beaker covers a upper portion of a container body to wrap around it, and a detector of a nuclide detecting device is inserted into a first groove formed in a lower portion of the container body. By means of the correction container according to the present invention, the distance between the position of radionuclides in the sample in a Marinelli beaker and the detector is maintained constant. Accordingly, the reliability of the detection value in nuclide analysis is advantageously improved.


A vehicle is provided, which includes an engine bay having an upper wall, side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall, an engine disposed inside the engine bay, an upper lid part disposed inside the engine bay and covering the engine from above, a shroud disposed inside the engine bay and formed in a frame shape having an opening disposed forward of the engine, and a grille shutter provided to the shroud and configured to open and close the opening. A front end of the upper lid part is placed on an upper side of the shroud, and the grille shutter is closed when an ignition is off.

In order to improve fuel consumption by shortening the warm-up time at a restart of an engine, and to reduce wear of a transmission by securing a heat-retaining property (lubricity) of engine oil, an art has already been known, as disclosed in JP2013-119384A, related to an engine encapsulating structure which improves the engine heat-retaining property by covering the engine at least from above and the side with a cover.
JP2013-119384A discloses a structure in which an upper surface cover 111 covers engine from above, a frame shroud is disposed forward of the engine (e.g., see FIG. 3 of JP2013-119384A), and a front end of the upper surface cover 111 is placed on an upper side (carrier 13) of the shroud. A frame shutter holding member (cooling duct 25) is disposed forward of the shroud and rearward of a bumper face, and the shutter holding member is provided with a plurality of grille shutters which enable a traveling air introducing opening of the bumper face to open and close (see FIGS. 1 and 3 of JP2013-119384A).
However, according to this structure, since the frame shutter holding member is disposed so as to be separated forward from the shroud, heat easily escapes through a gap in the vehicle longitudinal directions between the shutter holding member and the shroud. Moreover, since the shutter holding member is not generally formed as strong as the shroud which is structured to support a radiator and the front end of the upper surface cover (upper lid part), it tends to be formed in a thinner frame shape than the shroud, resulting in poor heat retention performance. Therefore, there is room for improvement related to heat retention efficiency of the structure forward of the engine.
Further, since this structure is provided with the frame shutter holding member forward of the engine in addition to the shroud, the number of components may increase to push up the cost and the weight.


This invention concerns a process for producing a molded thermoplastic resin by interposing during molding a thermoplastic resin different from the thermoplastic resin to be molded as a skin layer between the die surface and the thermoplastic resin to be molded. A lubricant is provided to lubricate the interface between the die surface and the skin layer. After molding, the skin layer with lubricant is removed.

This invention relates to an improved process for producing molded thermoplastic resins.
In the art of extrusion or compression or molding of a thermoplastic resin, it is known that flowability of the resin in the die can be improved by lubricating the inner surface of the die with a lubricant. This is taught with respect to extrusion molding, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,597,553 and 2,688,153. By coating the inner surface of a die with a lubricant, flowability of a thermoplastic resin within the die can be markedly improved. As a result, molding at a lower pressure is possible.
Attempting to lubricate the inner surface of a die with a lubricant, however, poses various problems. The greatest problem is that it is difficult to apply the desired thickness of the lubricant uniformly on the inner surface of a die during molding. Consequently, at the portion of the die where the lubricant is applied in too large a quantity, the resin flow will be accelerated, thereby making uniform molding impossible.
Roughening of the inner surface of the die has been suggested as a possible solution to this problem. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,222. This approach, however, has not been altogether satisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,834 discloses biaxially oriented molding of a thermoplastic resin under extrusion pressure in a die lubricated on its inner surface with a lubricant. Difficulty in uniformly applying the lubricant on the inner surface of the die during molding, however, causes localized failures of lubricant film which make it difficult to obtain a uniform biaxially oriented molded product. Further, because of the difficulty in uniformly applying a constant thickness of the lubricant, it is difficult to achieve a high degree of stretching. Indeed, only stretching from about 30% to about 120% in each direction can be achieved. In other words, only stretching to an area ration of 1.69 to 4.84-fold is usually possible. Stretching to a 5-fold area ratio or higher is generally not possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,841 discloses compression molding in a die lubricated on its inner surface with a lubricant. Here too, however, it is diffucult to apply the lubricant uniformly over the inner surface of a die during molding. Consequently, uniform molding is difficult. In order to overcome that problem, U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,841 requires the molding be performed under a low compression at a low stretching rate. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,841 biaxially oriented compression molding of an acrylic resin using a lubricant is effected at a low pressing pressure of 300 to 600 psi and at a low lateral flow rate of 0.1 to 72 in./min. Pressing must be conducted under such a low pressure and at such a low flow rate in order to prevent cracking due to poor lubrication on the inner surface of the die. That is, when the pressing pressure is increased, the frictional force between the acrylic resin and the die surface is increased in proportion to the pressing pressure, thereby causing cracking.
It would be highly desirable to improve the lubricating characteristics of the die surface so that good biaxially oriented molding may be performed and a highly oriented molded product may be molded satisfactorily even when molded under a high compression force and at a high stretching rate.
Another problem with prior art processes for extrusion or compression molding with a lubricant is the difficulty in removing the lubricant. There is no simple washing method for removing the lubricant. Moreover, if washing is performed with a large amount of washing liquor, a considerable cost will be incurred in the disposal of liquor.

Process for producing molded thermoplastic resin


An intake system piping structure of an internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold connected to an end-side first cylinder and an end-side second cylinder which are provided farthest from each other in a cylinder bank in which a plurality of cylinders is placed in line, and an intercooler connected to the intake manifold. The intercooler is arranged in such a manner that a widthwise center of the intercooler on the side of an intake inlet and a widthwise center of the intercooler on the side of the manifold are offset to the side of the end-side second cylinder from a cylinder bank direction center line in center between an axial center line of the end-side first cylinder and an axial center line of the end-side second cylinder. Furthermore, the intercooler is also arranged in such a manner that an offset amount of the widthwise center of the intercooler on the side of the intake inlet from the cylinder bank direction center line is greater than an offset amount of the widthwise center of the intercooler on the side of the manifold from the cylinder bank direction center line.

Some vehicle such as an automobile includes an intercooler to cool the intake air whose temperature is increased due to boost by a supercharger. By doing so, intake efficiency for a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle can be enhanced.
JP2009-270508A discloses an internal combustion engine with an intercooler in which an intake manifold and an intercooler are integrated.

Intake system piping structure of internal combustion engine


A loader station of substrate treating apparatus receives a transport cassette from a preceding stage. This transport cassette stores a plurality of substrates to be treated, arranged with a predetermined spacing therein. An empty processing cassette stands by at the loader station when the transport cassette arrives. The processing cassette is constructed to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a storage spacing that is independent of the storage spacing in the transport cassette but is optimal for surface treatment in the apparatus. In the loader station, a loader substrate transport robot transfers the substrates to be treated from the transport cassette to the empty processing cassette while absorbing any difference that may exist between the storage spacings of the respective cassettes. After being emptied, the transport cassette is transported through a transport cassette buffer to an unloader station, the now loaded processing cassette is transported to the unloader station by way of a predetermined transport path having treating baths therealong for cleaning and drying the substrates in the processing cassette. In the unloader station, an unloader substrate transfer robot transfers the treated substrates from the processing cassette to an empty transport cassette while absorbing any difference there may be between the storage spacings of the respective transport and processing cassettes. After unloading of the treated substrates, the empty processing cassette is transported through a processing cassette buffer to the loading station for standby, and the transport cassette storing the treated substrates is transported from the apparatus to a next stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating methods for cleaning, etching, peeling or otherwise treating surfaces of glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, reticles, masks, semiconductor wafers and the like (hereinafter referred to simply as "substrates"). More particularly, the invention relates to substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating methods for providing surface treatment for a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette.
2. Description of the Related Art
A substrate manufacturing process includes a plurality of surface treatments such as photoresist application, pattern printing, development, etching, cleaning and peeling. Each of these surface treatments is carried out by a separate and individual surface treating apparatus (e.g. an exposure apparatus for pattern printing, and a cleaning apparatus for cleaning).
Each surface treatment may be carried out in a piecemeal process or a batch process, depending on the type of treatment. In the piecemeal process, surface treatment is given to one substrate after another. In the batch process, surface treatment is given simultaneously to a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette.
Each surface treating apparatus is constructed according to the type of process it carries out; piecemeal process or batch process.
A prior substrate surface treating apparatus for carrying out a predetermined surface treatment (in a batch process) of a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette has been proposed by the inventor herein as disclosed in pending Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1989-80934.
Apparatus constructed according to the instant invention has cassettes for exclusive use in transport, and cassettes for exclusive use in treatment. Each cassette for use in transport stores a plurality of substrates, and transports these substrates between this surface treating apparatus and other surface treating apparatus. Each cassette for use in treatment stores the plurality of substrates, and supports these substrates during a surface treatment given in this apparatus. First, a transport cassette storing a plurality of substrates to be treated by this apparatus is introduced into this apparatus. The substrates to be treated are transferred from the transport cassette to a treatment or processing cassette. Next, the plurality of substrates undergo treatment along with the processing cassette storing the substrates. Upon completion of the treatment, the substrates are transported from the processing cassette to either transport cassette that brought the substrates to this apparatus or to another identical transport cassette. The transport cassette storing the plurality of treated substrates is then removed from this apparatus.
According to the prior apparatus noted above, a plurality of substrates are arranged with the same spacing (i.e. storage spacing) therebetween in the processing cassette as in the transport cassette. Such an arrangement results in the following inconveniences.
In storing a plurality of substrates in a processing cassette and providing surface treatment for these substrates en bloc, it is desirable to arrange the substrates with minimum spacing, to the extent of retaining the effect of surface treatment. This will realize a small processing space in a surface treating section, and hence a small installation space of the apparatus. Thus, the processing cassettes should desirably be constructed to store substrates with optimal spacing therebetween.
However, the optimal storage spacing for substrates in the processing cassettes is not necessarily optimal storage spacing for substrates in the transport cassettes. In the prior apparatus described above, the storage spacing of the processing cassettes is governed by that of the transport cassettes. Substrates cannot be arranged with the optimal storage spacing to receive surface treatment. Consequently, if the storage spacing of the transport cassettes is larger than the optimal spacing of the processing cassettes, for example, the entire apparatus will require a large area for installation. If the storage spacing of the transport cassettes is smaller than the optimal spacing of the processing cassettes, the effect of surface treatment could diminish.
Moreover, optimal spacing is variable with the type of surface treatment, the type and size of substrates, and so on. With the prior apparatus, therefore, optimal spacing cannot be secured for all or most of the surface treatments executed in a substrate manufacturing process. Lowering the effect of each surface treatment is impermissible from the point of view of quality control. Consequently, a spacing is determined for all of the cassettes to comply with the surface treatment required for the substrate requiring the largest storage spacing. This results in the disadvantage of enlarging not only the cassettes but various surface treating baths, whereby the entire substrate surface treating apparatus requires a large area for installation.
The surface treating section of the prior apparatus includes a transport device for transporting the processing cassettes in one direction (i.e. linearly). Thus, the treating baths constituting the treating section are arranged linearly, thereby elongating the apparatus sideways to lower efficiency of floor area utilization. Such a construction must provide maintenance areas along the respective treating baths, which enlarge the entire apparatus.
Further, the prior apparatus includes storage shelves for depositing the transport cassettes and processing cassettes. The cassettes are selectively deposited on the shelves and retrieved therefrom in accordance with the progress of treatment. However, this construction complicates the treating process, and requires an elaborate mechanism for depositing the cassettes on the shelves and retrieving the cassettes therefrom.

Substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating method


A method and apparatus for use in a circular knitting machine to form an end closure in a knitted tube made of thermoplastic yarn. The apparatus includes a tube constrictor mounted on the knitting machine for constricting the knitted tube formed by the knitting machine to form a generally solid, compact mass. The tube constrictor includes a plurality of constricting elements which define an aperture through which the knitted tube extends. The constricting elements are moveable between an open position and a closed position in which the knitted tube is gathered into a generally solid compact mass. A hot-air nozzle connected to a hot-air source is engageable with the air passage in the tube constrictor for directing a stream of hot air through said passage to sever and fuse said compact mass and to form a heat-sealed closure at one end of the tube segment severed from the knitted tube.

The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of tubular-knitted articles, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for forming a closed end in a tubular-knitted article.
In the production of circular-knit hosiery, one end of a knitted-tubular fabric is closed to form the toe. Traditional methods for closing the end of a tubular fabric include difficult and expensive looming operations or seaming operations. These operations are usually performed separately from the knitting operations, are relatively costly, and result in lower productivity.
Another method which has been tried in the past is to close the end of the tubular fabric while it is on a circular-knitting machine. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,090, describes a method for forming an end closure in a tubular-knitted article in which a portion of the knitted tube is gathered into a generally solid, compact mass and then severed with a heated tool. The heated tool also fuses the yarns at the end of the severed segment to form a closed end. Additional examples of prior art machines which attempt to close the end of the tubular fabric while it is on a circular-knitting machine are shown in the patents to Currier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,707; and Colton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,402. None of these methods have been reliable in forming a closed end in the tubular-knitted article.

End closure apparatus for a tubular-knitted article


A proximity detector has permanent magnets positioned within a chassis so that the axis and poles of the flux field of the permanent magnet are substantially normal to the front of the chassis. A switch is positioned along the front of the chassis proximate the magnet. The switch has contacts operable by the magnetic flux field of the magnet. A shield is positioned between the magnet and the rear of the chassis and between the switch and the rear of the chassis. The shield acts to inhibit extraneous magnetic fields from interferring with the detector operation and as a magnetic conductor to focus the magnetic flux field. The flux field of the permanent magnet is modified by a ferromagnetic object positioned at a predetermined distance from the front of the chassis to cause the contacts of the switch to operate in relation to the positioning thereof and in turn send an operate signal indicative of the positioning of the ferromagnetic object at the front of the switch to an external circuit. The switch may be positioned on a ski lift tower to detect the proximity of the ski lift cable and in turn transmit a derope condition signal should the cable become dislodged from tower support apparatus. A test device may be attached to the cable and circulated to test in-place detectors.

1. Field
This invention relates to proximity detectors. More particularly, this invention relates to proximity detectors of the type to detect the proximity of a ferromagnetic object and to proximity detectors for use with ski lifts for detecting a derope condition of the cable of the ski lift system.
2. State of the Art
Switches or devices to determine the proximity of an object have long been known. Such devices operate on a variety of principles including mechanical, electrical, magnetic and combinations thereof.
In recent years, magnetic proximity detectors have achieved some acceptance. U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,603 (Smith) discloses such a detector. In particular, it discloses a detector having a permanent magnet and a reed switch. The switch is operable by the magnetic flux field associated with the permanent magnet. A variety of other proximity switches are also commercially available. For example, the Honeywell Corporation of Minneapolis, Minn. has available model "4FR" and model "6FR" proximity switches which operate as a single-pole single-throw switch using magnets in association with a magnetically operated reed switch.
In practice, the above switches and others heretofore known have positioned permanent magnets with the axis and poles of their flux fields oriented substantially or essentially parallel to the front of the detector. When a ferromagnetic object approaches the detector front, the magnetic field of the permanent magnet is modified in such a way as to cause the reed switch to close or open. The permanent magnets used are typically elongated bar magnets oriented parallel to the face, front or detecting surface of the detector. In the case of the 4FR and 6FR switches made by the Honeywell Corporation, one elongated bar magnet is positioned along and parallel to the sensing face. A second permanent magnet is spaced away from the first. The reed switch is in between the two magnets. Such an arrangement exposes the detector to influence from stray magnetic fields and to influence from magnetic objects behind and around the detector. Indeed, such detectors may not be reliable when used in environments having a substantial magnetic environment such as one having substantial surrounding steel structure and in environments where the detector is subjected to significant vibration.
In practical application, particularly in adverse weather environments, proximity switches such as those described above, have proven to be less than effective. For example, in cold weather conditions, such as that found in environments associated with the sport of snow skiing and the use of ski chair lifts (personnel transport systems), a wide variation in temperature may be experienced. Temperatures well below 0.degree. F. and large amounts of moisture in the form of snow and ice may be experienced. Ski lifts typically include a plurality of towers positioned up the side of a slope or a mountain. A steel or iron cable is supported by the towers and moved in a continuous loop fashion by a driving apparatus. Chairs holding the skiers or other persons are suspended from the cable. The individual towers typically have grooved wheels to rotatably support the cable. Should the cable become removed or derailed from the grooves of the wheel(s), a "derope" condition would exist. Such a condition can be a hazard to the people riding on the chairs. Accordingly, it is typically necessary that the ski lift system be immediately shut down to minimize the hazard to which the people are exposed. Proximity detectors are positioned on the towers proximate the cable or rope to detect its proximity or proper position in the grooved wheels which support the cable on the ski lift tower.
Reliable proximity switches have heretofore been unknown for application not only for the ski lift environment but also in other environments. Further, proximity switches heretofore having sufficient detection range and having characteristics such that the metal associated with the ski lift tower and its associated apparatus does not adversely affect operation of the proximity detector or unduly constrain detector positioning are heretofore unknown. A detector system having means to test proximity detectors when installed is also heretofore unknown.
Other known detecting devices which may be of interest include devices disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,058,059 (Bockemuehl); 3,504,236 (Takesimoyagawa et al); 3,761,736 (Edge et al) disclosing a capacitive touch proximity detector; 3,048,748 (Carey); 3,377,519 (Stong); 3,176,096 (Marcum); and 3,161,742 (Bagno); and 3,736,445 (Van Sickle).


A tandem master cylinder device having a cylinder body slidably receiving therein a driving piston and a floating piston so as to define a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber, the device housing a liquid pressure control valve by which a differential in output liquid pressure between a front brake pressure and a rear brake pressure is produced. A stepped piston is mounted on the floating piston to open and close a poppet valve.

This invention relates to a tandem master cylinder device for hydraulic brake systems in motor vehicles, the device being particularly designed to produce a difference in output liquid pressure between a liquid chamber connected to a front brake and a liquid chamber connected to a rear brake by means of a liquid pressure control valve housed in the master cylinder device.
As is known, when the braking of the vehicle takes place, the vehicle-body load moves forward and is one-sided towards the front wheels rather than being equally distributed between the front and rear wheels. It is therefore desirable to distribute a braking force depending on this movement of load to the front wheels and rear wheels. For this reason, in the past, a produced liquid pressure from the master cylinder device is directly applied to the front wheels whereas low liquid pressure is applied to the rear wheel brake through a control valve.


The invention provides an array of blast-resistant partitions arranged to subdivide a predetermined space into a multiplicity of interconnected subspaces and thereby to substantially confine an explosive blast to one or more of the subspaces while protecting the remaining subspaces in the predetermined space.

The present invention relates to the protection of persons proximate to an explosion.
More particularly, the invention provides an array of partitions, and a method, arranged to attenuate blast from an explosion on one side of a partition and thereby protect or at least reduce the severity of injury of people on the far side of said partition(s).
A known terrorist tactic used against populations in Colombia, Indonesia, Lebanon, Ireland, Israel, the Philippines, Northern Spain and other countries is to detonate an explosive device among a crowd of people, the aim being to kill and injure as many as possible so as to draw attention—if not sympathy—to their cause or hatreds. Such explosion may be set off by a timing device, radio telephone or manually in the case of a suicide bomber. Security services have difficulty in preventing such attacks, due to the problems of identifying a terrorist among many thousands of other people going about their daily activities. Furthermore, it is not possible economically to place a security guard in every bus, bus shelter, school, kindergarten, large building, store and street where people congregate, nor is it possible to know in advance when and where attacks will be executed.
In Israel, public transportation vehicles in particular have been the subject of many attacks. A Hebrew language newspaper "BASHOVUA" 17 Oct. 2002, in an article "Drivers in the line of fire" reports that between 1948 and 2002 there have been 39 attacks against buses causing 270 fatalities and many more wounded and disabled, some for life.
Well known in the prior art are taxis fitted with a partition separating the passenger and driver compartment. The partition is intended primarily to prevent the passenger(s) from attacking the driver, and do not relate to explosive blast protection.
Hammerton in UK Patent Application 2 275 281 discloses a stud partition which is claimed to be resistant to bullets or bomb blast. The partition is intended for installation in or around a building. Because of its weight and volume the partition is unsuitable for use in vehicles.
A removable partition intended for vans and station wagons is disclosed by Mckenzie in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,856. The panel has a bowed forward configuration and is intended primarily to prevent persons or objects hitting the driver in the event of emergency braking or of a collision.
In practical terms advance information can prevent only some but not all attacks. What can be done is to arrange areas where attacks are likely in a manner to reduce casualties resulting from explosive charges. A patent search failed to produce any relevant documents on the subject of applying such ideas to public transportation vehicles. In particular nothing was found relating to the reduction of casualties in passenger bus bombings.
It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to fill a gap in prior art blast protective devices and to provide a partition array to reduce casualties in case of an explosion in a previously defined space.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blast-protective partition array for passenger buses, while continuing to allow free movement along the length of the vehicle.


A support device for lining a ditch which is supported by braces. The support device has an inner plate and an outer plate parallel to and facing the inner plate. A frame is provided which has an upper cross bar, a lower cross bar and side bars placed between and in contact with the plates at their periphery. The side bars include brace connection means for releasably engaging the braces. Longitudinally extending trapezoidal-shaped webs are provided on each plate. The webs each have two sides and a top which is parallel to each plate. The distance between adjacent webs along each plate is approximately equal to the width of the top. The webs on the inner plate are offset from the webs on the outer plate so that the webs on the plates matingly interconnect. The tops are in contact with the facing sheet plate and the sides of adjacent webs are parallel and in contact with each other. Reinforcement pipes extend from the upper cross bar through the sides of the webs to the lower cross bar in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the webs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support device for lining ditches. More particularly, it relates to such lining plates which line opposite walls of a ditch and are held apart by braces Each lining plate is formed from two parallel cover sheet plates and web elements which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the lining plate, i.e., longitudinal direction of the ditch. Reinforcement pipes pass through the web elements perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. A plate frame including an upper cross bar, a bottom cross bar and side bars is located between the lining plates.
2. The Prior Art
A support device is disclosed in German Patent DE 29 48 458 B1.
An essential requirement of modern ditch construction is to cause the smallest possible ditch profile. With known support devices, a relatively wide ditch profile must be provided. This is because the attachment and guide parts which project from the inside wall of the lining plates narrow the area of the ditch in which a canal or pipeline is to be installed. Furthermore, the design of the known lining plates requires the use of relatively thick and heavy plates, in order to satisfy the static strength requirements.