A semiconductor device having a capacitor formed in a multilayer wiring structure, the semiconductor device comprising a multilayer wiring structure including a plurality of wiring layers formed on a substrate, a capacitor arranged in a predetermined wiring layer in the multilayer wiring structure and having a lower electrode, a dielectric film, and an upper electrode, a first via formed in the predetermined wiring layer and connected to a top surface of the upper electrode of the capacitor, and a second via formed in an overlying wiring layer stacked on the predetermined wiring layer, the second via being formed on the first via.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and in particular, to a semiconductor device having a capacitor formed in a multilayer wiring structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various semiconductor devices having a multilayer wiring structure are used. It is known that recent interconnection wiring used in the multilayer wiring structure of such a semiconductor device are composed of materials such as aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu). Different methods are used to form the interconnection wiring depending on whether or not these materials can be easily subjected to exposure, etching, or the like. In particular, if copper is used for the interconnection wiring, it has the advantages of offering smaller resistance than aluminum, hindering electromigration more excellently than aluminum, and the like. While, if copper is used for the interconnection wiring, it is known to be disadvantages in that it is diffused in silicon (Si) and silicon oxide (SiO2) at a very high rate, in that it cannot be formed into a film properly using a CVD process, and in that it cannot be dry-etched.
Thus, a single damascene process or a dual damascene process is used to form the copper interconnection wiring, in order to be realized the advantages of the copper as used in the interconnection wiring, while effectively eliminating the disadvantages of copper as formed in the silicon (Si) and silicon oxide (SiO2). In particular, using the dual damascene process, a via hole and a wiring groove portion connected to the via hole can be sequentially etched in an insulating film in a multilayer wiring layer. Subsequently, copper can be buried in the via hole and the wiring groove portion at the same time. The dual damascene process reduces the number of processes executed, thus enabling manufacturing costs to be reduced.
On the other hand, for capacitors used in analog circuits or the like, what is called a "MIM capacitor", composed of a metal film, a dielectric film, and a metal film, has been used in place of a polysilicon capacitor in order to improve capacitive accuracy. Description will be given below of an example of a conventional process of forming such a semiconductor device.
Such a semiconductor device has a multilayer wiring structure including, for example, a MOS transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device has a MIM capacitor formed in a predetermined wiring later in this multilayer wiring structure.
When a semiconductor device having such a structure is manufactured, first, a gate insulating film and a gate electrode of a MOS transistor are sequentially formed, by exposure and etching, on a semiconductor substrate between element isolation insulating films formed in the substrate. Then, an impurity ion injecting process is executed to form source/drain areas in the semiconductor substrate on the both sides of the gate insulating film and the gate electrode. Subsequently, a CVD process is used to form a first interlayer insulating film of SiO2 covering the whole semiconductor substrate including the gate insulating film and the gate electrode. Then, the surface of the first interlayer insulating film is flattened using a CMP process.
Subsequently, the first interlayer insulating film located on one of the source/drain areas is etched so as to form a contact hole. Thus, a contact is formed which contacts with the top surface of the source/drain area. Furthermore, a second interlayer insulating film is deposited on the first interlayer insulating film. Then, a first wiring groove is etched in the second interlayer insulating film so as to connect to the contact. Copper is buried in the first wiring groove and then flattened using the CMP process, to form a first copper wiring. Then, a first copper diffusion stopper layer is deposited on the first copper wiring formed in the first interlayer insulating film.
Then, in an area of the semiconductor substrate different from that in which the MOS transistor has been formed, on the first copper diffusion stopper layer, a lower metal film (of a lower electrode), a dielectric film, an upper metal film (of an upper electrode), and a cap material film are sequentially deposited as a MIM capacitor.
Subsequently, the cap material film and the upper metal film are etched in order to form the upper electrode. Furthermore, the dielectric film and the lower metal film are etched in order to form the lower electrode. Then, a third interlayer insulating film is formed so as to cover all of the lower electrode, the dielectric film, the upper electrode, and the cap material film.
Subsequently, a wiring groove is formed in the third interlayer insulating film so as to connect to the upper electrode. Further, a via hole is formed in the third interlayer insulating film. The via hole leads to the lower electrode. A wiring groove is also formed which is connected to the via hole. In this case, a via hole and a wiring groove connected to the via hole may also be formed, as required, in the third interlayer insulating film formed on the area in which the MOS transistor is formed. Copper is deposited in these via holes and wiring grooves at the same time.
Subsequently, fourth and fifth wiring layers having similar configurations are formed on the third interlayer insulating film as required.
These steps complete a semiconductor device having a multilayer wiring structure in which a capacitor and copper wrings are formed in the wiring layers.
In the conventional manufacturing process for the conventional semiconductor device as described above, when a copper wiring is formed on the upper electrode of the MIM capacitor, the etching of the wiring groove may expose, undesirably, a part of the upper electrode or the etching may further proceed to expose even a part of the lower electrode. As a result, the copper wiring layer may undesirably be connected to the upper electrode or the lower electrode. Furthermore, even if the upper and lower electrodes are avoided to be exposed, if the wiring groove is etched down to the vicinity of either of these electrodes, then the copper wiring formed in this wiring groove may stress the electrodes, resulting in a crack thereof. As a result, the upper and lower electrodes may be short-circuited via the copper wiring to cause a leakage current. In other cases, a crack in the electrode may cause a defect in connections to degrade the functions of the MIM capacitor.

Semiconductor device having capacitor formed in multilayer wiring structure


In a computer implemented method, a plurality of records are stored in a database at unique record addresses. The information of each record is parsed into a set of individual words where each word represents a portion of the information of a particular record. A unique sequential location is assigned to each word so that the location of a first word of a next record sequentially follows the location of a last word of a previous record. Pairs are formed from the words and their assigned location. For attributes common to a particular record, generate a record metaword, and assign the location of the last word of the record to the metaword. For attributes common to subsets of words, generate a first and second field metaword, and assign the location of the first and last word of the subset to the first and second field metaword to form pairs. The pairs are sorted in a memory, first according to the words and metawords, and second according to their locations so that each unique word and metaword is immediately followed by a sequential list of locations where the unique word and metaword occurs in the database.

In the prior art, it has been well known that computer systems can be used to store records of databases. Many techniques are known for parsing information of databases. However, parsing large databases storing information in various encoding modalities presents special problems.
In recent years, a unique distributed database has emerged in the form of World-Wide-Web (Web). The database records of the Web are in the form of pages accessible via the Internet. Here, tens of millions of pages are accessible by anyone having a communications link to the Internet
The pages are dispersed over millions of different computer systems all over the world. Users of the Internet constantly desire to locate specific pages containing information of interest. The pages can be expressed in any number of different character sets such as English, French, German, Spanish, Cyrillic, Kanakata, and Mandarin. In addition, the pages can include specialized components, such as embedded "forms," executable programs, JAVA applets, and hypertext.
Moreover, the pages can be constructed using various formatting conventions, for example, ASCII text, Postscript files, html files, and Acrobat files. The pages can include links to multimedia information content other than text, such as audio, graphics, and moving pictures. As a complexity, the Web can be characterized as an unpredictable random update, insert, and delete database with a constantly changing morphology.
Prior art parsing technologies are not always suited to handle the formidable task of parsing pages of the Web. Most parsers are designed to be context dependent In addition, most parsers handle information having distinct attributes, such as titles, authors, and locations, separately from the information attributed. This can be a severe limitation, particularly in an environment which permits the creation of pages in other linguistic and grammatical constructs.
It is desired to provide a parsing technique which can parse a large database having content and content attributes stored in a number of different forms. The parsing should provide indexable items which can be stored in a single unified index structure.

Technique for indexing information stored as a plurality of records


The invention relates to a multi-washer, and to a method of cleaning synthesis gases obtained by the gasification of wastes of the most varied composition. Such multi-washers are used to remove lumpy and adhesive materials from the synthesis gas, such as carbon particles and sulphur. According to the present invention, a horizontal container (1) is sub-divided by partition bulkheads (5) into a plurality of successive wash chambers (2,3,4), which are each provided with a sumpless outflow to a respective pump system (6,7,8). Disposed in each of the wash chambers (2,3,4) is a least one substance exchanger (9) in an oblique position, which is sprayed from both sides with varying quantities of wash liquid. The sprayed wash liquid penetrates into the substance exchangers (9) and, due to the varying quantity, is removed in an directed fashion. As the wash liquid also sprays the wall of the container (1), total self-cleaning of the multi-washer is ensured. In order to prevent any transfer of wash liquid from one wash chamber (2,3,4) into the adjacent wash chamber (2,3,4), a droplet collector (10) is located in the direction of gas flow at the rear or downstream end of each wash chamber (2,3,4).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a multi-washer and to a method of cleaning gasses, particularly of raw synthesis gas from the gasification of municipal and other wastes which contain carbon particles, hydrogen sulphide, water vapor and volatile heavy metals.
2. Description of Related Art
According to the prior art, in order to clean contaminated industrial gases of all types, but also in order to improve the quality of utility gases, the gas to be cleaned is passed through a plurality of horizontally mounted substance exchangers, which are loaded with a wash liquid. These washers have the purpose of removing the materials contained in the gas, such for example as CO.sub.2, CO, NO.sub.x, H.sub.2 S or also solid impurities such as dusts from the gas flow by means of the wash liquid. A plurality of wash liquids are known, which as a rule physically and/or chemically bind, if necessary absorb or adsorb, only one specific toxic material.
The document JP 55-22238 demonstrates such a device for cleaning gases, in which there are located within a substantially horizontally lying container a plurality of wash regions, through which the gas to be cleaned is passed upwards and downwards in a meandering fashion.
The individual wash regions have substance exchangers stacked horizontally one above the other at defined spacings in the form of wash trays consisting of packings with filling members, which are sprayed with wash liquid on one side, on their outer side lying on top. These are thus wash towers, combined into a single pressure vessel, disposed in a horizontal alignment, and through which the gas passes vertically, as is conventional for individual tower scrubbers.
These known columnar washing systems have a series of disadvantages when applied to the cleaning of synthesis gases from waste gasification. Due to the horizontal layering of the individual substance exchangers, the cleaning liquid running off the substance exchangers and charged with materials runs into the further wash trays lying underneath. Particularly in the case of lumpy and adhesive contents such as carbon particles and sulphur, this leads in a short time to clogging and stoppage of the wash trays.
Because of these disadvantages, washers are used which eliminate the above-described substance exchangers and instead blow the gas to be cleaned merely through a spray mist of the cleaning liquid, so-called spray washing. A disadvantage of these spray washers is that the contact surface between gas and liquid is small compared to that of the substance exchangers, and therefore a reduced cleaning effect is achieved. The document EP 0 249 400 A1 illustrates such a washer, in which a horizontally-disposed pressure container is divided into individual zones. In these zones a spray mist of cleaning liquid is produced, through which the gas is passed. The spray mist is then precipitated on inclined droplet collectors and collected in a common sump, which likewise tends to clog due to sedimentation of lumpy and adhesive contained materials.

Multi-washer and method of total cleaning of gases


A remotely or locally actuable refrigerator door lock has a body portion that is attached to the cabinet and a door portion that is attached to an edge of the door. A latch in the body portion engages a strike plate in the door portion and can be lifted out of engagement to open the refrigerator. The door lock assembly may be connected to a touch-screen device or via a USB or ethernet connection to a remote host computer. The host computer keeps an audit trail of the times and personnel accessing each refrigerator, and a temperature audit trail. The system may be used in hospital for controlling access to pharmaceuticals or may be used in a weight loss program. Temperature and humidity sensors are positioned within the refrigerator cabinet. The door lock may have battery power for portable or mobile applications.

This invention relates to an electronic lock that mounts on the front door of a refrigerator to limit access to the refrigerator. The invention is more specifically directed to a refrigerator door lock that connects to a remote computer system, e.g., in a hospital or health care facility, to secure pharmaceuticals that need to be refrigerated, and to facilitate keeping an audit trail of access to the refrigerator. The invention may also be employed as an adjunct to a weight loss program. The lock may also be used in connection with a warming cabinet for ingestible materials or injectable materials such as contrast agents for radiography, where the materials need to be kept at body temperature.
In general, pharmaceuticals are delivered to patients when needed, and those that need to be kept refrigerated are stored in a refrigerator in the pharmacy of the hospital or other facility. However, it is more convenient and better use of the nurse's time and efforts to keep the pharmaceuticals at the patient locations, i.e., in the patient's room or ward, or in the cluster of rooms where the patient is located. However, those drugs that need refrigeration cannot simply be stored in a secured dispensing cabinet at the room or nurse station, but have to be kept in a refrigerator until needed. The refrigerator is either unsecured, or is kept locked with a key lock, with the key distribution limited only to certain persons in the nursing staff and pharmacy staff. Any record of access to the refrigerator would have to be maintained on a paper record, or by separately keying in information on separate computer work station. There is also no means provided to ensure that the refrigerator is kept locked, to alarm if the refrigerator is left open or unlocked, or to monitor the refrigerator's operating temperature. In the current systems, there is no means provided to warn the pharmacy department or the nursing staff if the refrigeration cabinet has failed to maintain the materials at the chilled temperature, or if the refrigeration or other storage cabinet has failed to maintain the proper relative humidity.
It would be desirable to employ a refrigerator as a pharmacy cabinet at the patient location in which medications that have been prescribed for a patient can be loaded by pharmacy staff and stored securely until administered to the patient, which will automatically keep track of access to the refrigerated cabinet, and which can be accessed by the nurse staff electronically (e.g., using wireless means). It is also desirable to ensure that the refrigerated cabinet is kept secure, and that the operating temperature is sufficiently cool. However, no measure exists, up to the present, to carry this out.
In addition to temperature monitoring, some pharmaceuticals need to be monitored for humidity, and some for both temperature and some for both temperature and humidity when stored.
Also, some medicaments and medical products need to be stored at a temperature above ambient. For example, radiographic contrast materials need to be stored at body temperature (i.e., 37° C.), and these substances are classified as pharmaceuticals and need to be kept in a locked cabinet. The contrast materials are controlled like other pharmaceuticals, and so it is desired to limit access to these materials as well, and to create an audit trail of which persons have access to them. Accordingly, there is a need for a locked warming cabinet that creates an audit trail and which can be monitored for temperature. Controlling access to the contrast materials also limits incidents of contamination or suspected contamination of other pharmaceutical materials. Other controlled materials could be stored at elevated temperatures above or below 37° C., as need be.
For transport of pharmaceuticals, or for use of pharmaceuticals in a mobile situation, there is a need for a refrigerator or storage cabinet lock that operates under battery power so that the pharmaceuticals can be monitored (e.g., for temperature and/or humidity) during transport. Then, if the temperature or humidity was outside the acceptable range during shipping, it will be possible to deny access to the cabinet and to the possibly tainted medication, except for specially authorized supervisory personnel.
It is also desired to track the temperature of the refrigerator or other temperature-controlled cabinet, and automatically provide an alert warning if the temperature (or relative humidity) is outside an acceptable range.
A further need is for ensuring patient safety, i.e., to ensure drugs that have not been kept at the proper storage conditions, e.g., outside of an acceptable temperature range, are not administered to patients until their purity has been checked out by pharmacy staff.
The pharmaceutical industry has achieved a global reach an impact, with medicines and vaccines being shipped to all areas of the world. Many of these medicines and vaccines are temperature sensitive and have precise storage requirements. Unfortunately, during shipment the products can be subjected to extreme temperature and humidity changes, unforeseen delays during transit, especially international transit, and need for field delivery to remote points of use, which often requires several mode changes. In addition, the pharmaceutical companies are subject to relentless cost pressures, so there is a need to make shipping and distribution as efficient as possible while ensuring that the products that are delivered are of consistent quality.
At the present time, most refrigerated medications are shipped in twelve-inch by twenty-four-inch insulated boxes, with ice. These can include a digital thermometer device that logs the temperature, but does not lock the box closed, and does not guarantee that any medication in the box that was subject to poor temperature control is isolated and not distributed to a patient. Some medications are shipped in a box or crate without ice, and are shipped in a refrigerated container. These boxes may have a special security tape that is intended to reveal tampering, but these are not locked containers, and there is no means included to prevent distribution of the medications if they had been subjected to adverse temperature (or humidity) conditions.
A similar problem exists for selectively locking and unlocking a food storage refrigerator and/or warming cabinet at specific meal times in a weight loss or weight control problems.

Remotely or locally actuated refrigerator lock with temperature and humidity detection


An electrowetting display device comprises a picture element having a first support plate and a second support plate having a space therebetween having a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. The first support plate comprises a display area, adjoining the space, within which the first fluid is confined and having a first surface adjoining the space. A wall protrudes from the first support plate and is formed outside the display area along a part of the perimeter of the display area. The wall has a second surface facing the display area and adjoining the space. An electrode has a first portion adjacent to the first surface and a second portion adjacent to at least a part of the second surface such that a surface of the second portion including a long side of a cross section of the second portion faces the display area.

Electrowetting display devices including two support plates are known. One of the support plates comprises a pattern of walls defining the picture elements of the display device. The area between the walls of a picture element is called the display area, over which a display effect occurs.
A space between the support plates contains a first and a second fluid immiscible with each other. The configuration of the walls confines the first fluid within the display area. An electrode is provided in the support plate within the display area. When no voltage is provided between the electrode and the second fluid the first fluid forms a layer over the display area. An application of a voltage changes the configuration of the first and second fluid to provide a display effect.
A problem with this display device is that a relatively high voltage is required to initiate the movement of the first fluid away from the layer configuration. This increases the electrical power required to cause a desired display effect.
Several parts and components of embodiments appear in more than one Figure; for the sake of clarity the same reference numeral will be used to refer to the same part and component in all of the Figures.


An imaging system includes a plurality of imaging bodies, a moving part, and an imaging control unit. Each of the imaging bodies includes a first optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at an optical axis and oriented in a first direction of the optical axis, and a second optical element that images a range containing a hemisphere that is centered at the optical axis and oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The imaging bodies is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The moving part moves the imaging bodies on a straight line. The imaging control unit is configured to cause the imaging bodies to perform imaging in synchronization with each other, and acquire a taken image from each of the imaging bodies.

A technique of a three-dimensional reconstruction model is known in which a real object, building, or the entire space containing the real object or building is measured using imaging by a camera, laser beam radiation, or the like, and three-dimensional information is reconstructed as electronic data based on a measurement result. In recent years, the use of the three-dimensional reconstruction model has been studied in various scenes such as bridge inspection or building sites. For example, when a large-scale facility such as a building, is to be built, it may possible to compare a plan designed using computer-aided design (CAD) with a three-dimensional reconstruction model created based on measurement in a building site. In addition, it may be possible to create and apply a three-dimensional reconstruction model to check the conditions during inspections after construction.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a three-dimensional distance measuring sensor that can be applied to acquire three-dimensional reconstruction data, for example. According to Patent Literature 1, three cameras each having fisheye lens characteristics are arranged at three respective viewpoint positions, and a three-dimensional distance is calculated based on images taken by these three cameras.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an imaging system that enables the whole surroundings to be imaged as a full-spherical image by devising lens configuration methods. By acquiring a plurality of taken images at different viewpoints using the imaging system disclosed in Patent Literature 2, it is possible to create a three-dimensional reconstruction model for a relatively wide range.

Imaging system with multiple wide-angle optical elements arranged on a straight line and movable along the straight line


A process for making a fluid processing module is provided wherein a plurality of filtration elements is alternated with a fluid porous layer to form a stack. The filtration elements comprise a membrane sheet having a thermoplastic element bonded to a portion of an edge of the membrane. An opening is provided either through the membrane or through the thermoplastic element. A portion of the thermoplastic element extends into the opening and can be sealed to an adjacent positioned thermoplastic element to seal the porous sheet positioned between adjacently positioned membranes from fluid communication with the opening. Sealing can be effected by extending a heating element through the opening of the stack to effect simultaneous sealing of a plurality of thermoplastic elements.

This invention relates to a process for making a fluid processing module such as a membrane filtration apparatus for effecting filtration of a liquid composition wherein a feed liquid is introduced into the apparatus and a filtrate stream and, optionally a retentate stream are removed from the apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to a process for making a fluid processing module such as membrane filtration apparatus that are formed by indirect heat sealing of a polymeric composition.
For convenience, this invention will be described in detail with reference to a filtration module. However, it is to be understood that the process of this invention is equally applicable for making other fluid processing modules such as manifolds, heat exchangers, dialysers, desalters, degassers and the like. Prior to the present invention, liquids have been filtered within a plurality of filter modules that are stacked between manifolds or individually sealed to a manifold plate. Each module includes a one or more filter layers separated by appropriate spacer layers, such as screens, to permit liquid feed flow into the apparatus as well as filtrate flow from the apparatus. Filtration within the module can be conducted as a tangential flow filtration (TFF) process wherein incoming feed liquid is flowed tangentially over a membrane surface to form a retentate and a filtrate. Alternatively, filtration can be conducted as a dead end mode otherwise identified as normal flow filtration (NFF) wherein all incoming feed liquid is passed through a membrane filter with retention of solids and other debris on the membrane filter. In this latter mode only a filtrate is recovered.
At the present time, a filtrate stream is sealed from a feed stream within a membrane filtration apparatus by sealing techniques utilizing potting adhesives such as epoxies, urethanes or silicones, solvent bonding or direct heat sealing. In the case of a tangential flow filtration apparatus, a filtrate stream is sealed from a feed stream and a retentate stream. Adhesives are undesirable since they have limited chemical compatibility, are a source of significant extractable species, introduce process control difficulties, impose bond strength limitations, impose use temperature limitations and increase process cycle time. Direct heat sealing wherein a heating element contacts a material that flows to form a seal is undesirable since its use imposes a minimal limitation upon the thickness of the material being heat sealed. This results in a reduction of the number of layers that can be present in a given volume of the filtration module, thereby undesirably reducing the filtration capacity of the module. In addition, direct heat sealing is undesirable because it requires multiple steps, imposes material compatibility limitations, and typically utilizes a substrate to effect direct heat-sealing of filtration elements and can cause membrane damage. Solvent bonding is undesirable since solvents impose environmental issues and process variability while potentially useful polymers are limited by their solvation characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,742 discloses a filter cartridge comprising a thermoplastic frame into which are molded a plurality of filtration membranes. The thermoplastic frame is molded to provide fluid pathways that assure incoming fluid to be filtered to be passed through a membrane prior to removing filtered fluid from the filter cartridge. The frame is sufficiently thick so that fluid pathways to and from the membranes can be formed. Since adjacent membranes are separated by relatively thick spacer members, membrane area per unit volume of the filter cartridge is undesirably low.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for making a fluid processing module such as a multilayer filtration apparatus which utilizes a plurality of filtration elements wherein the layers are appropriately sealed without the use of adhesive, solvent bonding or direct heat sealing. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a process for making a fluid processing module tangential flow containing a large number of layers such as filtration layers per volume of filtration apparatus which can be formed into a stack and which can be appropriately sealed to define liquid flow paths within the stack. Such a filtration apparatus would provide a high filtration capacity and would permit multiple uses of the apparatus.

Process for making a fluid processing module


A voice coil driven positioner is provided for positioning the magnetic head of a tape drive relative to the tape of a removable tape cartridge. The head positioner includes a low-mass carriage that supports the head on one end and the voice coil on an opposed second end. A low friction guide mechanism guides the carriage along a precision movement path that carries the head across tracks of a supplied multi-track tape and simultaneously carries the voice coil through a flux field generated by a stator. A movable magnet is attached to the carriage and located within the hollow of the voice coil for reciprocating into a hollow passageway of the stator together with reciprocation of the voice coil into another hollow of the stator. A flux detector is attached to the stator and located compactly within the hollow passageway of the stator for detecting the position of the magnet. A programmable lookup table converts measurement signals output by the flux detector into pre-calibrated, head-position indicating signals. A platform is provided on the carriage for mounting an interferometer prism used during calibration.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to magnetic recording devices. The invention relates more specifically to an apparatus and method for positioning a magnetic head relative to the tracks of a multi-track tape.
2a. Cross Reference to Related Applications
The following copending U.S. patent application(s) is/are assigned to the assignee of the present application, is/are related to the present application and its/their disclosures is/are incorporated herein by reference:
(A) Ser. No. 07/794,999 by Nayak et al. and entitled GEAR DRIVE CARRIAGE AND STEPPER ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM;
(B) Ser. No. 07/926,743 by Nayak et al. and entitled MECHANISMS FOR A CLOSED LOOP HEAD POSITIONER FOR STREAMING TAPE DRIVES.
2b. Cross Reference to Related Patents
The following U.S. patent(s) is/are assigned to the assignee of the present application, is/are related to the present application and its/their disclosures is/are incorporated herein by reference:
(A) U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,492 issued Mar. 2, 1993, to Nayak et al. and entitled MECHANISMS FOR A CLOSED LOOP HEAD POSITIONER FOR STREAMING TAPE DRIVES.
3. Description of the Related Art
High-density recording of information on multiple tracks of a magnetic tape is well known. Parallel tracks are defined to extend along a substantially longitudinal direction of an elongated magnetic tape. A magnetic head is moved in a transverse, lateral direction across the tape surface to bring a read and/or write gap of the head into proximity with a desired track prior to recording or playback. During a recording or playback session, the head is expected to remain on track while the tape moves in the longitudinal direction, past the read/write gap.
Accurate positioning of the head's read/write gap to a desired track is important. Two basic kinds of head positioners are used for providing head to track alignment: open-loop and closed-loop.
Open-loop positioners are typically employed for one-time placement of a head relative to a track and are commonly found in tape systems having relatively low track densities. The magnetic head rides on a lead screw. A stepper motor rotates the lead screw and the lead-screw converts the rotational motion of the motor into linear movement of the head. The stepper motor is advanced a fixed number of degrees to shift the head from one track to the next prior to reading or writing. The head remains in a fixed position during the read/write session. No provision is made for correcting alignment error while the tape moves and information is being read from or recorded onto the track.
Closed-loop positioners are typically used for multi-track tapes having relatively high track densities and high recording/readback rates. The tape has a tendency to disadvantageously wander in the lateral direction as it advances in the desired longitudinal direction. This creates an undesirable track-to-head misalignment. If tracks are spaced very close to one another, the lateral wander can be sufficient to produce an off-track condition. To overcome this problem, servo signals are pre-recorded onto the tape to mark the position of each track. A closed-loop servo system moves the head laterally while searching for the servo signals of a desired track and thereby brings the head into fine alignment with the desired track. Feed-back is used to continuously maintain alignment with the servo signals during the reading or writing of information from/onto the track.
A combination of an open-loop coarse positioner and closed-loop fine positioner has been proposed for positioning a magnetic head relative to a high-density multitrack tape. The above cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,492 discloses such a combination. A voice coil is attached to the magnetic head for providing closed-loop fine positioning while the head and voice-coil assembly rides on a lead screw that is driven by a stepper-motor to provide coarse positioning.
Such a combination of an open-loop, coarse positioner and a closed-loop, fine positioner suffers from the following drawbacks. Numerous parts are needed both for individually constructing the coarse and fine positioning subsystems and for connecting the two subsystems together. The cost of manufacture for such a combination is large due to the additive cost of the individual parts and due to the work involved in combining so many parts. The combined size of the coarse and fine positioning subsystems tends to be disadvantageously large. Integration of the open-loop and closed-loop servo electronics is complex and raises stability problems. Track switching time and/or track switching power consumption tends to be large due to the combined mass of the coarse and fine positioning subsystems.

Voice coil driven positioner for coarse and fine positioning of magnetic head in multi-track tape drive


In a watt-hour meter in which first and second input signals representing an analog electric current and an analog voltage of an alternating current are converted into first and second digital signals, a first adder produces a sum signal which represents a sum of the first input signal and an additional analog signal of a frequency different from that of the first input signal and which is substituted for the first input signal. The meter may further comprise a second adder which adds another additional analog signal to the second input signal. Alternatively, the meter comprises low-pass filters and oversample-and-convert circuits to produce the first and the second input digital signals.

This invention relates to an electric power meter for measuring an integrated electric power of an alternating current.
An electric power meter of the type described, is typically a watt-hour meter which measures an integral value, with respect to time, of an electric power of the alternating current. The alternating current has a frequency of, for example, 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
A conventional electric power meter comprises a first converter which converts a first input signal representative of an analog electric current of the alternating current into a first digital signal. A second converter converts a second input signal representative of an analog voltage of the alternating current into a second digital signal. An analog-to-digital converter is typically used as each of the first and the second converters.
Connected to the first and the second converters, a multiplier calculates a product of the first and the second digital signals to produce a product signal. Connected to the multiplier, an integrator integrates the product signal to produce a meter output signal representative of an integrated electric power of the alternating current.
With this structure, quantization noise or distortion is inevitably generated in each of the first and the second converters as known in the art. Generation of the quantization noise results in a degraded accuracy of measurement of the integrated electric power.
In order to elevate the accuracy of the measurement, it is necessary to use, as each of the first and the second converters, an analog-to-digital converter of a high accuracy of analog-to-digital conversion. Inasmuch as the analog-to-digital converter of the high accuracy has generally a complicated structure so as to produce an output signal having an increased number of bits, it is unavoidable that the conventional electric power meter has a complicated structure.
In addition, an offset is inevitably generated in each of the first and the second converters. As will later be described more in detail, the offset appears in an output signal of each of the first and the second converters and is equal to a difference between a desired output signal and an actual output signal which is actually obtained in the converter in question. Generation of the offset also results in a degraded accuracy of measurement of the integrated electric power.

Meter for accurately measuring integrated electric power


A retractable folding top for motor vehicles, having a top frame which comprises a material retaining hoop forming the lower termination of the top, and a top storage box for accommodating the folded top. The top storage box can be closed by a top storage box lid, following which it is held shut by a closure. The top has a position of rest of the material retaining hoop on the top storage box lid when the top is closed, in which the material retaining hoop is noncontinuously connected to the top storage box lid via a closure arrangement. To simplify operation, the closure arrangement between the material retaining hoop and the top storage box lid has only a single closure which is arranged in the central region of the overlap zone between the top storage box lid and the material retaining hoop.

The present invention relates to a retractable folding top for motor vehicles, having a top frame which comprises a material retaining hoop forming the lower termination of the top and has a top storage box lid for accommodating the folded top. The top storage box can be closed by a top storage box lid, following which it is held shut by closure means. The folding top has a position of rest of the material retaining hoop on the top storage box lid when the top is closed. The material retaining hoop is non-continuously connected to the top storage box lid via a closure arrangement.
Such a folding top is already known from German Patent Document 948,121, in which two closures are provided on the top storage box lid to hold down the material retaining hoop. The closure hooks of these closures, arranged on the material retaining hoop, each engages behind an associated retaining plate of the top storage box lid. Since the closure hooks are articulated on the material retaining hoop by means of gripping levers, the closures can be locked and unlocked by directionally adjusted pivoting of their gripping levers.
Because of the functional principle of these hook closures, manual actuation of the known folding top is relatively inconvenient, since both gripping levers have to be operated both during opening and during closing of the top.
Increasingly, therefore, twist-type spring locks are being used for locking frame components of folding tops which are conventional today. The twist-type spring locks lock automatically as a result of the pressing-down of the frame component onto the associated connecting component, with the forked latch of the twist-type spring locks being rotated by the closure pin, which impacts on it, into its closed position in which it is retained by a spring-loaded safety catch.
If, then, the two hook closures of the previously known folding top were to be replaced by corresponding twist-type spring locks of a conventional type, a two-point locking, and hence simplification of operation, would in principle be possible by absolutely uniform pressing-down of the material retaining hoop onto the top storage box lid. However, the center of the material retaining hoop is accessible only with difficulty from the vehicle side, as a result of which laterally offset pressing-down of the material retaining hoop is induced.
With laterally offset pressing-down of the material retaining hoop, the material retaining hoop may twist somewhat, as a result of which only the twist-type spring lock disposed on the operating side enters into its locking position. If, in this case, the closure pin on the opposite side is not wedged, and so locked, in the associated closure housing, the material retaining hoop can now be brought into its definitively locked position of rest on the top storage box lid by pressing down on the side which is still open. Since this requires the operator to move to the other side of the vehicle, operation of the folding top remains relatively inconvenient despite the twist-type spring locks.
An object of the present invention is to provide a folding top in which the operation of the folding top is significantly simplified in the locking of the material retaining hoop on the top storage box lid.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a retractable folding top for motor vehicles which has a top frame having a material retaining hoop forming a lower termination of the top, a top storage box for accommodating the folded top, a top storage box lid for closing the top storage box, a closure for holding shut the top storage box lid, the top having a position of rest of the material retaining hoop on the top storage box lid when the top is closed, and a closure by which the material retaining hoop is non-continuously connected to the top storage box lid. The closure arrangement between the material retaining hoop and the top storage box lid has only a single, first closure which is arranged in a central region of an overlap zone between the top storage box lid and the material retaining hoop.
The locking of the material retaining hoop from one side of the vehicle is comfortably possible as a result of the omission of additional closures. The nonduplication of the closure arrangement simultaneously results in a significant cost advantage, since closures, being precision components, require a significant production engineering effort and are hence expensive.
On the other hand, single-point locking of the material retaining hoop on the associated top storage box lid is not without its problems, since when the folding top is closed, the tensile forces in the top cover must be transmitted to a single point on the top storage box lid and absorbed thereby. The top storage box lids of conventional antibuckling rigidity are not readily able to withstand this stress.
When the top storage box lid is fitted counter to the material retaining hoop, the closure for holding down the material retaining hoop is advantageously arranged behind the point at which the top storage box lid is secured to the bodywork, as a result of which bending of the top storage box lid on the lock side is prevented. However, the material retaining hoop will overlap the top storage box lid closer to the hinge side, as a result of which the closure for the material retaining hoop will be at a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, from the point at which the top storage box lid is locked to the bodywork.
In order that the top storage box lid does not bulge under the influence of the tensile forces of the top cover, partial reinforcement of the top storage box lid is provided in the region in which the closure is arranged, and this holds down the material retaining hoop.
To permit a reinforcement of the top storage box lid which is particularly favorable in terms of weight, a bearing connection which is effective when the top storage box lid is closed is provided between the reinforcement zone of the top storage box lid and the adjoining bodywork, and prevents upward bulging of the reinforcement zone.
Advantageously, the bearing connection comprises a support lever which is attached to the top storage box lid and is moved therewith, and a counter-bearing arranged on the bodywork side, behind which, when the top storage box lid is closed, the supporting lever engages in a force-absorbing manner.
So that the supporting lever should take up only a small amount of space in the top storage box lid, an embodiment of the invention provides as the supporting lever a hoop curved in the manner of a hinged lever, which is guided in the counter-bearing, passing through the counter-bearing.
In order to prevent the end region of the supporting lever which passes through the counter-bearing from producing unpleasant noises in the course of its advance, the end region can interact with a pin of the counter-bearing, the rotatably mounted pin being caused, as a consequence of the advance of the end region resting on its periphery, to execute a corresponding rotation in rolling contact.
The reinforcement zone can, in addition to its static stress during driving operation, also be dynamically stressed as a consequence of the slipstream passing over the top, which is alternately associated with the upward bulging of the reinforcement zone and with the downward bulging of this reinforcement zone.
So that the buckling stress on the reinforcement zone in both directions can be absorbed by the supporting lever, a claw-type connection of the end region in the counter-bearing is provided in an embodiment of the invention.
For the claw-type connection, wedge-shaped surfaces which impact one upon the other on the long side of the end region opposite the engaging side are provided in certain embodiments.
To enable tolerances in the unfinished structure of the vehicle to be compensated, in an embodiment of the invention, the counter-bearing is arranged on a vertically adjustable holder, and an element of the counter-bearing is provided with a wedge-shaped surface adjustably mounted on the holder.
The adjustable element with a wedge-shaped surface preferably comprises a plastics wedge, since the impact noises of the wedge-shaped surface on the end region of the supporting lever are attenuated thereby.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Retractable folding top for motor vehicles


An affinity mapping service system allowing a video service provider to perform one or more automatic actions related to a video content item (e.g., automatically recording the video content item, recommending similar video content, automatically tuning to a channel airing the video content item, providing a notification when the video content item is airing, etc.) based on an affinity selection made by a user for a content object related to the video content item is provided. The user is enabled to selectively pair a social networking service identifier (e.g., username, handle, etc.) with a video service account. An affinity selection made by the user via a social networking service in association with a video content item is communicated to the video service provider and mapped to an automatic action for the video service provider to take based on action preferences selected by the user.

Video content providers, television networks, and the like are using social media technologies to help improve and promote their content. For example, many shows, programs, and movies are represented in webpages and/or in various social networking services via blogs, microblogs, pages, and the like via which users can read up on certain episodes, learn more about the actors, find out interesting facts about the show, program, or movie, etc. Additionally, functionalities are typically provided for enabling users to communicate or share what they like, enjoy, and/or to support certain content. For example, webpages and social networking services oftentimes display a selectable feature with content, which when selected, conveys a user's affinity for the content with which the feature is displayed. Selection of an affinity option by a user may encourage other people to view the content on the webpage, blog, microblog, or social networking system page, and may also provide feedback to the video content provider, television network, etc., of users' interest in the content.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that aspects of the present disclosure have been made.

Automatic video service actions based on social networking affinity relationships


A folding leg mechanism for use in foldably interconnecting a foldable leg assembly with a support platform such as a table top. The mechanism includes platform engaging links; a platform engaging plate pivotally connected to the first and second links proximate the ends thereof; and first and second spaced-apart, leg-engaging links pivotally connected to the platform engaging links and to the leg assembly. Each of the leg engaging links has a rod receiving slot formed therein which includes a channel portion, a ramp portion located proximate one end of the channel portion and a locking opening disposed proximate the ramp portion. A locking rod extends between the platform engaging links with the end portion of the rod being slidably received within the channel portion of the slot formed in the leg engaging links. When the rod resides within the locking opening, the platform engaging links and the leg engaging links are locked against relative pivotal movement. However, when the locking rod is lifted slightly, the rod ends move into the channel portion of the slot permitting free pivotal movement of the cooperating links.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to furniture. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel folding leg mechanism for use in connecting folding legs to table tops and the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Folding leg mechanisms of various designs for connecting folding legs to support platforms, such as table tops have been suggested in the past. Typically, these mechanisms comprise one or more pairs of pivotally interconnected links with one of the links being connected to the support platform and the other being connected to the folding legs.
Folding leg mechanisms for larger tables such as banquet tables generally rely on gravity type locking devices to prevent accidental collapse of the linkage when the table is in the operable, upright position. These devices usually comprise round or rectangular shaped metal tubes that capture the linkage at the pivot point to restrain it from collapsing. These devices are effective as locks but are cumbersome in use and are difficult to disengage to enable the legs to be folded into a stored position. As a rule, such locking sleeve type devices must be manually moved away from the pivot location before the linkage can be folded for storage. If the locking sleeve is not positioned correctly with respect to the pivot point, the linkage tends to bind against the restraint device when the leg is being folded. In operating the prior art folding leg mechanisms, the user generally grasps the leg itself to move it toward the folded position. However, in so doing the leg acts as a lever tending to further force the locking device into a binding condition thereby exposing the linkage and the leg to permanent damage. It is one object of the present invention to eliminate the foregoing problem by providing a locking mechanism which is very easy to move into a disengagement position, while at the same time providing a positive means for preventing accidental collapse of the mechanism when the legs which support the work platform are in an extended, operable position.
More particularly, one form of the folding leg mechanism of the invention comprises a transversely extending rod, the ends of which reside within a uniquely configured slot formed in the leg engaging links of a pair of links that interconnect with the folding legs of the table. With this novel construction, as the linkage is moved into the locking configuration, the rod moves either by force of gravity or by the urging of a specially designed spring member into an arcuate-shaped, keyhole-like end portion of the slot which lockably receives the ends of the rod. In order to release the locking mechanism, the rod need only to be moved upwardly a short distance so that the ends thereof move from the keyhole-like end portion of the slot into the channel shaped portion of the slot. With the locking rod in this disengagement position, free movement of the table legs toward their folded configuration can be accomplished without any risk of binding the linkage. More particularly, due to the unique configuration of the slot, the rod ends are at all times either within the keyhole-like portion of the slot or are within the open channel-like portion of the slot and, therefore, can never be in a position that will cause undesirable binding of the linkage as the table legs are moved toward the stowed position.


The present invention provides a partially or whole flat synthetic fiber which is suitably used for preparing a high strength non-woven fabric even if the basis weight is very small, as well as a non-woven fabric prepared using such flat synthetic fibers. According to the present invention, a flat polybenzazole fiber such as PBO fiber is provided which has a flattened portion having a degree of flatness defined by the ratio of the long diameter/the short diameter of the cross section of the fiber being 2 or higher and having a short diameter being 7 xcexcm or less. Also, a partially flat synthetic fiber is provided which has a flattened portion along the longitudinal direction of the fiber, wherein the ratio of Wmax (the maximum fiber width)/Wmin (narrowest fiber width) is 2 or higher or wherein the ratio of Wmax (the maximum fiber width)/Wav (average fiber width) is 1.5 or higher.

The present invention relates to a flat synthetic resin having a flattened portion or region partially or as a whole through the fiber; and a method for the production of the synthetic fiber. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flat synthetic resin suitably for use in the production of a non-woven fabric having a high strength and good formation even at a low basis weight as well as a simple and efficient method for preparing the flat synthetic resin.
In general, a non-woven fabric is produced by binding a web-like or sheet-like fibrous aggregate, as a base material, with a resin binder (hereunder also simply referred to as xe2x80x9cbinderxe2x80x9d) or adhesive fibers or by treating the base material according to the needle punch or water-jet technique to thus make fibers intersect with each other. However, if the product should have a desired strength, the foregoing method, which makes use of a binder or adhesive fibers, in particular, the method of making use of a binder is adopted. In this case, the binder is adhered to the intersection points and fibers are bonded together to thus improve the strength of the resulting non-woven fabric.
Poly(p-phenylene-benzobisoxazole) (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPBOxe2x80x9d), oly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole), poly(p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole), poly(p-pheynylenebenzobisimidazole), poly(2,5-benzoxazole) and poly(2,6-benzothiazole) are examples of polybenzazoles (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPBZxe2x80x9d) or hetero ring-containing polymers. For example, PBO can be obtained by the polymerization reaction of diaminoresorcinol with terephthalic acid in polyphosphoric acid as a solvent. The PBO fiber is prepared by spinning this polymerized dope according to a dry or wet spinning technique, washing the spun product with water and then drying the fiber thus prepared. The fiber shows quite high molecular orientation even at a slight elongation, it can therefore easily take its full length-stretched chain structure, and shows strength and elastic modulus higher than those observed for the carbon fiber. Moreover, it also shows the highest levels of the thermal decomposition temperature and flame retardancy among the existing organic fibers and it has been expected as a super fiber for the next generation and there have been desired for the development of a wide variety of applications of the fiber.
An example of commercially available PBO fibers is ZYLON (available from Toyobo Co., Ltd.) and examples of shapes of the fiber are spun yarns, filaments, staples, chopped fibers and pulp. The term xe2x80x9cchopped fiberxe2x80x9d used herein means a product obtained by binding continuous fibers in a bundle and then cutting the bundle of the fibers into pieces having a predetermined size and the term xe2x80x9cpulpxe2x80x9d herein used means a product obtained by beating chopped fibers to thus fibrillate the fibers partially (such as the surface) or completely. It has been intended to use them as friction materials, reinforcing fibers for gaskets and FRP reinforcing fibers. However, it is also possible to form a non-woven fabric using chopped fibers. For instance, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-165000 discloses that the non-woven fabric prepared from PBO fibers will be full of promise as a base material for printed circuit boards.
However, the non-woven fabric of PBZ fibers such as PBO fibers is poor in the working characteristics in, for instance, slitting. Moreover, a laminated board comprising, as a base material, a non-woven fabric of PBZ fibers is poor in the working characteristics, for instance, the suitability for the perforation of the laminated board with laser beams and the suitability for drilling the same. This becomes a cause of a serious problem encountered in, for instance, the processing of a laminated board for printed circuit boards.
As a means for solving the foregoing problems, it would be conceivable to reduce the thickness of such a fabric, while maintaining the basis weight thereof at a low level. In particular, there has recently been desired for reducing the thickness of a printed circuit board in line with the recent trend that electronic machinery and tools are made lighter and smaller. Therefore, there has been an intensive demand for the reduction of the thickness of the non-woven fabric as a base material. However, the reduction in the thickness of a non-woven fabric, while reducing the basis weight thereof, may become a cause of various problems such that the tensile strength of the fabric is reduced, that the fabric has an increased irregularity in the formation thereof, and that the number of pinholes formed in the resulting non-woven fabric increases.
As a means for solving this problem, it may be conceivable to reduce the diameter of the fibers. Such a method permits not only the improvement of the working characteristics of the fibers, but also the augmentation of the number of fibers per unit basis weight, and this would lead to the achievement of effects of reducing the irregularity in the formation and of reducing the number of pinholes formed. Moreover, it would be expected that the strength of the resulting non-woven fabric is improved because of an increase in the relative bonding area. However, the smallest diameter of the chopped fibers presently commercially available is 1.5 d (about 11.6 xcexcm), but fibers having such a diameter never provides non-woven fabric sufficient in the working characteristics.
Furthermore, it may, Likewise be conceivable to incorporate pulp into such a non-woven fabric, but a large amount of pulp need be incorporated into the non-woven fabric to improve the working characteristics thereof. In this respect, if the amount of the pulp to be incorporated therein is up to about 20%, it shows the effect of improving the strength of the resulting non-woven fabric, but if it is used in an excess amount, the pulp rather becomes a cause of the reduction in the strength and it is apt to generate flocks and this in turn impairs the texture of the resulting fabric.
Recently, there have been proposed a variety of high strength fibers, which have never been experienced conventionally, such as aromatic polyamide fibers (aramid fibers), and ultra high strength polyethylene fibers, polyarylate fibers, as well as polybenzazole (PBZ) fibers such as PBO fibers, and non-woven fabrics produced from such high strength fibers have correspondingly been put on the market. In particular, in the non-woven fabric produced from such fibers having heat-softening properties such as meta-aramid fibers, polyarylate fibers and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, fibers can be fusion-bonded together by subjecting them to a calendering treatment at a temperature of not less than the softening temperature of the fibers to thus form a non-woven fabric having a very high strength.
In a non-woven fabric prepared using fibers, which are substantially free of heat-softening properties and any self-adhering ability such as para-aramid fibers and polybenzazole (PBZ) such as PBO fibers, however, the strength of the portions bonded using a binder governs the resistance to breakage of the resulting non-woven fabric. More specifically, the strength of the non-woven fabric comprising these fibers as main components is dominated by the bonding strength established by the binder used.
It would be conceivable to simply increase the amount of the binder used as a means for improving the strength of such a non-woven fabric. However, each binder should in general be used in an amount falling within an appropriate range. More specifically, the strength of the resulting non-woven fabric is reduced if the amount is beyond the foregoing appropriate range. Moreover, if the amount of the binder is too large, the resulting non-woven fabric loses the flexibility thereof or it may often lose the desired its quality depending on the applications thereof.
On the other hand, it would also be conceivable to increase the contact area between fibers by flattening the fibers. For instance, Japanese Kokoku No. Hei 6-60035 introduces a glass fiber having a flat cross section. More specifically, it would be expected that the strength of the non-woven fabric can be improved by increasing the contact area between fibers, in case of fibers such as glass fibers, which may be chemically bonded with a binder through a coupling agent, in case of the foregoing fibers having thermally fusion-bonding ability or in case of those having self-adhering properties such as cellulose fibers.
In case of fibers, which do not have an ability of chemically bonding with a binder, a fusion-bonding ability through heat softening and an ability of self-adhesion such as para-aramid fibers and PBZ fibers, however, there is no means for ensuring the bonding strength other than the coverage of the contact points between the fibers with a binder.

Flat synthetic fiber, method for preparing the same and non-woven fabric prepared using the same


A coalescent composition for coating compositions such as paints, adhesives, and coatings comprising a blend of diesters, the blend comprising adducts of alcohol and diacids, the alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethyl, propyl, isopropyl alcohol and mixtures thereof, and the diacids selected from the group consisting of a blend of adipic, glutaric and succinic diacids (“AGS”) and a blend of adipic, methylglutaric, and ethylsuccinic diacids (“MGA”), and paint, adhesive, and coating compositions comprising such coalescent compositions are disclosed.

Coalescing agents are high boiling point solvents (that are slow to evaporate) used to reduce the minimum film formation temperature (MFFT) of paints, inks, other coating compositions and the like. In paint formulations in particular, coalescing agents act as temporary plasticizers to reduce the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the latex below that of the drying temperature to allow for good film formation.
Generally, coalescing agents function by softening the polymer particles in a latex, enabling the formation of a continuous film as the coating cures. It is desirable for the coalescing agent to have low water solubility, which increases its effectiveness, and have good hydrolytic stability.
A typical paint formulation contains between 0.1-10% coalescing agent, which is used to aid in the formation of a continuous film as the paint cures. This market has been historically dominated by Eastman's Texanol™ brand ester alcohol (2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate). However, Texanol is not suitable or efficient for many coalescent applications.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and more efficient coalescent composition for paints and other coatings.


A striking cylinder 6 is disposed within a body 1. A main air chamber 7 for reserving compressed air therein is disposed at an outside of the striking cylinder 6. A cylinder cap 8 for covering the striking cylinder 6 and the main air chamber 7 is fixed at an upper portion of the body 1. A lower portion of a cylindrical head valve 13, which opens and closes the main air chamber 7 and the striking cylinder 6 and is configured in a manner that upper and lower external diameters thereof are the same, is disposed at an outside of the striking cylinder 6. A cylindrical inner wall 10 and a cylindrical outer wall 11 are integrally formed at a lower surface of the cylinder cap 8. A piston stop 12 for defining a top dead center of a striking piston 5 is provided at an inside of the cylindrical inner wall 10. The head valve 13 is slidably provided between the cylindrical inner wall 10 and the cylindrical outer wall 11.

In general, a main air chamber for reserving compressed air is disposed within a body of a driving tool such as a nail driving machine or a screw driving machine. The main air chamber is connected to a grip. An introducing inlet connected to a compressed-air supply source is formed at a rear end of the grip. Further, at an inside of the main air chamber, there is disposed a striking cylinder which accommodates a striking piston coupled with a driver for driving a nail so as to be slidable freely. Furthermore, a head valve is provided at an upper portion of the striking cylinder. In the case where the head valve is arranged to be opened/closed with respect to the main air chamber, when the valve is opened, the compressed air within the main air chamber is supplied to the striking cylinder thereby to drive the striking piston and the driver, whereby a nail is struck and driven. After the driving, the head valve is closed to make the upper portion of the striking cylinder communicate with an exhaust path thereby to exhaust the compressed air supplied to the striking cylinder.
The driving tool would be smaller in its weight and easier in handling if the entire height thereof is lower. When the entire height of the driving tool is low, an usability of the tool is good in the case of using the tool between intermediate posts in the conventional construction method or between studs in the two-by-four method. Thus, demands for the body of the low entire height is great in such usages.
Members such as the striking cylinder, the head valve of a cylindrical shape are provided within the body. The height of the striking cylinder can not be made low since the height relates to the output of the tool. Thus, it is required to invent the position of the head valve and the structure for exhausting.
Conventionally, the head valve is disposed at the upper portion of the striking cylinder, then a cylinder cap is provided above the head valve and an exhaust cover is disposed above the cap. Thus, firstly, there has been though of a structure of exhausting to the side direction. In this case, the entire height can be made low since the exhaust cover at the upper portion is eliminated. Further, there has been though of another structure in which the head valve is disposed at the outside of the striking cylinder, as disclosed in JP-Y-06-045336. In this case, since a ratio of the height of the head valve with respect to the entire height of the body is made lower, the entire height can be further lower when combined with the aforesaid improvement of the exhausting structure.
However, according to the structure of disposing the head valve at the outside of the striking cylinder, the lower portion of the head valve is fit deeply at the outside of the striking cylinder. Thus, the top dead center of the striking piston is required to be set to a position lower than the upper end of the striking cylinder, and so the height above the striking piston is not so suppressed. Further, since the height of the head valve is lowered, it becomes necessary to provide a member for guiding and opening/closing the head valve, particularly, the lower portion thereof. Thus, to this end, conventionally another member is disposed at the inner and outer peripheries of the head valve so that another member guides the inner and outer peripheries of the head valve. Accordingly, the number of parts becomes large, which results in the increase of the weight and the cost.
An object of the invention is to provide a low entire-height structure which can reduce the number of parts to realize the low entire-height and also can reduce a cost.


A battery cell balancing control system and a battery management method thereof are disclosed. The battery cell balancing control system is used for managing a battery apparatus, wherein the battery apparatus has a plurality of battery cells. The battery cell balancing control system comprises a detection module, a battery management module, and an adjusting module. The detection module is used for executing a battery checking procedure on the plurality of battery cells to generate a detection result. The battery management module is used for determining whether the plurality of battery cells has a controlled cell according to the detection result. If the controlled cell has not been found among the plurality of battery cells, the battery management module controls the adjusting module to execute a battery cell balancing procedure until the controlled cell is found.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery cell balancing control system and to a battery management method thereof; more particularly, it relates to a battery cell balancing control system and a battery management method thereof that can execute a battery cell balancing procedure on a plurality of battery cells of a battery apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a common practice to find a plurality of cells arranged in a battery so as to produce enough power for an electrical device that requires a higher amount of power. Notably, after a period of service, the cells in a battery tend to develop different properties such as cell capacity, internal resistance, charging efficiency, and discharging capability. Moreover, cells manufactured in batch production can demonstrate different properties as well. As a consequence, different properties among cells result in imbalances in the cells within a battery. Since the performance of a battery will be limited by imbalances among the cells, it is crucial for a battery to run a cell balancing process in order to maximize the usable capacity, optimize the energy efficiency and extend the service life.
However, an improper balancing routine for cells may lead to a lower available capacity, continuous energy consumption, and continuous heat production, all of which shorten the life of a battery and result in a waste of energy.
Therefore, a battery cell balancing control system and a battery management method thereof are proposed to solve the aforementioned problems.

Battery cell balancing control system and battery management method thereof

LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) CO., LTD.


A substrate processing apparatus comprises an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block comprises first and second cleaning/drying processing units. A substrate W is subjected to cleaning and drying processing before exposure processing in the first cleaning/drying processing unit, while being subjected to cleaning and drying processing after the exposure processing in the second cleaning/drying processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for subjecting substrates to processing.
2. Description of the Background Art
Substrate processing apparatuses are used to subject various types of substrates such as semiconductor substrates, substrates for liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, optical disks, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, and photomasks, and other substrates to various types of processing.
Such a substrate processing apparatus generally subjects a single substrate to a plurality of different types of processing successively. The substrate processing apparatus as described in JP 2003-324139 A comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block as an external device separate from the substrate processing apparatus.
In the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus, a substrate carried out of the indexer block is transported to the exposure device through the interface block after being subjected to anti-reflection film formation and resist film coating processing in the anti-reflection film processing block and the resist film processing block. After the resist film on the substrate is subjected to exposure processing in the exposure device, the substrate is transported to the development processing block through the interface block. After the resist film on the substrate is subjected to development processing to form a resist pattern thereon in the development processing block, the substrate is transported to the indexer block.
With recent increases in density and integration of devices, making finer resist patterns has become an important problem. Conventional exposure devices have generally performed exposure processing by reduction-projecting a reticle pattern on a substrate through a projection lens. With such conventional exposure devices, however, the line width of an exposure pattern is determined by the wavelength of a light source of the exposure device. Therefore, making finer resist patterns has had a limitation.
Therefore, a liquid immersion method is suggested as a projection exposure method allowing for finer exposure patterns (see, e.g., WO99/49504 pamphlet). In the projection exposure device according to the WO99/49504 pamphlet, an area between a projection optical system and a substrate is filled with a liquid, resulting in a shorter wavelength of exposure light on a main surface of the substrate. This allows for finer exposure patterns.
However, in the projection exposure device according to the above-mentioned WO99/49504 pamphlet, exposure processing is performed with the substrate and the liquid being in contact with each other. Accordingly, the substrate to which the liquid adheres is carried out of the exposure device. When the exposure device using the liquid immersion method as described in the above-mentioned WO99/49504 pamphlet is provided as an external device in the substrate processing apparatus according to the above-mentioned JP 2003-324139 A, therefore, the liquid adhering to the substrate that has been carried out of the exposure device may drop in the substrate processing apparatus, causing operational troubles such as abnormalities in an electric system of the substrate processing apparatus.
When the liquid adheres to the substrate that has been subjected to the exposure processing, particles and the like may adhere to the substrate. When the particles and the like adhere to the substrate, processing defects may occur in the substrate.


An improved viewing window construction for an electrical disconnect switch 10. The improved construction of the viewing window 70 permits easier installation of the viewing window 70 while at the same time reducing the complexity of the switch cover manufacturing process, eliminating the need for a window retainer 46 and increasing the resistance to the ingress of water when subjected to a stream of water under pressure.

The need for viewing windows in electrical disconnect switches is documented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,161, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference. The viewing window of the '161 patent is placed in an escutcheon or formed recess in the switch cover and is held in place by a retainer which is placed over the window and fastened to the cover. Escutcheons or draws in a metal cover, especially when two are required as in the '161 patent, can cause distortions in the cover which are functionally and esthetically unacceptable. The tooling required to make draws can be complex and expensive. It would therefore be desirable to provide a disconnect switch cover with a viewing window which does not require complex and expensive tooling and which also simplifies the assembly process while meeting the requirements of national and international standards for protection against the ingress of dust and water under pressure.

Viewing window construction for a disconnect switch


A magnetic head suffers mechanical stresses by striking against a magnetic disc surface and dust, so that there are problems such as the reduction of reproduction output due to the mechanical stresses and the reversal of output polarity due to the mechanical stresses. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to a method of testing reliability of reproduction elements of a magnetic head against outside stress. In a first step, a Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) element on a row bar of the object of inspection, or a GMR element on a slider is measured for the output against external magnetic field. In the next step, prescribed shearing stress is applied with indenter to the edge where the GMR element-formed surface of the row bar or slider and the air-bearing surface are crossed. Then, output of the GMR element is measured again. Lastly, the outputs of the GMR element before and after application of stress are compared. When the amount of degradation is higher than the prescribed standard, the product is regarded as disqualified. Satisfaction of the prescribed standard is regarded as acceptance.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to a magnetic head and magnetic disc drive, in particular to the reliability of the reproduction elements of a magnetic head against the stress from the outside.
A prior art method of inspecting the reproduction elements of a magnetic head is disclosed in patent document JP-A-2004-22024. This patent document describes a method of measuring the output characteristics of a magneto-resistive effect type head in the state of applying alternating magnetic field without using a magnetic disc, and further, of measuring noise, output waveform fluctuation, and waveform asymmetric fluctuation, in addition to output fluctuation. Measurement is performed with varying magnetic field and temperature to the magnetic head as disturbance. An inspecting method is performed by measuring a lability of the reproduction elements in a static state, wherein a magnetic head showing lability higher than tolerance can be selectively excluded.
In the inspecting method as disclosed in JP-A-2004-22024 and described above, of the stresses applied to the reproduction elements in a practical magnetic disc drive, only temperature is made an issue. In a practical magnetic disc drive, a magnetic head suffers mechanical stresses by striking against a magnetic disc surface and against dust, so problems arise such as the reduction of reproduction output of the magnetic head, and the reversal of output polarity. It is desirable to provide a magnetic head having resistance to these stresses.

Testing and manufacturing method of magnetic heads

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A binding system for temporarily holding a plurality of individual sheets in a book-like manner with the system having a plurality of individual tabs, each of the tabs having a binding edge, a separation edge, a first surface and a second surface with a flexible binding securing the binding edges of the plurality of individual tabs together as a unit, so the individual tabs can be folded back like a page of a book and an adhesive positioned on said individual tabs to hold a sheet of material thereto as the sheet of material and the tab are folded open like a book.

A person often has individual sheets that need to be temporarily held together, yet need to be opened for review or reading. For example, a person playing an instrument might have individual sheets of music setting on a music stand. As the person finishes one sheet, he or she needs to flip the sheet to reveal the next sheet.
In other instances, a person might want to hold sheets of a speech in place as he or she reads from the speech. While cumbersome devices such as ring binders exist, being able to quickly fasten together a plurality of sheets for future use as well as the capability of substituting one sheet for another is more desirable. In addition, if a person desires to assemble sheets in book-like fashion, he or she could open the sheets and lie them flat on a surface.
The present invention provides a device for temporarily holding a plurality of sheets in a condition for full access as well as permitting binding of the sheets in a stack sequentially which he or she can then open as though it were a book or a booklet. The sheets of material fastened to the leaves of the binding system can be removed, replaced, or rearranged at will while the leafs are bound along the edges to secure the sheets in a functional relationship to permit use as an openable binder. Particular applications for sequencing sheets of material are sheet music for musicians, presentations for professionals, layouts for graphic artists, lectures for teachers, book-creation projects for school children, photo albums, x-ray, sequences in medicine, bills and receipts for accountants etc. In each of these cases, the person can position the sheets in the unit and then open the unit to read the sheets much as one would read a book.


A first-collision predicting part determines if a possibility of a first collision, which happens between a human and a vehicle, is higher than a predetermined threshold. A first-collision-situation determining part determines a position of a head of the human and a relative speed of the head relative to the vehicle at a time of the first collision, when the first-collision predicting part determines the possibility of the first collision is higher than the predetermined threshold. A second-collision-situation estimating part estimates a collision situation of the head in a second collision, based on a determining result of the first-collision-situation determining part. An injury-degree predicting part predicts a degree of injury of the head based on an estimation result of the second-collision-situation estimating part.

An early rescue of a vulnerable road user (e.g., a pedestrian and a person on a bicycle) when a road accident happens is growing in importance. To respond to a requirement of the early rescue, JP-2010-244167A discloses an emergency report system detecting a collision of a pedestrian with a vehicle, based on an actuation of a pop-up hood. The emergency report system reports collision information, such as a vehicle speed just before the collision happens, an acceleration of a bumper of the vehicle, and collision energy, to a control center. In addition; the emergency report system acquires a front image of the vehicle in a driving direction by using an image sensor and reports if the vehicle collided with a human or with an object.
A first collision of a human with a vehicle induces a second collision of a head of the human with the vehicle or with the ground. Generally, a leg of the human collides with a bumper of the vehicle in the first collision. The second collision often causes a serious or fatal injury. When an institution such as a hospital acquires situation information of the second collision, a rescue effort can be more accurate and prompt. However, the emergency report system of JP-2010-244167A does not predict human injury in considering a collision situation of the second collision. Moreover, it is difficult for the emergency report system to exactly predict a collision situation of a second collision by reason that the more a subject comes closer to the image sensor such as a camera, the more an image (or a movie) taken by the camera becomes unclear.


This invention is for an object moving actuator composed of a stack of independently controllable layers which convert thermal exobaric pulses into mechanical motion. Each layer can be a lifter for moving the stack normal to the object to be moved or a tangenter for moving the stack tangentially to the object. Each layer has a plurality of chambers having a heat source and a thermal expansive material contained therein. The heat source is controlled by a controller to generate a heat pulse which expands the thermal expansive material thereby moving a rolling barrier to make the layer move normally or tangentially. Preferably two pair of actuator stacks work together to alternately engage and move the object. The first pair makes contact with the object by lifter motion and moves the object by tangenter motion while the second pair is lifted off the object and retraces to get into position to contact and translate the object. When the actuator engages the object at the same speed the object is moving so that no frictional rubbing occurs, smooth walking motion is achieved.

Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,030 teaches two- and three-axis piezoelectric actuators that position an object such as a rod or motor shaft by walking traction, A lifter piezoelectric actuator portion positions the actuator's traction member perpendicular to the object's surface. A tangenter piezoelectric actuator portion positions the actuator's traction member tangential to the object's surface. Lifter and tangenter portions of an actuator are integrally constructed and independently electrically controllable. Cyclical coordinated lifter and tangenter actions can cause the traction member to walk the object's surface in a smooth walking manner. A smooth walking cycle operation consists of activating the lifter to apply a predetermined normal force between the traction member and the object while the tangenter translates the traction member at a speed equal to the surface speed of the object. During smooth walking application and removal of normal force, no mechanical work is done by the traction member on the object. As the normal force is applied, a tangential strain is added to the tangenter portion. The product of the tangential force and the tangential distance traveled during the power stroke portion is the work done on the object. At the end of the power portion of the cycle the tangential strain is removed as the normal force is removed by the lifter, still maintaining zero relative speed between object and traction member. After the traction member leaves the object's surface, the traction member retraces, that is, it reverses tangential stroke direction and changes speed until the opposite extreme tangential position is reached, thereby preparing for a new stroke. This is a smooth walking cycle because sliding is avoided.
Actuators execute walking cycles in pairs, one actuator performing a power stroke while the other retraces. A predetermined coordinated positioning of the traction members of both actuators results in smooth walking. Smooth walking as defined in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,030 is uninterrupted and smooth tractional power transmission without sliding.
The piezoelectric materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,030 are generally electrically polarized ferroelectric ceramics, This class of materials is relatively brittle, having relatively little tensile strength. In addition, the temperatures above and below the usual room temperature at which electrical polarization is irreversibly lost, usually called the Curie temperatures, are relatively low. These physical properties are a detriment in some applications of walking actuators. U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,030 also teaches the use of relatively high applied voltages to achieve desirably large mechanical strokes. High voltages are a disadvantage in the context of solid state electronic drive devices, such devices having evinced more efficient operation with low voltages with relatively large currents.
Applicant's copending patent application Ser. No. 07/488,548 filed Mar. 5, 1990 teaches the use of Fourier generation of non-sinusoidal mechanical wave forms needed for smooth walking. The teachings are primarily directed toward piezoelectric actuators, but are also directed toward actuators that function in a manner similar to piezoelectric ones but use other known actuator forces. This method allows partial compensation for nonlinear transducer action by operations in the time domain, for example, adjusting phases of stimuli.
Applicant's present invention is to replace the electrodeformable tangenter and lifter layers of the prior art with thermoexpandable layers of lifters and tangenters and to emulate their positioning capabilities. The thermoexpandable actuators use mechanical Fourier addition of the layers for positioning the actuators.


An optometric apparatus designed to ensure that measurement results can be readily confirmed before they are printed out, and to prevent the deletion of data due to an erroneous operation of a switch. The optometric apparatus having examining device for examining the visual function of an eye to be examined, comprising: memory for storing data on examination by the examining device; display device having a display screen for displaying the examination data; printing device for printing the examination data stored in the memory; a print switch for inputting a signal for printing the examination data to the printing device; display control circuit for displaying the examination data on the display device on the basis of the signal from the print switch; confirmation-signal generating switch for generating a confirmation signal for confirming the absence of an abnormality in the examination data; and commanding circuit for commanding the printing device to effect printing on the basis of the confirmation signal.

The present invention relates to an optometric apparatus for examining the visual function of an eye to be examined.
In an examination for prescribing spectacle lenses or the like for correcting a refractive error which is present in an eye to be examined, an optometric apparatus is used for subjectively examining the refractive power of the eye to be examined, and after obtaining a perfect correction power, the perfect correction power is adjusted to determine a prescription power. In conducting the subjective examination, preliminary tests including an objective test, measurement of former spectacle values, an unaided visual acuity test, a visual acuity test based on the former spectacle, and the like are performed, and these data are inputted to the apparatus.
Upon completion of all the tests, a print switch of the apparatus is pressed to print out the inputted data and the test results from a printer. When this printout is finished, the apparatus is initialized to return to its initial state. The paper on which the data on the test results have been printed is attached to a clinical chart or the like, and is used for the management of the subject's data. In addition, when the data inputted to the apparatus or the test results are not necessary, or when the measurement results are directly written in the clinical chart or the like, a data deleting switch provided on the apparatus may be pressed to delete the stored data.
However, it is not uncommon to find an omission in measurement and an abnormality in the data upon looking at the results on the printout or the results transcribed onto the clinical chart. In such a case, the examination is conducted again, but after the printout or deletion of the data, the optical systems must be set again and the data must be inputted again, which is quite troublesome. Furthermore, if the data deleting switch or the like is erroneously operated, the data is unintentionally deleted.