A picture display device using direct heating type linear cathodes as electron beam sources. Inorganic material vibration prevention elements having a hole thereon are provided. The linear cathodes penetrate the vibration prevention elements at one end part or both end parts of respective linear cathodes. This damps vibrations occurring at the time when an external force is applied and cuase them to cease rapidly.

Heretofore, color television picture display devices have mainly used cathode-ray tubes. Cathode-ray tubes have excessively large depth in comparison with their screen face sizes. Hence it has been impossible to make a flat type television receiver using a cathode-ray tube. To overcome this problem, developments of display devices of various types as for the flat-type display device, such as an EL (electroluminescence) display device, plasma display device, and liquid crystal display device, have been developed. None of them can offer satisfactory performance in brightness, contrast, or color reproducibility. Then, aiming at obtaining displays of color television pictures on a flat-type device by employing electron beams which is capable of producing as high quality pictures as an ordinary cathode-ray tube can offer, there have already been picture display devices wherein a picture on its screen was divided into an array of segments of matrix arrangement without leaving blank spaces therebetween and a fluorescent screen of each segment was lit by each electron beam belonging thereto which was deflected and scanned by an adequate means, thereby as a whole, a color television picture was constructed. In the following, referring to the drawings, the above-mentioned picture display device of prior art is elucidated.
FIG. 1 shows an internal constitution of a picture display device of this prior art. In FIG. 1, numeral 101 is a back electrode, numeral 102 represents--therefor linear cathodes as electron beam sources, numeral 103 is an electron beam extraction electrode, numeral 104 are signal electrodes, numerals 105 and 106 are focusing electrodes, numeral 107 is a horizontal deflection electrode, and numeral 108 is a vertical deflection electrode. These elements are stored in glass envelopes 109 and 110 and the inside of the envelopes are evacuated. The linear cathodes 102 are spanned in the horizontal direction so that they produce electron beams having horizontally uniform distribution, and a plural number of such linear cathodes 102 (here, only four of 102a to 102d are shown) are provided with an adequate spacing. These linear cathodes 102 are constituted by, for example, coating an oxide cathode material on the surface of tungsten wires. The back electrode 101 is composed of a planar conductive material, which is disposed in parallel with the linear cathodes 102a to 102d. The extraction electrode 103 counterfaces to the back electrode 101 having linear cathodes 102a to 102d therebetween, and it is composed of a conducting plate having arrays of through-holes 111 provided in the horizontal direction with an adequate spacing over horizontal lines counterfacing to respective linear cathodes.
Although these through-holes 111 are of circular shape in the present working example, it may be such shapes as oval or rectangular, or slit. The signal electrodes 104 are composed of conducting plates 112 which are oblong in the vertical direction and disposed at positions respectively counterfacing to the through-holes on the extraction electrode 103 with having a required distance, and on respective extraction electrodes, at the positions counterfacing to the through-holes 111 of the extraction electrodes 103, similar through-holes 113 are present. The shape of the through-holes 113 may be oval or rectangular shape, or also slit which is oblong in the vertical direction may be used. The focusing electrodes 105 is composed of a conducting plate having through-holes 114 at the positions respectively counterfacing to the through-holes 113 of the signal electrodes 104. As the shape of through-holes 114, circular or oval shape, or slit may be used. The focusing electrode 106 has slit holes 116 which are extending vertically at the positions of through-holes 114 of the focusing electrode 105. As for the shape of the slit holes 115, circular, oval or rectangular shape may be used. The horizontal deflection electrode 107 is comprised of two conducting comb-shaped plates 116 and 117 which are connected at their end parts and mutually engaged with keeping an adequate spacing over a single plane, and a space 118 formed between conducting plates 116 and 117 are facing to through-slit-holes 115 of the focusing electrode 106. The vertical deflection electrode 108 is, as shown in FIG. 2, comprised of a constitution that two conducting plates 119 and 120 which are connected at their end parts, that is, a constitution that two pieces of comb-shaped conducting plate 119 and 120 are mutually engaged keeping an adequate spacing over a single plane. A screen 121 is constituted by coating, over the inner face of an envelope 109, a fluorescent material layer 122 which emits light by the illumination of electron beams and then by adding a metal-back layer (not shown in the FIGURE) thereonto. And, the above-mentioned extraction electrode 103, signal electrode 104, focusing electrodes 105 and 106, horizontal deflection electrode 107, and vertical deflection electrode 108, are jointed respectively by an insulating adhesive (here, not shown in the FIGURE), thereby an unity electrode block 124 is formed.
On a picture display device constituted as described above, its operation is elucidated below.
First, in order to make the electron emission from the linear cathode 102 easy, it is heated by flowing a heater current. Under the state of heating, the back electrode 101, by impressing adequate voltages onto the linear cathodes 102 and the extraction electrode 103, sheet-shaped electron beams are emitted from the surface of the linear cathodes 102. The sheet-shaped electron beams are then divided into a plural number of electron beams by the through-holes 111 of the extraction electrode 103 and they become a plural number of electron beam flows 123. These electron beam flows 123 are adjusted on their passing amounts for respective electron beam flows by the signal electrodes 104 corresponding to the video signal impressed on the signal electrode 104. Next, after the electron beams passing through the signal electrodes 104 are focused and formed by the electrostatic lens effect of the through-holes 114 and 115 of the focusing electrodes 105 and 106, they are deflected by the potential differences given to the adjacent conducting plates 116 and 117 of the horizontal deflection electrode 107 as well as to the adjacent conducting plates 119 and 120 of the vertical deflection electrode 108. Furthermore, a high voltage (for example, 10 kV) is applied on the metal back layer of the screen 121, and hence the electron beams are accelerated up to a high energy and collides with the metal back to make the fluorescent material 122 emit light.
When the television picture screen is divided horizontally and vertically into a matrix shape and an assembly of small segments 125 is formed, by allotting one electron beam which is separated as described above to each of those small segments, and by deflecting and scanning each electron beam only within each small segment, a whole picture can be displayed on the screen. And by controlling the RGB video signals corresponding to respective picture elements by the signal electrodes 104, television moving pictures can be reproduced.
In the constitution as has been described above, for obtaining a high quality picture images all the time, problems described below were present.
As is shown in FIG. 2, the linear cathodes 102a to 102d are thin wires of a diameter of 10 .mu.m, at their both ends (only one side is shown) their height is limited by a height limit bar 126, and their position in the Y direction is determined by a Y-direction positioning frame body 127. Furthermore, the tension is given at both sides or at one side by springs 128 which are attached to the Y-direction positioning frame body 127.
When vibration is applied to the picture display apparatus including positioned and spanned linear cathodes 102a to 102d, the linear cathodes 102a to 102d start vibration containing mainly the simple harmonic vibration as shown in FIG. 3 and keep this vibration until it is damped out. When the linear cathodes 102a to 102d vibrate, amount of electron beams 123 passing through the through-holes 111 of the above-mentioned extraction electrode 103 varies periodically (not shown), and eventually the brightness on the screen varies periodically, hindering achieving stably a high quality picture image.
Heretofore, as for the prevention means of the vibration of the linear cathodes, there has been a means using cathode electrode control lines as disclosed in a Gazette of Tokkai Sho 50-10958. In the following, explanation is given referring to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, cathode control lines 2 are spanned perpendicularly with respect to the spanning direction of linear cathodes 1, and they are held so as to keep a constant distance from the above-mentioned linear cathodes 1. Then, if a certain external force is applied to the structural body, although the above-mentioned linear cathodes start the vibration containing mainly the simple harmonic vibration, when they touch the cathode control line 2, the amplitude is controlled and damped, and thereby the vibration is suppressed. And, the above-mentioned cathode control wires 2 are disposed with predetermined intervals, not with a constant interval, and thereby, as shown in FIG. 4, the resonant vibration due to the second-order vibration of the above-mentioned linear cathode 1 having its nodes at the above-mentioned cathode control lines 2 can be prevented.
Hereupon, in FIG. 4, numeral 3 is an electrode, numeral 4 is a height limit bar for the linear cathodes 1, numeral 5 is a Y-direction positioning frame body for the linear cathodes 1, and numeral 6 are spring elements for spanning the linear cathodes 1 by giving tension thereon.
In the constitution as has been described above, in order to obtain a high quality picture images all the time, there have been problems to be described below.
In a picture display device for the display use, in case that cathode control lines are disposed in the working picture area, the electric field is disturbed and uniform electron beams cannot be produced and hence a uniform picture image cannot be obtained.
And, in case that a plural number of linear cathodes are used, it is very difficult to keep the distances between the above-mentioned cathode control lines 2 and the above-mentioned linear cathodes 1 uniform for respective linear cathodes, and hence the non-uniformity of the above-mentioned distances gives a scatter or dispersion on the above-mentioned vibration prevention function on the linear cathodes 1, causing a variation of the brightness on the screen; and hence a uniform high quality picture image cannot be obtained.

Picture display device with a vibration-preventing element

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A molding composition including a thermoplastic processable polyamide, an elastomer, and an epoxy having a plurality of epoxide groups.

Polyolefins have poor compatibility with a polyamide matrix. As a result, it is difficult to obtain blends which are both processable and practical and various expedients have been adopted in an attempt to solve this problem.
British Patent 998439 (German 1,241,606) teaches achieving high impact resistance by mixing two polyolefins into the rigid polyamides. In order to overcome the incompatibility problem, the olefins have unsaturated carboxylic acids grafted thereon.
Swiss Patent 649566 seeks to solve the same problem by introducing polyolefins based upon ethylene, propylene, and 1,4-hexadiene or 2,5-norbornadiene. These materials are activated by the introduction of .alpha., .beta. unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, anhydrides, or esters. Thus, the high bending E-modulus of the polyamide is modified by the unsaturated additives. Molded shapes prepared from such compositions have good impact and notched bar impact properties and high ductility. However, they are not sufficiently rigid, nor are they dimensionally stable. In other words, they have a great tendency to creep, which makes them unsuitable for many uses.
Another approach to the same problem is the introduction of core/shell polymers or grafted copolyolefins into rigid amorphous copolyamides. Such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,410,661 and 4,536,541. However, mixtures of the foregoing type exhibit substantial and undesirable shrinkage at elevated temperatures, even after only a short period of time. Therefore, shapes produced from such compositions are unsuitable for any use wherein exposure to elevated temperatures is involved.
A narrower improvement is shown in German 3,436,362, wherein rigid polyamides derived from terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and alkanediamines form the basic material. To this is added copolymers of ethylene and/or acrylates to which carboxyl groups are grafted.
European Patent 27,198 teaches the addition of a core/shell polymer as a modifier of impact resistance. Acrylic acid derivatives are grafted onto a polybutadiene or butadiene/styrene core. This improves the impact resistance, but results in a substantial loss in stiffness. The patent teaches compensating for this loss by the addition of glass fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,494 teaches the impact-resistance modifiers of the present invention, and German 3,339,000 teaches the use of similar core/shell polymers in conjunction with polyamides. However, molded shapes of this character are usually unsatisfactory, as they are not dimensionally stable. In particular, they tend to creep and to be highly susceptible to shrinkage under heat.
British Patent 1,069,176 seeks high thermal and dimensional stability for molded shapes by the addition of cross-linking diepoxides.
British 1,376,537 and German 2,144,687 introduce epoxide resins into plastomeric materials. These are substantially dimensionally stable and rigid; however, their impact-resistance is insufficient. Moreover, the presence of a high concentration of fillers and reinforcing agents produces a high density which, in many cases, is to be avoided.
Thus, there is a substantial need for polymeric materials which are impact-resistant, rigid, and dimensionally stable. In addition, such materials should be capable of simple injection molding. Such materials are used as casings and other protective parts in machines, vehicle bodies, etc.

Impact-resistant and rigid polyamide compositions


A new cultivar of Exochorda, ‘Snow Mountain’, that is characterized by its floriferous habit with flowers present the entire length of the stem, its upright and compact plant habit, its ability to be readily propagated by softwood stem cutting with good rooting, its consistent growth habit, and its healthy, disease free foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Exochorda racemosa. The new cultivar will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Snow Mountain'. 'Snow Mountain' is a new cultivar of deciduous shrub grown for use as a landscape shrub.
The new cultivar is a selection from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands with the goal of selecting new cultivars of Exochorda with better flowering characteristics, easier propagation, and good garden performance.
The new variety of Exochorda was selected by the Inventor amongst seedlings derived from a cross made in 1994 between 'The Bride' (not patented) as the female parent and an unnamed plant of Exochorda racemosa from the Inventor's breeding program. 'Snow Mountain' was selected as a single unique plant in 1997.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by softwood stem cuttings in Boskoop, The Netherlands in 1998. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A hydraulic system for driving a small, compact, relatively low cost, long life and very high speed hydraulic turbine drive. The system maximizes energy conversion efficiency between a combustion engine hydraulic pump and a high speed hydraulic turbine driven supercharger. A venturi system provides a pressure drop permitting lubrication flow for the supercharger bearings and also a substantial hydraulic pump inlet pressure to prevent foaming and cavitation at the pump inlet. A bypass valve permits control of the turbine speed based on engine need rather than engine speed as is the case with prior systems. Embodiments applicable to one stage supercharger and supercharger-turbocharger combinations are described. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the hydraulic system is used to drive a high speed turbine at a power level in the range of 5 to 20 horsepower with operating speeds of 50,000 to 200,000 RPM. In this particular embodiment the turbine blades are produced at low cost as a part of a thermoplastic turbine wheel and the strength needed for very high centrifugal forces is provided by compressing substantially all of the plastic turbine wheel, except for the blades, within a metal sleeve.

High speed rotating apparatuses are often driven by electric motors or internal combustion engines. Superchargers are a high speed device which is typically driven directly by an internal combustion engine. In such cases a speed increasing gear box or belt drive is needed. Such superchargers are limited to a relatively low rotating speed and are large in size. Paxton Blowers and Vortech Engineering Co. are marketing such superchargers. Fixed gear ratio superchargers suffer from two very undesirable features which are: 1) there is a sharp decrease in boost pressure at low engine RPM because boost pressure goes to the square of the speed of rotation, and 2) it is generally not feasible to disconnect the blower from the engine when the supercharger is not needed.
There is a great need in the engine industry for efficient hydraulic systems for driving compact, light weight superchargers. According to an article at page 27 of the August 1993 issue of Popular Science, Miller cycle engines, developed by Mazda "requires a compact, high-efficiency air compressor-conventional turbochargers and superchargers just can't generate the volume of air required". The article further states, "Mazda teamed with heavy equipment manufacturer Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. to develop a belt driven, screw-type compressor supercharger. The new supercharger is expensive, which is one reason Mazda doesn't plan to use the Miller-cycle engine in small cars. Lean-burn technology makes more sense there."
It is known that low pressure at hydraulic pump inlets can cause cavitation and foaming which can lead to lower efficiencies and shorten pump life.
Turbochargers of many designs are driven by engine exhaust. One such model is Model To 4B 3S supplied by Turbonetics Inc. This unit produces a compressor ratio (output pressure/atmospheric pressure) of 1.52. The various parts of this unit can be purchased separately from Turbonetics as listed in its catalog.
Gear driven and belt driven oil pumps are commercially available in the 10 to 20 HP range for producing oil pressures in the range of 1,000 to 2,500 PSIG at flows of 20 to 40 GPM.
The Applicant has been issued a U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,214 for a high speed water driven fan. Disclosed in the specification was a turbine which produced 4 horsepower at 10,000 RPM. The specification referred to and provided guidance for increased horsepower designs and higher RPM's. The hydraulic design of the present invention is based on extensive tests of the Applicant's high speed water turbine driven high velocity fan with water pressure differentials of up to 450 psi and generating 19.6 HP at 14,250 RPM. Relatively low stress levels and low operating temperature of the reference fan turbine wheel has allowed for the 2.07 inch diameter wheel to be made entirely of Delrin type plastic.
It is known that plastic turbines are generally less expensive to produce than metal turbines, but at very high rotating speeds and high temperatures plastic turbines do not have sufficient strength to provide reliable performance. For very small steel turbine wheels, standard milling procedures are not feasible and electro discharge machining is typically utilized which is very expensive. Typical production costs of making a 0.80 inch diameter turbine wheel with 34 blades is on the order of $300. Sintering is another possibility, but its tooling costs and development risks would be very high.
Utilization of high temperature thermoplastics to make very high speed turbine wheels would lower the cost significantly since the blades could be milled with conventional techniques, but the combined effects of high centrifugal stresses and high oil temperatures would cause the plastic to deform and creep with time, especially in the hub area where precision fit between the shaft and the wheel bore is required at all times.
It is known that a significant advantage of superchargers over turbochargers is that the superchargers respond immediately to increased engine power whereas turbochargers tend to lag on acceleration. Superchargers driven by an oversized oil pump can actually anticipate increased demand for engine power by controlling the oil pressure to react with the accelerator. For motor vehicle superchargers high turbine efficiencies, low cost and long life expectancies are all of paramount importance.


An automotive bumper includes a closed cross section impact bar having at least one open end. An insert formed as a plurality of interconnected molded cells is received in the open end and spans the distance between front and rear walls of the impact bar. A positioning rib prevents overtravel of the insert and tuning bumps are provided to create an interference fit between the insert and the impact bar. An energy absorber can be mounted on the impact bar and fitted with the positioning rib of the insert.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive bumpers, and in particular is concerned with a closed cross section impact bar reinforced with an insert.
2. Description of the Related Art
Soft bumper systems for both front and rear ends of automobiles are well-known. Generally, an impact bar is mounted to the frame or support structure with fasteners or other suitable means. Impact bars are designed to resist deformation during impact, and reduce damage to the body and other components. Oftentimes, an energy-absorbing medium, e.g., foam or cellular units, is mounted on the outer face of an impact bar to absorb energy imparted by a collision. A fascia, formed from a pliable material, is fitted over the energy-absorbing medium to provide an attractive outer surface of the bumper system.
Various profiles and cross sections are used for impact bars. Some cross sections are open due to a C-shaped beam, while others are closed via a box-shaped beam. Closed cross section beams can be formed with thin walls of sheet metal to produce lightweight and effective impact bars.
It is desirable that impact bars resist deformation during minor impacts, thereby eliminating the costs involved in repair or replacement of the impact bar. A particular area of interest is the prevention of deformation at the ends or corners of closed cross section impact bars.

Reinforcing insert for an automotive bumper


A method of radiation measurements on slurries where the slurry is pumped to a pressure where the volume of gases in the form of gas-bubbles is reduced below a level where the gases effect the radiation counts. The slurry pressure is raised to a pressure in the range of 100 p.s.i. to 500 p.s.i. (690 kPa to 3.5 Mpa) absolute using a positive displacement pump.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and techniques for improving the accuracy of radiometric measurements of properties of solid-liquid suspensions. In particular, this invention relates to improvement in the accuracy of measurement of gamma- or x-ray transmission through, or scatter from, suspensions (slurries) of minerals (including coal) in water, where the objective of such measurements is to determine slurry density or elemental composition, for the purpose of controlling industrial mineral processing operations.
Data from which slurry density or slurry elemental composition may be reduced can be obtained by measuring the intensity of gamma- or x-electromagnetic radiation transmitted through, scattered from or excited from a mineral slurry. Under circumstances where the slurry is conveyed in equipment containing air or other gases, measurement accuracy can be impaired by the entrainment of variable quantities of bubbles of these gases in the slurry, where these variable quantities of gas are present at the point where the radiation measurement is made. The extent to which measurement accuracy is impaired is proportional to the volume fraction of gas in the slurry.
Inaccuracies of measurement due to the presence of gases, usually air, in slurries are usually minimised as far as possible by conveying the slurry through a series of units of equipment, such as low-head pump-sump units, so that any air present tends to be present at a constant volumetric concentration. (By "low-head", it is meant that the pressure-head of the pump is only sufficient to move the slurry and the pressure may be in the region of 15 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.) (103.4 kPa) absolute.)
However, the percentage of air in the slurry is still significant and may for example be in the range of 1%-5% by volume.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
One solution which has been proposed to remove the gas is a method of vacuum de-gassing where the slurry sample is pumped into a vacuum chamber, most of the gas comes out of the slurry, and the nearly gas-free slurry is then passed through a measuring zone. The solution has a number of problems, particularly in practical application in an industrial plant. Vacuum techniques are difficult for the operator with the need to keep the evacuated space effectively sealed and the difficulty of removing the slurry therefrom. This method is only suitable for very small sample flow and very fine materials.
It is extremely difficult to accurately measure the amount of gas in a slurry. In the laboratory, a gas-free calibration slurry is prepared and readings are taken as measured quantities of gas are introduced into the slurry. By comparing the radiation counts at the various gas levels with the counts from the slurry under consideration, the volume of gas in the slurry can be determined. The accuracy of this determination depends on the degree in which the calibration slurry is initially gas free. In addition, due to gravitational effects, the gas added to the calibration slurry forms bubbles which rise out of the slurry, affecting the results.

Radiation measurements on mineral slurries


Device for correctly-registered feeding of sheets supplied thereto in a sheet stream in a sheet transport direction, to front lays of a sheet-processing machine having a lateral pulling device, and a sheet-advancing device disposed within a smallest format width to be processed. The feeding devices includes at least one permanently driven drive roller disposed in the vicinity of the front lays, and at least one contact pressure device cooperatively engageable with the at least one drive roller. The drive roller has a rotational axis directed crosswise to the sheet transport direction, and at least part of the drive roller is disposed laterally of the sheet advancing device.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for aligning sheets and, more particularly, for feeding sheets with correct registration in sheet-fed rotary printing presses.
It has become known heretofore to provide sheet aligning means, in a forward region of feeding tables at sheet-fed rotary printing presses, for aligning in lateral and circumferential directions a respective sheet conveyed in a sheet stream, before the sheet is transferred to the printing press. In this regard, a sheet transported on the feeding table by a conveyor device is aligned in the circumferential direction at front lays and, thereafter, are drawn up to laterally disposed side stops by side pull marks. The problem often arises that the sheet is slightly twisted or criss-crossed and no longer rests with correct registration at the front lays.
The published German Patent Document DE 42 41 795 A1, for example, discloses a device for feeding sheets to front lays, wherein a cyclically driven drive roller cooperates with a counterpart roller. A sheet passed between these rollers is thus moved cyclically against front lays both before and after the lateral or side alignment has been performed.
It is disadvantageous that means for cyclic driving have to be provided in the device of the foregoing German publication.
A device has become known heretofore from German Patent 839 644 wherein sheets to be aligned are initially transported by means of two parallel conveyor belts in a direction towards front lays and, close to the feed region, are accepted or taken over by a dabbing device formed of a driven lower roller and an upper roller periodically engageable therewith.
The dabbing device is disposed in an extension of the conveyor belts and consequently has the disadvantage that sheets with a format width greater than that dictated by the spacing of the conveyor belts are moved away from the front lay opposite a respective side pulling device, during a lateral alignment by several side pulling devices, so that registration problems can arise in the sheet feeder.

Device for aligning sheets at the front lays of a sheet processing machine


A semiconductor device having low-leakage borderless contacts is formed by etching contact openings adjacent first and second electronic elements of opposite dopant type, conformally depositing a thin doped polysilicon layer, protecting the electronic element of similar dopant-type, removing the thin doped polysilicon layer adjacent the oppositely doped electronic element, diffusing dopant from said polysilicon layer into a side wall of the electronic element of similar dopant-type, and then depositing tungsten within the contact openings.

In the fabrication of integrated circuits (IC), individual semiconductor devices and electronic elements formed within the semiconductor substrate must in turn be connected with one or more metallization levels. These metallization levels form the desired inter-connections between the individual electronic elements and also the connections to outside leads. Typically, an individual electronic element is coupled to a metallization level via a stud or contact which extends through a passivation layer and physically contacts both the metallization level and the electronic element.
However, due to extremely high device densities incorporated within many of today's integrated circuits the method of forming the metallization contacts must be compatible with an ever increasing variety of structures and devices. For example, many CMOS structures often employ borderless diffusion regions adjacent isolation regions. These isolation regions commonly employ a shallow trench insulation (STI) structure which may be filled with a dielectric material such as silicon oxide. With such a structure the goal of metallization contact (MC) etching is to uniformly expose the contact area of the diffusion regions while etching a minimum of the STI fill. Although fill erosion may be reduced by increasing the etch selectivity between the passivation layer and an etch stop, it is still necessary for the process to utilize an over-etch in order to guarantee opening of all MC to diffusion contact areas. Thus, this etching process commonly causes erosion of the STI fill and exposure of a lightly doped region of the semiconductor substrate within the diffusion. Moreover, it should be noted that in addition to MC etching, other steps such as pad and sacrificial oxide strips, spacer etching, salicide pre-cleans and other processes also contribute to fill pulldown and exposure of lightly doped regions of electronic elements.
Exposure of the lightly doped semiconductor substrate of electronic elements, such as diffusions, is undesirable since electrical coupling of the same with the metallization contact often causes "leaky" contacts. In this regard the dopant concentration of the semiconductor substrate affects the work function of the semiconductor material and it is the work function of this material in relation to the work function of the material comprising the metallization contact that will determine the contact properties. Typically, coupling of a highly doped semiconductor material with a low resistance contact, such as a metal, results in good low-leakage contacts. However, coupling of a lightly doped semiconductor substrate and a metal often results in a poor contact and is, therefore, undesirable.
Similarly caused leakage problems in other integrated circuits have been avoided by having deeper junctions. However, due to the large variety of IC designs and their corresponding device densities, utilization of deeper junctions is often not an option. For example, a deep junction immediately adjacent to a gate may often create adverse affects on FET device behavior. Devices utilizing a thin gate electrode (e.g. 200 nM) often experience local threshold fluctuations when higher energy implants are channeled through the thin polysilicon layer in order to form the deeper junctions. Alternatively, using a faster diffusing species for achieving greater junction depth is similarly limited since implants do not diffuse in a completely vertical fashion and junctions of an opposite donor type are commonly adjacent these junctions. Thus long diffusions are often insupportable, particularly in high density devices.
Utilization of oxide or nitride spacers inside the metallization contact holes has been suggested. However, preliminary attempts at employing such a strategy has meet with poor success since shallow trench isolation corners are not repeatedly and sufficiently vertical and anisotropy of etches is degraded in small crevices. Another attempted solution is adding appropriately masked implants after contact hole etching, where appropriate dopant species are implanted into unfilled empty holes. However, activation of the dopants within salicided diffusions and other electronic elements then becomes difficult since the implant energies needed to effect such implants must be substantial and the ions must penetrate vertically through the silicon at least as far as the maximum pulldown depths.
Therefore, there exists a need for semiconductor devices and a process for making the same which provide low-leakage borderless contacts between metallization levels and doped electronic elements. There further exists a need for such a process that utilizes techniques compatible with a wide variety of pre-existing electronic elements and semiconductor structures. Further, there exits a need for such a process which does not utilize techniques or incorporate structures which will significantly increase either the surface area or height occupied by the device.

International Business Machines Corporation


A process for manufacturing a hollow pressure vessel, in which a billet is cast from an alloy with a composition in % by weight, Zn=6.25-8.0, Mg=1.2-2.2, Cu=1.7-2.8, Fe less than 0.20, Fe+Si less than 0.40, at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Zr, V, Hf and Sc in an amount of 0.05-0.3, and other elements  less than 0.05 each and  less than 0.15 total. The cast billet is homogenized with a temperature profile such that metal temperature is slightly less than incipient melting temperature at all times, cooled to ambient temperature and softening annealed for a duration of 20 to 40 h between 200 and 400xc2x0 C. with cooling at a rate of less than 50xc2x0 C./h down to a temperature of below 100xc2x0 C., resulting in a billet hardness  less than 54 HB. A slug is cut out of the softened billet, cold or slightly warm extruded with an extrusion start temperature  less than 300xc2x0 C., to form a casing which is necked, solution heat treated at a temperature slightly below the incipient melting temperature, for a duration sufficient to obtain an absolute value of specific energy associated with a DTA thermogram signal of less than 3 J/g, quenched in cold water, and aged at between 100 and 200xc2x0 C. for a duration between 5 and 25 h.

The invention relates to a manufacturing process for hollow pressure vessels, particularly compressed gas cylinders made of aluminum alloy AlZnMgCu, in other words in the 7000 series according to the Aluminum Association""s nomenclature.
The use of aluminum alloys in the 7000 series for manufacturing hollow pressure vessels has been known for many years; these alloys have a high mechanical strength in the heat treated temper, such that the weight of the manufactured product can be reduced. Manufacturing includes casting and homogenization of billets, reverse extrusion of a cylindrical casing, tapering of the cylinder neck and heat treating by solution heat treatment, quenching and aging. The other properties required for this application are formability, particularly for the cylinder necking operation, good resistance to stress corrosion and inter-crystalline corrosion, and obtaining a ductile behavior during bursting tests under internal hydraulic pressure.
Patent FR 2510231 filed by the applicant describes the use of a 7475 type alloy for this application with the following composition (% by weight):
Zn=5.6-6.1, Mg=2.0-2.4, Cu=1.3-1.7, Cr=0.15-0.25, Fe less than 0.10, Fe+Si less than 0.25. The reverse extrusion operation may be done hot or cold.
Patent EP 0081441 filed by the applicant describes a process for manufacturing high strength and high toughness extruded products made of 7049A alloy with the following composition:
Zn=7.2-9.5, Mg 2.1-3.5, Cu=1.0-2.0, Cr=0.07-0.17, Mn=0.15-0.25, Fe less than 0.10, Si less than 0.08, Zr=0.08-0.14.
The product is extruded at a temperature of the order of 400xc2x0 C.
Patent EP 0257167 filed by the applicant describes the use of a 7060 alloy with the following composition:
Zn=6.25-8.0, Mg=1.2-2.2, Cu=1.7-2.8, Cr=0.15-0.28, Fe less than 0.20, Fe+Si less than 0.40, Mn less than 0.20.
Patent EP 0589807 is a variant of the previous patent in which Cr is replaced by Zr (0.10-0.25%). Cylinders made of 7060 are produced industrially by hot extrusion.
Patent application WO 94/24326 by Alcan International describes a process for manufacturing a hollow pressure vessel starting from an alloy with composition Zn=5.0-7.0, Mg=1.5-3.0, Cu=1.0-2.7, Fe less than 0.30, Si less than 0.15, a recrystallization inhibitor (particularly Cr or Zr) with a content 0.05-0.4, with a microstructure such that the fraction of the S phase (CuMgAl2) by volume is kept below 1%, and preferably below 0.2%. According to the application, this microstructure is obtained by homogenization of the billet at about 475xc2x0 C. with a low rate of temperature rise when getting close to this value. Preferably, for cost reasons, extrusion is done cold or slightly warm. Here, aging is an overaging which is applied such that the yield strength is about 20% below the peak to improve the toughness, fatigue resistance, and resistance to crack propagation and stress corrosion. An alloy with the claimed composition was subsequently recorded at the Aluminum Association with the designation 7032.
Patent application EP 0670377 made by Pechiney Recherche applies to alloys with a high mechanical strength and the following composition:
Zn=7-13.5, Mg=1.0-3.8, Cu=0.6-2.7, Mn less than 0.5, Cr less than 0.4, Zr less than 0.2
possibly transformed by extrusion to obtain hollow vessels. Homogenization and solution heat treating are carried out at 10xc2x0 C. below and preferably 5xc2x0 C. below the incipient melting temperature under conditions such that in T6 temper, the absolute value of the specific energy associated with the DTA (differential thermal analysis) signal is less than 3 J/g.
For some applications, it is desirable to use very high strength alloys to give the minimum weight of cylinders, and also to reduce manufacturing costs; for example this is the case for portable extinguishers. One means of lowering the cost is to use cold extrusion, in other words in which the metal at ambient temperature at the beginning of extrusion, or slightly warm extrusion in which the metal is heated before extrusion to a temperature of less than 300xc2x0 C., which is significantly more economic than hot extrusion in which the metal is heated to between 350 and 450xc2x0 C. before extrusion.
However, cold extrusion of high strength alloys such as 7060 causes very high extrusion forces that are often incompatible with extrusion presses usually used for this type of product, or in any case reducing the life of extrusion tools. Furthermore, application of the information in WO 94/24326 to the 7060 alloy concerning the billet homogenization temperature (more than 470xc2x0 C.) often means that the alloy incipient melting temperature is reached during homogenization.
Thus, the purpose of the invention is to develop a procedure for manufacturing high strength hollow pressure vessels made of a 7000 alloy, such as 7060 alloy, by cold or slightly warm extrusion under acceptable industrial conditions, in order to give a high mechanical strength without prejudice to other properties required for this application.
The object of the invention is a process for manufacturing hollow pressure vessels, particularly compressed gas cylinders, comprising the following steps:
a) cast a billet using an alloy with the following composition (% by weight) Zn=6.25-8.0, Mg=1.2-2.2, Cu=1.7-2.8, Fe less than 0.20, Fe+Si less than 0.40, Mn less than 0.10, at least one of the elements belonging to the group consisting of Cr, Zr, V, Hf, Sc in the proportion 0.05-0.3, other elements  less than 0.05 each and  less than 0.15 total,
b) homogenization of this billet using a temperature profile such that the metal temperature is slightly less than its incipient melting temperature at all times,
c) softening annealing with a duration of 20 to 40 h between 200 and 400xc2x0 C. with cooling at less than 50xc2x0 C./h down to a temperature of below 100xc2x0 C., such that the hardness  less than 54 HB,
d) cutout a slug,
e) cold or slightly warm extrusion (extrusion start temperature  less than 300xc2x0 C.) of a casing,
f) necking the casing,
g) solution heat treting at a temperature slightly below the incipient melting temperature, with a duration such that the absolute value of the specific energy associated with the DTA signal is less than 3 J/g (and preferably  less than 2 J/g)
h) quenching in cold water,
i) aging at between 100 and 200xc2x0 C. for a duration between 5 and 25 h.
The chemical composition of the alloy is within the limits defined in patents EP 0257167 (chromium alloy) and EP 0589807 (zirconium alloy). Chromium and zirconium may be replaced by vanadium, hafnium or scandium. Preferably, the contents will be (individually or in combination) Zn greater than 6.75%, Mg less than 1.95%, Fe less than 0.12%, Fe+Si less than 0.25%, Mn less than 0.10%.
The alloy is cast in billets in a manner known per se, for example by semi-continuous casting.
Homogenization is done with a temperature profile such that the alloy temperature is a few degrees C below the incipient melting temperature of the alloy, that may vary from 470 to 485xc2x0 C. depending on the alloy composition, at all times. It is important that homogenization is sufficient, otherwise there is a risk of seeing cracks appearing during extrusion due to the alignment of coarse copper phases (for example AlCuZn) and causing dissolution of local melting, leading to decohesions, burning or porosity. The homogenization quality may be evaluated by differential enthalpic analysis. Insufficient homogenization will cause initial melting with a large endothermic peak, indicating metastable eutectic melting (xcex1Al+S, M, T). It can be estimated that this quality is good when, as described in patent EP 0670377, the DTA thermogram indicates an absolute value of the specific energy associated with the melting peak equal to less than 3 J/g, and preferably less than 2 J/g. It will also be possible to make this check on the solution heat treated product only, and then judge the quality of the homogenizationxe2x80x94solution treatment pair.
It is important that the incipient melting temperature should not be reached if good ductility is to be obtained. Preferably, this is done by homogenization in two isothermal steps at increasing temperatures. The temperature of the first step also depends on the alloy composition. It is estimated that if the composition is such that %Mg less than 0.5%Cu+0.15Zn, the temperature of the first step must not exceed 465xc2x0 C., and when Mg greater than 0.5Cu+0.15Zn, it must not exceed 470xc2x0 C.
The hardness of billets homogenized in this manner is high and very large forces on the press are necessary during cold or slightly warm extrusion, which reduces the life of tools. This is why it is essential to perform softening annealing that produces an acceptable hardness level, that may be equal to 54 HB, this Brinell hardness being measured with a 2.5 mm diameter ball and a 62.5 kg load. This annealing preferably includes several isothermal steps at decreasing temperatures between 400 and 200xc2x0 C. with a total duration of between 20 and 40 h followed by a fairly slow temperature drop, less than 50xc2x0 C./h, down to a temperature  less than 100xc2x0 C. The hardness obtained on softened billets no longer changes by maturation at ambient temperature.
The softened billets are then cut into slugs corresponding to the quantity of metal necessary to obtain a cylinder blank in the form of a cylindrical casing by cold or slightly warm extrusion. A tapering operation is performed that consists of forming the cylinder neck by necking.
The part obtained is then solution heat treated at a temperature as close as possible to the incipient melting temperature of the alloy, while avoiding burning. The solution heat treatment quality, that depends both on the quality of prior homogenization and the solution treatment conditions themselves, is also evaluated by differential enthalpic analysis on samples in the T6 temper. The specific energy (absolute value) associated with the melting peak of the DTA thermogram must be less than 3 J/g and preferably  less than 2 J/g, regardless of the location from which the sample is taken on the cylinder. The result may be different for the top and bottom of the cylinder due to the difference in the cooling rate during quenching. If the cylinder is dipped into the quenching liquid with the top part first, then the top will be cooled quickly whereas the bottom will be cooled more slowly.
Aging is done at a temperature of between 100 and 180xc2x0 C. for a duration of between 5 and 25 h. This aging preferably consists of two isothermal steps at increasing temperatures, the first at a temperature of between 100 and 120xc2x0 C. for 4 to 8 h, and the second at a temperature of between 150 and 180xc2x0 C. for between 5 and 20 h. This aging must be done to give a good compromise between the mechanical strength that decreases when aging is done for a longer period, and resistance to corrosion and particularly stress corrosion, that increases with averaging. After aging, the result is a recrystallized fine grain structure that gives excellent ductility.
The process according to the invention can give a remarkable set of properties, namely ultimate tensile strength Rm greater than 490 MPa, guaranteed yield strength R0.2 greater than 460 MPa, elongation A greater than 12%, lack of inter-crystalline corrosion, no break at 30 days due to stress corrosion at 350 MPa, while using a cold or slightly warm extrusion technique that is more economic than hot extrusion under acceptable industrial conditions.
The process is applicable to the manufacture of high pressure cylinders designed particularly for extinguishers, gas for breweries, breathing apparatus, industrial gases. It is economically adapted to the production of cylinders for single use only, which simplifies distribution. It is also applicable to the manufacture of metallic liners for composite wound cylinders using glass, carbon or aramid fibers.

Manufacturing process for a hollow pressure vessel made of AlZnMgCu alloy


An LCD display element is provided that achieves a uniform LCD display panel by arranging individual LCD display elements side-by-side. The margin areas outside of the viewing field in the vicinity of the left and the right lateral edges of the LCD display element are configured to be equally narrow. The narrow width of the margin areas is achievable because row leads do not contact the row electrodes at one of their ends, but rather are routed in the spacing areas between individual column electrodes. Moreover, the electrical contact points are located in the spacing areas. In this manner, the wide lateral margin in the area of the contact points of the row electrodes, as in conventional LCD display elements, is avoided. Because the row leads are routed on the interior of the first cover plate, no contact strip is necessary in the area of penetration through the adhesive rim.

LCD display elements typically include a liquid crystal that is encased by means of an adhesive rim between two optically translucent cover plates. An electrode assembly in matrix form, with row and column electrodes, usually in strip form, is positioned between the two cover plates. The strip-type row electrodes are separated from one another by separation areas, and the strip-type column electrodes are separated from one another by spacing areas. The areas in which the row and column electrodes cross over one another, with the liquid crystal between them, define the individual pixels of an LCD display element.
FIGS. 11 and 12 schematically illustrate two prior art variants of this type of pixel matrix configuration. FIG. 11 shows one matrix LCD display element similar to the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,293 to Hirikata et al. The LCD display element 100 is rectangular and has a left lateral edge 101, a right lateral edge 102, an upper lateral edge 103 and a lower lateral edge 104. The reference numeral 106 designates the adhesive rim, which attaches the two optically translucent cover plates to one another, thereby enclosing the liquid crystal. A matrix-type electrode assembly 108 is provided within the boundaries of the adhesive rim 106. Matrix-type electrode assembly 108 has five strip-type, rectangular row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5, which are arranged in parallel, one on top of another. Between each of the individual row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5, a strip-type separation area 110 is provided that electrically insulates the row electrodes ZE from one another. The electrodes are positioned within a single plane on the interior side of one of the two cover plates.
Perpendicular to the row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5 are five strip-type, rectangular column electrodes SE1 through SE5. The column electrodes are arranged on the interior side of the other of the two cover plates, within a single plane. Strip-type spacing areas 112 are provided between each of the column electrodes SE. The spacing areas 112 electrically insulate the column electrodes SE from one another. The areas in which the row and column electrodes ZE and SE cross over one another, with the liquid crystal between them, define the individual pixels 114 of the LCD display element. The area of these pixels 114 designates a viewing field 116, in which information can be optically displayed. The row and column electrodes ZE and SE are activated via row leads Z1 through Z5 and column leads S1 through S5, respectively. The row leads Z1 through Z5 and the column leads S1 through S5 contact the strip-type row electrodes ZE and column electrodes SE, respectively, at one of their ends. The row leads Z1 through Z5 contact the row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5 at their ends, which lie in the vicinity of the left lateral edge 101. The column leads S1 through S5 contact the column electrodes SE1 through SE5 in the vicinity of the lower lateral edge 104. The column leads S1 through S5 are fed through the adhesive rim 106 in the vicinity of the lower lateral edge 104.
In a variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11, the row leads Z1 through Z5 are guided downward, within the boundaries of the adhesive rim, toward the lower lateral edge 104 to a contact strip 118. In the vicinity of the contact strip 118, the row leads Z are guided from the interior side of the upper cover plate to the interior side of the lower cover plate, where they also extend through the adhesive rim 106. FIG. 12 shows a variant of a matrix LCD display element in which the row leads are guided through the adhesive rim 106 in the vicinity of the left lateral edge 101 and remain on the interior side of the upper cover plate. United States Patent Application Publication 2001/0022640 to Nakahara discloses a process that uses electrically conductive particles in the adhesive rim to produce an electrically conductive connection between the electrodes on the interior sides of the upper and lower cover plates.
As a result of the configuration of the leads in both of these prior art LCD display elements, a comparatively wide, optically unusable margin is created in the area of the left and lower lateral edges 101, 104. When a plurality of such LCD display elements are arranged side by side, the LCD elements can be arranged flush against one another only along their lateral edges on which no row or column leads extend through the adhesive rim 106. In other words, with the conventional LCD display element shown in FIG. 12., only four LCD elements can be arranged side-by-side, one on top of another without disruptive margins. In the variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11, in the case of a linear, side-by-side, flush arrangement, the widened area between the left lateral edge 101 and the viewing field 116 also results in clearly visible margins, creating a non-uniform display or viewing field.
The variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11 also results in clearly visible margins. The linear, side-by-side, flush arrangement shown in FIG. 11 results in clearly visible margins in the widened area between the left lateral edge 101 and the viewing field 116 and creates a non-uniform display or viewing field.
In order to eliminate the clearly visible margins and other disadvantages of the prior art configurations, an LCD display element is sought that can be assembled to create a uniform LCD display panel with a side-by-side arrangement of individual LCD display elements. A corresponding LCD display panel is also sought.

LCD display element and LCD display panel

AEG Gesellschaft fuer moderne informationssysteme mbH


The present invention provides a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can easily set up a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in the same manner. To do this end, the control apparatus for dispensing machines operates and controls a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in accordance with a prescription data. Use conditions of each dispensing machines are stored in an use condition setting file. A dispensing machine to be used for dispensing is selected in accordance with both the prescription data and the use condition setting file.

The present invention relates to a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which controls all kinds of dispensing machines for dispensing work, such as medicine packing machines and medicine bag printing machines used in medical agency such as hospital, pharmacy and so on, in accordance with prescription data.
Conventionally, in a control apparatus for operating a medicine packing machine which distributes and packs medicines having forms of tablets and powder into a packing paper bag in accordance with inputted prescription data, the control apparatus controls a plurality of medicine packing machines and also controls a plurality of medicine bag printing machines each of which prints patient name and dosing method on a medicine bag in which medicines are to be contained.
For example, Japanese patent publication of examined application S64-9201 discloses a medicine packing apparatus which can operate a plurality of medicine packing machines with one control panel by using a data table about medicines.
Japanese patent publication of examined application H3-59 discloses a tablet packing apparatus which concentrically controls a number of medicine packing machines with one controller by transmitting prescription data to a medicine packing machine which is in a non-operating condition.
Japanese patent publication examined application H4-57348 discloses a dispensing control apparatus in which data from a host computer is assigned to an input device of a dispensing machine adapted to the kind of dispensation.
Japanese patent publication of unexamined application H6-312010 discloses a dispensing system control apparatus which, in the case of using a plurality of tablet packing machines, reduces an additional manual supply of medicine and averages operations of machines to contemplate shortening of dispensing time.
However, in any control apparatuses described above, it is necessary to make the control method different in every kind of dispensing machine. Since the kinds and numbers of the dispensing machines are different in every medical institute, it is necessary to design and fabricate the dispensing machines of different specifications in every medical institute. In addition, equipment and monitoring methods are different in every kind of dispensing machine, resulting in complication of operation when using the dispensing machines. Particularly, in the medicine packing machines and the medicine bag printing machines, although it is desired to exclusively use each machine by classifying them into inpatient/outpatient, the aforementioned control apparatuses have provided no solution to this.
In any of the control apparatuses described above, a countermeasure in the case of shutdown of the dispensing machine due to an error is not sufficient. For example, the dispensing control apparatus disclosed in Japanese patent publication of examined application H4-57348 can only output such a kind of dispensing data, as a dispensing direction, that can not be dispensed. Therefore, in a busy dispensary, there has been a disadvantage that no one becomes aware of stagnancy of work (packing work of tablets and capsules, forming work of medicine bags and so on). The larger the kinds and the number of the dispensing machines become, the more the above advantage becomes remarkable. Therefore, it has been desired to intensively monitor the use, e.g., operation status, situation of the dispensing machines and, if it seems to take a long time to recover from the shutdown due to the error, make it impossible to use the dispensing machine concerned in order to eliminate the stagnancy of work. It has been also desired to make it possible to obtain information regarding the situation of occurrence of errors in order to explore the cause of the error.
Therefore, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can easily set up plural kinds or plural numbers of dispensing machines in the same manner.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can unitarily control and accurately grasp situation of occurrence of errors in dispensing machines.
As a means to accomplish the first object, the present invention provides a control apparatus for dispensing machines which operates and controls a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in accordance with a prescription data. The control apparatus of a first embodiment comprises:
a hard disc unit for storing an use condition setting file comprising use condition of each dispensing machines; and a central processing unit for selecting an usable dispensing machine in accordance with both the prescription data and the use condition of each dispensing machines stored in the use condition setting file.
According to this construction of the present invention, when the prescription data is inputted, the usable dispensing machine can be automatically selected in accordance with the use condition setting file. Since data concerning to the use condition of each dispensing machine is stored, all dispensing machines can be unitarily controlled. Thus, the control apparatuses need not be designed and fabricated in different specifications in each medical institute. In addition, even in the case of extending the dispensing machine, the control apparatus need not be altered and operation of dispensing machine is also simplified.
Preferably, the use condition setting file stored in the hard disc unit includes a prescription classification showing any one of a prescription to outpatient, a prescription to inpatient and an undesignated prescription. Whereby, each machine number of the plurality of dispensing machines can be exclusively used to inpatient/outpatient prescriptions, enabling to enhance efficiency of all dispensing works.
Preferably, the central processing unit displays the use situation of each dispensing machine on a monitor screen, enabling early finding of the error and preventing stagnancy of work.
Preferably, the central processing unit, when judging that there is no usable dispensing machine in accordance with the prescription data and the use condition setting file, temporarily stores the prescription data and displays the error situation on the monitor screen, thereby more effectively preventing the stagnancy of dispensing work.
As a means to solve the second problem, the present invention provides the above control apparatus, wherein the hard disc unit stores a serious error setting file comprising serious errors among errors which occur in the dispensing machines, the serious errors being possible to arbitrarily set, and wherein the central processing unit judges whether an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file.
According to this construction of the present invention, the serious errors can be arbitrarily set in every dispensing machines and can be unitarily controlled in accordance with the serious error setting file.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit displays the situation of the serious error on the monitor screen. Whereby, an operator can easily obtain information regarding the situation of errors and properly promptly take a countermeasure to the errors such as making the corresponding dispensing machine unusable and so on.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit displays the countermeasure of the serious error on the monitor screen. Whereby, the countermeasure can be grasped at a glance and the error can be properly promptly restored without checking an operation manual.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit sets the dispensing machine that is unusable and stops assigning the prescription data to that dispensing machine, thereby automatically preventing the stagnancy of dispensing work.
Preferably, if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the serious error in the serious error setting file, the central processing unit records the situation of the serious error in a serious error recording file, thereby easily enabling an understanding of the cause of the error.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to to accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device construction of a control apparatus for dispensing machines;
FIG. 2 is a table showing memory contents of an use condition setting file;
FIG. 3 is a table showing memory contents of a serious error setting file;
FIG. 4 is a table showing memory contents of a serious error recording file;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a control process of dispensing machines;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen for prescription data input;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen for use situation monitor;
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a process of monitoring of dispensing machines/error situation;
FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a process of execution of dispensing machine operation; and
FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a process of execution of dispensing machine operation.

Control apparatus for dispensing machines


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer, in which an insulator film is formed at least on all surfaces of a base wafer, and while protecting a first part of the insulator film on a back surface on the opposite side from a bonded surface of the base wafer, a bonded wafer before separating a bond wafer along a layer of the implanted ion is brought into contact with a liquid capable of dissolving the insulator film or exposed to a gas capable of dissolving the insulator film, and a second part of the insulator film interposed between the bond wafer and the base wafer is etched from an outer circumferential edge of the bonded wafer and toward the center of the bonded wafer. The method can control the terrace width and inhibit warping of the SOI wafer in a bonding process with a base wafer.

Conventionally, in an SOI wafer manufactured by the ion implantation separation method, since an SOI layer is not transferred at its outer circumference, a surface of a base wafer is exposed, thereby forming a terrace. The main reason is that since polishing sag occurs at the outer circumference of the wafer and makes wafer flatness worse, the bonding strength between bonded wafers is low, and the SOI layer is hard to be transferred on the base wafer side.
When the terrace of an SOI wafer is observed with an optical microscope, an SOI island, which is an isolated part of the SOI layer in the shape of an island, is seen at the boundary between the SOI layer and the terrace. It is understood that the SOI island occurs at the transition area between a portion with a degree of flatness that allows the SOI layer to be transferred and a portion with a degree of flatness that does not allow the SOI layer to be transferred. It is feared that the SOI island is detached from the wafer in a device fabrication process, and re-attached to a device fabrication area as a silicon particle, resulting in device faults (See Patent Document 1).
In addition, in ion implantation separation method, since the width of the above terrace (terrace width) is determined depending on flatness of an area in which the terrace will be formed on a wafer to be bonded, it is difficult to control the terrace width after bonding. It is feared that if a laser mark and the like will be made at the terrace of an SOI wafer in a device process, for example, excessively narrow terrace width makes it impossible to make the laser mark.
To improve the SOI island and control the terrace width, there is a method of immersing a wafer after bonding in a solution containing hydrogen fluoride (HF) to etch an insulator film interposed between a bond wafer and a base wafer from the outer circumference (Patent Document 2).


A boat lift includes a vertical main post mounted on a dock, the lower end of the main post inserted into a body of water adjacent the dock and with the lower end spaced above the floor of the water. A frame includes an outer guide post having a base mounted on the water floor with an upper end above the water level; the frame connected by a single member to the main post. A platform unit for supporting a small boat is slidably connected at both ends to the main post and the guide post, and a cable and winch unit is interconnected among the foregoing elements for effecting a level lifting and lowering of the platform unit into and out of the water.

Conventional boat hoists in the main include a number of submerged vertical posts comprising a framework which rests upon the floor of the water about the hoist, and with a platform mounted in relation to all of the posts for supporting a boat thereon and movable upwardly and downwardly on the posts by means of a winch and cable assembly.
With the advent of smaller boats generally termed personal watercraft, one trade name being a JET SKI, it has been found that less complicated and smaller hoists may be utilized in connection with an adjacent pier or dock for stability of support. This type boat hoist may be readily installed and removed for ease of use.
The prior art in this field shows, for example, a single dock mounted post the lower end of which is supported on the water floor and a wheel assembly for rolling an H-platform up and down in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,366. A later U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,067 discloses a vertical post for placement on the water floor and also to an adjacent dock, a lift cradle similar to a fork lift arrangement movably mounted on the post by a winch and cable arrangement.
A most recent patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,940 again shows a vertical post driven into the bottom of the body of water, a platform rollably mounted for vertical movement on the post as by a cable arrangement, but again with a rather large and cumbersome H-type platform. It is evident, therefore that various areas of improvement exist in this relatively new field of boat lifts or hoists.


A memory architecture is provided with an array of non-volatile memory cells arranged in rows and columns, and a sense amplifier coupled to at least one column within the array for sensing a data bit stored within one of the non-volatile memory cells. In order to provide accurate sensing, a reference current generator is provided and coupled to the sense amplifier. The reference current generator provides a first reference current having adjustable magnitude and adjustable slope, and a second reference current having adjustable magnitude, but constant slope. The first reference current is supplied to the sense amplifier for sensing the data bit. The second reference current is supplied to a control block for generating clock signals used to control sense amplifier timing.

The following descriptions and examples are given as background only.
Programmable non-volatile memories (NVM) are useful in many applications because they retain stored information even when power is removed from the memory. There are many different types of programmable non-volatile memory including, but not limited to, programmable read only memory (PROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM) and Flash memory. These memory types have several methods of charge storage including but not limited to placing charge on a Floating Gate or Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS) storage material or node. Like other types of memory, programmable NVMs are usually constructed as an array of bit cells arranged in rows and columns. Each bit cell may include one or two transistors (i.e., 1T or 2T cells). During programming, charge is injected into the storage node of one of the transistors. The injected charge remains in the storage node until the bit cell is erased.
Flash memory is a type of non-volatile memory, which uses a floating-gate bit cell structure. The bit cell includes at least one transistor (i.e., the floating gate transistor), which has both a control gate and a floating gate. The control gate is used to properly bias the transistor for reading, programming and erasing, while the floating gate is used as the storage node of the bit cell. The floating gate is arranged between the channel and control gate of the transistor. The floating gate is typically separated from the channel by a thin tunnel oxide and separated from the control gate by an Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO) dielectric layer. The bit cell is programmed by applying charge to the floating gate, and erased by removing charge from the floating gate while the control gate is properly biased. During programming modes, charge is injected from the channel to the floating gate through the tunnel oxide. The method of injection may be through direct Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling or Channel Hot Electron Injection (CHEI). Erasing is typically achieved by FN tunneling of the charge from the channel to the floating gate.
Interest in SONOS has increased in recent years because the scalability of floating gate NVM technology is reaching its limits. One of the challenges stems from isolating the floating gate from surrounding layers. When device dimensions shrink, the insulating layers surrounding the gate also shrink. This leads to increased capacitive coupling between memory bits and greater likelihood of small "pinhole" manufacturing defects in the insulating layers, creating a discharge path. The second challenge that arises from shrinking dimensions is the increasing mismatch between the voltage used to cause tunneling and the normal circuit operating voltage. As lithography shrinks, circuits operate at lower voltages to avoid damage, but the voltage used to induce tunneling does not drop proportionately. This makes it increasingly difficult to integrate erase and write circuitry into the rest of the memory device. The voltage mismatch also increases the likelihood of long term damage to the floating gate transistor with each write/erase cycle, an effect known as "wear out."

Memory architecture having a reference current generator that provides two reference currents


The fault diagnosis apparatus includes an electronic acceleration sensor and mechanical acceleration sensor. Strength of an impact of the vehicle is calculated based on the acceleration detected by the electronic acceleration sensor. A first comparator compares the calculated strength of the impact to a predetermined strength, and a second comparator compares the acceleration detected by the mechanical acceleration sensor to a predetermined acceleration. When the first comparator indicates that the strength of impact is greater than or equal to the predetermined strength and the second comparator indicates that the acceleration detected by the mechanical acceleration sensor is greater than the predetermined acceleration, a crew protecting apparatus operates. On the other hand, when the second comparator indicates that the acceleration detected by the mechanical acceleration sensor is less than or equal to the predetermined acceleration, a fault diagnosis of the crew protecting apparatus is carried out. Furthermore, when the second comparator indicates that the acceleration detected by the mechanical acceleration sensor becomes greater than the predetermined acceleration during the fault diagnosis, the fault diagnosis process stops and the crew protecting apparatus is placed in a state capable of being operated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fault diagnosis apparatus for a crew protective apparatus which detects a collision of a car and operates, for example, an air bag, a seat belt pretensioner or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing constitution of a collision detection apparatus of a car, such as disclosed in Japanese patent application laid-open No. 241467/1988. In FIG. 8, numeral 1 designates a DC power source such as a battery to be held on a car, numeral 2 designates a mechanical G switch in which contacts are closed by acceleration of a collision (hereinafter acceleration is referred to as "G"), numeral 3 designates a starting element called squib of a crew protecting apparatus, numeral 4 designates a transistor for switching currents flowing from the DC power source 1 to the starting element 3, numeral 5 designates a diagnosis circuit for carrying out fault diagnosis of the collision detection apparatus, numeral 6 designates a signal processing circuit which processes acceleration signals of the car at deceleration state and produces the amount of a collision and controls the transistor 4, numeral 7 designates an electronic G sensor which detects acceleration of the car at a deceleration state and outputs the detected acceleration to the signal processing circuit 6, and numeral 8 designates an alarm lamp which is lit when the diagnosis circuit detects a fault.
Next, operation will be described. The electronic G sensor 7 converts the amount of acceleration of the car at a deceleration state into electric signal and outputs the signal to the signal processing circuit 6. The signal processing circuit 6 performs signal processing such as integrating, amplifying, comparing the electric signal from the electronic G sensor 7 thereby a collision of the car is detected, and when the circuit 6 determines that an air bag must be unfolded, the transistor 4 is turned on. In this case, the mechanical G switch 2 is also turned on by the impact of a collision, and a current flows from the DC power source 1 through starting element 3 and the crew protecting apparatus is started.
On the other hand, the diagnosis circuit 5 forcedly operates the electronic G sensor 7 and the signal processing circuit 6 turns the transistor 4 on, and the terminal voltage of the transistor 4 is detected, thereby it is diagnosed whether or not the collision detection circuit constituted by the electronic G sensor 7, the signal processing circuit 6 and the transistor 4 operates normally, and if an abnormal state exists, the alarm lamp 8 is lit.
In this case, the diagnosis circuit 5 is supplied with car speed signal and parking brake signal being not shown, so that the fault diagnosis to turn the transistor 4 on is carried out only while the car is stopped.
Since the crew protecting apparatus is constituted as above described, in order to carry out the fault diagnosis of the collision detection circuit while the car is stopped, car speed signal, parking brake signal or the like must be taken and a harness or an interface circuit therefor must be provided in surplus.

Fault diagnosis apparatus for crew protecting apparatus in vehicle


With forced commutation static power or current converters having extinguishing or interruption circuit connected to the individual power switching branches and employing controllable extinguishing or turnoff valves, there exists the problem of unsymmetrical voltage build-up in the extinguishing circuits with corresponding overload or overdimensioning of the extinguishing valves, also referred to as commutation valves. This problem is solved, according to the invention, by arranging the usual commutation capacitor between the power switching branches, i.e., the load circuits, and the extinguishing valves, i.e., the commutation valves, and by arranging a damping circuit between the commutation capacitor and the extinguishing valves. The damping circuit is connected, by special valves, with positive and negative limiting potential. The undesired non-symmetry is thus effectively reduced.

The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a forced commutation static power or current converter arrangement in a reverse voltage free circuit configuration.
In its more specific aspects, the forced commutation power or current converter arrangement in reverse voltage free circuit configuration comprises a commutation circuit, composed of controllable current converter valves arranged in parallel opposition or antiparallel connection, a commutator capacitor and a commutator reactance coil or choke, a load circuit composed of controllable current converter valves, non-controllable current converter valves arranged in parallel opposition thereto and reactance coils or chokes. Further, there are provided two capacitors arranged between positive and negative d.c.-voltage infeed or supply. The circuit can be employed, for instance, for producing an alternating-current voltage from a direct-current voltage or for producing an alternating-current voltage from an alternating-current voltage of a different frequency.
A typical example of a forced commutation current converter arrangement in reverse voltage free circuit configuration is known to the art from ETZ-A, Bd. 90 (1969), H. 14, pages 353-357 in the article of J. Brenneisen and A. Schonung, entitled "Bestimmungsgroossen des selbstgefuhrten Stromrichters in sperrspannungsfreier Schaltung bei Steuerung nach dem Unterschwingungsverfahren". For describing such type arrangement reference is also made to the article of H. W. van den Boom and E. Kohlhuber, entitled "Beanspruchung von Thyristroen in Wechselrichterschaltungen", VDE-Buchreihe, Bd. 11 "Energieelektronik und geregelte elektrische Antriebe", pages 135-150, VDE-Verlag Berlin 1966.
With such current converters, during operation, there disadvantageously can arise unsymmetrical shifting of the commutation processes. Consequently, the commutation circuit must be overdimensioned. In unfavorable situtions, by virtue of such unsymmetry in the commutation current, there can prevail an operational disturbance in the current converter.

Forced commutation power converter arrangement in reverse voltage free circuit configuration


Polycarbonate blends with a combination of high thin wall flame retardance, low temperature ductility, and good tracking resistance are disclosed. The blends are a combination of a polycarbonate polymer, a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, non-brominated and non-chlorinated flame retardant, titanium dioxide, and carbon black.

The present disclosure relates to dark polycarbonate compositions that have a combination of low temperature impact resistance, thin wall flame retardance (FR), good electrical tracking resistance, and reduced halogen content. These polycarbonate compositions can be useful for various insulating applications.
Polycarbonates (PC) are synthetic engineering thermoplastic resins, and are a useful class of polymers having many beneficial properties. With their strength and clarity, polycarbonate resins offer many significant advantages and are used for a number of different commercial applications, including electronic engineering (E&E) parts, mechanical parts and so on.
Because of their broad use, it is desirable to provide polycarbonates having good flame retardance. The market is also moving towards articles having thin walls for purposes of slimness, weight reduction, and size reduction of the overall final product. With decreasing wall thickness, it becomes increasingly difficult to render the article flame retardant.
Desirably, polycarbonate compositions should also have good flow properties. Good flow properties reflect how easily the polymeric composition can be poured into a mold for forming the shape of the part. Better impact properties are also desirable. A conventional way of increasing impact resistance is by increasing the weight average molecular weight of the polymer, but this typically also reduces the flow properties and makes it difficult to fill complex or thin-walled molds.
There remains a need in the art for flame retardant polycarbonate compositions that have a dark color, provide good electrical tracking resistance, and maintain ductility at low temperatures. In this regard, polycarbonates exhibiting good flame retardance, low temperature impact strength, and flame retardance performance have been developed. However, these polycarbonates also require brominated fire retardant additives and are only available in light colors due to the presence of high TiO2 content (for impact strength and tracking resistance). Prior attempts to create dark colored polycarbonates with thin wall flame retardant properties, non-brominated FR additives, and low temperature impact strength were unsuccessful, as the presence of higher levels of carbon black and/or lower levels of TiO2 led to a loss in low temperature impact and electrical tracking resistance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A test vector system (157) and method for generating and verifying test vectors for testing integrated circuit speed paths involves accessing a circuit model (160), a list of circuit paths (162) and a test vector verifier (165). A single circuit path, referred to as a selected path, is selected from the paths (162). Once logical constraints are set, hazard-free logical values and logical values for both the second test clock cycle and the first test clock cycle are justified. Test vectors are generated in response to the justified values and the test vectors are used as input to the test vector verifier. The test verifier produces patterns that provide robust delay path fault tests for the given path. The test patterns are serially shifted and double-clocked in an integrated circuit or electrical circuit manufactured in accordance with circuit model (160) to determine time delay path faults.

The prior art in path-delay testing dates to 1985, with the definition of a delay model based on path delay faults. This delay model based on path delay faults taught algorithms to generate tests for path-delay faults in combinational logic circuits. Due to the fact that nobody actually produces purely combinational circuits any more, the only way for these algorithms to be applied to a real circuit is essentially to double each memory device in the circuit so that it can store the two patterns (first clock cycle pattern and second clock cycle pattern) required for the path-delay test as completely independent patterns. This would roughly double the size of the memory portion of the circuit (the section 12 of FIG. 1), which no price-competitive manufacturer is willing to do. As a consequence, all these prior combinational logic approaches to path-delay testing remain largely academic exercises which cannot be used in modern integrated circuit design.
Test generation methods that could be applied to path-delay faults in standard scan sequential circuits first began to appear in 1991. These methods were the first to make feasible the path-delay testing of real circuits. Unfortunately, the methods described in all known papers/publications/patents that target standard scan sequential circuits used a simplified logic algebra that did not include hazard-free values. A hazard-free being a logic value that is to remain at the same logic level and is free of any timing glitches. As a consequence, the methods are unable to target robust tests, which means that any tests they generate may be invalidated or incorrect due to timing problems or voltage glitches in other parts of the circuit. In other words, by not using hazard-free values, a time delay fault may be inaccurately detected when a time delay fault really didn't occur or vice versa, an actual time delay fault could go unreported due to a static timing hazard or glitch. A recent testing method claims to be able to generate robust tests for general sequential circuitry, including standard scan sequential circuits. The absence of certain necessary logic values, however, means that this algorithm is defective and may declare a path untestable even when a robust test exists. None of the prior art provides an error-free method for generating robust tests for standard scan sequential circuitry.
Also in the modern integrated circuit industry, the use of the Boolean difference has not been possible in the generation of robust path-delay tests through custom logic blocks whose structure is not specified, due to the fact that any data structure used for Boolean differences requires huge amount of physical memory to represent the Boolean difference data.
Furthermore, in the modern integrated circuit industry, a stuck-at fault simulation methodology is based on the (PPSFP) Parallel-Pattern Single-Fault Propagation method. The PPSFP method has not been applied to general sequential circuits, due to the intrinsic inefficiencies encountered in simulating sequential devices and feedback loops across multiple clock cycles in such circuits. Thus, when applying the PPSFP method for fault simulation testing, combinational circuits are used for the test simulation.
However, the usual PPSFP method cannot be used for delay fault testing, due to the fact that the PPSFP method assumes the independence of each pattern and that circuit activity ceases when a single pattern has been processed. Since all delay tests are multi-pattern tests, any application of the standard PPSFP method to the simulation of such tests would be non-functional. Furthermore, in a standard scan path testing environment, a second test vector comes from the functionality of the circuit rather than being directly and independently loaded from an external source.
Current simulators for delay faults are built on either a PPSFP with the added assumption of an enhanced scan design methodology, rendering them incapable of being used for a standard scan design environment, or concurrent fault simulators for general sequential logic, which renders them very inefficient compared to PPSFP methods. Furthermore, current simulators lack the ability to support multiple clock cycles and hazard free value testing, thus a path-delay test verification process in a standard scan design environment cannot be accomplished.
Also, the generation of test vectors to circuit path delay testing can be a complex matter. Therefore, the code used to generate the test vector may have a "bug" or be erroneous and generate a vector which may not function properly to test a path. Therefore, a need exists to both generate a test vector using a first method and verify the correctness of the test vector using a second method wherein errors in the first method are not likely to occur again in the second method.

Method and data processing system for verifying circuit test vectors


To provide a display device with higher image quality and reliability or a large-sized display device with a large screen at low cost with high productivity. A function layer (such as a coloring layer or a pixel electrode layer) used in the display device is formed by discharging a liquid function-layer-forming material to an opening formed with a layer including a first organic compound which has a C—N bond or a C—O bond in the main chain as a base and a layer including a second organic compound as a partition. The fluorine density exhibiting liquid repellency to the liquid function-layer-forming material, which is attached to a surface of the layers including organic compounds, is controlled, whereby a liquid repellent region and a lyophilic region can be selectively formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device which has a display element and a method for manufacturing the display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a function layer such as a color filter used in a display device is formed by an inkjet method, a liquid repellent region and a lyophilic region, where modification treatment is performed with respect to a thin-film material liquid are used in a region where a thin film is to be formed in order to make the thin film have a high definite micropattern.
For example, a bank which is a partition member of the thin film has a stacked structure of a bank formed of an inorganic material and a bank formed of an organic material, and only a surface of the bank formed of an organic material is made to have liquid repellency by plasma treatment using a fluorine-based gas, whereby a liquid repellent region and a lyophilic region with respect to the thin-film material liquid are formed (for example, see Reference 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2000-353594).

Display device and method for manufacturing display device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.