An improved hot fillable container includes a bottom and a sidewall connected with the bottom so as to define an internal space. The sidewall is shaped so as to define in transverse cross-section in at least one location a substantially circular outer circumference. The sidewall further includes first and second convex label panel portions each having a convexly curved outer surface. Advantageously, the sidewall is constructed and arranged so that deformation of the sidewall in response to a partial vacuum condition within the internal space will occur primarily in the convex label panel portions. The structure permits the hot fillable container to be constructed without the use of concave vacuum panel portions.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to blow-molded containers, and more particularly to round type hot-fillable containers that are constructed to flexibly accommodate volumetric contraction that will occur in response to cooling of product within the container.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Perishable food and beverage products such as fruit juices are typically filled at elevated temperatures, such as 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, under variable pressure conditions into specially designed plastic containers in what is conventionally referred to as the hot-fill process. Container designs that are intended for use with this process are referred to as hot fill type containers. After filling, the containers are sealed, preventing mass transfer into and out of the container. As the product within the containers cools, the volume that is occupied by the product decreases, thereby inducing a partial vacuum within the container that exerts an inward force upon the sidewall of the container. The design of hot fill type containers is heavily influenced by the necessity of managing this shrinkage during cooling. In the past, the shrinkage has most commonly been accommodated by molding one or more concave vacuum panel areas into the sidewall of the container that are designed to deflect inwardly as the product cools. By substantially limiting the deformation to the vacuum panel areas, unwanted distortion of other portions of the container is prevented.
While container designs relying upon vacuum panels have been effective in many ways, certain limitations and disadvantages are associated with their use, including limitations as to the possible variations in the exterior styling of the container, the need to provide enough plastic material to form the vacuum panels with the requisite thickness, and incompatibility with certain types of package labeling processes. For example, it is difficult to use certain types of pressure sensitive labeling on conventional round type hot fillable containers that have prominent vacuum panels.
A need exists for an improved hot fillable container design that obviates the various limitations and disadvantages of conventional hot fill container designs that have concave vacuum panels.

Round type hot fillable container with deformable label panel


A patient bed is provided for transporting and/or positioning a patient. The patient bed has a bed area provided for receiving a patient. The patient bed is flexible at least in the bed area in such a way that the patient bed can be rolled up around a part of the patient bed. The patient bed has at least one transport mount for acting on by a transporter, and the patient bed is designed to be transported via the at least one transport mount when loaded with a patient. The patient bed has a plurality of reinforcing fibers, which are flexible and tension-proof, wherein each of the reinforcing fibers passes through the bed area and is operatively connected to at least one of the at least one transport mount in such a way that a force acting on the bed area can be transmitted at least partially to the at least one transport mount.

Positioning forms that are different from one another depending on the type of care are needed for the medical care of patients. The usual positioning forms are the hospital bed, medical stretchers and transport carts for initial medical care, an operating table or special beds for imaging examinations as well as nuclear spin tomography (magnetic resonance tomography (MRT)) in order to meet the special needs of a respective therapy or diagnostic procedure.
It has been necessary up to now to transport a patient from one bed to another bed. This transport method is particularly difficult for immobile or heavyweight or overweight patients, since up to now often no mechanical aids can be utilized as a result of space-related marginal conditions. The nursing staff is particularly burdened in these situations.
A grip sheet for hospitals and home nursing, with which a patient can be repositioned, has become known from DE 195 01 225 A1. Cotton, nonwoven fabrics or sailcloth are mentioned as materials for such a grip sheet.
A device for transporting a patient, which has a frame consisting of two longitudinal bars and cross bars connected to the longitudinal bars, has become known from DE 31 07 221 A1. Netted webs, lying above one another in a cross-like manner with overhanging ends, are fastened to these bars.

Patient bed for transporting and/or positioning a patient


The present invention relates to a method of storing waste material in a subterranean formation, the method including digging a mine shaft to reach the subterranean formation; constructing a ventilated underground control center wherein the center includes a computerized control panel; providing a drill head, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movements of the drill head; providing a hollow drill pipe; providing a movable hydraulic shield; providing a movable resin roof bolting machine; providing a movable waste extrusion device; operating the computerized control panel to advance the drill head into the subterranean formation to obtain a mined-out space; and extruding waste material into the mined-out space of the subterranean formation.

The present invention is dedicated to Georgio Aulisio. He boarded ship from his native Italy and arrived at Ellis Island in the Harbor of New York City in the late 19th century at the age of sixteen. He had six dollars in his pocket. During his lifetime, he was employed in the anthracite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania.
Prior art methods of mining coal include surface mining and underground mining. In surface mining, a seam of coal located close to the surface of the earth is first exposed by mechanical removal of the earth above the coal seam. A mountaintop, for example, can be removed by employing bulldozers and earthmoving equipment to expose an underground seam of coal. The exposed seam of coal is mined by employing machinery known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Underground mining includes sinking a shaft into the earth near (or into) a seam of coal. A ventilated area is then constructed within the seam of coal. Ventilation of the underground area allows coal miners to operate mechanical equipment at the face of a coal seam. The coal is then brought to the surface. A preferred method of removing coal from the coal face is the long-wall method of mining. Regardless of the method employed in underground mining, conditions for the miners are very dangerous. Although various safety precautions are taken with regard to the underground mining of coal, accidents occur on a regular basis.
One problem in underground mining of coal is the presence of methane gas in the coal seam. A coal seam is naturally infused with substantial amounts of methane. Methane is the most highly reduced form of carbon, which means that it readily undergoes rapid oxidation. It forms an explosive mixture with oxygen (air). Methane has an upper explosive limit and a lower explosive limit. The upper explosive limit (UEL) for methane is about 15% by volume. The lower explosive limit (LEL) for methane is about 5% by volume. Traditional underground mining operates in a region below the lower explosive limit of methane. Conditions in an underground mine can be monitored by employing a "bug lamp". The "bug lamp" burns with a bright yellow flame when the composition of the atmosphere at the face of a coal seam is such that it is below the LEL of methane. When the "bug lamp" burns with a blue cap above the yellow flame, the underground atmosphere is above the LEL of methane. This signifies extremely dangerous conditions. Ventilation with above-ground air is immediately increased to remove the dangerous conditions. Mining operations cease when the atmospheric condition in the underground mine is above the LEL of methane.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for storing waste material


A brake system that includes a fixed brake system, a sliding brake system, and a support structure. The fixed brake system has an inboard side and an outboard side and being operable to move an inboard brake pad and/or an outboard brake pad against a brake rotor to generate a first clamping force. The sliding brake system being operable to move relative to the fixed brake system and to move the inboard brake pad and/or the outboard brake pad against the brake rotor to generate a second clamping force. The support structure providing a sliding contact between the sliding brake system and the fixed brake system during movement of the sliding brake system relative to the fixed brake while generating or releasing the second clamping force. The support structure is located in a region of the outboard side of the fixed brake system.

An opposed piston brake system includes one or more brake pistons and one or more brake pads located on each side of a brake rotor. During a brake apply, the opposing brake pistons are moved towards one another, which moves the opposing brake pads into contact with both sides of a brake rotor to create a clamping force.
A sliding brake system includes a movable body and one or more brake pistons located on one side of a brake rotor. During a brake apply, movement of the one or more brake pistons causes a brake pad to be moved against one side of a brake rotor. A reaction force is generated, causing the movable body to move an opposing brake pad against an opposite side of the brake rotor to create a clamping force.
It may be desirable to have a brake system that combines structure and function of an opposed piston brake system with the structure and function of a sliding brake system. It may be desirable to have a brake system, where the structure of the opposed piston brake system is used to create a clamping force during a first braking operation, and the structure of the sliding brake system is used to create a clamping force during another braking operation. In some configurations, it may be desirable to have the structure of the opposed piston brake system and the structure of the sliding brake system create a clamping force during the same braking operation. It may be desirable to have a brake system that includes a support structure for supporting the moving body during creation and/or release of the clamping force. It may be desirable to have a sliding brake system that includes a support structure for supporting the moving body during creation and/or release of the clamping force.

Brake system with support structure for moving body


Apparatus for selectively testing, in parallel, identical pins of a plurality of electronic components is provided. The apparatus enables testing of selective pins of selective electronic components according to different timing schemes.

Most digital electronic components sold are tested by their manufacturer several times before being shipped.
Component testers have two functions: firstly, generating digital signals, at logic 0 or logic 1, for example, and, secondly, verifying the presence of output transitions by comparison with a pre-established test table. The timing and the levels of the signals generated and the signals compared are programmable. As a general rule, a component tester must generate and/or compare signals simultaneously at all the functional pins of the component under test.
Defining the signals to be generated and/or compared is usually extremely complex. Testing a microprocessor can entail strings of several million 0 or 1 bits in the same sequence. To define the signals, the concept of period is used to determine a time band within which a simpler signal is defined. This signal is decomposed into timing data, also known as a time marker, and an event, for example a transition.
A functional test is therefore executed by scanning a test programming memory in which each line corresponds to a period and the content of which represents timing and event data defining the signal within the period for each pin. The timing and event data is complemented by, among other things, an instruction which controls the scanning of the test programming memory. This instruction is common to all of the functional pins of the circuit under test. The most common instruction is that to read the next line (instruction INC).
This architecture based on scanning a memory is deterministic in the sense that it assumes that it is possible to know a priori exactly what will happen at a given time at the pins of the electronic circuit under test.
A logic component tester has various parts:
a programming system, PA1 a test circuit for each pin including a system for generating stimuli, i.e. forcing signals, which must be applied to the pin in question and a system for comparing response signals from the component, PA1 one or more interface systems, measurement heads, for adapting the stimuli to the constraints of the component to be verified.
The number of stimuli generators/comparators can be between 32 and 1 024; in the present context there is a limit of 256 generators/comparators. There can be two measurement heads, for example, each including 256 adapters.
To optimize the cost of the test and the surface area occupied by the tester, it is possible to connect identical pins of a plurality of heads to the same test circuit, i.e. to the same stimuli generation/comparison system. Multiplexers (one per signal and per pin) at the output of the generation/comparison part generally route the signals to one head or the other. Accordingly, one component is tested on head No.1 while another component is being manipulated on head No.2, and vice versa. This increases the capacity of the tester by adding one head. Typically, adding a head doubles the capacity of the tester if the test time is identical to the manipulation time.
In the case of identical components, testers with two heads used simultaneously have been proposed in which the same stimuli are generated in parallel at both heads. Likewise, the received response signals are compared with a table simultaneously by different circuits. The tester then generates two results: that from head No.1 and that from head No.2. Accordingly, the capacity of the tester is actually doubled, simply by duplicating the generation circuits and the table comparison circuits, given that the table is the same for head No.1 as for head No.2, since the signals generated and the components under test are identical.
Parallel testing therefore enables n components to be tested simultaneously in a similar way to testing a single component. The simultaneous testing can of course be done on the same head or on more than one head. The present invention is addressed to both of these alternatives.
In practice, electronic components are tested in parallel, in a manner that it is known in itself, by means of test circuits like that shown in FIG. 1 in the case of two components, each of these circuits testing identical pins on each component.
The generation system of the test circuit from FIG. 1 includes two forcing circuits adapted to apply stimuli, i.e. forcing signals, to identical pins of the components under test, said forcing signals being formed by two timing generators controlled by the programming memory, not shown in FIG. 1.
The comparison system includes two comparator circuits receiving from the pins response signals to the forcing signals, said response signals being compared to reference signals supplied by two other timing generators from a table supplied by the test programming memory.
In the remainder of this specification, the expression "test signal" is used non-specifically to refer to a forcing signal or to a response signal.
With test circuits of the type known in itself shown in FIG. 1, the pins of one component are in one-to-one correspondence with the same pins of the other component. This particular method of parallel testing, in which identical pins are forced and compared synchronously, is well-suited to components whose operation is totally known and identical from one component to another.
However, there are digital components, for example microprocessors, in which the logic state of the outputs of a given component does not correspond exactly in time to the logic state of the same outputs of another (even though identical) component. This situation is encountered in particular with components that include clocks which introduce random phase-shifts of the signals that are too large to be compensated by the limited adjustment dynamic range of the timing generators.

Method and apparatus for automatically testing electronic components in parallel utilizing different timing signals for each electronic component


A dishwasher equipped with a lamp assembly. The lamp assembly includes a lamp bracket, a lamp cover and a plurality of fastening projections. The lamp bracket is fitted into an opening to accommodate the lamp from an outside of the inner casing. The lamp cover is detachably fitted into the lamp bracket from an inside of the inner casing. The plurality of fastening projections fit the lamp bracket into the opening. The fastening projections are projected from a front rim of the lamp bracket to be elastically deformable, and have gaps each corresponding to a thickness of the inner casing. The inner casing includes movement prevention notches extended outward from the opening at locations where the fastening projections will be interlocked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to dishwashers and, more particularly, to a dishwasher equipped with a lamp assembly, which is constructed to allow a lamp to be conveniently and rapidly replaced by a new one.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a dishwasher is an appliance which includes a box shaped cabinet having an opened front part and which is configured to have a cavity to wash dishes therein, and a door configured to selectively open and close the opened front part of the cabinet, to automatically washes dishes placed in the cavity.
Typically, upper and lower dish racks are installed in upper and lower portions of the cavity so that dishes are stably seated thereon to be washed by sprayed water. A water collecting container to collect wash water, a wash water circulating pump to circulate the wash water, and a drain pump to drain the wash water are each installed in the lower portion of the cavity.
Furthermore, a plurality of spray nozzles are placed in the cavity to allow dishes to be washed by spraying water, which flows through spray ducts connected to the wash water circulating pump, onto the upper and lower dish racks. An outlet of the drain pump is connected to a drain pipe, so that wash water may be drained to an outside of the dishwasher through the drain pipe after washing has been completed.
Therefore, when the wash water circulating pump is operated, water supplied to the spray nozzles through the spray ducts is sprayed in various directions, so that dishes seated on the upper and lower dish racks are washed. Thereafter, when the washing has been completed and the drain pump is operated, the wash water is drained to the outside of the dishwasher.
Because the dishwasher is generally placed below a sink in a kitchen, an inside of the cavity of the dishwasher is dark and is not sufficiently seen when the washing has been completed and the door is opened. Therefore, it is inconvenient to remove washed dishes from the dishwasher, and there is a risk that the dishes may drop and be damaged during the removing.
Accordingly, to illuminate the cavity, a lamp should be installed on an inner plate of a cabinet defining the cavity. However, the inner plate of the cabinet comprises a thin plate, so that installing a lamp assembly, which is equipped with a lamp on the inner plate is difficult. Moreover, even though the lamp assembly, which is equipped with the lamp, is installed in the cavity, providing the lamp assembly with a structure that allows the lamp to be replaced by a new lamp is difficult.


A compound of general formula (I): ##STR1## in which: R.sub.1 represents alkyl,. X represents oxygen, --CHR'-- or --CR'.dbd., PA1 R' is chosen from hydrogen and alkyl, PA1 R.sub.2 represents optionally substituted alkyl as is defined in the description, cycloalkyl or polycycloalkyl as are defined in the description, PA1 R.sub.3 represents hydrogen or hydroxyl, PA1 Alk represents alkylene, and PA1 Y is as defined in the description,. and medicinal products containing the same are useful as PDE IV inhibitors.

These new flavone compounds are group 4 phosphodiesterase (PDE4) inhibitors and, as a result, possess highly advantageous therapeutic applications.
In effect, the functions of most organic tissues are modulated by endogenous substances (hormones, neurotransmitters, autacoids) or exogenous substances. For some of these substances, the biological effect is relayed at intracellular level by enzyme effectors such as adenylate cyclase or guanylate cyclase. The stimulation of these enzymes, which are responsible for the synthesis of cyclic nucleotides such as cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), brings about a rise in the intracellular level of these second messengers involved in the regulation of a large number of biological functions (E. W. Sutherland and T. W. Rall, Pharmacol. Rev., 12, (1960), 265).
The degradation of cyclic nucleotides is effected by a family of enzymes called phosphodiesterases (PDE), currently classified in 7 groups. The recognition of different isoforms within each of these groups, and of the tissue- or cell-specific distribution of certain isoforms, has stimulated the search for increasingly specific inhibitors of one or other type of isoenzyme (J. A. Beavo, Physiological Rev., 75 (4), (1995), 725-749). Among the different PDE families, PDE4 has been identified in a very large number of tissues or cells, such as brain, heart, vascular endothelium, vascular and tracheobronchial smooth muscle and hematopoietic cells. Inhibition of the phosphodiesterases slows down the hydrolysis of the cyclic nucleotides and brings about an increase in the cAMP and/or cGMP content.
PDE4 inhibitors, which are responsible for an increase in cAMP levels, possess anti-inflammatory activities and relaxant effects on tracheobronchial smooth muscle, which accounts for their therapeutic value in the field of respiratory pathology or pathologies associated with an inflammatory process (M. N. Palfreyman, Drugs of the Future, 20 (8), (1995), 793-804; J. P. Barnes, Eur. Respir. J., 8, (1995), 457-462; S. B. Christensen and T. J. Torphy, Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, 29, (1994), 185-194, Academic Press).


Improved two-stage entrained-flow gasification systems and processes that reduce the cost and complexity of the design and increase the reliability, while maintaining the efficiency by implementing a first chemical quench followed by a second water quench of the produced syngas. The quenched syngas is maintained above the condensation temperature of at least one condensable component of the syngas, allowing residual particulates to be removed by dry particulate filtration.

The present invention relates to a gasification system and process for converting generally solid feedstock such as carbonaceous material into desirable gaseous products such as synthesis gas. Gasification processes are widely used to convert solid or liquid feedstocks such as coal, petroleum coke and petroleum residue into synthesis gas. Synthesis gas (or syngas) comprises mainly hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide, and is used both for power generation, as well as a feedstock for producing chemicals including methanol, ammonia, synthetic natural gas and synthetic transportation fuels.
The three basic types of processes that exist for the gasification of carbonaceous materials include: (1) fixed-bed gasification, (2) fluidized-bed gasification and (3) suspension/entrainment gasification. The majority of advanced gasification processes in use today utilize suspension or entrainment gasification. The present invention relates to an entrained gasification system and process for gasifying carbonaceous materials.
Suspension/entrainment gasification may be further defined as having either one or two stages for feedstock entry. All gasification reactor designs include a first reactor stage where carbonaceous feedstock and an oxidant are fed and partially combusted to create products comprising synthesis gas and slag. The resulting raw syngas usually contains only a residual level of volatile tars. The raw syngas exiting these single stage gasification processes is often at a temperature exceeding 2500° F., and requires that much of the sensible heat in the gas be removed prior to further clean-up or use. This typically is achieved by heat exchange in a high temperature heat recovery unit (HTHRU), by quenching with cool syngas, or by direct water quenching.
In certain two-stage gasification processes, an alternative, chemical quench is utilized to recover heat from the raw syngas, while simultaneously increasing the heating value of the syngas. This chemical quench includes a second gasification stage, where a second portion of carbonaceous feedstock is reacted in a low oxygen environment with the raw syngas mixture created in the first stage. The heat generated in the first stage drives endothermic chemical reactions in the second stage to generate additional syngas from this second portion of feedstock. Feeding the second portion of feedstock to the reactor as a slurry with water also assists in increasing the heating value of the product syngas, while serving to further quench the temperature of the raw syngas, thereby decreasing the amount of heat that must be later recovered in a high temperature heat recovery unit (HTHRU). A disadvantage of such two-stage gasification processes is that they often result in a higher level of volatile tar in the raw syngas versus one-stage processes. These tars must be removed to prevent harmful emissions to the environment, as well as fouling of downstream syngas processing equipment (including the HTHRU). One solution that has been utilized to eliminate such tars is to first direct the raw syngas through a residence vessel that allows sufficient high temperature residence time for the tars to thermally "crack" into smaller hydrocarbon compounds.
As mentioned above, to increase overall gasification process efficiency, sensible heat in the raw syngas produced in both single-stage and two-stage gasification processes is often recovered using one or more HTHRU. However, these units are expensive to build and install and require regular maintenance to manage fouling. To reduce costs, some manufacturers of single-stage gasification systems have alternatively implemented a complete water quench of the raw syngas produced in their single-stage reactor as a means to allow elimination of the HTHRU. However implementing an immediate water quench is precluded in two-stage gasification systems by the need to remove the residual tars created during pyrolysis of the slurrified feedstock added in the second-stage. Thermal cracking of these tars requires temperatures above about 1500° F. Additionally, fully water quenching the raw syngas creates contaminated "black water" that requires expensive clean-up processes to prevent pollution of the environment, and often necessitates that the quenched raw syngas be reheated prior to further clean-up and water-gas shifting the syngas to increase hydrogen content.
What is needed are improvements to two-stage gasification systems and processes that can simultaneously: 1) reduce the cost required to build and install such systems, while maintaining the efficiency, thereby reducing operational expenditure, 2) maintain near-zero levels of tar in the produced syngas, 3) moisturize syngas in preparation for water-gas shift without resorting to using process steam, expensive boiler feed water, or complete immersion quenching, and 4) increase overall system reliability, thereby decreasing downtime.


The invention provides for an intermediately formed quasi-half metallic annulus useful in constructing a full metallic annulus that can be mounted at the ends of insulated pipes and like equipment for weatherproofing purposes. Each quasi-half annulus includes (a) an arcuate side wall defined by a common radius originating along a longitudinal line of formation parallel to the side wall, (b) an end wall connected at one end of the side wall, (c) the side and end wall including an integrally formed corner for uniting them wherein the side wall has a rectangular opening parallel to the line of formation and an arcuate opening normal to the line of formation at an end opposite to the end wall. The rectangular opening is offset to a side of the line of formation in a direction opposite to the position of the side wall so that the combined area of the side and end walls is slightly greater that a conventional half annulus of similar shape and dimensions. Due to the invention, the side and/or end openings are also flexibly workable to permit entry within or without mating side and/or end openings of an another intermediate quasi-half annulus of similar construction. Result: a full annulus united along a U-shaped overlap region of common transverse and circumferential length W is easily formed, say for covering over an open side of insulation about pipes and associated equipment to protect same. A method of formation and usage is also described.

In order to conserve energy, Federal and State commercial and residential codes and regulations specify efficiency standards, included in these standards for piping, duct and associated equipment are insulation efficiency values. Insulation type, dimensions, hardware etc., can be specified. In addition, there is a need to protect all end edges of the insulation circumferentially projecting around such piping and associated equipment, usually by metallic caps.
As far as I am aware, most metallic caps for use in the aforementioned applications, are individually crafted, by conventional cutting, rolling and crimping techniques. While there has been some attempt to use factory fabrication methods, experience has shown that the side wall and top wall of such caps are still individually constructed in sequence and then united along full circumferential connection equi-spaced from the longitudinal axis of symmetry thereof, viz., to the circumferential extending termini of the top and side wall. Because of haphazard dimensional restrictions, there is required a doubled wall-overlap crimping arrangement ("Pittsburgh Seam") to unit the walls. Thus, such caps are expensive and because of dimensional instability, are subject to a need to continually retrofit the finished caps until a good fit occurs at the work site, all costly and time consuming operations.

Method of forming a metalic intermediate quasi-half annuli, useful in association with forming a full annulus about insulated pipes and related equipment


The present disclosure suggests a method of manufacturing flake aluminum oxide using a microwave including: performing a pre-treatment on a starting material by grinding the starting material such as alumina hydrate, aluminum salt or the like and classifying particles with an appropriate size; manufacturing transition alumina by performing a heat treatment by means of heating the pre-treated starting material; mixing the transition alumina with molten salt and an additive and then dispersing and grinding the mixed compounds; melting and synthesizing flake aluminum oxide by heating the dispersed and grinded mixture with a microwave as a heating source; separating the molten salt and the additive from the synthesized aluminum oxide; and performing a post-treatment on the flake aluminum oxide by removing a foreign substance such as an additive residue stuck to a surface of a crystal particle of the separated flake aluminum oxide.

Generally, flake aluminum oxide has a high industrial applicability since it has excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, heat radiation property, luster and the like. In particular, due to its excellent property in luster, it has been increasingly popular as a base material for pearlescent pigment.
In order for the flake aluminum oxide to be used as a base material for pearlescent pigment or the like, it should have a high chemical stability, a high aspect ratio and a flat surface. For this conformation, it is necessary to inhibit crystal of the flake aluminum oxide from growing toward a specific direction when the crystal grows.
There are typical methods of manufacturing aluminum oxide such as a Bayer method, a Verneuil method, a Czochralski method, a hydrothermal synthesis method, a molten salt method and the like. An advantage of the Bayer method, the Verneuil method or the Czochralski method is that it is possible to mass-produce aluminum oxide, but it is difficult to control a crystalline formation and a shape of powder to be uniform with these methods. Meanwhile, it is easy to manufacture flake aluminum oxide by the hydrothermal synthesis method and the molten salt method and easy to control a stable crystalline form and a shape of particle, so it has been known that these methods are appropriate for a commercial synthesis of flake aluminum oxide.
On examining related patents about a method of manufacturing of flake aluminum oxide, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H7-33110 discloses a method of manufacturing hexagonal plate shaped aluminum oxide by adding phosphoric acid ion as a crystal growth inhibitor in a hydrothermal synthesizing apparatus. Further, French Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2441584 discloses a method of manufacturing macro crystalline flake aluminum oxide crystal powder having a diameter of 10 to 200 μm and an aspect ratio of 7 by performing a reaction using aluminum hydroxide as a raw material of alumina and cryolite as flux at a temperature of 1200 to 1450° C. Furthermore, Korean Patent Publication No. 1996-64 discloses a method of synthesizing aluminum oxide gel powder by performing a reaction with AlF3 gas at a high temperature.
However, the above-mentioned typical methods have some problems as follows. In other words, it is possible to synthesize thin flake aluminum oxide at a comparatively low temperature by a hydrothermal synthesis method but because a high-temperature and high-pressure hydrothermal synthesis apparatus is needed for an industrial mass-synthesis, it is a very cost-consuming method, and since the powder synthesized by the hydrothermal synthesis method has a particle size of 20 μm or less, it is not appropriate for a base material for pearlescent pigment.
Furthermore, as for a vapor reaction in which a starting material and an additive are reacted in the vapor state, it is possible to lower a synthesis temperature by 100° C. or more in comparison with a flux method using molten salt. But this method needs an expensive apparatuses for making the additive vaporized and for controlling an appropriate atmosphere for the synthesis and further needs an expensive electric furnace to control sintering under the controlled atmosphere. Therefore, this method is not appropriate for an industrial mass production.
A flux method using a molten salt is a method for growing crystal of the solute in a molten salt molten at a high temperature, wherein the molten salt promotes a synthetic reaction of oxide and accelerate an aeolotropy of a particle and further lower a crystallization temperature by 100 to 200° C. Since the molten salts are very important in synthetically manufacturing flake aluminum oxide by this method, it is essential for selecting an appropriate molten salt. When flake aluminum oxide is synthesized by this flux method, it is possible to synthesize powder in a temperature of 1250 to 1450° C., and to synthesize macro crystalline powder having a particle size of 20 μm or more.
International Publication No. WO 2004/060804 discloses a process of producing flake aluminum oxide by using a molten salt method, specifically by adding molten salts such as metal fluorides or the like and additives. But in case of manufacturing flake aluminum oxide with this method, it is necessary to carry out a heat treatment for a long period of time at a high temperature of 1,250° C. or more and in case of a mass production, it is impossible to perform a uniform heating due to the difference of temperature gradients in a crucible and thus it is hard to obtain flake aluminum oxide having a uniform particle size distribution in which multi-crystal and twin-crystal are 5% or less.
In this connection, the present applicant has disclosed a thesis on "a microwave synthesis of alpha (α) aluminum plate shaped body by a flux method" (Journal of The Korean Ceramic Society, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 473-478, 2002) in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. Such a microwave synthesis method uses a frequency of 2.45 GHz, so it is possible to quickly generate heat at an early stage. However, the microwave is penetrated too short to generate the heat within a material itself. Therefore, when a large quantity of a material is heated with such the microwave synthesis method, there may occur differences in temperature between a surface and an inside of the material due to a low penetration depth so when the microwave synthesis method is applied to the large quantity of a material it is hard to obtain a uniform particle size distribution due to the difference of crystal growth due to a temperature gradient between the surface and the inside. Accordingly, the microwave synthesis method using the frequency of 2.45 GHz is not appropriate for an industrial mass production.

Method of manufacturing flake aluminum oxide using microwave


A video display apparatus according to an embodiment includes a video display unit configured to display a video image in a field of view of a user in a state in which the user is wearing the video display apparatus, an image pickup unit configured to take a video image of an outside state, a switching unit configured to selectively perform switching as to whether to display a video image of a certain content or a video image taken by the image pickup unit, and a switching control unit configured to control the switching unit. The switching control unit switches the video image displayed on the video display unit when an object with a predetermined identification pattern is included in the video image taken by the image pickup unit and the switching control unit has detected that a user's hand has made a predetermined gesture.

The present disclosure relates to a video display apparatus, a method for controlling a video display apparatus, and a program.
In recent years, progress in the development of a video display apparatus as a type of display apparatus has been made. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-83916 discloses a technology related to a head-mounted display that guides a user so that he/she can intuitively correct the position of his/her gesture.

Video display apparatus, method for controlling video display apparatus, and program


A first insulating layer is embedded within a semiconductor film formed on a base insulating film, a second insulating layer is formed on a portion of the semiconductor film, and a laser beam is irradiated from the top side (or from both the top side and the bottom side) of the substrate. A thermal gradient develops in the semiconductor film due to the thermal insulating effect of the base insulating film, due to the thermal insulating effect of the first insulating layer, and due to the antireflection effect and thermal insulating effect of the second insulating layer. The location and direction of lateral growth of crystal nuclei are controlled by utilizing these effects, and large size crystal grains can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a circuit constituted of a thin film transistor (hereafter referred to as a TFT). For example, the present invention relates to an electro-optical device, typically an EL display device or a light-emitting device, and to the structure of electronic equipment in which an electro-optical device is included as a part. Further, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing the above device. Note that, throughout this specification, the category xe2x80x9csemiconductor devicexe2x80x9d indicates general devices which can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, and the above electro-optical devices and electronic equipment are within the semiconductor device category.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research into techniques of increasing crystallinity when implementing laser annealing on an amorphous semiconductor film formed on an insulating substrate such as glass, thereby crystallizing the amorphous semiconductor film, has been widely performed in recent years. Silicon is often used as the amorphous semiconductor film.
Glass substrates are blessed with low cost and good workability compared with the synthetic quartz substrates often used conventionally, and possess an advantage of being easily manufactured into a large surface area substrate. This is the reason that the above research is being carried out. Further, the preferable use of a laser for crystallization is due to the melting point of glass substrates. Lasers are capable of imparting high energy only to the amorphous semiconductor films, without raising the temperature of the substrate very much.
Crystalline semiconductor films are formed from many crystal grains, and therefore they are also referred to as polycrystalline semiconductor films. A crystalline semiconductor film formed by implementing laser annealing has a high mobility, and TFTs are formed using the crystalline semiconductor film, for example TFTs for a pixel portion and a driver circuit portion formed on one glass substrate, are enthusiastically utilized in such devices as a monolithic type liquid crystal electro-optical device.
Further, a high output pulse laser beam such as an excimer laser beam widely used due to the fact that a method for performing laser annealing, in which the laser beam is formed into a square spot shape of several centimeters, or into a linear shape having a length of 10 cm or more by an optical system, on a surface to be irradiated, and then scanned (or the laser beam irradiation apparatus can be moved relative to the surface to be irradiated), has high productivity and superior workability.
In particular, the productivity is high if a linear shape beam is used, because differing from a case of using a spot shape laser beam in which it is necessary to scan forward and backward, and left and right, laser irradiation can be performed over the entire surface to be irradiated by scanning only in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear shape beam. Scanning in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is performed because that is the scanning direction having the maximum efficiency. The use of a linear shape beam, formed by an appropriate optical system from a pulse emission excimer laser beam, in the laser annealing method at present due to superior productivity is becoming the main production technique for liquid crystal display devices which use TFTs. This technique makes possible a monolithic type liquid crystal display device in which TFTs forming a pixel portion (pixel TFTs), and driver circuit TFTs formed in the periphery of the pixel portion, are all formed on one glass substrate.
However, a crystalline semiconductor film manufactured by the laser annealing method is formed by a plurality of crystal grains, and the position and size of the crystal grains is random. The TFTs formed on the glass substrate are separated by element, and therefore formed by separating the crystalline semiconductor film into island shape patterns. The size and the position of the grains cannot be set in this case. Compared to within a crystal grain, there are an almost limitless number of re-crystallization centers and capture centers in the boundaries of the crystal grains (grain boundaries) which are the cause of amorphous structure and crystal defects. If a carrier is trapped in a capture center, then the potential of the grain boundary increases and this becomes a barrier with respect to the carrier, and it is known that the electric current transporting characteristics therefore drop. The crystallinity of the semiconductor film of a channel forming region has a great influence on the TFT properties, but it is nearly impossible to form the channel forming region by a single crystal semiconductor film, eliminating the effect of the grain boundaries.
In order to solve this type of problem, position is controlled for laser annealing, and various tests have been performed for forming large size crystal grains. A solidification process of the semiconductor film after the laser beam is irradiated to the semiconductor film is explained here first.
A certain amount of time is necessary until crystal nuclei develop within a semiconductor film which has been completely melted by laser beam irradiation, a large number of crystal nuclei are generated uniformly (or non-uniformly) in the completely melted region, and the solidification process of the completely melted semiconductor film is completed by crystal growth. The position and the size of the crystal grains obtained in this case becomes random.
Further, for cases in which the semiconductor film is not completely melted by the laser beam irradiation and solid semiconductor regions remain partially, crystal growth begins from the solid semiconductor regions immediately after laser beam irradiation. As stated above, a certain amount of time is necessary until crystal nuclei develop in the completely melted region. Thus, during the period until crystal nuclei develop in the completely melted region, the solid-liquid interface (indicating the interface between the solid semiconductor region and the completely melted region), which is the crystal growth leading edge, moves in a direction parallel to the film surface of the semiconductor film (hereafter referred to as a lateral direction), and crystal grains grow to a length several tens of times longer than the film thickness. A very large number of crystal nuclei develop uniformly (or non-uniformly) in the completely melted region with this type of growth, which is completed by crystal growth. This type of phenomenon is hereafter referred to as xe2x80x9csuper lateral growth.xe2x80x9d
A laser beam energy region for also achieving super lateral growth in amorphous semiconductor films and in polycrystalline semiconductor films exists. However, this energy region is extremely narrow, and positions at which large size crystal grains are obtained cannot be controlled. In addition, microcrystalline regions, in which a very large number of crystal nuclei develop, and amorphous regions exist in regions outside the large size crystal grains.
As explained above, the position of grain growth and the growth direction can be controlled provided that the lateral direction temperature gradient is controlled by a laser beam energy region in which the semiconductor film is completely melted (making heat flow arise in a lateral direction). Several tests have been performed in order to realize this method.
For example, Ishihara, R., and Burtsev, A., (AM-LCD ""98, pp. 153-156, 1998) reported on a laser annealing method in which they formed a high melting point metallic film between a substrate and a base silicon oxide film, and formed an amorphous silicon film above the high melting point metallic film, and then irradiated an excimer laser beam from both the top surface side of the substrate (defined in this specification as the face upon which the film is formed) and from the bottom surface side of the substrate (defined in this specification as the face on the opposite side as the face upon which the film is formed). The laser beam which is irradiated from the top surface of the substrate is absorbed by the silicon film and its energy is converted into heat. On the other hand, the laser beam which is irradiated from the bottom surface is absorbed by the high melting point metallic film and its energy is converted to heat; the high melting point metallic film is heated to a high temperature. The silicon oxide film between the heated high melting point metallic film and the silicon film works as a heat accumulation layer, and therefore the cooling speed of the melted silicon film can be slowed. It is reported that crystal grains having a maximum diameter of 6.4 xcexcm can be in arbitrary locations by forming the high melting point metallic film in the arbitrary locations.
James S. Im, et al., of Columbia University showed a sequential lateral solidification method (hereafter referred to as SLS method) in which super lateral growth can be achieved in arbitrary locations. The SLS method is one in which crystallization is performed by moving a slit shaped mask over a distance on the order of which super lateral growth takes place (approximately 0.75 xcexcm) every shot.
In addition, Masakiyo Matsumura, et al., of the Tokyo Institute of Technology reported, at the 47th Applied Physics Society Symposium, a method of forming large size crystal grains which are controlled by position. With this method, an insulating layer having a quadrilateral top surface shape and having at least one vertex with an angle of 60xc2x0 is embedded within an amorphous silicon film, as shown in FIG. 5C. In addition, an insulating film is formed on the amorphous silicon film. A phase shift mask (see FIG. 5A) is used during laser beam irradiation, and the laser beam is made to possess an energy gradient (see FIG. 5B). Provided that a temperature gradient is formed within the amorphous silicon film, crystal nuclei develop within the amorphous silicon film under the insulating layer, and therefore large size crystal grains are formed at a controlled position.
It is structurally possible to manufacture a top gate TFT with a semiconductor film, formed in accordance with the method of Ishihara, et al., as an active layer. However, a parasitic capacitance develops in accordance with the silicon oxide film formed between the semiconductor film and the high melting point metallic film, and energy consumption is therefore increased, and it becomes difficult to achieve high speed TFT operation. On the other hand, it is thought that this method can be effectively applied to a bottom gate or inverse stagger TFT by using the high melting point metallic film as a gate electrode. However, with a structure in which a silicon oxide film is formed on a substrate, then a high melting point metallic film is formed on the silicon oxide film, and an amorphous silicon film is formed on the high melting point metallic film. Even if the thickness of the amorphous silicon film is not considered, the film thickness of the high melting point metallic film and that of the silicon oxide film is such that the film thickness suitable for the crystallization process is not necessarily in agreement with that suitable for good TFT element properties. Optimal design in the crystallization process and optimal design of the element structure therefore cannot both be satisfied at the same time.
Further, if a non light transmitting high melting point metallic film is formed over the entire surface of the glass substrate, then it becomes impossible to manufacture a transmission type liquid crystal display device. The internal stress of a chrome (Cr) film or titanium (Ti) film used as the high melting point metallic material is high, and therefore there is a high likelihood that problems will develop with the adherence of these films to a glass substrate. In addition, the internal stress influence also affects the semiconductor film formed above this layer, and there is a high likelihood of a force acting to distort the formed crystalline semiconductor film.
On the other hand, in order to control the threshold voltage (hereafter denoted by Vth), a very important parameter in TFTs, to be within a predetermined range, it is necessary to control the electric charge of the channel forming region, and in addition, to consider how to reduce the charge defect density of a base film formed by an insulating film in contact with the active layer or a gate insulating film, and how to balance the internal stress. A material containing silicon as a structural element, such as a silicon oxide film and a silicon oxynitride film, is appropriate for these demands. There is a worry that formation of the high temperature metallic film between the substrate and the base film will upset that balance.
Further, precise control on a micron order is required for a technique of determining the relative position between the mask and the substrate with the SLS method, and this will become a complex apparatus compared to a conventional laser irradiation apparatus. In addition, there is a problem with throughput in using this method to manufacture TFTs which will be applied to a liquid crystal display having a large surface area region.
With the method announced by Matsumura, et al., it is necessary to use a phase shift mask in order to make an energy gradient in the laser beam. It is therefore necessary to have precise control on the micron order for a technique of determining a relative position between the phase shift mask and the embedded insulating layer, and this becomes a complex apparatus compared to a conventional laser irradiation apparatus. Further, the top surface shape of the embedded layer is a quadrilateral, and at least one vertex of the quadrilateral is opened to 60xc2x0, and therefore a plurality of crystal nuclei develop within the semiconductor film existing below in the vicinity of the vertex when the semiconductor film which has been irradiated by the laser beam is cooled from a melted state. A problem consequently develops in which growing crystal grains collide with each other, reducing the probability of forming large size crystal grains.
The present invention is one for solving these types of problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize a TFT capable of high speed operation by manufacturing a crystalline semiconductor film in which the position and size of the crystal grains are controlled, and further by using the crystalline semiconductor film as a channel forming region of the TFT. In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique in which this type of TFT can be applied to various types of semiconductor devices such as transmission type liquid crystal display devices and display devices using an electro-luminescence material. The EL (electro-luminescence) materials referred to in this specification include triplet-based light emission devices and/or singlet-based light emission devices, for example.
The reflectivity during irradiation of a laser beam from an insulating film formed on a semiconductor film is explained. Examples are explained here in which an amorphous silicon film and a silicon oxide film are used as the semiconductor film and the insulating film, respectively, and the wavelength of the laser beam is taken as 308 nm and 532 nm, but there are no particular limitation placed upon the semiconductor film, the insulating film, or the wavelength of the laser beam in the present invention.
FIG. 1A shows the changes in reflectivity when an XeCl excimer laser (wavelength 308 nm) is irradiated on a silicon oxide film, with the film thickness of the silicon oxide film as a parameter. It can be seen that the reflectivity of the XeCl excimer laser with respect to the silicon oxide film changes periodically in a range from 26% to 56% in accordance with the film thickness of the silicon oxide film.
Further, when one wants to change the effective irradiation strength of the laser beam with respect to the semiconductor film by forming an insulating film on portions of the semiconductor film, it becomes necessary to also consider the reflectivity of the semiconductor film.
FIG. 1B shows the change in reflectivity when the XeCl excimer laser (wavelength 308 nm) is irradiated on an amorphous silicon film, with the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film as a parameter. With the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film on the order of 5 nm or less, the reflectivity is lower than the minimum reflectivity (26%) obtained when irradiating the XeCl excimer laser on the silicon oxide film and changing the film thickness of the silicon oxide film. Further, the reflectivity when the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film is from 5 to 12 nm is in the same range (26% to 56%) as the reflectivity obtained when irradiating the XeCl excimer laser on the silicon oxide film and changing the film thickness of the silicon oxide film. It is therefore necessary to choose a film thickness of the silicon oxide film in correspondence with the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film for cases in which the effective irradiation strength of the XeCl excimer laser with respect to the amorphous silicon film is changed. When the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film exceeds 12 nm, the reflectivity is on the same order as the maximum reflectivity (56%) obtained when irradiating the XeCl excimer laser on the silicon oxide film while changing the film thickness of the silicon oxide film. The reflectivity also becomes higher than 56%.
Changes in reflectivity when irradiating a laser beam having a 532 nm wavelength are shown next. FIG. 2A shows the changes in reflectivity when the second harmonic (wavelength 532 nm) of a YAG laser is irradiated on a silicon oxide film, with the film thickness of the silicon oxide film taken as a parameter. FIG. 2B shows the changes in reflectivity when the second harmonic of the YAG laser is irradiated on an amorphous silicon film, with the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film taken as a parameter. As shown in Table 1, the 532 nm wavelength laser beam has a lower attenuation constant than the 308 nm wavelength laser beam with respect to the amorphous silicon film, and therefore the reflectivity when irradiated on the silicon oxide film differs in accordance with the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film existing below the silicon oxide film. The film thickness of the amorphous silicon film is set to 58 nm in FIG. 2A.
The reflectivity changes periodically in FIG. 2A, similar to FIG. 1A. The reflectivity shows a tendency to converge while changing periodically as the film thickness of the amorphous silicon film becomes thicker, as shown in FIG. 2B. Further, the reflectivity of the silicon oxide film with respect to the 532 nm wavelength can be seen from FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B to be on the same order as, or less than, the reflectivity of the amorphous silicon film.
In other words, the insulating film has a reflection preventing effect and a heat insulating effect when irradiating the laser beam, provided that the film thickness of an insulating film is given a film thickness having a low laser beam reflectivity when forming the insulating film on a semiconductor film. The semiconductor film can therefore be maintained for a long period in a melted state. Further, if an insulating layer is formed on portions of the semiconductor film, then it is necessary to set the film thickness while considering the reflectivity of the semiconductor film and the reflectivity of the insulating layer when changing the effective irradiation strength of the laser beam with respect to the semiconductor film. In addition, the reflectivity also changes in accordance with the wavelength of the laser beam, and therefore it is necessary to set the film thicknesses corresponding to the laser beam wavelength. It should be noted that the heat insulating effect in this specification means that a melted state of a semiconductor film on which an insulating film is formed is maintained longer time than a semiconductor film on which an insulating film is not formed after laser beam is irradiated to the semiconductor film.
A structure is shown in FIG. 5C in which an insulating layer (embedded insulating layer) having a top surface shape which is quadrilateral, and having at least one vertex with an angle of 60xc2x0, exists within a semiconductor film. The 60xc2x0 angle of the vertex is wide, and therefore a plurality of crystal nuclei develop within the semiconductor film existing below and in the vicinity of the vertex when a laser beam is irradiated. Growing crystal grains consequently collide with each other, and the probability of forming large size crystal grains becomes low. In other words, in order to form large size crystal grains, the density of crystal nuclei developing under a vertex will become lower provided that the angle of at least one vertex is less than 60xc2x0 when seen from the top surface of the embedded insulating layer. The mutual collision of growing crystal grains can be reduced.
The top surface shape of an insulating layer embedded within a semiconductor film is thus set in the present invention to be a polygonal shape having at least one vertex with an angle of less than 60xc2x0. In addition, an insulating film is formed on the semiconductor film, a region overlapping with the embedded insulating layer is etched to form an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is given a reflection prevention effect and a heat insulating effect during irradiation of a laser beam. A crystalline semiconductor film having large size crystal grains in controlled positions is formed. Note that, the irradiation of the laser beam is performed from the top surface side of the substrate, or from both the top surface side and the bottom surface side of the substrate.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An athletic shoe (10) having interchangeable components for the customizing to the particular needs of a wearer. The wearer's weight, weight distribution, type and level of activity, and other variables are considered when determining the degree and location of support. The athletic shoe (10) includes a base portion (12) which defines a sole member (14) and an upper (16). A plurality of recesses (24) are defined at selected locations by the sole (14) for the receipt of sole inserts (18). The upper (16) defines a plurality of indicia receiving regions. The sole inserts (18) and the indicators (20) may be permanently attached to the athletic shoe (10) by any selected process such as ultrasonic welding. Additional support members may be placed within the athletic shoe (10) as desired to provide further support for selected portions of the foot, including the ankle and the arch.

In the field of shoes it is well known that every person distributes their weight differently than the next. Some people bear heavily on the inner portion of their feet while others lean toward the outer portions. Some distribute weight mainly toward their toes while others carry a large portion of their weight with their heels. It is also well known that different sports require the placement of more pressure on some parts of the foot than others.
Due to these factors, it is well known that many different styles of shoes have been developed, each being used typically for a single sport. These dedicated shoes may not be efficiently used for different types of sports. The athlete is not only limited in the construction of the shoe for the particular sport, but is also limited to the number of styles available in that construction.
It is desirable for an athlete to select a style of shoe he/she prefers and then customize the shoe to his/her particular physical characteristics, the particular sport in which he/she will be engaged, and the level of play in which the athlete will engage. It is further desirable in customizing the particular shoe for the particular foot and sport, that a method be provided for determining a proper construction of the shoe which would meet the individual athlete's needs.
Other shoes have been developed for customization or for particular activities. Included are the devices described in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,430,810 A. Bente Feb. 14, 1984 4,598,487 K. W. Misevich July 8, 1986 4,621,441 K. R. Wagner, et al. Nov. 11, 1986 4,697,362 A. Wasserman Oct. 6, 1987 4,712,319 L. Goria Dec. 15, 1987 4,814,661 M. H. Ratzlaff, et al. Mar. 21, 1989 4,837,960 J. J. Skaja Jun. 13, 1989 ______________________________________
Of these devices, the U.S. Pat. No. '810 patent issued to Bente and the U.S. Pat. No. '487 patent issued to Misevich disclose shoes that provide lateral support of the sole proximate the heal of the shoe. These shoes do not provide for the customization of the shoe for the particular wearer depending upon the wearer's weight distribution and sport.
The U.S. Pat. No. '661 patent issued to Ratzlaff discloses a shoe which may be used to measure and analyze the forces exerted by a wearer during normal activities. Ratzlaff does not provide for the alteration of the shoe to suit the individual needs of the wearer.
The U.S. Pat. No. '441 (Wagner), U.S. Pat. No. '362 (Wasserman), U.S. Pat. No. '319 (Goria), and U.S. Pat. No. '960 (Skaja) patents each disclose devices for personalizing the exterior of a shoe by the temporary placement of selected indicia. For example, the former two patents disclose the use of hook-and-loop type fasteners for temporarily maintaining the position of selected indicators while the latter two patents disclose the use of snap-on type indicators. None of the patents discloses a means for permanently affixing selected indicia at selected locations on the shoe.
Other devices have been developed to assist in the point-of-purchase preview of selected articles and services, such as those disclosed in:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,539,585 D. S. Spackova, et al. Sep. 3, 1985 4,823,285 V. L. Blancato Apr. 18, 1989 ______________________________________
The devices described in these patents are used as previewing aids for allowing a purchaser of goods or services to view the aesthetics of those goods or services. The U.S. Pat. No. '585 patent issued to Spackova discloses a device for previewing clothing and other selected accessories while the U.S. Pat. No. '285 patent issued to Blancato discloses a device for previewing hairstyles. These devices are used for determining the aesthetic qualities of the goods, and may not be used to measure the weight of the individual or the weight distribution applied to the feet.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for selectively customizing a shoe, especially the sole thereof, for the particular requirements of a wearer dependent upon, among other factors, the weight of the wearer, the weight distribution of the wearer, the particular activity to be performed, and the level of intensity of the activity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for selectively customizing the aesthetic appearance of the shoe upper.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the aesthetic customization of the shoe upper may be made permanent.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the customization of the sole of the shoe and the customization of the upper of the shoe may be made permanent in similar fashion.

Athletic shoe with interchangeable elements


A method for automatic exposure compensation is disclosed. A shutter is activated and the environmental brightness is detected using a sensor. An exposure value is calculated according to the detection result to obtain a default exposure time. It is determined whether the exposure value is equal to a normal value. If not, a compensation value is calculated based on a shutter-closing curve and a compensation operation is thus executed. Thus, an exposure signal is generated by advancing a first predefined time or postponing a second predefined time, enabling the amount of exposure time to be equal to the addition or subtraction of the default exposure time and the first predefined time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an extraction apparatus for digital images, and more particularly to a method and system for automatic exposure compensation applied to an extraction apparatus for digital images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Overexposure may occur when taking photographs in a highly bright environment where exposure time is far less than time required by a shutter to close.
Current automatic exposure methods of digital cameras determine the time required by a shutter to close based on an exposure equation, represented as:EV=AV+TV=BV+LV,
where EV indicates an exposure value, AV indicates an aperture value, TV indicates a shutter value (speed), BV indicates a brightness value, and VL indicates a light value. When LV=15, for example, AV=5 and TV=10 can be assigned for exposure.
When the maximum shutter speed of the time required for a machine shutter to close is 1/500 seconds, for example, the exposure result is calculated by LV=15>5 (F5.6)+9 (½9 seconds≈ 1/500 seconds)=14=1 EV, thus overexposure by 1 EV is detected.
The invention thus provides a method for automatic exposure compensation, applicable to an extraction apparatus for digital images, enabling accurate exposure when shutter speed is inadequate.

Method and system for automatic exposure compensation


Embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods of contact formation. A self aligned contact scheme with reduced lithography requirements is disclosed. This reduces the risk of shorts between source/drains and gates, while providing improved circuit density. Cavities are formed adjacent to the gates, and a fill metal is deposited in the cavities to form contact strips. A patterning mask is then used to form smaller contacts by performing a partial metal recess of the contact strips.

As integrated circuits continue to scale downward in size, the finFET (fin field effect transistor) is becoming an attractive device for use in semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs). In a finFET, the channel is formed by a semiconductor vertical fin, and a gate electrode is located and wrapped around the fin. With finFETs, as with other transistor types, the contacts that connect the source, drain, and gate of the transistor are an important factor in the production of smaller integrated circuits with desired performance and reliability characteristics. It is therefore desirable for cost reasons to push the limits of single patterning in the advanced CMOS nodes at 14 nm and below. Indeed, multiple patterning in the absence of production-worthy EUV lithography equipment is cost prohibitive and results in a paradigm shift in the sense that for the first time in the industry, the case for higher density is not clear in view of associated cost.

Method for creating self-aligned transistor contacts


The present invention provides a brake dust measurement system that can accurately measure an amount of brake dust produced. The brake dust measurement system, in which a specimen having a brake is placed in a chamber and which measures brake dust produced from the brake, includes a sampling unit that samples air inside the chamber, an elemental analysis unit that performs elemental analysis of sampled air sampled by the sampling unit, a storage unit that stores elemental content information of a single or multiple elements contained in the brake, and a calculation unit that calculates an amount of brake dust contained in the sampled air on the basis of elemental analysis results of the elemental analysis unit and the elemental content information.

It is a known practice to sample brake dust produced from a brake while a vehicle is run on a chassis dynamometer or while the brake is attached to a brake dynamometer. To sample the brake dust, for example, a funnel-like capture probe (or simply referred to as a "funnel") may be disposed near the brake, and the capture probe may sample the brake dust together with the air around the brake.
An example of testing a brake by using the brake dynamometer is disclosed by PTL 1. PTL 1 proposes that for example, air is sampled using the funnel-like capture probe and the brake dust in the air is measured by introducing the air into a particle measuring device, such as a condensation particle counter (CPC) or a diffusion charging sensor (DCS).
In a test chamber, however, there exist rubber powder and metal powder produced from various rotating systems, such as tires, and foreign matter produced from an operator. As a result, the particle measuring device measures not only brake dust but also rubber powder, metal powder, foreign matter, or the like, which makes it difficult to measure the brake dust accurately. The particle measuring device such as the CPC or the DCS only can measure the number and the size of particles and cannot accurately determine the amount of brake dust produced.

Brake dust measurement system and brake dust measurement method


A CMOS power-up reset circuit provides a power-up output signal, useful to external circuits, when an applied power supply voltage exceeds a first predetermined value, and includes a ratioed transistor divider to generate a voltage on a sensing node which is a portion of the power supply voltage during a power-up transient. The circuit regeneratively latches when the rising power supply voltage and the sensing node voltage differ by more than a second predetermined value, such as a P-channel threshold voltage. A feedback signal subsequently disables current flow through the power-up reset circuit to virtually eliminate static power dissipation, and the power-up output signal is generated. Circuit provisions are incorporated to prevent capacitive coupling from the rising power supply voltage, through the N-wells of the P-channel transistors, to critical internal circuit nodes. The first predetermined value of the applied power supply voltage at which the circuit provides a power-up output signal is configurable by adjusting the ratio of two P-channel transistors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power-up reset circuits, and more specifically to CMOS power-up reset circuits which provide a signal indicating that the power supply voltage applied to such a circuit exceeds a predetermined value.
2. Description of Related Art
Power-up reset circuits are frequently utilized in electronic systems for ensuring predictable operation after a system power-up. In some cases, a power-up reset circuit may generate a reset pulse after its applied power supply voltage has reached a safe operating value, which is then used to reset external circuits. These external circuits may be integrated together with the power-up reset circuit upon the same integrated circuit, or may be fabricated external to the power-up reset circuit. In other cases, a power-up reset circuit may provide a signal which disables operation of external circuits until the power supply voltage has reached a safe operating voltage. For example, such a signal can be applied to the asynchronous reset input of a flip-flop, or applied to an output disable input of a clock generator. After the system power supply reaches a predetermined level, this disabling signal generated by such a power-up reset circuit is then removed, thereby enabling the operation of the external circuits. In this way, external circuits are prevented from operation during times when the system power supply provided to those external circuits is below a voltage necessary to ensure adequate and reliable operation of the external circuits.
Frequently, power-up reset circuits have utilized resistor and capacitor time constant techniques to generate a reset signal after a delay governed by the associated RC time constant. Such circuits often incorporate large valued resistors and/or large valued capacitances, which require significant area to implement using most typical integrated circuit processes. Furthermore, these techniques are problematic if the slew rate of the power supply is comparable to, or slower than, the chosen RC time constant. In such cases, the power-up reset circuit will likely enable the external circuits prematurely. Alternatively, if the RC time constant is chosen to be very long, the power-up reset circuit may introduce an unnecessary and a disadvantageously long delay before the external circuits are enabled. A power-up reset circuit which requires no large RC time constants advantageously consumes less area in most implementations.
Power-up reset circuits which trip reliably at a particular predetermined value of a power supply, irrespective of the rise time of that supply, are more suitable for predictably enabling external circuits after the system power supply has reached an adequate voltage, while not introducing arbitrary and lengthy delays after reaching that value.
Historically, many power-up reset circuits have also consumed power after the power supply has fully stabilized at an operating voltage. For large systems with non-critical power requirements, this power dissipation is not problematic. However, in a battery powered system, even a minor amount of DC power consumed by a power-up reset circuit after system power-up can materially limit the battery operating time of the system. A power-up reset circuit which disables static or DC current flow after providing the power-up reset signal advantageously eliminates this unnecessary power dissipation after power-up.
In some instances, a power-up reset circuit exhibiting a hysteresis characteristic is advantageous for providing a power-up signal only after the power supply voltage has initially reached a safe operating voltage threshold, but which will not be re-asserted if the power supply voltage momentarily dips below that same safe operating voltage threshold. Such a dip can occur as a result of noise on a power supply conductor as might occur during a switching transient.
The power supply voltage at which a power-up reset circuit asserts a power-up signal is advantageously determined by ratios of similar or like circuit components and is advantageously relatively insensitive to variations in semiconductor parameters. Such a circuit advantageously requires as few critical sizes or ratios as possible to set this predetermined value of the necessary power supply voltage. Furthermore, it is an advantage for the circuit to be adjustable to include a predetermined voltage suitable for 3 volt operation (e.g., 2.0-2.5 volts), particularly for battery operation of the circuit.

Self-disabling power-up detection circuit


In a radio wave reception device and a radio wave clock capable of receiving multiple frequencies, an intermediate frequency signal whose frequency is fixed can be output while a signal output from a local oscillation circuit (5) is fixed.

Nowadays, low-frequency standard radio waves containing time data (that is, a time code) are transmitted in various countries (for example, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, and so forth). In Japan, 40-kHz and 60-kHz low-frequency standard radio waves that have been subjected to amplitude modulation using a time code having a format shown in FIG. 12, are transmitted from two transmission facilities located in Fukushima Prefecture and Saga Prefecture). The time code comprises a plurality of frame is defined to have a time cycle of 60 seconds. According to FIG. 12, the time code is transmitted in a frame every time the figure representing the minute of an accurate time is updated (that is every minute).
Recently, so-called radio wave clocks that receive such time codes and correct time data of a timekeeping circuit based on the received time codes have been put into practical use. Besides, since the transmission frequencies of low-frequency standard radio waves to be transmitted from the two transmission facilities are different as described above, there have been provided radio wave clocks, which are adjusted to a so-called multi-band to become able to receive radio waves of both the frequencies (40 kHz and 60 kHz). Generally, such radio wave clocks are equipped inside with a straight receiving circuit adjusted to each frequency.
However, in order to make radio waves of two or more different frequencies receivable, it is necessary to prepare straight receiving circuits for the respective frequencies as described above. Therefore, there has arisen a problem that the circuit area and the amount of power consumption are increased. Further, a superheterodyne method has generally been used as a multi-frequency reception method. According to the superheterodyne method, it is necessary to change the local oscillation frequency in accordance with the frequency of a received radio wave.

Radio wave reception device and radio wave clock


A machine for in-register mounting of flexographic printing plates with a virtual data-processing system, having a supporting footing for a printing plate cylinder, on which a respective flexographic printing plate is mounted, suitable for printing a predefined image, and at least one television camera, which is connected to a monitor, is trained onto the cylinder and can slide parallel to the cylinder to check correct positioning-mounting of the printing plate, the television camera being associated with position sensors and connected to a device for the real-time processing and display of at least one composite image, for allowing the operator to perform precise position comparisons for optimum plate mounting between a preprocessed graphical reproduction of the image to be printed, provided on a digital memory composed of graphical memory associated with position measurements, and the position of the printing plate.

Currently, flexographic printing plates for printing machines are generally mounted on the printing plate cylinder by aligning as precisely as possible reference points (for example the traditional registration marks) provided on the printing plates with respective reference markings (often still marked by hand) on the sheets of paper on which the test prints are to be performed.
Modern machines avoid having to perform this alignment of reference markings every time with the naked eye, since optical magnification means are provided or, in the most advanced versions, television cameras are provided which allow to view under magnification the chosen points to be aligned.
Once the fixing of a first printing plate related to one color has been performed correctly and once the test print with said first printing plate has been performed, by way of said optical control means it is possible to verify and optimize the fixing of the printing plates related to the other colors to the respective printing plate cylinders.
It is evident that it is necessary to perform practical overlapping test prints of the image for each cylinder in order to check the achieved result of the in-register mounting of the printing plate; this of course requires considerable time for programming the positions of the printing plates and performing the test prints to check the perfect positioning of each printing plate, and such time is currently no longer acceptable, since it does not allow to achieve the optimum production rates required by the market.
Plate mounting devices, known simply as pointers, have become commercially widespread and allow, after programming the coordinates that correspond to the position of the mounting references, to position automatically the television cameras above the printing plate cylinder. The use of pointers, therefore, requires considerable time for programming, and it is possible only to check the mounting position of the references (for example, the traditional registration marks or microdots).

Machine for in-register mounting of flexographic printing plates

Granarolo Dell'Emilia—Frazione Quarto Inferiore


Disclosed is a hot water supplying apparatus having an auxiliary heat exchanger. The hot water supplying apparatus comprises: a heat exchanger including an inlet pipe for introducing heating water into the heat exchanger, and first, second, and third heat exchanging pipes connected to the inlet pipe and sequentially arranged; and an auxiliary heat exchanging device installed at an inlet port of the heat exchanger through which the heating water is introduced, the auxiliary heat exchanging device including a first auxiliary heat exchanging pipe connecting the inlet pipe to the first heat exchanging pipe, a second auxiliary heat exchanging pipe connecting the second heat exchanging pipe to the third heat exchanging pipe, and heat transfer fins for transferring heat energy from the second auxiliary heat exchanging pipe to the first auxiliary heat exchanging pipe.

In general, a heat exchanging apparatus provided to an apparatus for supplying hot water is to absorb combustion heat generated from a burner, and includes heat exchanging pipes through which water flows and heat transferring fins for absorbing the combustion heat, so as to heat water using the combustion heat in order to make hot water.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a conventional gas powered boiler.
In a heat exchanging apparatus 1, heat energy generated by a burner 20 is transferred to a heat exchanger 10 including a first heat exchanging pipe 11a so as to heat water in the heat exchanger 10. The hot calefactory water is forcibly supplied to locations which require heating by a circulation pump (not shown), so as to transfer heat energy. At this time, a blower 30 is installed at a lower portion of the burner 20 in order to effectively transfer heat energy to the heat exchanger 10. Meanwhile, exhaust gas is discharged outside through a smoke tube 40.
The calefactory water circulated by the circulation pump transfers its heat to the locations which require heating, and then returns to the relatively cold water so as to be introduced through the inlet into the heat exchanger 1. This process is repeated, so that the calefactory water is continuously circulated.
In the gas powered boiler having the above mentioned structure, since water in a pipe for heating water rises in temperature and there occurs no temperature difference between external air and the heating water during the operation of the boiler, there occurs no condensate water at the inlet pipe 50 for the heat exchanger which is installed at an inlet port through which the heating water is introduced into the heat exchanging apparatus 1.
In the boiler having the above mentioned structure, when much time passes in the state that the operation of the boiler stops, all of pipes in the boiler, the heat exchanger, pipes connected from the boiler to rooms respectively, and pipes arranged in the rooms are fully filled with cool water of which temperature has dropped. Further, the temperature of water in the pipes for heating becomes lowered to level identical with temperature of air around the boiler.
When the boiler operates in a state that the temperature of the water in the heating pipe is low, there occurs temperature difference between the cool water in the heating pipe and the air heated by the combustion of the burner.
Such a temperature difference seriously occurs in winter when a temperature of water in heating pipes is very low. Moisture, which is contained in the atmosphere, is condensed on a peripheral surface of pipes of the heat exchanger, so as to be condensate water.
Since high temperature heat is directly transferred from the burner 20 to the heat exchanger 10 which includes a plurality of heat exchanging pipes installed therein, no water condenses on the heat exchanger. However, moisture contained in the atmosphere condenses on the peripheral surface of the inlet pipe 50 arranged at the inlet port of the heat exchanger through which the calefactory water is introduced, and the first heat exchanging pipe 11a because of the temperature difference between the cold water in the pipes and the external air. Such condensate water accelerates the corrosion of various parts, made of metal material, of the boiler.

Hot-water supply system having supplementary heat exchanger


A method of operating a solid-state storage drive is provided. The method includes encrypting, in the solid-state storage drive, first data by a first key, and writing the encrypted first data into solid-state storage memory of the solid-state storage drive. The method includes encrypting, in the solid-state storage drive, second data by a second key, and writing the encrypted second data into the solid-state storage memory of the solid-state storage drive, wherein at least one of the first key or the second key is supplied from a source external to the solid-state storage drive.

Solid-state drives (SSD) write data onto and read data from solid-state memory, usually flash memory. Encryption, if used, is usually handled by processors at data sources or destinations, or by a storage array controller or processors of storage nodes in a storage cluster. The data is provided in encrypted form to the solid-state drives for storage, or read from the solid-state drives in encrypted form. Yet, there is room for improvements to efficiency, and alternative architectures for storage systems. It is in this context that the embodiments presented herein arise.

Separate encryption for a solid-state drive


An optical isolator comprises two polarizers arranged before and after an optical rotator and a magnet surrounds the optical rotator. The magnet may generate a magnet field with a direction in spatial space parallel to the propagation direction of light traveling in the optical rotator and a strength sufficient to rotate the light to a predetermined rotation angle. Preferably, the polarizers are birefringent wedges of identical shape and optical properties. The magnet in accordance with the present invention may have a pair of magnetic adapters to generate the desired direction and strength of magnetic field. The direction of magnetic field varies in three-dimension space as the magnet is adjusted. The present invention provides an optical isolator of high isolation for high-volume mass production at a low cost. In particular, it may be easily operated at different wavelengths to achieve desired isolation without sacrifice of other optical properties of the optical isolator.

The present invention relates to optical devices and, in particular, to optical isolators.
In fiber optical communication systems, one concern is reflection induced by feedback of a light signal. The reflection causes noise which in turn, can degrade performance of communication. Usually, optical devices, such as optical isolators or circulators, are employed to prevent reflection. An optical isolator or circulator acts as an one way valve for a light signal, allowing the transmission of forward light and especially useful in preventing backward light. An important index to evaluate the performance of such an optical device is its ability to isolate the backward light.
These nonreciprocal optical devices for providing isolation are based on Faraday's discovery in accordance with which, the plane of polarized light rotates while passing through glass that is contained in a magnetic field. The amount of rotation is dependent upon (1) the component of the magnetic field parallel to the direction of light propagation, (2) the path length in the optical material, and (3) the ability of the magneto-optic material to rotate the polarization plane as expressed by the Verdet constant.
An optical isolator in its simplest form consists of a first polarizer, a Faraday rotator contained in a magnet configured so that the lines of flux are along the axis of the rotator and thus parallel to the direction of light propagation, and a second polarizer.
The performance of the optical devices is primarily defined by backward loss (the ability to block reflected light and commonly referred to as "isolation"). There are two different designs to achieve isolation. One of them is composed of a polarizer, a rotator, and an analyzer. In such a design, whether it succeeds in suppressing back-reflection mainly relies on the extinction ratio of the polarizer and the analyzer, reflected stray light from the individual elements, and the accuracy and stability of the 45.degree. Faraday rotator. In the other design that is commonly used in current optical isolators to reach a higher isolation, the polarizers arranged before and after the Faraday rotator are two birefringent wedges of the same shape. The birefringent wedges spatially separate the ordinary and extraordinary beams from each other in the backward direction so that both miss the entrance into the input fiber pigtail.
An optical isolator 100 of prior art usually comprises a first birefringent wedge 102, an optical rotator 104 surrounded by a magnet 106, and a second birefringent wedge 108, as shown in FIG. 1. Backward light beam 110 from an optic fiber (not shown) propagates along a direction parallel to the axis 112 of optical rotator 104 before entering into the first birefringent wedge 102. The first birefringent wedge 102 separates the light beam 110 into an extraordinary ray and an ordinary ray. Also, the first birefringent wedge 102 causes the propagation direction of light beam 110 slightly refracted. Another reason that may also result in the propagation direction of light beam 110 refracted is inaccurate installation of birefringent wedge 102 during assembling. Due to the slanted surface of first birefringent wedges 102 and/or its inaccurate installation, the propagation direction of the light beam 110 is deflected from the axis 112 of optical rotator 104 in spatial space after it enters into the first birefringent wedge 102. However, a magnetic field 120 directed parallel to the axis 112 of the optical rotator 104 may not at this time parallel to direction 118 of light beam, which affects the amount of rotation that is dependent upon the component of the magnetic field parallel to the direction of light propagation. Accordingly, it is difficult for the prior art optical isolators to achieve high isolation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,330 to VanDelden et al., "VanDelden herein", disclosed a method by which the position of a magnet with respect to the optical rotator is adjusted along a direction parallel to the axis of the magnet, so as to vary the magnetic field strength applied to the optical rotator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,673 to Swan, "Swan herein", taught an optical isolator in which an input transmission element has a beveled surface that is parallel to the surface of the first birefringent wedge in order to force the light traveling in the first birefringent wedge along the axis of the optical rotator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,829 to Zheng, "Zheng herein", referred to adjust the orientation of the first polarizer and the second polarizer so that the isolation peak position can be modified.
Those prior art optical isolators focuses on only variation of the magnetic field strength or a saturated magnetic field strength that leads a light beam within the optical rotator of the optical isolator to be rotated to a proper extent, and the adjustment is simply conducted on two-dimension plane rather than in a three-dimension space, so the requirement that the propagation direction of a light beam shall be parallel to the direction of the magnetic field is not satisfied. Also, since the polarizers are too small in size to be accurately adjusted manually, the efforts to achieve high isolation by manually adjusting the orientation of the polarizer is a random process without a definite pattern, so it closely associates with experience.
Most importantly, prior art optical isolators ignore such a point that in order to achieve a high isolation, the direction of magnetic field and light propagation should be parallel. To achieve this aim in practical operation, the amount of rotation of Faraday rotator has to be adjusted to a proper extent relative to orientation of the two polarizers. Specifically, all three conditions discovered by Faraday must be met to obtain an optimum rotation to achieve a high isolation. The requirement that light propagation should be parallel to the direction of magnetic field also determines the accuracy of optical rotators.
Currently, these optical devices are subjected to several constrains. Only fewer than 30% of the devices so constructed can achieve an isolation higher than 40 dB at a fixed single operating wavelength in high-volume mass production. Furthermore, while wavelength is adjustable in prior art optical isolator, the isolation is lower than the value commonly required with the complexity of manufacturing. Thus, prior art optical isolators render a relatively low isolation on an average at a predetermined wavelength in high-volume mass production.
Therefore, what is needed is an optical device that optimizes the isolation at various wavelengths. Specifically, both direction and strength of the magnetic field of the optical device are adjustable in three-dimension space and preferably, the direction of the magnetic field is parallel to the direction of light propagation in three-dimension space.

Optical device of enhanced optical isolation at various wavelengths