An analyzer measures the concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid supplied to a test piece equipped with first and second terminal parts. An analyzer (X1) includes a stage on which a test piece is placed, a first terminal (40a) for electrical connection with a first terminal part, a second terminal (40b) for electrical connection with a second terminal part, and an electric circuit (6) for measuring parameters required for calculating the concentration of a specific component. A check piece (4′), in place of the test piece, is placed on a stage to test the electric circuit (6). The test of the electric circuit (6) is performed based on a plurality of electric responses from the electric circuit (6) with a plurality of electric conditions applied to the check piece (4′).

One method for measuring the concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid is a method in which the specific component concentration is computed from the potential difference arising when a reference liquid containing a known concentration of the specific component and a sample liquid containing an unknown concentration of the specific component are electrically shunted.
In this method, by for example setting a plate for concentration measurement relative to the analyzer, the concentration of the specific component is measured. Below, the case in which the concentrations of three types of specific components (for example, K+, Na+, Cl−) in a sample liquid are measured is explained.
The analyzer has, at least, a set portion in which a plate for concentration measurement is set; three pairs of probes (for a total of six); and computation means to compute the concentration of the specific component from the potential differences between each pair of probes.
The plate for concentration measurement has, at least, a reference liquid reception portion, onto which reference liquid is spot-applied; a reference liquid holding portion, which holds the reference liquid; first through third terminal portions, which are in electrical contact with the reference liquid of the reference liquid holding portion; a sample liquid reception portion, into which the sample liquid is spot-applied; a sample liquid holding portion, which holds the sample liquid; fourth through sixth terminal portions, which are in electrical contact with the sample liquid holding portion; and a bridge, which electrically shunts the reference liquid of the reference liquid holding portion and the sample liquid of the sample liquid holding portion.
When the concentration measurement plate is set in the set area of the analyzer, the corresponding probe of the analyzer is in contact with each of the terminal portions. In the analyzer, potential differences between the reference liquid and sample liquid are measured for each specific component, via each probe pair. The computation means of the analyzer computes the concentrations of each specific component based on the potential difference measurement results.
In this analyzer, instead of a concentration measurement plate, a check plate is set in the set portion, and the potential difference measurement electrical circuit is tested for defects. Causes of electrical circuit defects include, for example, malfunctions of electronic parts, breakage in wiring, and contact failure between a probe and the concentration measurement plate (first through sixth terminal portion).
A method of test of the electrical circuit for potential difference measurement is described in, for example, JP-B 6-82113 and in JP-B 7-111409.
The test method described in JP-B 6-82113 employs check plates 9A to 9D, as shown in FIGS. 15 to 18 of this application. Each of these check plates 9A to 9D has a base plate 90 in which are provided a total of six through-holes 90a corresponding to three pairs of probes in the analyzer. On the base plate 90 is stacked a cover plate 92, enclosing conducting layers 91a to 91d. Various configurations for the conducting layers 91a to 91d are shown in FIGS. 15 to 18.
Each of these check plates 9A to 9D is set in the analyzer similarly to a test plate. At this time, each of the probes is in contact with the conducting layers 91a to 91d, so that each of the probe pairs is shunted. Test of the electrical circuit for potential difference measurement is performed by measuring the potential differences between the probe pairs. In this test method, if the potential difference between each probe pair is zero, the electrical circuit for potential difference measurement of the analyzer is judged to be normal, and if not zero, the circuit is judged to be abnormal.
In this test method, measured potentials are always zero, so that it is not possible to test reliably for the presence of defects in the electrical circuit for potential difference measurement. For example, even in a case in which a measurement value corresponding to the actual potential difference cannot be observed due to some abnormality, the measured value for the zero potential in tests is measured as either zero or as a value close to zero. In this case, it is judged that there is no abnormality in the electrical circuit for potential difference measurements. It is also difficult to determine the measurement precision for potentials which deviate greatly from zero potential.
On the other hand, in the test method described in JP-B 7-111409, a check plate 9E such as shown in FIG. 19 is used. This check plate 9E has a base plate 90 in which are provided a total of six through-holes 90a corresponding to the three probe pairs of the analyzer. On this base plate 90 are placed six conducting pads 91e which separately cover each of the through-holes 90a. These conducting pads 91e, together with resistors R1 to R3 and a battery 91f, constitute an electrical circuit as shown in FIG. 20. The conducting pads 91e, resistors R1 to R3, and battery 91f are enclosed by the frame 92 positioned on the base plate 90. The space enclosed by the frame 92 is sealed with resin.
With the probes brought into contact with the conducting pads 91e in the check plate 9E, a voltage is applied across each of the probe pairs by the battery 91f. The voltage value for each probe pair is measured, and the electrical circuit for potential difference measurement is tested for defects.
In this test method, a voltage is applied to each of the probe pairs by the battery 91f incorporated into the check plate 9E, so that the precision of the output of the battery 91f necessarily has an effect on the test results. The battery output is not strictly constant; in particular, if consumption exceeds a certain capacity, the output gradually declines. Hence a method which employs a battery 91f cannot be regarded as appropriate in order to maintain test precision. Moreover, it is difficult to make the output of the battery 91f incorporated into the check plate 9E variable. Consequently a given check plate 9E can only perform tests using a single reference potential, and so there is the drawback that, similarly to test methods described in the previous publications, defects in an electrical circuit for potential difference measurement cannot be reliably detected.


A dynamic microphone which prevents a wall forming a back-side air chamber from having a certain resonance frequency and effectively prevents the generation of standing waves in the back-side air chamber is provided. A dynamic microphone includes a dynamic microphone unit including a diaphragm configured with a voice coil and a magnetic circuit having a magnetic gap provided so as to allow the voice coil to vibrate, a bottomed case which is coupled to the dynamic microphone unit and forms a back-side air chamber communicating with back side of the diaphragm, and an acoustic resistance body which is pressingly attached in the case and composed of metal fiber including a pocket, an open cross sectional area of the pocket gradually decreasing toward the direction remote from the dynamic microphone unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dynamic microphone having an improved air chamber formed in the back portion of a dynamic microphone unit and a method of forming a back-side air chamber.
Description of the Related Art
It is well-known that the omnidirectional dynamic microphone operates by resistance control and the unidirectional dynamic microphone operates by mass control and resistance control.
The resistance control of the dynamic microphone is carried out by an acoustic resistance provided very close to the back side of a diaphragm and a back-side air chamber, in which no acoustic wave enters, provided in the back side of the acoustic resistance. The acoustic resistance is located at the inlet of the back-side air chamber. When the volume of the back-side air chamber is significantly large, the total impedance of the acoustic resistance and the impedance of the air chamber is substantially equivalent to the acoustic resistance.
When the volume of the back-side air chamber is small, the impedance of the air chamber due to the stiffness of the air chamber works in series with the acoustic resistance at low frequency.
Thus for a back-side air chamber designed small, the frequency response at low frequency degrades and the directionality at low frequency also changes. It is unrealistic to infinitely increase the volume of the back-side air chamber. Handheld dynamic microphones, in particular, have more strict limitation on the volume of the back-side air chamber.
When a portion of the wall surrounding the back-side air chamber vibrates, the change in the volume of the air chamber generates acoustic waves, and the acoustic waves reaches the diaphragm via the acoustic resistance. Thus when a portion of the wall of the air chamber vibrates, the directional frequency response of the microphone degrades at and near the frequency of the resonance frequency of the vibration portion of the wall.
When an air chamber having a form of a bottomed pipe is used, a standing wave is generated along the longitudinal direction. The standing wave is generated by the acoustic waves entering the air chamber via the acoustic resistance. Typically, the generation of standing waves is avoided by providing a sponge or the like, which has small acoustic resistance, inside the air chamber.
In this case, the space in which the acoustic resistance provided inside the air chamber to avoid standing waves should be as small as possible, because the acoustic resistance is provided equivalently in series with the acoustic resistance for carrying out the resistance control.
JP 3882268 B1 discloses a dynamic microphone configured to have an open cross sectional area of the back-side air chamber becoming smaller in a cross section further remote from the diaphragm.
In the dynamic microphone disclosed in JP 3882268 B1, the microphone grip (grip case) and the back-side air chamber contained in the microphone grip are formed to have an open cross sectional area decreasing toward the rear end, so as to suppress the generation of standing waves inside the microphone grip and the back-side air chamber.
For the dynamic microphone disclosed in JP 3882268 B1, the external shape of the wall of the back-side air chamber and the internal shape of the microphone grip should be substantially identical to efficiently make use of the volume inside the microphone grip as illustrated in FIG. 1 in JP 3882268 B1.
As explained above, the volume of the back-side air chamber is preferably provided as large as possible. However, the dynamic microphone disclosed in JP 3882268 B1 is disadvantageous in that the volume of the air chamber is limited because the back-side air chamber is formed, for example, in a conical shape.

Dynamic microphone and method of forming back-side air chamber


A system for identifying service affecting conditions on a subscriber line in the access portion of a broadband network, particularly an ADSL network. A measurement unit provides information on the line that aids in identifying projected performance. Information from a modem on the subscriber line indicative of actual performance is obtained and compared to the predicted values. Deviations are used to identify service affecting conditions and, depending on the nature of the deviations, the type of condition affecting service on the line. The physical measurements are used to identify the length of the subscriber line. Modem information is obtained through the MIB and allows determination of the bit loading on the line. Interference sources are identified by comparing the actual bit loading to bit loading expected for a line corresponding to the measured length.

1. Field of Invention
This application relates generally to broadband networks and more particularly to identifying faults in a network.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In recent years, broadband networks have become widely deployed. Many businesses and homes have broadband network connections. Two popular types of broadband networks are ADSL and cable.
In these broadband networks, individual subscribers are generally connected to the network through an access network. In an ADSL network, the access network is usually physically implemented on twisted pair copper wires originally deployed for narrowband voice telephony. These wires are routed from a central office in cable bundles that each runs through a neighborhood or other portion of the service area for the network. Wires are tapped from the cable to make connection to individual homes or offices in the service area. A device at the central office is connected to the rest of the broadband network and can route signals from the network onto a particular subscriber line. In an ADSL network, this device is called a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).
A cable network is conceptually similar, though implemented with different hardware. The broadband network includes many access networks through which subscribers are connected to the network. Subscribers in a particular neighborhood are connected through a common cable to a neighborhood router. Information on a cable network is transmitted using IP addressing, with each subscriber having its own IP address. In this way, each subscriber receives information directed to it as part of a "virtual" subscriber line.
The access portion of a network has traditionally been one of the most difficult parts of the network for a service provider to maintain. A network service provider might provide service to hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Clusters of subscribers will access the network through different access networks. Thus, there are many access networks that must be maintained. Further, the access networks are physically spread out over a wide area, exposing the access networks to significant potential for fault or interference. Furthermore, the geographical dispersion of the access networks also makes it expensive and difficult to identify and locate conditions that might affect service to users of the network.
Herein, an ADSL network will be used as an example of a broadband network. However, cable and other types of broadband networks exist and experience problems analogous to those encountered in ADSL networks.
Some service affecting conditions in an ADSL access network arise from physical problems in the line. For example, a bridged tap or a resistance imbalance, if present on the line, might decrease the rate at which data can be transmitted over the line. Likewise, sources of noise or interference might also impact performance. One such source of interference is crosstalk from lines in the cable bundle that carry other types of services. We anticipate, because of governmental regulation that forces the local telephone operating companies to make their networks open to any carrier that wants to use them, that there will be more instances of lines within a cable bundle carrying services that interfere with ADSL service.
It would be desirable for a network operator to be able to quickly identify service affecting conditions, including interference.

Method and apparatus for identifying faults in a broadband network


A thin film diode (8) between a data line (12) and a drive electrode (13), which is free from breakage in an upper layer film (4), is formed on one inner surface of a glass substrate (1) sealing a liquid crystal of a liquid crystal display device. To form such a thin film diode, a lower layer film (2) is formed on the glass substrate (1) such that the lower layer film (2) overlaps with the upper layer film (4) and the lower layer film (2) has a plurality of differences in level. An insulating film (3) is formed by oxidizing the surface of the lower layer film (2) with an anodic oxidation technique. The upper layer film (4) is formed, thereby completing the thin film diode. Alternately, an insulating film material (7, 7') may be formed either on the lower layer film (2) or on the peripheral region thereof in the form of a film, and the insulating film (3) may be formed by oxidizing the insulating film material (7, 7').

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a thin film diode (TFD) in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device.
In the liquid crystal display device (LCD) having a structure where a liquid crystal is sealed between two glass substrates, to display a specified image by driving the liquid crystal, a thin film diode (TFD) serving as an active element (switching element) is arranged between a data line formed on an under glass substrate and each of the drive electrodes arranged in a dot matrix fashion. With such structure, interference between pixels can be prevented, thereby enhancing a quality of the displayed image. The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for such a thin film diode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The structure of a liquid crystal display device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. First, with reference to FIG. 1, the total constitution of the color liquid crystal display will be described.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an under glass substrate, and reference numeral 11 denotes an upper glass substrate. A stripe-shaped data line 12 and a plurality of drive electrodes 13 arranged in a dot matrix fashion are formed on the lower glass substrate 1. A thin film diode (TFD) 8 serving as an active element (switching element) is disposed between the data line 12 and each of the drive electrodes 13.
An orienting film 15 made of a polyimide resin film to orient liquid crystals is disposed on the data line 12, the drive electrodes 13, and the thin film diode 8.
On the other hand, a color filter 17 composed of color filter elements is disposed under the surface of the upper glass substrate 11. A black matrix 16 is formed in the boundary regions of the color filter elements. The red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filter elements are arranged so as to correspond to each of the drive electrodes 13 on the glass substrate 1, respectively.
A stripe-shaped scanning electrode (not shown) is disposed under the surface of the color filter 17 interposing an insulating film (not shown). The scanning electrode is in a perpendicular to the data line 12. Further, an orienting film 18 made of a polyimide film serving for orienting the liquid crystal is disposed on the scanning electrode.
A liquid crystal (not shown) is sealed between the orientating films 15 and 18. Further, polarizing plate 19 and 20 are arranged on each outer surface of the lower and upper glass substrate 1 and 11 respectively so that the polarized axises thereof are perpendicular to each other. In the liquid crystal display device described above, if the color filter 17 is omitted, the liquid crystal display dedive functions as a black/white liquid crystal display device.
Next, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a structure of the thin film diode 8 incorporated in the liquid crystal display device of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III--III shown in a plan view of FIG. 2.
The thin film diode 8 has a Metal-Insulator-Metal structure composed of a lower layer film 2 protruding from the data line 12, an insulating film 3 formed on the surface of the film 2, and an upper layer film 4 formed on the film 3.
The upper layer film (electrode) (hereinafter referred to as upper layer film) 4 serves as a part of the drive electrode 13.
Specifically, a punched portion 13a is formed in the drive electrode 13 close to the portion thereof which crosses the lower layer film (electrode)(hereinafter referred to as lower layer film) 2, so that the thin film diode 8 presents a plan view pattern in which the lower and upper layer films 2 and 4 cross.
A manufacturing method of the thin film diode 8 will be briefly described below.
A tantalum (Ta) film as a material for the data line 12 and the lower layer film 2 is formed on the glass substrate 1. The tantalum (Ta) film is patterned by means of a photo-etching processing. Thereafter, an anodic oxidation processing is carried out using the patterned tantalum (Ta) film as an anode to form the insulating film 3 made of a tantalum pentoside (Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5) on the tantalum (Ta) film. This anodic oxidation processing is performed in such a manner that citric acid, the tantalum film, and platinum (Pt) are used as an anodic oxidation liquid, an anode, and a cathode, respectively, and a direct current is applied between the tantalum film and platinum.
Thereafter, indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film serving as a material for the drive electrode 13 and the upper layer film 4 is formed on the entire surface. Then, the indium oxide tin film is subjected to patterning by means of a photo-etching processing so that the upper layer film 4 and the drive electrode 13 are formed.
The conventional constitution and manufacturing method thereof of a thin film diode 8 in such a liquid crystal display device will be further described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.
The vertical sectional view of the lower layer film 2 constituting the thin film diode on the glass substrate 1 presents either a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 4 or a tapered-trapezoidal shape as shown in FIG. 5.
The reason why it presents such the shape is that patterning of the film 2 is ordinarily carried out by one etching process.
Specifically, in a manufacturing method for such a thin film diode, the substance for the lower layer film is initially formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate 1 by either a sputtering technique or a chemical vapor deposition technique. Subsequently, a resist pattern is formed on the substance for the lower layer film by using a lithography technique.
Thereafter, an etching processing by means of either a wet etching technique or a dry etching technique is carried out using the patterned resist as a mask to form a pattern of the lower layer film 2 as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5.
When etching the lower layer film, it is difficult to control the etching shape by the wet etching technique. However, with the dry etching technique, it is possible to produce the tapered-trapezoidal shape shown in FIG. 5 by controlling an etching speed ratio of the resist to the substance for the lower layer film.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, an anodic oxidation process using the lower layer film 2 as an anode is performed to form the insulating film 3 on the surface of the film 2.
Further, a substance for the upper layer film is formed on the insulating film 3 by either the sputtering technique or the chemical vapor deposition technique. Thereafter, a resist pattern (not shown) is formed on the substance for the upper layer film by the lithography technique.
Following the above processes, an etching process to form the pattern of the upper layer film 4 is carried out by either the wet etching technique or the dry etching technique using the patterned resist as a mask. As a result, the thin film diode 8 of the Metal-Insulator-Metal structure is completed.
At the time of the formation of the thin film diode, it is essential to form a region where the lower and upper layer films 2 and 4 overlap each other. The upper layer film 4 overlapping with the lower layer film 2 sometimes breaks at its step portion. The situation of the breaking of the film 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
Referring to FIG. 6, the region where the upper layer film 4 is formed stretches over the glass substrate 1 and the insulating film 3.
Therefore, the film property of the film 4 on the insulating film 3 is different from that on the glass substrate 1 due to the difference of the materials of the substrate 1 and the film 3. Specifically, the boundary due to the difference of the film natures is produced between the glass substrate 1 and the insulating film 3. Further, a growth direction of the covering film serving as the upper layer film 4 on the etched side region of the glass substrate 1 is different from that thereof on the etched side region of the lower layer film 2. As a result, both growth directions meet with each other at the boundary so that a crystallinity of the film 4 is deteriorated at the boundary.
Therefore, the crystallinity of the covering film serving as the upper layer film 4 is deteriorated in addition to the difference of the film property at the boundary region (shown by the arrow A) between the glass substrate 1 and the insulating film 4. Thus, the portion of the covering film at the boundary region is more liable to break than other portions thereof. The occurrence of such breaking of the film produces a defective pixel, leading to a decrease in a quality of the liquid crystal display device.
Especially, when the surface of the lower layer film 2 is oxidized by the anodic oxidizing technique to form the insulating film 3 and the patterned upper layer film 4 formed on the film 3, the film 3 is formed only on the surface of the lower layer film 2. Thus, the upper layer film 4 is formed stretching over the glass substrate 1 and the insulating film 3 which have different natures. This causes severe problems.
Moreover, the insulating film 3 grows isotopically during the formation thereof using the anodic oxidation technique. Accordingly, though the section of the lower layer film 2 formed on the glass substrate 1 is made into a taper-shaped trapezoid by etching as shown in FIG. 5, the section of the insulating film 3 presents the shape shown in FIG. 7. The portion of the insulating film 3 at the boundary between the glass substrate 1 and the film 3 does not present the tapered shape so that the effects of the tapered shape is decreased. For this reason, the portion of the upper layer film 4 at the boundary (shown with an arrow B) between the glass substrate 1 and the insulating film 3 is also apt to be broken.

Manufacturing method of thin film diode for liquid crystal display device


A halogen-free resin composition for a covered wire and a wiring harness which has a base resin composition of 100 weight division having 45 to 65% by weight of a polypropylene resin, 15 to 30% by weight of a low-density polyethylene resin, 15 to 30% by weight of a styrene thermoplastic elastomer, and a metal hydrate of 80-120 weight division. The styrene thermoplastic elastomer of the composition is an aromatic vinyl-conjugated diene system block copolymer and with a peak temperature of dynamic factor (tan δ) thereof measured in a range from −100 to 50° C. by a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement device being made in 0-30° C.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a halogen-free resin composition, a covered wire covered with the halogen-free resin composition and a wiring harness with a plurality of the covered wires.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric covered wire, in which a conductive wire, such as a copper wire, is covered with a resin composition based on a polyvinyl chloride resin, is usually used for wiring as a covered wire in a vehicle. A polyvinyl chloride resin has good material characteristics, such as high flame retardant performance because of a self-extinguish material, and good adjustability of hardness by adding a plasticizer and high wear-resistance. However, the polyvinyl chloride resin generates harmful gases such as halogen gas when burning by incineration or vehicle fire, and it makes environmental problems.
To overcome this problem, in recent years, a halogen-free resin composition based on a polyolefin resin has been developed (for example, refer Patent document 1: Japan Patent Application Published No. 2005-248110). In the Patent document 1, the halogen-free resin composition including an amorphous olefin copolymer, an aromatic vinyl conjugated diene block copolymer with a hydrogen additive, and a polyolefin resin is described as the halogen-free resin composition improving weather resistance, formability, heat-resistance, abrasive resistance and deformation recoverability. Also, in the patent document 1, an inorganic flame retardant, such as a magnesium hydroxide as a flame retardant can be added to the halogen-free resin composition.

Halogen-free resin composition, covered wire covered with that and wiring harness with at least one above covered wire


The invention provides an implementing method of cloud numerical control system. The method implements a numerical control system with functions of online error compensation, CAD/CAPP/CAM/CNC integrating and interactively cooperative assembling machining control. The cloud numerical control system includes a small cloud numerical control system a large cloud numerical control system. The small cloud numerical control system focuses on inside control of a single numerical control machining device and includes a cloud control core node, cloud measure and control subnodes and fine-tuning driving units. The large cloud numerical control system is based on the small cloud numerical control system and performs interactively cooperative machining between multiple numerical control machining devices for different workpieces to be assembled.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a numerical control method based on a "cloud calculation" mode and parallel processing of discrete network, belongs to fields of numerical control system, parallel information processing, network technology and industrial control, particularly related to numerical control machining, cooperative manufacture management, parallel control, remote measurement and control, troubleshooting treatment, communication network, automatic control and signal processing.
2. Related Art
The first generation of numerical control systems was established in 1952 with evacuated tubes. After that, the second generation was based on transistors, the third generation was based on integrated circuits, the fourth generation was based on small computers and the fifth generation was based on microcomputers. Currently, the sixth generation of numerical control systems is based on personal computers (PC). The PC numerical control is the most important improvement since the numerical control technology was established. In comparison with the fifth generation, the hardware platform and software platform of the PC numerical control are completely general. Although the fifth generation of numerical control systems is also known as "computer numerical control system", computers in such a system are of a proprietary type which must be developed and produced by the manufacturers of numerical control systems. Not only must the hardware systems be produced by the manufacturers of numerical control systems, but also fundamental software systems such as an operating system must be developed according to the hardware systems. Because the manufacturers of numerical control systems are not very skilled in development and production of computers, many problems occur, for example, the development period is too long, upgrade is too slow, performance is not good enough and manufacturing costs are too high. The sixth generation of numerical control systems based on general PCs completely overcomes those drawbacks so as to make the computer numerical control technology become faster and more reliable. A primary object of previous numerical control systems is motion control. Mainly controlled objects are electrical driving systems with multiple motion axles and a spindle. By the means of accepting commands of machining program design, simple or complicated motion control can be implemented so that numerical control machining is implemented, too.
In recent years, because the requirements of advanced manufacturing process keep higher and higher, pure motion control cannot satisfy the more complicated and accurate requirements of production. Such requirements of production include three aspects as follows:
a) A numerical control system must not only performs control and management of machining devices, but also be the online participates with management and cooperation in a company and between companies. Furthermore, a numerical control system must satisfy the integration requirement of CAD/CAPP/CAM functions. All of those requirements push the numerical control system to have stronger abilities of data processing, real-time control, discrete measurement and control, communication processing and parallel processing;
b) With higher and higher complicacy of numerical control machine-tools and other numerical machining devices, mere motion control is not enough, and more functional requirements are submitted, for example, various advanced combinative control functions in a complicated machining process (control and compensation functions of temperature, vibration, stress, tension and deformation), online automatic compensation function of abrasion of a cutter in a cutting process, online temperature compensation function of a machine-tools, online detection of various parameters of workpieces, complex machining combinative control function (such as drilling, grinding, scrolling and pressing), online simulation and verification of complicated machining, online monitor and troubleshooting treatment of numerical control machine-tools, online upgrade and technical support of numerical control systems, and so on;
c) With development of advanced manufacturing technology, from computer integrated manufacturing system to cooperative manufacturing systems between multiple companies, further to the "cloud manufacturing" provided in recent two years, all of those request numerical control systems to possess higher performance, i.e., a requirement of flexible cooperative manufacturing. Such a requirement of flexible cooperative manufacture pushes a numerical control machining device to be more intelligent.
To accomplish the above requirements, a numerical control system must have multiple functions of various motion control in a single device, combinative control, complex control, integration of CAD/CAPP/CAM, and cooperative control and match control with other devices.


Embodiments relate generally to waste receptacles and more particularly to smart waste receptacles capable of identifying waste. A waste receptacle may identify waste using machine vision and perform a task in response to identifying the waste. In an embodiment, the smart waste receptacle may instruct a user to direct the waste to one of a plurality of waste bins based on a category of the waste. In an embodiment, the smart waste receptacle may place an order to replenish the stock of a product based on the identification of waste. In an embodiment, the smart waste receptacle is created by attaching a smart device to a standard waste receptacle.

Waste receptacles include trash cans, garbage cans, recycling bins, dumpsters, and other such containers for holding waste for collection. Some waste receptacles are intended for certain kinds of waste. For example, recycling bins are for recyclable waste. However, it is difficult for end users to determine what waste is recyclable and what waste is not. Non-recyclable waste may contaminate a load of recyclable waste such that the entire load can no longer be recycled.
In addition, some online or brick and mortar retailers may offer a product subscription service or regularly scheduled delivery of products. These types of services and offerings are intended to help consumers and purchasers maintain an inventory of often-used products such as paper towels, toilet paper, or socks, for example. A delivery schedule is chosen based on an estimated need, such as one delivery per month, and followed regardless of use or stock levels of the product.


According to the drying method and apparatus of the present invention, at first, the coated film on one end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on the other end side, because drying air is supplied from one end side of the support. Subsequently, the coated film on the other end side of the support is more quickly dried than that on one end side, because drying air is supplied from the other end side of the support. Accordingly, the method and the apparatus can diminish a difference between drying rates in on one end side and in the other end side of the long support, in the whole drying zone. Thus, the method and the apparatus can uniformly dry the support and inhibit the production of a dry spot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for drying a coated film, and in particular, relates to a method and an apparatus for drying the surface of a long and wide coated film formed on a long support by applying a coating liquid including an organic solvent thereon, when manufacturing an optical compensation sheet and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display has an optical compensation sheet in order to improve its view angle characteristics, which is provided between a pair of polarizing plates and a liquid crystal cell as a phase difference sheet. A method of manufacturing a long optical compensation sheet includes the steps of: applying a coating liquid containing a resin for forming an orientational film on the surface of a long transparent film; and rubbing the coated film to form the orientational film. A manufacturing method further includes the steps of: applying a coating liquid containing a liquid crystalline discotic compound on the orientational film; and drying the coated film. The method of drying the coated film is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-73081.
The method of drying the coating liquid containing the liquid crystalline discotic compound disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-73081 includes the steps of: applying the coating liquid containing the liquid crystalline discotic compound on the orientational film; and then initially drying the coating liquid in an air-conditioned atmosphere in a room to mainly vaporize an organic solvent contained in the coating liquid to dry the coating liquid, before drying the coating liquid in a regular drying apparatus.
However, the optical compensation sheet manufactured with the manufacturing method according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-73081 produces two types of spots (irregularities) (A) and (B) as illustrated in FIG. 10 on the surface of the coated film 101 in an initial drying step. One is a broad spot (A) (shown by thin line), and the other one a sharp spot (B) (shown by thick line). The spots occasionally cause a problem of decreasing a yield of a product.
As a result of having analyzed these two spots (A) and (B), it was revealed that the broad spot (A) is caused by a reduced thickness of a coating liquid film 102 containing the liquid crystalline discotic compound, as is illustrated in FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 103 designates a long support, and reference numeral 104 designates an orientational film layer. On the other hand, it was revealed that an orientation portion 105 (deep color portion) having a sharp spot (B) formed therein showed an orientation direction 106 shifted from a regular orientation direction 107 in an orientation portion 108, as is illustrated in FIG. 12.
A general method employed as an effective measure against the spots (A) and (B) which are produced in the initial drying step includes a technique of increasing the viscosity of the coating liquid by increasing the concentration of the coating liquid or adding a thickening agent to the coating liquid; and thereby inhibiting a flow of the liquid on the surface of the coated film right after having been coated due to drying air to prevent the production of the spots. There is another method of preventing the production of the spots by using a solvent having a high boiling point. The solvent causes a leveling effect on the surface of the coated film right after having been coated, even when the liquid flowed on the surface due to the drying air.
However, a method of increasing the viscosity of the coating liquid by increasing the concentration of the coating liquid or adding the thickening agent has a problem of being incapable of performing a precise application for an ultra-thin layer in order to form a ultra-thin coated film with a high-speed application method. The method also has a disadvantage of extremely decreasing the production efficiency, because a threshold application speed (a threshold of a stable application speed) decreases along with the increase of the viscosity of the coating liquid, and the coating liquid having a higher viscosity cannot be applied at a higher speed.
On the other hand, a method of using a solvent having a high boiling point has a disadvantage of increasing a drying period of time, increasing an amount of a solvent remaining in the coated film to further increase the drying period of time, and consequently aggravating production efficiency.
With respect to such a background, the present applicant proposed a method and apparatus for drying a coated film as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-170547. The coating method and apparatus includes: providing a drying zone right directly behind an application section so as to surround the surface of a coated film to be dried on the above described running long support; and supplying a drying air so as to flow only in one direction from one end side to the other end side across the width of the above described long support in the above described drying zone. The coating method with the use of the coating apparatus can uniformly dry the coated film without changing physical properties such as a viscosity of a coating liquid or a type of a solvent. The above Japanese Patent describes that the drying method and apparatus can inhibit the production of the above described spots.

Method for drying coated film, and apparatus therefor


A spokeshave providing an easily used depth of cut adjustment that is simple, effective and requires no extra tool or blade removal for adjustment. The blade of the spokeshave is mounted on two posts that project normal to the back of the blade, and the posts are received in structures adjustably positioned within the spokeshave body. Adjustment of the positions of the post-receiving structures cause the blade to move toward or away from the body.

In spite of modern alternatives, traditional wooden spokeshaves are still popular tools. Such spokeshaves have an integrally formed body and handles made of wood, which is lightweight, easy to shape to suit the user, and pleasant to look at and use. They all share a common weakness; however, it is difficult to adjust depth of cut.
Normally wooden spokeshave blades are hand forged with upturned tangs that fit into holes pierced in the body of the shave. The tangs are wedged in position, and they are adjusted by tapping the ends of the tangs or the base of the blade, as required to move the blade toward or away from the body to adjust the depth and uniformity in thickness of cut. Various methods have been developed to improve this somewhat haphazard process. However, they are typically not very positive, or require the use of a tool such as a screwdriver or that the blade be completely removed to make even a small adjustment.
Metal body spokeshaves have developed thumbscrew arrangements for sliding a flat blade relative to the surface on which the blade's back surface (the blade surface that intersects the sharpening bevel) beds in order to adjust depth of cut. However, this type of structure will not work for a traditional wooden spokeshave, because the blade of a wooden spokeshave is adjusted by moving it normal to its back surface rather than in the same plane as that surface.


A differential pressure transducer determines pressure differentials between respiratory airflows and ambient airflows. Another determines pressure differentials between respiratory airflows and interface airflows. And another determines pressure differentials between i) respiratory airflows received from a subject and ii) interface airflows received from an area near a cannula. Corresponding respiratory monitoring methods also determine the same.

1. Field
In general, the inventive arrangements relate to respiratory care, and more specifically, to improvements in respiratory monitoring.
2. Description of Related Art
For illustrative, exemplary, representative, and non-limiting purposes, preferred embodiments of the inventive arrangements will be described in terms of medical subjects needing respiratory care. However, the inventive arrangements are not limited in this regard.
Now then, referring generally, when a subject is medically unable to sustain breathing activities on the subject's own, mechanical ventilators can improve the subject's condition and/or sustain the subject's life by assisting and/or providing requisite pulmonary gas exchanges on behalf of the subject. Not surprisingly, many types of mechanical ventilators are well-known, and they can be generally classified into one (1) of three (3) broad categories: spontaneous, assisted, and/or controlled mechanical ventilators.
During spontaneous ventilation, a subject generally breathes at the subject's own pace, but various, external factors can affect certain parameters of the ventilation, such as tidal volumes and/or baseline pressures within a system. With this first type of mechanical ventilation, the subject's lungs still "work," in varying degrees, and the subject generally tends and/or tries to use the subject's own respiratory muscles and/or reflexes to control as much of the subject's own breathing as the subject can.
During assisted or self-triggered ventilation, the subject generally initiates breathing by inhaling and/or lowering a baseline pressure, again by varying degrees, after which a clinician and/or ventilator then "assists" the subject by applying generally positive pressure to complete the subject's next breath.
During controlled or mandatory ventilation, the subject is generally unable to initiate breathing by inhaling and/or exhaling and/or otherwise breathing naturally, by which the subject then depends on the clinician and/or ventilator for every breath until the subject can be successfully weaned therefrom.
Now then, as is well-known, non-invasive mechanical ventilation can be improved upon by containing and/or controlling the spaces surrounding the subject's airways in order to achieve more precise control of the subject's gas exchanges. Commonly, this is accomplished by applying i) an enclosed facemask, which can be sealably worn over the subject's nose, mouth, and/or both, or ii) an enclosed hood or helmet, which can be sealably worn over the subject's head, the goals of which are to at least partly or wholly contain and/or control part or all of the subject's airways. Referring generally, these types of arrangements are known as "interfaces," a term that will be used hereinout to encompass all matters and forms of devices that can be used to secure subject airways in these fashions.
During non-invasive mechanical ventilation, it is increasingly important to monitor the subject's respiration and/or other respiratory airflows, at least to access the adequacy of ventilation and/or control operation of attached ventilators. For example, interface leaks and/or interface compressions commonly adversely effect a subject's interpreted and/or real airflow needs. More specifically, since interface disturbances will always be difficult and/or impossible to avoid, a need exists to deal with them appropriately.
In accordance with all or part of the foregoing, the inventive arrangements address interface disturbances and respiratory airflows, particularly during non-invasive spontaneous and/or assisted mechanical ventilation.

Respiratory monitoring with differential pressure transducer


A process for producing a mixed powder for powder metallurgy in which graphite segregation can be prevented and which has satisfactory flowability and brings about satisfactory lubricating properties, the process comprising: selecting an organic binder which, when the solubility of an organic lubricant in a given organic solvent at a given temperature is taken as 1, has a solubility in the same solvent at the same temperature of 2 or higher; mixing the organic lubricant and the organic binder with the given organic solvent together with an iron powder to prepare an iron-powder slurry in which the organic lubricant and the organic binder have been dissolved in the organic solvent; and removing the organic solvent from the iron-powder slurry by vaporization to precipitate the organic lubricant and the organic binder in this order.

In powder metallurgy for producing a sintered body by using an iron powder or a copper powder as the main raw material, generally a mixed powder containing the powder of a main raw material, an auxiliary material powder (a graphite powder, an alloy component, etc.) for improving the physical property of the sintered body, a lubricant, and others is used. In order to improve the mechanical properties (strength, hardness, etc.) of a sintered body in particular, generally a means of adding a carbon supply component (carbon source) such as graphite, molding a material powder, and successively dispersing the carbon source in an iron powder and carburizing the iron powder during heat sintering process is adopted.
Since graphite has a smaller specific gravity and a smaller grain size than an iron powder however, a problem is that, only by mixing them, the graphite is largely separated from the iron powder, the graphite segregates, and they cannot be mixed homogeneously. In powder metallurgy, generally a mixed powder is stored in a storage hopper in advance for mass-producing sintered bodies. In a storage hopper, graphite having a small specific gravity tends to segregate at the upper part of the hopper and, when a mixed powder is discharged from the hopper, the concentration of the graphite increases toward the end of the discharge from the hopper. As a result, a part having a high carbon concentration is formed in a sintered body, a cementite structure precipitates there, and mechanical properties deteriorate. If a carbon content varies by the segregation of graphite in a sintered body, parts having a stable quality can hardly be produced. Further an arising problem in a mixing process and a molding process is that the segregated graphite powder causes dust emission, and the deterioration of a work environment and the lowering of the handleability of a mixed powder are caused. Such segregation is caused not only in the case of graphite but also in the cases of various kinds of powders mixed with an iron powder likewise and the prevention of the segregation is desired.
In order to prevent such segregation and dust emission, roughly three methods have heretofore been proposed. The first method is a method of adding a liquid additive such as tall oil to a mixed powder (for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2). The method has an advantage that a mixed powder can be produced with simple equipment but a problem of the method is that, if a liquid additive of a quantity necessary for exhibiting a segregation prevention effect is added, a liquid bridge force acts among iron particles and flowability deteriorates extremely. The second method is a method of vaporizing a solvent and attaching graphite onto the surface of an iron powder after dissolving a solid binder such as a high molecular weight polymer into the solvent and homogenously mixing them (Patent Literatures 3 and 4 and others). The method has the advantages that graphite can stick without fail and there are many choices in adopting a lubricant used but the flowability of a mixed powder may be insufficient depending on some quantities or some types. The third method is a so-called hot melt method characterized by heating and melting a lubricant of a relatively low molecular weight such as fatty acid while it is mixed with an iron powder (for example, Patent Literature 5). The drawback of the method is that the temperature control during mixing is very important for uniformly sticking the melted lubricant onto the surface of the iron powder and the number of choices for a usable lubricant is restricted.
For preventing the segregation and dust emission of graphite, adhesive force between an iron powder and graphite is required to be enhanced but other characteristics are also required in recent years and the types and degrees of the characteristics have increasingly been upgraded. As one of the required characteristics, the flowability of powder is named. In powder metallurgy, the flowability of a mixed powder is one of the important characteristics when the mixed powder is discharged from a storage hopper or when a mold is filled with the mixed powder. That is, if the flowability of a mixed powder is inferior, the arising problems are that bridging is caused at the upper part of the outlet in a hopper, thus the discharge is hindered, and a hose clogs between the hopper and a shoebox. Further, in the case of a mixed powder having a poor flowability, even when the mixed powder is outpoured forcibly from a hose, a mold, particularly a part of thin-wall, is not filled and a sound molded body may not be produced in some cases.
The flowability of a mixed powder is influenced also by the grain size and shape of the metal powder used, the type, quantity, grain size, and shape of a physical property improving agent to be added, and others and the most influencing factors are considered to be the quantity of a powdery lubricant added and the type of a lubricant added to the mixed powder.
With regard to the quantity of an added powdery lubricant, generally flowability deteriorates from its peak at 0.1% by mass of the added lubricant as the quantity of the added lubricant increases and hence it is preferable to lower the quantity of the added lubricant from the viewpoint of securing the flowability. If the quantity of the added lubricant decreases however, the lubricity lowers considerably as a matter of course, the friction coefficient between a molded body and a mold face increases when the molded body is extracted from a mold, and that causes die seizure and mold damage. Consequently, it has been difficult to obtain both lubricity and flowability simultaneously.
Further, it is difficult to obtain both lubricity and flowability simultaneously also from the viewpoint of the type and melting point of a lubricant. That is, stearic acid or stearic acid amide generally having a low melting point is excellent in lubricity but, in a lubricant having such a low melting point, aggregation is caused and flowability deteriorates in some cases. When an ambient temperature is high in particular, the drawback appears conspicuously. In contrast, metallic soap or ethylene bis-amide having a high melting point can maintain a good flowability even when an ambient temperature rises but lubricity is inferior to the stearic acid amide or the like having a low melting point.
In this way, in consideration of the quantity and type of a lubricant added, to materialize a mixed powder having both lubricity and flowability simultaneously has been a long-term challenge.

Mixed powder for powder metallurgy and process for producing same


The present invention generally relates to self-aligning electrical coupling devices and related methods. For example, one embodiment can include an aligning means for aligning a central axis of a male connector component with a central axis of a female connector component. The embodiment can also include a rotationally-aligning means for rotationally aligning a male connector component with a female connector component so as to achieve a predetermined rotational orientation. Some embodiments can also an electrically-communicating means for electrically communicating between the male connector component and the female connector component. Some embodiments relate to processes for assembling self-aligning electrical coupling device.

A. Field of Invention
This invention relates to self-aligning electrical contacts and related methods.
B. Description of the Related Art
Electrical coupler devices comprising male and female components are known in the art. However, prior couplers have required careful alignment of the male and female components. For example, in one prior coupler a male component is affixed to a vehicle seat, a female component is affixed to a vehicle floor, and an assembler must manually guide the male component into the female component in order to form the electrical contact. In other embodiments, the male and female components are mated after the seat is installed, which again requires manual alignment, and requires an extra step in addition to installing the seat.
The present invention provides a coupling device that differs from the prior art. Some embodiments enable self-aligning male/female electrical connections. Furthermore, some embodiments include processes related to such electrical connections.

Self-aligning electrical contact and related methods


A heat storage mat for a bed is constructed to provide a heating intensity, a heat insulation and a cushioning effect which are adjusted to meet various conditions which are required for various parts of the driver's body to insure a comfortable sleep. The heat storage mat includes a plurality of heating elements arranged in a row in a longitudinal direction of the mat. Each of the heating elements is composed of a flat bag filled with a latent heat storage agent and an electric heater unit disposed on an underside of the flat bag. The quantities of the latent heat storage agents associated with the respective heating elements increase successively in a direction from a head side toward a leg side of the mat. A plurality of heat insulating cushions are disposed on upper surfaces of the corresponding bags. The heat insulating cushions have thicknesses which vary in inverse proportion to the quantities of the latent heat storage agents of the respective bags. The heating elements and the heat insulating cushions are enclosed in a bag-like cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat storage mat of the type using a substance which is capable of evolving heat at a constant temperature when the substance undergoes a phase change or transformation from the liquid state into the solid state. The heat storage mat is particularly useful when embodied in a napping or brief sleeping bed for long-distance trucks. When the truck is running, the heat storage mat is able to store heat by using electric power which is generated while a truck is running, and when the driver is taking a nap within the truck at a stop, the heat storage mat evolves heat so as to keep the inside of the napping bed at a comfortable temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One known heat storage mat is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication 2-42266, which utilizes a latent heat storage substance or agent capable of evolving heat at a transformation temperature. Electric power which is generated while a truck is running is used in order to store or absorb heat within the heat storage agent. When the driver is taking a nap on the heat storage mat, the heat storage agent evolves heat to warm up the body of the driver in such a manner that the feet are kept at a higher temperature than the upper half of the body.
The known heat storage mat includes a heat insulating cushion wrapped in a bag-like cover and containing therein a series of heating elements. Each of the heating elements is composed of a bag filled with a heat storage agent and an electric heater unit that are disposed in a superposed relation within the heat-insulating cushion. When the mat is not used, the electric heater unit is energized to heat the heat storage agent which in turn absorbs heat as latent heat. When the electric heater unit is de-energized, the heat storage agent starts evolving heat to warm up the mat so that the mat is kept at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time. The heat storage mat thus constructed is able to operate without the need for a battery used as a heat source, so that during the winter months or at a cold district, the truck driver can take a nap on the mat while the engine is stopped. Thus, over-discharging of the battery can be avoided.
In the heat storage mat described above, the heat storage agents received in the respective bags have different transformation temperatures so that the heating elements generate heat at different temperatures. The heating elements are arranged to create a temperature gradient so that the foot side of the truck driver is heated at a higher temperature than the head side. With this temperature gradient, the mat is able to provide a comfortable sleeping condition for the truck driver.
The known heat storage mat, however, is not fully satisfactory for the reasons discussed below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 3, the known heat storage mat B is composed of four parts B1-B4 arranged in a row in order to support thereon corresponding parts of the driver's body A. More specifically, the first part B1 is adapted to support a head A1 and shoulders A2 of the body A; the second part B2 is adapted to support a chest A3 and a waist A4 of the body A; the third part B3 is adapted to support a hip A5 and thighs A6 of the body A; and the fourth part B4 is adapted to support legs A7 of the body A. When the driver takes a nap on the heat storage mat B, most parts of the body A excluding the head A1 are covered with a coverlet such as a blanket C.
Various conditions which are required for the respective parts B1-B4 to keep the corresponding parts of the body A in a comfortable condition are as follows.
The head A1 which is placed on a pillow D requires a greater heat radiation rather than a heat retaining property. The shoulders A2 evolve a relatively small amount of heat but they are not so thermally weak to require an external heat source. In addition, a front side of the shoulders A2 is thermally insulated by the blanket C. The back of the shoulders A2 requires a high thermal insulation and an excellent cushioning effect.
The chest A3 and the waist A4 give off a great amount of heat so that when wrapped with the blanket C, these parts can be kept warm without using a heat source. However, to insure comfortable napping, the chest A3 and the waist A4 require an excellent cushioning effect.
The hip A5 and the thighs A6 evolve less amount of heat than the chest A3 and the waist A4 and hence these parts are unlikely to become warm. Thus, these parts require a heat source of a large thermal capacity. The back of the hip A5 and the thighs A6 is insensitive as compared with the back A3 and lower back A4. Accordingly, an excellent cushioning effect is not needed for the back of the hip A and the thighs A6.
The legs A7 evolve the least amount of heat and release a greater amount of heat. Accordingly, the legs A7 are likely to become cold soon. In order to warm up the legs A7, a greater heat source must be provided. In addition, since the legs A7 are likely to move frequently and widely, a heat retaining effect of the blanket C is substantially deteriorated. The cushioning property of the upper side of the fourth part B4 does not have a direct effect on a comfortable sleep.
The known heat storage mat failed to satisfy all of the requirements discussed above.


Each fin of a heat sink includes a main fin connected to a core and extending radially outwards, and a pair of branch fins extending radially outwards from a branch point at a radially outer end of the main fin. Among a plurality of fins, in each of three fins which are adjacent in the circumferential direction, a width of an end portion of the main fin viewed along the center axis expands radially outwards at an angle which is larger than an expanding angle of the pair of branch fins. A difference between a distance from the center axis to the branch point in the center one of the fins and a distance from the center axis to the branch point in each of the other two fins is equal to or larger than a width of a root of the main fin in the center radiating fin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink and a heat sink fan.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a heat sink fan is utilized as a cooling device which cools a CPU mounted in a computer. The heat sink fan is a combination of a heat sink of metal to which the heat from the CPU is transmitted with a fan. The heat sink includes a plurality of fins arranged in a circumferential direction. The heat transmitted from the CPU to the heat sink is efficiently radiated by the air sent by the fan to the heat sink.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-206404 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-336031 disclose a radiating fin which branches into two portions on a radially outer side. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-91644 discloses a radiating fin which branches into three branch fins on the radially outer side.
In a heat sink in which each radiating fin branches into two branch fins on the radially outer side, the branch points of all of the fins are arranged on the inner side, so as to increase the surface area. This arrangement may increase the radiating efficiency of the heat sink. However, in such a heat sink, a width of a gap between branch fins in the radiating fin or a width of a gap between fins is narrow. If the width of respective gap is excessively narrow, the flow of air from the fan is blocked. Thus, it is impossible to increase the radiating efficiency of the heat sink.


The present invention relates to systems and methods associated with selective wet etching and textured surface planarization. The systems and methods described herein can be used to etch a component of a multi-layer stack, such as a GaN layer. In some embodiments, the multi-layer stack can include a substrate having a patterned surface and a light generating region. The substrate can be removed from the first multi-layer stack to form a second multi-layer stack. In some embodiments, the pattern on the surface of the substrate can leave behind a pattern on a surface of the second multi-layer stack. Accordingly, in some cases, the surface of the second multi-layer stack can be wet etched, for example, to smoothen the surface. In some embodiments, removing the substrate can expose an N-face of a GaN layer, and the wet etch can be performed such that the N-face of the GaN layer is etched. In some embodiments, the multi-layer stack includes a light generating region and can be part of a light emitting device.

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a binary III/V bandgap semiconductor material and can be used in a wide variety of devices including light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, UV detectors, and other electronic devices such as field-effect transistors (FETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). GaN is also a very hard material, and is stable with a high heat capacity. GaN can be doped with several materials to either form an n-type or p-type semiconductor, which, when used together, can form the structure for a light-emitting diode.

Selective wet etching and textured surface planarization processes


The present solution includes an automated response method. The method can receive user interactions entered through a real-time text exchange interface. These user interactions with the speech application can be dynamically and automatically converted as necessary into a format consumable by a voice server. A text input API of a voice server can be used to allow the voice server to directly accept text input. Further, automated interactions can be received from the voice server, which are dynamically and automatically converted into a format accepted by the text exchange interface. The text exchange interface can be an off-the-shelf unmodified interface. The speech application can be a VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent text exchange capability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of automated speech systems and, more particularly, to using an automated speech application environment to automatically provide text-based interactive services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are often used to provide automated customer service via a voice channel of a communication network. IVR systems permit routine customer requests to be quickly, efficiently, and automatically handled. When a request is non-routine or when a caller has difficulty with the IVR system, a transfer can be made from the IVR system to a customer service representative. Even when human interactions are needed, the IVR system can obtain necessary preliminary information, such as an account number and a reason for a call, which can ensure callers are routed to an appropriate human agent and to ensure human-to-human interactive time is minimized. Successful use of IVR systems allows call centers to be minimally manned while customers are provided a high level of service with relatively low periods spent in waiting queues.
IVR systems, especially robust ones having natural language understanding (NLU) capabilities and/or large context free grammars, represent a huge financial and technological investment. This investment includes costs for purchasing/leasing and maintaining IVR infrastructure hardware, IVR infrastructure software, and voice applications executing upon this infrastructure. An additional and significant reoccurring cost can relate to maintaining a sufficient number of voice quality channels to handle anticipated call volume. Further, each of these channels consumes an available port of a voice server, which has a limited number of costly ports. Each channel also consumes a quantity of bandwidth needed for establishing a voice quality channel between a caller and the IVR system.
No conventional solution permits this expensive IVR infrastructure to be leveraged to handle customer service interactions over other communications channels, such as a chat channel or an instant messaging channel. Instead, implementing a chat channel using conventional techniques requires a separate investment in a separate infrastructure. That is, new costs for purchasing and maintaining chat infrastructure hardware, chat infrastructure software, and chat applications executing upon this infrastructure are incurred.

Using an automated speech application environment to automatically provide text exchange services


The present invention discloses an interface switching system including an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes an audio socket, a first set of interface lines, a set of audio interface lines, a first switching device, an interface socket and a processor. The audio socket is arranged to be coupled to an audio plug. The first switching device is arranged to couple the audio socket to the first set of interface lines or the set of audio interface lines. The interface socket is arranged to be coupled to a first interface plug or a second interface plug. The processor is arranged to enable the first switching device to couple the audio socket to the first set of interface lines when the interface socket is coupled to the second interface plug.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface switching system, and in particular to an interface switching system arranged to switch the operation mode according to different plugs.
Description of the Related Art
Presently, mobile devices are highly developed and multi-functional. For example, handheld devices such as mobile phones and tablets are capable of conducting telecommunications, receiving and transmitting e-mails, maintaining social networks, managing contacts, and playing media. Hence, users can implement various applications on their mobile devices, such as a simple phone call, social network interaction, or commercial transaction. Therefore, mobile devices have become one of the necessities in people's lives.
Most of the current handheld devices include various sockets (output ports) arranged to connect to other electronic device for extensions. However, the size of the latest handheld devices is required to be small to make them easier for daily use. Therefore, the slots of the current handheld devices are limited, such that it is necessary to use these limited sockets effectively.

Interface switching system and method for switching operation mode


A plastic tube with an integral finish and a twist off tab are blow molded. The twist off tab is connected to the finish of the tube by an annular groove forming a line of weakness. The tab is formed by the closing of mold halves about an extruded parison to form a flat twist off tab connected by a thin membrane to the exterior of the finish. The tab is then blow molded to form the tube. After the mold halves are opened, the twist-off tab is trimmed to provide the finished tube. The tab is formed by a conventional blow molding process without the need of a secondary operation. A plurality of blow molded corrugations are provided between annular blow molded ribs on the finish and provide added strength to the finish to facilitate removal of the tab.

This invention relates to plastic tubes.
In squeeze tubes, it is common to use a separate closure. However, this requires additional costs incurred in the manufacture of the closure and the equipment for applying the closure.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a one piece blow molded plastic squeeze tube with an integral twist off closure; wherein the tube may be a multilayer tube; wherein the entire package comprising the plastic tube and integral twist off closure tab are blow molded; and wherein the added costs of manufacturing a separate closure and applying a closure are eliminated.
In accordance with the invention, a plastic tube with an integral finish and a twist off tab are blow molded. The twist off tab is connected to the finish of the tube by an annular groove forming a line of weakness. The tab is formed by the closing of mold halves about an extruded parison to form a flat twist off tab connected by a thin membrane to the exterior of the finish. The parison is then blow molded to form the tube. After the mold halves are opened, the twist-off tab is trimmed to provide the finished tube. The tab is formed by a conventional blow molding process without the need of a secondary operation. A plurality of blow molded corrugations are provided between annular blow molded ribs on the finish and provide added strength to the finish to facilitate removal of the tab.

One piece blow molded plastic squeeze tube with an integral twist off closure


A machine for processing the front side of a flat media workpiece, such as a silicon wafer, seals the backside of the wafer from processing chemicals. A rotor has an inside ring and an outside ring protruding from the rotor face. The inside ring and outside ring are separated by an annular groove in the rotor. A O-ring is positioned between the inside ring and the outside ring. A membrane extends from the inside ring, over the annular groove and the O-ring, to the outside ring. The membrane and face of the rotor form a sealable wafer back face chamber between them. Vacuum is applied to the back face chamber to hold the wafer against the membrane. The back surface of the wafer is sealed from processing chemicals, which are allowed to contact only the front surface and edges of the wafer.

The field of the invention is machines for processing flat media, such as semiconductor wafers, substrates, flat panel displays, photomasks, data disks and similar articles.
In the processing of various flat media, including semiconductor wafers, it is frequently necessary to expose a surface of the flat media (referred to herein as wafers) to processing chemicals, such as various reactants, coatings, or solvents, which may be in either liquid or gas phase. For certain operations, the processing is required only on the front side of the wafer. In these operations, it is advantageous to seal the back surface of the wafer from the processing chemicals involved, simply to reduce the quantity of processing chemicals consumed. While exposing the back face of a wafer to processing chemicals may, in certain instances be irrelevant to the final semiconductor product produced, it unnecessarily increases the amount of processing chemicals used. It may also increase the amount of processing waste products, which can be costly to treat or dispose of.
In other semiconductor processing steps, it is important to seal the back face of the wafer or substrate, from the front face being processed, to avoid contamination. For example, in preparing a wafer for growth of the epitaxial layer during the manufacture of semiconductors, all pre-existing oxide must be removed from the front surface of the wafer, typically via etching with aqueous or vaporous hydrogen fluoride. The back surface must be sealed from the hydrogen fluoride to prevent contamination.
In other processes as well, it is important that a particular coating, reactant, processing chemicals, etc. not contact the back side of a wafer, because of contamination effects which can result in subsequent processing.
Existing wafer processing machines use a membrane which seals against the back side of a wafer using vacuum to prevent processing chemicals from contacting the back side. While these types of machines have been successfully used in the past, they have certain disadvantages. A substantial vacuum is required to reliably seal the membrane to the back surface of the wafer. As the wafer is drawn against the membrane, significant bending stresses develop in the wafer and can cause cracks in the wafer. In addition, the membrane in existing machines contacts a significant amount of surface area on the back surface of the wafer. As the areas contacted may be rendered unsuitable for semiconductor devices, it is advantageous to seal the back side of the wafer while touching only a minimum amount of surface area near the extreme outside edges of the wafer. Indeed, future industry standards require that machines for processing semiconductors touch semiconductor wafers only near their edges, a standard difficult or impossible to meet with existing machines.
Thus, there is a need for improved machines and methods for processing flat media, such as semiconductor wafers.
To these ends, in a first aspect of the invention, a machine for processing flat media includes a rotor having an inside and an outside ring or protrusion. A membrane extends from the inside protrusion to the outside protrusion. A stopping element on the rotor limits the deflection of the membrane and causes the membrane to seal against a small surface area on the back surface of the wafer. As a result, manufacturing efficiency is increased as more area of the wafer remains available to be processed into a semiconductor device.
In a second and separate aspect of the invention, a groove is provided in between the inside and outside protrusions, with the membrane extending across the groove. With vacuum applied to the groove, as well as to the back surface of the wafer, the contact area between the membrane and wafer is minimized, thereby increasing manufacturing efficiency.
In a third and separate aspect of the invention, the stopping element deflects a narrow annular area of the membrane into sealing contact with the back surface of the membrane. Consequently, less vacuum is required for sealing, reducing stress and the potential for cracking the wafer.
In a fourth aspect of the invention two or three of the aspects described above are combined to achieve the advantages described.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine for processing flat media such as semiconductor wafers.


A computer device capable of playing DVD films without the need of running an operating system is disclosed. The computer device comprises a computer keyboard unit comprising a keyboard controller, a low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) transmitter, wherein the LVDS transmitter has an output end connected to a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor; a DVD-ROM for reading and outputting audio/video DVD data; a DVD format and image decoder connected to the DVD-ROM through a multiplexer; and a DVD control switch disposed on the computer keyboard unit and connected to the power switching module, wherein the power switching module functions as a controller when the DVD control switch is activated to turn on the work power of the keyboard controller, the DVD-ROM, the DVD format and image decoder, the multiplexer, the image processor, the LVDS transmitter, the LCD monitor, the audio amplifier, and the speaker.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer device capable of playing digital versatile disc (DVD) films without the need of running an operating system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer device that enables a user to watch DVD films on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen without the need of running Windows operating system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable that a computer user can use a DVD-ROM of a desktop or laptop computer to watch movies. Conventionally, to watch DVD films through a computer DVD-ROM, a user has to turn the monitor on (in a desktop computer case), boot his computer first and then wait for about 50 seconds to enter the Windows operating system. After that, he or she has to execute the application program of a DVD-ROM via the normal Windows interface. Only through the time-consuming process, the computer user can watch the DVD films. The above-mentioned prior art process is not convenient to the computer users.
In light of foregoing, there is a strong need to provide an improved computer device such that one can watch DVD films on the computer monitor without the need of entering Windows operating system.

Computer device capable of playing DVD films without the need of executing an operating system


An engine control system and method wherein the peak pressure in the combustion chamber can be reduced without significantly reducing engine output by supplying fuel in two segments. The first segment is begun before combustion begins and the second segment is not initiated until after combustion has been initiated and preferably after peak pressure has occurred in the combustion chamber. In this way, incipient knocking can be controlled without adversely effecting the engine performance.

This invention relates to an engine control system and method and more particularly to an improved system and method for controlling combustion and precluding knocking in engine performance.
A wide variety of sophisticated engine controls have been provided for improving engine performance. These engine controls provide a number of different advantages and control routines to achieve those advantages. Normally, the controls employ a system or methodology which prevents or reduces knocking in the engine. Knocking is a condition which occurs when the flame propagation is too rapid and spontaneous combustion or irregular combustion results. This provides not only unsatisfactory running conditions, but if prolonged, can actually cause engine damage.
Normally, the way knocking is avoided is by retarding the spark timing. Alternatively varying the amount of fuel supplied to the engine also is a way in which the knocking condition can be controlled. At times, both adjustments in spark timing and in fuel supply amount may be coupled together for the control.
The disadvantage with these previously proposed systems is that both tend to reduce the actual engine power output. However, the knocking condition generally occurs when the engine is called upon to produce a greater amount of power than normal. Thus, the reduction of power is counterproductive in the ability to obtain the desired performance.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved engine control system and method wherein knocking can be avoided or minimized and yet the engine power is not substantially reduced.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved method and system for operating an engine to provide knock control.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a knock control system and method for an engine that will nevertheless permit the attainment of relatively high power outputs.
The types of fuel supply systems utilized in engines fall into two general categories. One type of fuel supply system utilizes a carburetor as a charge former and thus provides an air-fuel ratio that is supplied to the engine and which does not vary significantly during a given intake cycle. The other type of system employs fuel injection, which injects a finite amount of fuel, generally once per cycle. This fuel is injected either into the induction system or directly into the combustion chamber. The fuel is generally sprayed in a single installment and hence, the actual combustion cycle in the combustion chamber is controlled primarily by the time at which ignition occurs. That is, the flame propagation and pressure buildup in the cylinder will be determined solely by the amount of fuel and the locale of the fuel patch in the combustion chamber.
Because of these factors, the engine performance cannot be totally controlled so as to provide optimum performance. That is, the combustion curve and pressure buildup in the combustion chamber is substantially fixed once the ignition time and fuel supply amount is set. This gives rise to rapid pressure buildup and high pressure peaks, which do not necessarily provide optimum performance.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide a fuel supply system and control therefor for an engine wherein the pressure buildup in the combustion chamber during the combustion cycle can be more accurately controlled.


Performance of a flux in a soldering process is assessed by monitoring the activity of the flux via its electrical conductance measured using a probe having interdigitated metallic traces and a temperature sensor. The measured conductance-temperature time profile provides information useful for selecting a suitable flux formulation and soldering conditions for a given application, for determining the cause of soldering process problems, and for developing improved flux formulations.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with control of industrial processes, and in particular with controlling soldering processes used to interconnect components in electronic circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern microelectronic circuits generally comprise electronic components and devices interconnected via a printed wiring board (PWB), which includes copper lines, that serve as interconnection wires, and surface contact pads to which component and device leads are soldered. The PWB may include metallic surface pads that serve other functions, edge connections or circuit test points, for example. The PWB lines and pads are formed on a dielectric substrate, typically a polymer laminant or a ceramic, by a combination of electroless copper deposition, photolithography and copper electrodeposition. Multiple layers of circuitry are often laminated together and interconnected by via holes, which typically have copper plated walls and are filled with solder. A surface finish of an oxidation-resistant metal is generally applied to the PWB copper pads to inhibit formation of a surface oxide that would reduce solderability. Typical surface finishes include electroless nickel/gold, immersion tin, and electroplated tin-bismuth.
Component and device leads are typically soldered to PWB contact pads by a reflow soldering process that involves applying a predetermined amount of solder paste to the PWB contact pads, populating the PWB by placing the components and devices such that their input/output (I/O) leads are aligned with the appropriate PWB contact pads, and heating the populated PWB assembly to reflow (melt) the solder in the solder paste. The predetermined amount of solder paste is typically applied to PWB contact pads via an automated syringe dispenser, or via a stencil and squeegee. The predetermined amount of solder paste may vary depending on the specific components and devices to be soldered. A typical device is a ball grid array (BGA) having an array of solder balls attached to contact pads on one side of the device. Many BGA devices have a high I/O lead count so that the distance between adjacent contact pads (pitch) is very small.
Solder pastes generally contain a powder of small solder spheroids that coalesce during reflow to form the solder mass that accounts for a large fraction of the solder in the solder joint. The solder paste also contains a soldering flux that dissolves oxides from the metallic surfaces involved in the soldering process. Soldering fluxes typically contain an organic halide that is activated at a sufficiently elevated temperature to yield an organic acid and a free halogen species, which are effective for dissolving metallic oxides. Solder pastes may also contain ingredients to provide desirable rheological properties, and to inhibit reoxidation of the metallic surfaces as the flux is consumed during solder reflow. In particular, the solder paste must be sufficiently stiff (and tacky) to hold components and devices in place prior to solder reflow, and to resist slumping that can lead to electrical shorts due to solder bridging between adjacent contact pads.
Reflow soldering is generally performed in a reflow oven that includes a metallic belt conveyor for transporting the electronic assembly through the oven, and has different heating zones to enable the assembly to be heated according to a predetermined temperature-time profile. In some cases, the reflow oven or a section thereof may be blanketed with nitrogen to inhibit oxidation of the surfaces to be soldered during the reflow process.
Reflow soldering is a complicated process requiring sufficient flux activity just prior to the time that the solder reflows (melts) to dissolve surface oxides (on PWB pads, component leads and solder particles in solder paste) so that strong solder joints having low electrical resistance are attained. The flux activity required depends strongly on the amount and type of oxides on the surfaces to be joined. For a reliable reflow soldering process, it is necessary to utilize the appropriate solder paste and reflow conditions for the particular assemblies to be soldered.
Reflow soldering problems associated with flux activity generally fall in one of four categories: (1) flux in the solder paste loses activity via chemical reactions during storage so that the remaining activity at the time of use in the soldering process is inadequate; (2) flux in the solder paste activates too early (at a temperature below the solder reflow temperature) so that the surfaces to be joined re-oxidize prior to solder reflow; and (3) the flux does not activate sufficiently at the reflow temperature; and (4) flux remains active after the soldering process, causing corrosion and/or electromigration that can lead to failure of the circuit due to electrical shorts, opens, or excessive interconnection resistance.
Another soldering process currently used by industry to assemble electronic devices is wave soldering, in which a PWB populated with devices (surface mount and/or through-hole) is passed over a wave of molten solder. Wave soldering is prone to the same types of flux activity problems as reflow soldering.
Available methods for controlling soldering processes include: (1) ball/lead shear or pull tests involving measurements of the force required to produce solder joint failure; (2) solderability determination via solder spread tests, wetting balance tests or sequential electrochemical reduction analysis (SERA); (3) detection of solder flux residues via surface insulation resistance (SIR) measurements, halide analysis, ionic cleanliness testing, electrochemical migration tests, and copper mirror and copper plate corrosion tests; (4) measurements of solder paste physical and chemical properties, including viscosity, specific gravity, percent halogen content, tackiness, acid number, pH and impedance spectroscopy (to detect solder ball oxidation); and (5) flux chemistry analysis via chromatography (GC, HPLC, IC and GPC), light spectroscopy (UV, FTIR, Raman and AA), thermographic analysis (DSC, TGA), and wet chemical analysis.
All of these methods are applied before or after the soldering process and provide information about only one parameter relating to soldering process performance. None of these methods provide information about the soldering process itself. This is equally true for the wetting balance test in which an attempt is made to simulate the soldering process by measuring the wetting force (via the weight of the solder meniscus) when a test specimen is brought into contact with molten solder. The wetting balance provides only an indication of solderability, is difficult to apply to PWB's and BGA's, and does not adequately simulate an actual soldering process in terms of specimen geometry, flux application, pre-heating (temperature profile), and specimen thermal inertia. There is clearly a need for a method of measuring the performance of soldering processes so that they can be optimized with respect to all of the important variables.

Thermoconductimetric analyzer for soldering process improvement