A method for producing a soft magnetic powdered core comprises a mixing step for forming a raw powder by adding a thermoplastic resin powder to a soft magnetic powder and mixing them, a compacting step for forming a compact by compacting the raw powder into a predetermined shape, a melting and setting step for the resin in which the resin of the compact is melted by heating to at least the melting point of the thermoplastic resin and the melted resin is set by cooling to a room temperature, and a crystallizing step for the resin in which the set resin is heated to not less than the exothermic onset temperature and not more than the endothermic onset temperature, which are measured by DSC analysis of the thermoplastic resin, and is cooled to a room temperature.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for producing a soft magnetic powdered core, which is preferably used for electric transformers, reactors, thyristor valves, noise filters, choke coils, and the like, and is more preferably used for soft magnetic motor cores, rotors and yokes of motors in home appliances and industrial instruments, solenoid cores (stator cores) for solenoid valves installed in an electronically controlled fuel injector for a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, and the like, which require high magnetic flux density.
2. Background Art
Iron loss is a very important characteristic of soft magnetic cores and is defined by eddy current loss relating to a specific electric resistivity value of a magnetic core and hysteresis loss affected by strain in a soft magnetic powder, which is generated in a production process of the soft magnetic powder and subsequent processing steps. The iron loss W can be specifically defined by the sum of eddy current loss We and hysteresis loss Wh as shown in the following formula (1). The eddy current loss We and the hysteresis loss Wh can be defined by the following formulas (2) and (3), respectively. In this case, "f" represents the frequency, "Bm" represents the exciting magnetic flux density, "ρ" represents the specific electric resistivity value, "t" represents the thickness of a material, and "k1" and "k2" represent coefficients.W=We+Wh  (1)We=(k1Bm2t2/ρ)f2  (2)Wh=k2Bm1.6f  (3)
As is clear from the formulas (1) to (3), while the hysteresis loss Wh is proportional to the frequency f, the eddy current loss We is proportional to the square of the frequency f. Therefore, decrease of the eddy current loss We is effective in decreasing the iron loss W, specifically in a high frequency area. In order to decrease the eddy current loss We, the specific electric resistivity value ρ should be increased by limiting the eddy current loss in a small area.
A soft magnetic powdered core is formed by interposing nonmagnetic resin between soft magnetic powder particles such as iron powders so as to limit eddy current loss to each soft magnetic powder particle. The soft magnetic powdered core has high specific electric resistivity value ρ and small eddy current loss We, and it can be produced by simple methods, whereby it is conventionally widely used (for example, see Japanese Patent Application of Laid-Open No. 60-235412). In the soft magnetic powdered core disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Application of Laid-Open No. 60-235412, resin exists between soft magnetic powder particles, whereby electrical insulation between the soft magnetic powder particles is specifically ensured. As a result, the eddy current loss We is decreased, and the soft magnetic powders are tightly bound, whereby strength of the soft magnetic powdered core is improved.
On the other hand, in a soft magnetic powdered core, nonmagnetic resin exists between soft magnetic powder particles, whereby amount of the soft magnetic powder (space factor) decreases according to the amount of resin contained in the magnetic core. Therefore, the soft magnetic powdered core has a disadvantage in that the magnetic flux density may be decreased. In order to overcome this disadvantage, a technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application of Laid-Open No. 9-320830 in which electrical insulation of a soft magnetic powder is improved by forming an insulating film on surfaces of the soft magnetic powder particles so as to decrease additive amount of resin, and this technique is used in practice. Moreover, further improvement in the magnetic properties is required recently, and in response to this requirement, a soft magnetic powdered core is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application of Laid-Open No. 2004-146804 in which additive amount of resin is further decreased.
As described above, the additive amount of resin in a soft magnetic powdered core is required to be small from the viewpoint of the magnetic properties. However, the soft magnetic powdered core has a structure in which the resin binds the soft magnetic powder particles, and the reduction of the additive amount of resin thereby causes a decrease in strength of the soft magnetic powdered core. The soft magnetic powdered core was not used for a member that requires strength, and the decrease in the strength was not a serious problem. On the other hand, recently, a portion is required to have a highly precise and complex shape, and a soft magnetic powdered core should be machined. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to machine a soft magnetic powdered core in which the additive amount of resin is further decreased, because strength thereof is not sufficient. A soft magnetic powdered core may be used in combination as various actuators, or it may be molded in resin, and therefore, external force is often applied thereto. Moreover, chipping easily occurs when soft magnetic powdered cores strike each other during a process such as when they are being conveyed, and the soft magnetic powdered core requires extra attention during assembling and when being transported. In order to prevent chipping of the soft magnetic powdered core, increase in the binding power of the soft magnetic powdered core is required.

Method for producing soft magnetic powdered core


A combination editable and fixed entry input menu field may be used to set up options and preferences for a computer system, such as in a menu for booting the computer system. The menu field provides flexibility in switching and/or selecting between various selections such as operating system(s). The menu field uses less non-volatile memory for storing strings that specify the boot path and filenames and also uses less space on the menu for displaying the strings that specify the boot path and filenames. Entry fields comprise various selections such as at least one editable selectable field and at least one fixed selectable field. The user is able to choose within the selected selectable field between various selections such as between an editable field with editable entries and a fixed field with fixed entries as being the selected entry field.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field in a menu for a computer system, and, in particular, to a method and system for providing a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field that provides and allows flexibility in switching and selecting between selectable fields wherein each of the selectable fields is able to provide and allow a user to choose between an editable selectable field(s) that each stores and provides editable entries and a fixed selectable field(s) that each stores and provides fixed entries. Still more particularly, the combination editable and fixed entry input menu field provides and allows flexibility in switching and selecting between setting up the booting by the computer system to a network under an operating system(s) having a conventional or standard path and filenames for boot up to a network and an operating system(s) having a less conventional or more customized path and filenames for boot up to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Menus are used by a computer system for setting up and/or selecting various preferences, options, and other such data or settings. At times, these preferences and options may be provided and stored as standard, conventional, and generally fixed information or data that is typically used and specified in the menu, and at other times, these preferences and options may be provided and stored as customized or less conventional information or data that need to be manually inputted or edited in the menu. Menus that allow a user to select a selection field and then choose within the selection field between one of the editable fields with editable entries and/or one of the fixed fields with fixed entries generally do not exist, and it would be advantageous and desirable to have such selection fields for menus.
One example of such menus and menu fields are boot up menus with menu fields to set up the boot up preferences and options. Various methods and manners on how a computer system initializes and boots up over a network presently exist. Generally, when a computer system boots up to a network, the computer system requires identification of the appropriate path(s) and filenames of various files and information in order to properly load and to begin operating and running on the network under the respective operating system. For example, if the computer system were installed under a normal Microsoft(copyright) NT (xe2x80x9cNTxe2x80x9d) operating system installation and were running under the NT operating system, then the computer system would have to be specified with and take the appropriate NT path or paths and filenames to the server(s) on the network when booting thereon. If the computer system were installed under an AIX operating system installation and were running under the AIX operating system, then the computer system would have to be specified with and take the appropriate AIX path or paths and filenames to the server(s) on the network when booting thereon. If the computer system were installed under an AX400 operating system installation and were running under the AX400 operating system, then the computer system would have to be specified with and take the appropriate AX400 path or paths and filenames to the server(s) on the network when booting thereon. If the computer system were installed under a customized or entirely different type of operating system installation and were running under this customized or entire different operating system, the computer system would have to be specified with and take path or paths and filenames to the server(s) on the network that support this operating system when booting thereon.
Most networks have a protocol in order to facilitate communications with computer systems. A network typically has at least various servers, and each server is set up to recognize each computer system. Thus, the computer system needs to load or be directed to and access information, programs, or files with filenames and addresses wherein the information, programs, or files are on the network. The information, programs, or files are identified and specified by paths and filenames that are generally non-volatile data, and the paths and filenames are typically maintained by the computer system in non-volatile memory. For example, in booting up onto the network, the computer system would store the Internet protocol addresses of the server on the network and the name of the boot up file to download from the server.
Generally, a boot up menu field is provided for setting up the boot process. The boot up menu field is activated by a sequence of keys that halts the boot up process and displays the menu. The menu allows the user to set up preferences and selected or specified options for the boot up process. The path and filenames for booting up the respective operating system is specified in this menu. The menu field requires an ASCII string as an input for storing the path and filenames. Some problems related to these ASCII strings are limitations of space on the screen for displaying the menu and storage space in non-volatile memory to store the ASCII string. For example, the ASCII string for the path may be ten characters long. Three to four different filenames may be used in the path. However, only five hundred twelve (512) bytes of non-volatile memory typically exist for storing all this information. Thus, space on the menu and space in non-volatile memory are both very limited for respectively displaying and storing the path and filenames used for boot up by the computer system. The conventional method of displaying and saving this network boot up information for the computer system requires that the entire ASCII string be typed and displayed on the menu screen and saved into the non-volatile memory. Thus, valuable or limited menu space and non-volatile memory space are easily used up by the display and storage of the paths and filenames.
The menu field is typically set up with a particular conventional default path and filenames for boot up of the computer system to a network. Paths and filenames for conventional operating systems or operating systems that are set up and saved in a conventional manner are usually fairly easy to identify, specify, and save as default settings. However, non-conventional or customized operating systems or operating systems that are set up or saved in a less conventional or more customized manner require the more tedious task of inputting and maintaining the appropriate path(s) and filenames and the accurate identification and specification of the default path(s) and filenames within the menu and the maintenance and storage of the path(s) and filenames in non-volatile memory. The present menu field does not provide nor allow a significant amount of flexibility in switching and selecting between setting up the booting under an operating system(s) having a conventional or standard path and filenames (i.e. accessing generally editable path and filenames) for boot up to a network and an operating system(s) having a less conventional or more customized path and filenames (i.e. accessing generally fixed path and filenames) for boot up to a network.
It is therefore advantageous and desirable to provide a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field used in a menu for a computer system wherein the menu field provides a selection field(s) wherein each selection field has entry fields that allow a user to select and/or switch between various selections such as an editable field with editable data and a fixed field with fixed data as being the selected entry field. It is further advantageous and desirable to provide a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field used during a boot process of a network computer system. It is also advantageous and desirable to provide a menu field that provides and allows flexibility in more easily switching and/or selecting between setting up the booting under an operating system(s) having a conventional or standard path and filenames for boot up to a network and an operating system(s) having a less conventional or more customized path and filenames for boot up to a network. It is further advantageous and desirable to provide a menu field that uses less non-volatile memory for storing the ASCII string input that specifies and identifies the boot path and filenames for booting a computer system under an operating system to a network. It is still advantageous and desirable to provide a menu field that uses less or minimizes the use of space on the menu for displaying the ASCII string input that specifies the boot path and filenames for booting a computer system under an operating system to a network.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field used in a menu for a computer system wherein the menu field provides a selection field(s) wherein each selection field has entry fields that allow a user to select and/or switch between various selections such as an editable field with editable data and a fixed field with fixed data as being the selected entry field.
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a combination editable and fixed entry input menu field used during a boot process of a network computer system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a menu field that provides and allows flexibility in more easily switching and/or selecting between setting up the booting under an operating system(s) having a conventional or standard path and filenames for boot up to a network and an operating system(s) having a less conventional or more customized path and filenames for boot up to a network.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a menu field that uses less non-volatile memory for storing the ASCII string input that specifies and identifies the boot path and filenames for booting a computer system under an operating system to a network.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a menu field that uses less or minimizes the use of space on the menu for displaying the ASCII string input that specifies the boot path and filenames for booting a computer system under an operating system to a network.
The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. A combination editable and fixed entry input menu field is a field within a menu displayed on a computer screen. The menu field is used to set up options and preferences for a computer system, such as in a boot up menu for booting the computer system to a network. The menu field provides and allows flexibility in more easily switching and/or selecting between various selections such as setting up the network booting under a conventional and non-conventional operating system(s). The menu field uses less non-volatile memory for storing strings that specify the boot path and filenames and also uses less space on the menu for displaying the strings that specify the boot path and filenames. Selectable fields with entry fields are provided for the combination menu field. Entry fields comprise various selections such as at least one editable selectable field and at least one fixed selectable field. Editable selectable field(s) allows entries to be edited therein and changably saved into a memory system. Fixed selectable field(s) allows entries to be fixed therein and unchangably saved into the memory system. One of the selectable fields is selected. The user is able to scroll through the entry fields in the selected selectable field. One of the entry fields within the selected selectable field is selected. The user is able to choose within the selected selectable field between various selections such as between an editable field with editable entries and a fixed field with fixed entries as being the selected entry field.
The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.

Combination editable and fixed entry input menu field used in a menu for a computer system prior to execution of an operating system

International Business Machines Corporation


A babycare heating apparatus comprising a vessel (2;102) for containing water and a heating element (15;115) for heating water held in the vessel, characterized by: a temperature sensor (22;42,123) for sensing a temperature rise effected by operation of the heating element (15); and control means (25;125) for controlling the energizing of the heating element (15;115) in dependence on the output of the temperature sensor (22;42;123) and being configured to de-energize the heating element (15;115) if the change in the temperature, sensed by the sensor (22;42;123), meets a predetermined criterion. The apparatus can be used as a sterilizer or a bottle warmer, and its uses a measure of the rate of heating during operation to determine whether the apparatus has been correctly charged with water.

Electric sterilisers for baby feeding bottles are well-known. Such sterilisers are designed to subject the items being sterilised to a temperature of 80° to 100° for several minutes.
In a known design, the operating period is set by loading the apparatus with a predetermined amount of water which evaporates during operation of a heating element. The temperature of the heating element is monitored using a bimetallic thermal switch and when the temperature of the heating element reaches a threshold temperature, indicating that all the water has evaporated or boiled off, the thermal switch opens to cut off the supply of power to the heating element.
A problem with this design of steriliser is that effective sterilisation is dependent on the user charging it with the correct amount of water. Additionally, the effective operational time varies according to the mains voltage and the actual values and ratings of readily available components, which can have quite wide tolerances.
Another heating apparatus familiar to parents is the electric feeding bottle warmer. These devices typically consist of electrically heated bains-marie.


A device for transporting a child to and from a play location under control and propulsion by an adult. The device combines a stroller and a toy vehicle in the same mechanism. The stroller configuration transports the child, facing forward, under adult control, to and from the play location. The stroller configuration includes a handle for propulsion and control by the adult. A toy vehicle configuration can be ridden and controlled by the child. The device can be quickly and easily transmogrified back and forth between the stroller and toy vehicle configurations. All components of the stroller configuration are stowed on board the vehicle configuration, and visa versa.

This invention relates to an improved baby stroller which may be transformed into a vehicle and vice versa. During family outings, it typically occurs that infants are too young not to be transported to the site of the outing in a stroller but are old enough to have graduated to bulky toys such as tricycles and pedal-driven toy automobiles. The transport of all this bulk often makes such outings an annoying production. A need exists for a stroller which is easily transformable into a toy, thereby greatly reducing the logistics of a an excursion with the kids.


A color image forming apparatus and a control method thereof, in which a transfer start position of a transfer belt is determined based on electric signals that correspond to a width of a position indicator provided on a transfer belt and are detectable during one rotation of the transfer belt even when noise occurs in output, thereby reducing the overall printing time.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a color image forming apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a color image forming apparatus capable of detecting a position of a transfer belt where a toner image developed on a photoconductor is transferred and transferring the toner image from the photoconductor to the transfer belt and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a color image forming apparatus is divided into a multipass scheme, which forms a color image by rotating a signal photoconductor several times, and a single pass scheme, which forms a color image by rotating each of a plurality of photoconductors once.
A color image forming apparatus using the multipass includes a transfer belt which is configured to form a primary transfer image by overlapping different color toner images formed on a photoconductor, and to transfer the primary transfer image to a recording medium.
In this case, the plurality of toner images are separately formed on the photoconductor by corresponding developing apparatuses and the toner images are individually transferred from the photoconductor to the transfer belt such that one toner image is disposed on top of another toner image. In order to obtain a uniform transfer image having less color deviation among different toner images colors when transferring the toner images to the transfer belt, a transfer start position of each toner image needs to be precisely controlled.
To this end, the color image forming apparatus includes a transfer position sensing apparatus configured to detect a transfer position of a transfer belt where each toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred.
The transfer position sensing apparatus includes a position sensing hole, which is formed on a transfer start position of the transfer belt and serves as a position indicator, and a detection sensor, which includes a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion that are disposed along the moving path of the position sensing hole opposite each other with respect to the position sensing hole. The sensor emits a predetermined light from the light emitting portion and detects the transfer start position of the transfer belt according to whether light is received by the light receiving portion. That is, if the position sensing hole of the transfer belt, which is driven in a caterpillar manner, is disposed in a path through which light passes, the light emitted from the light emitting portion penetrates the position sensing hole and reaches the light receiving portion. Sensing such a state, the transfer start position of the transfer belt is detected.
The color image forming apparatus having such a transfer position sensing apparatus starts rotating upon generation of a print command, and the sensor generates a sensing signal through the position sensing hole formed on the transfer start position of the transfer belt.
As the sensor generates a sensing signal, the control unit determines a position of the transfer belt corresponding to the position sensing hole as a transfer start position of a first color toner image, for example, a transfer start position of a yellow toner image, and controls a laser scanning unit (referred to as 'LSU') and a yellow color developer such that a yellow toner image is formed on a position of the photoconductor corresponding to the transfer start position of the first color toner image.
As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a yellow toner image is formed on the photoconductor by a laser beam which is emitted from the LSU according to an image signal input from a personal computer, and a yellow toner is attached to the yellow electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor by a developing roller of the yellow color developer, so that a visible yellow toner image is developed.
Sequentially, when the transfer start position of the transfer belt for the yellow toner image reaches a transfer nip between the transfer belt and the photoconductor, a transfer bias voltage having a predetermined potential and an opposite polarity to that of the yellow toner is applied to a transfer roller. As a result, the yellow toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred to the transfer belt by the transfer bias voltage and pressure of the transfer roller.
Thereafter, if the sensor generates a sensing signal through the position sensing hole again, the second toner image, a magenta toner image, for example, is formed on the photoconductor by the LSU and by a magenta color developer (similar to the method of forming the yellow toner image), and the magenta toner image is transferred to the yellow toner image on the transfer belt by a transfer bias voltage and by the pressure of a transfer roller when the transfer start position of the transfer belt reaches the transfer nip between the transfer belt and the photoconductor.
Similar to the method of forming the yellow toner image and the magenta toner image, a third toner image and a fourth toner image, for example, a cyan toner image and a black toner image, are formed on the photoconductor (by the LSU, a cyan color developer and a black color developer), and are transferred on the yellow toner image and on the magenta toner image.
However, such a conventional color image forming apparatus determines the transfer start position of the transfer belt for each toner image only based on a sensing signal, which is generated when the sensor detects either a front end or a rear end of the position sensing hole.
That is, since the position sensing hole is detected only based on the sensing signal either from a front end or a rear end of the position sensing hole, so noise may hinder a precise detection of the position sensing hole. Therefore, in order to precisely determine whether the position sensing hole is sensed, another sensing signal is needed, and thus the transfer belt needs to perform two rotations.
A transfer start point of time, at which a first color toner image (for example, a yellow toner image) starts to be transferred to the transfer belt, is determined according to when a print command is generated and whether the position sensing hole of the transfer belt is sensed. Accordingly, even if the print command is generated, the LSU is on hold without forming a yellow electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor until a sensing signal is generated through the position sensing hole.
In this case, if the detection of the position sensing hole is delayed, the overall print time is increased.
For example, in the case that a rotation period of a transfer belt is 3.75 seconds, if the transfer belt performs two rotations, a waiting time that a LSU waits to form a yellow electrostatic latent image is 7.5 seconds at the maximum. Accordingly, an electrostatic latent image forming time, at which a yellow electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor, and a transfer start time, at which the yellow electrostatic latent image is transferred to the transfer belt, are delayed by the waiting time, so that the overall print time is increased.

Color image forming apparatus and control method thereof to determine whether to transfer toner image to a transfer belt


The present invention provides a novel flavor improving agent capable of sufficiently enhancing or alleviating the flavor sensed in oral cavity; for example, enhancing and improving the thickness in taste or the like to provide depth and profoundness to the flavor, and also improving the sense of volume or the sharpness of aftertaste. The present invention also provides a food/drink, a pharmaceutical product and an oral care product having a good taste which can fulfill the recent high-level demand for taste.

Because of the recent increase in health consciousness, sugar-free and low- or non-calorie foods and drinks are desired. These foods and drinks have health benefits such as promotion of dieting, prevention of obesity, prevention of tooth decay and the like, but still need to have some sweetness in order to taste good. Substances known as providing sweetness include sugar alcohols and high-intensity sweeteners (also referred to as "artificial sweeteners"), which are described in many study reports. The sugar alcohols and high-intensity sweeteners are often used for the above-mentioned foods and drinks as substitutes of sugar in order to increase the sweetness, but are reputed to have disadvantages that sugar does not have. For example, the sugar alcohols and high-intensity sweeteners do not provide depth or thickness in taste and have heavy aftertaste and astringency.
Conventionally, foods and drinks are devised in many ways to taste better. One such way is to put additives. Additives which are, for example, effective to provide thickness in taste and alleviate aftertaste and astringency have been reported. For example, hesperidin glycoside (patent document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-318379) and theanine, which is an ingredient of tea (patent document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-313129), have been reported as additives which provide a satisfactory flavor to foods or drinks.
The former flavor improving agent has an effect of reducing the heavy aftertaste but does not sufficiently alleviate the astringency and does not sufficiently provide depth or thickness in taste. Thus, the improving effect thereof is not satisfactory. The latter flavor improving agent is applicable to a wide range of foods and drinks but does not have a sufficient flavor improving effect.

Flavor improving agent, and food and drink containing the same


A work vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel, and a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid that is used in purification of engine exhaust gas. The liquid tank is protected by the fuel tank so that the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work vehicle that includes a tank that stores a liquid for purifying exhaust gas by reduction.
2. Description of Related Art
An exhaust device that purifies exhaust gas is mounted in a work vehicle such as a tractor in order to comply with regulations on exhaust gas emission of nitrogen oxides and the like, which have become more stringent in recent years. In this case, it is proposed that, in order to efficiently remove nitrogen oxides in exhaust gas by reduction, a reductant solution such as urea is injected into the exhaust gas. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide a tank storing such a reductant solution in a work vehicle.
In a work vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-151185, a urea water solution tank is mounted via brackets, mount brackets and the like to a cylinder block 7 of an engine and a transmission case, the urea water solution tank storing a urea water solution as a selective reduction nitrogen oxide catalyst to be sprayed into exhaust gas in order to remove nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas. In this configuration, the urea water solution tank is arranged using a space between a vehicle body and the ground. Therefore, there is an advantage from a viewpoint of space utilization. However, the tank is exposed to hot air from the engine, and this is disadvantageous for the urea water solution that expands when heated. Further, when an amount of the urea water solution in the urea water solution tank is decreased, the urea water solution must be supplied. However, a supply structure of the urea water solution tank is not described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-151185.
In a vehicle according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-273372, a urea water solution inlet connecting to a urea tank and a fuel inlet connecting to a fuel tank are arranged close to each other and a common cap that covers both inlets is provided. The urea water solution is consumed at a slower rate as compared to the fuel. Therefore, rather than supplying the urea water solution alone, it is more likely that the urea water solution is also supplied when the fuel is supplied after having performed fuel supply several times. Therefore, that the urea water solution inlet and the fuel inlet connecting to the fuel tank are close to each other is advantageous to workability when supplying both the urea water solution and the fuel. However, measures are necessary to prevent one liquid (fuel or urea water solution) from being mistakenly supplied into the tank for the other liquid and to prevent one liquid from being scattered into the inlet for the other liquid when liquid supply is performed. Further, also in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-273372, the urea water solution tank, or at least a bottom surface of the urea water solution tank, is exposed to a space below a vehicle body, and no measures are taken against hot air from an engine.

Fuel tank and liquid tank configuration for a work vehicle


There is disclosed an arrangement for mounting a heating coil relative to a supporting wall of a clothes dryer heater housing. An insulator has a main body portion adapted to secure the heating coil relative thereto and a base portion adapted to be seated in fixed relation to the supporting wall. The base portion has first and second flanges which curve downwardly and outwardly from the insulator. The support wall has two raised tab members which are adapted to define between these tab members and the supporting wall a recessed channel for receiving the first flange of the insulator. The supporting wall further has two spaced apart guide members for engagement with opposite sides of the second flange of the base member to prevent relative lateral movement of the insulator. The supporting wall has a pivotably movable locking flange which is pivotable about a crease located between the two guide members. The locking flange has a hook adapted to move into engagement with the second flange of the insulator to prevent the insulator from being pulled away from the supporting wall surface.

Typical heating coil mounting arrangements include a helical heating coil through which electrical energy passes to generate heat. The heating coils are typically mounted by a bracket with an insulator to a support wall. In some instances, the bracket is a one-piece ceramic to insulator which has the heater bracket mounted directly to the supporting wall.
One such heating bracket arrangement is shown in my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/052,121 filed Mar. 31, 1998 and entitled Heater Coil Support in Mounting Bracket. In this arrangement, the bracket is slid into a supporting wall having upper and lower surfaces and an elongated slot passing through this wall. The slot has an intermediate widened portion and a first narrow end extending away from the first end of the widened portion. The narrowed end extends away from the second end of the widened portion opposite to the first end. This first narrowed end includes a tab member which is lanced in the flat supporting wall of the first narrowed end which can be turned up into contact with the insulator bracket.
While such an arrangement would effectively locate the insulator bracket in the support wall, when used in an electric clothes dryer heating assembly where the heater coil is mounted in a chord like path, each insulator must be locked in place prior to the insertion of the next insulator.
Accordingly, it would be an advantage to provide a mounting arrangement for an insulator where the insulator is temporarily seated relative to the sidewall prior to locking the insulator in place to permit for all the insulators to be located on the housing wall prior to locking them in place.


A bra includes a first portion having a cup of a first size and a back panel attached to the cup of the first size and a second portion that is separable from the first portion, the second portion having a cup of a second size and a back panel attached to the cup of the second size. The second portion is connectable with the first portion by the connection of the cup of the first size with the cup of the second size and by the connection of the two back panels. In another aspect, a cup for a bra has an inner layer and an outer layer connected to the inner layer to define a pocket therebetween in which a pad can be received, the outer layer being fabricated from an elastic material. In another aspect, a bra-half adapted for cooperation with a second bra-half has a cup of a selected size, a back panel attached to the cup, means disposed on the cup for effecting the connection of the cup to the second bra-half, and means disposed on the back panel for effecting the connection of the back panel to the second bra-half. The cup has an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer and the outer layer being connected to each other to define a pocket.

Bras are typically manufactured as unitary pieces having two cups, shoulder straps, and one closure that allows the piece to be closed at either the front or the back of the torso of a person wearing the bra. The designers of such bras erroneously assume that a woman's breasts are both the same size and shape and that, therefore, the cups of these bras need to be manufactured of both the same size and shape. Since the breasts of most women differ by about a half-cup size or more on each side, most bras fail to provide for the proper fit and support of the bustline.
Some bras allow for the insertion and removal of pads in the cups to compensate for visual differences in breast sizes. Because of the way in which these pads are inserted, however, the breast is simply forced up without altering the size of the cup to allow the breast to fit correctly or comfortably therein. Furthermore, these pads typically create a noticeable change in the bustline. Women aware of such a noticeable change oftentimes feel self conscious and less confident in their daily encounters.
Based on the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a bra that overcomes or improves upon the prior art.


In a cellular radio system measurement bandwidth for a plurality of base stations belonging to a cellular radio system is performed by configuring the base stations to signal the measurement bandwidth to user equipments connected to the cellular radio system for performing downlink neighbor cell measurements over the signaled measurement bandwidth in the user equipment by first receiving a set of information. The received information is used for configuring the measurement bandwidth using the received set of information and the configured measurement bandwidth is signaled to the base stations.

In evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) system several cell transmission bandwidths are possible e.g. 1.4 MHz, 3 MHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 15 MHz, 20 MHz etc, see 3GPP TS 36.104, "Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception". Also, different transmission bandwidth can be used in neighboring cells on the same carrier frequency. As a result cells with the same center frequency, sometimes termed intra-frequency cells, may have different transmission bandwidths. Irrespective of the cell transmission bandwidth, a user equipment (UE) is usually required to perform measurements on the neighboring cells. It is important that the measurement reports from different cells are consistent and can be used by the network to execute reliable handovers, i.e. correct handover decisions.
Furthermore, mobility support is one of the fundamental features of any cellular systems. In E-UTRAN the mobility is to be supported both in idle mode and in connected mode. In idle mode the UE in E-UTRAN is required to perform autonomous cell reselection based on some network signaled parameters. This allows the network to control UE mobility behavior in the coverage area to some extent. Also, the UE shall be able to perform cell reselection within the same frequency layer (intra frequency cell reselection), between different frequency layers (inter-frequency cell reselection) and also between E-UTRAN and other systems such as UTRAN (inter-RAT cell reselection).
In connected mode the network shall direct the UE to perform handover to a particular cell, which may belong to the same serving frequency (intra-frequency handover) or to another frequency (inter-frequency handover). Though this decision is taken by the network, it's primarily based on the UE measurement reports. As in case of cell reselection, the UE in connected mode shall also support mobility (i.e. handovers) within the same frequency layer, inter-frequency handovers and inter-RAT handovers.
The cell reselection and handovers are generally based on one or more downlink measurements. These measurements are done on some known reference symbols or pilot sequences.
Another important aspect of the mobility is the identification of the UE position or geographical location. This allows the UE to get an access to location based services, e.g. map reading. There are several different types of positioning methods. In some of the methods the UE identifies its location based on one or more neighbor cell measurements that are also done on some known reference symbols or pilot sequences.
Neighbor cell measurements are performed by the UE on downlink channels in the serving as well as on neighbor cells for example on reference symbols or pilot sequences. Unlike other measurements such as Channel quality indicator (CQI) which is done on Transmission Time interval (TTI) level (e.g. 1 ms), the neighbor cell measurements are performed over longer time duration, typically in the order of few 100 ms. Neighbor cell measurements can be broadly divided into two main categories:                Radio related measurements        Timing related measurements
The radio related measurements are used to take handover decisions and allow a UE to do cell reselection in idle mode. Depending upon a particular mobility scenario more than one downlink measurement may be required to ensure robust mobility decisions. For instance coverage, interference and load in the cell would impact the cell change/handover decision.
In E-UTRAN the major mobility measurements are done on reference symbols, which are sent with a certain pattern defined in time and frequency. Furthermore the pattern is repeated in every slot (i.e. 0.5 ms). The agreed downlink channel measurements are described in 3GPP TS 36.214, "Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical layer; Measurements":                Reference symbol received power (RSRP)        E-UTRA Carrier received signal strength indicator (E-UTRA Carrier RSSI)        Reference symbol received quality (RSRQ); RSRQ=RSRP/RSSI
RSRP is measured over the downlink reference symbol whereas carrier RSSI is measured over all the sub-carriers (i.e. sub-carriers containing reference symbols and data).
In E-UTRA, as stated above, the neighbor cells, even operating on the same carrier frequency (i.e. intra-frequency cells), may employ different transmission bandwidth. Nevertheless the downlink measurements from all the cells operating over the same carrier frequency in at least part of the coverage area should be performed over the same measurement bandwidth to ensure consistent measurement reports. It is known that measurement bandwidth can be signaled by the serving cell to the UE.
In order to prevent ping pong during cell change, one important characteristics of the neighbor cell measurement is to properly filter out the affect of fading. The averaging in time domain and in frequency domain can be traded. However, longer time domain filtering may cause unnecessary delay in obtaining measurement reports and this could adversely affect the mobility performance.
In connected or active mode the inter-frequency RSRP, RSRQ and RSSI are performed by the UE during idle gaps, which are repeated periodically. Similarly E-UTRA measurements (e.g. E-UTRA FDD measurement) done by a multimode terminal when operating under another technology (e.g. WCDMA, E-UTRA TDD etc) are to be performed during gaps. A WCDMA UE will perform E-UTRA measurements during compressed mode gaps.
A UE has a relatively short time to perform IF and IRAT measurements. The actual time depends upon configured gaps. For instance denser gaps (i.e. more frequent gaps) would lead to shorter overall measurement period as the UE can obtain sufficient samples in relatively shorter time. Therefore it may be sufficient to measure over shorter measurement bandwidth e.g. over 5 MHz rather than 10 MHz bandwidth. However dense pattern may not be in use all the time because it adversely affects user throughput.
Therefore when infrequent gaps are used the measurement bandwidth needs to be adjusted, i.e. larger measurement bandwidth may be desirable. By increasing the measurement bandwidth the measurement period can be reduced thereby retaining good mobility performance.
There are three main deployment scenarios:                Homogeneous bandwidth deployment: all cells have same bandwidth        Heterogeneous bandwidth deployment: cells have different bandwidth        Cells on borders of homogeneous and heterogeneous bandwidth cells
The above mentioned deployment scenarios are not expected to change very frequently.
However, there are several events, which require more frequent modification of the measurement bandwidth more such as:                Change in measurement gap pattern (e.g. periodicity changed from 20 ms to 140 ms or vice versa).        A new base station is added or removed.        Change in cell planning: when cell transmission bandwidth of one or more of the cells is upgraded or downgraded.
It is important that network is able to use a consistent and optimal value of measurement bandwidth even if there following changes occur: modifications or changes in network configuration, changes in radio resource management strategies etc.
Hence, there exists a need for a cellular radio system that enables a more frequent modification of measurement bandwidth.

Measurement bandwidth configuration method


Vehicle restraints for use at loading docks are described herein. In some embodiments, a vehicle restraint includes a vertically-moving carriage that is operably coupled to a guide track by means of one or more sliding members instead of, or in conjunction with, rollers. The sliding members can have relatively large contact surfaces configured to react the majority of vehicle pull loads applied to the vehicle restraint in use. Because of the relatively large contact surfaces, the pull loads are spread out over a relatively large area of the guide track, thereby reducing the likelihood for the loads to deform or otherwise damage the guide track.

Vehicle restraints are well known in the material handling industry and are typically used to prevent a trailer or other transport vehicle from moving away from a loading dock during the loading and/or unloading process. Absent a restraint, the vehicle may tend to move away from the loading dock for a number of reasons, such as the slope of the driveway, the kinetic energy imparted to the vehicle by a fork truck or personnel during the loading or unloading process, etc. If the vehicle is allowed to move away from the dock face, a gap may form between the vehicle and the dock face or the vehicle and the lip of an associated dock leveler. If this occurs, a fork truck operator could inadvertently drive into the gap, or other personnel could inadvertently step into the gap, potentially damaging equipment or injuring personnel.
Unlike wheel chocks, conventional vehicle restraints typically engage the Rear Impact Guard ("RIG") bar of the vehicle. As is well known, RIG bars (which can also be referred to as "ICC" bars) are horizontal members that extend across the rear of the vehicle below the bed. In the U.S., regulations require that the vertical distance between the bottom edge of the RIG bar and the ground not exceed 22 inches at any point across the full width of the member, and that the rearmost surface of the RIG bar be within 12 inches of the rear extremity of the vehicle.
There are several different types of vehicle restraint. One type employs a restraining member (e.g., a hook) operably coupled to a vertically-moving carriage having rollers that ride on a track mounted to the face of the loading dock. Examples of such restraints are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,472,099, 4,443,150, 4,282,621, 4,264,259, 4,695,216 and 6,162,005, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The use of a vertically-moving carriage provides a range of motion to engage RIG bars at different heights. Some of these restraints are designed to operate in response to vehicle impact. More specifically, to operate the restraint the vehicle backs into the loading dock until the RIG bar contacts an angled lead-in surface of the restraint carriage, causing the carriage to move downwardly on the track as the RIG bar continues moving back for engagement by the locking hook. The repeated shock of the RIG bar on such systems can cause significant component wear. As a result, this type of RIG bar restraint generally requires relatively high maintenance to service the moving carriage and related parts.
Additionally, the carriage rollers on this type of restraint can be subjected to relatively high restraint loads while moving up and down in response to vehicle loading and unloading. For example, in conventional vertically-moving carriage restraints, the carriage is carried by steel rollers that ride in left and right channels of the vertical track. The carriage includes two rollers on each side for engaging the corresponding channel: an upper roller near the top of the carriage and a lower roller near the bottom of the carriage. When the restraint hook is under load, the reaction load path into the dock structure is through the rollers and into the flanges of the track channels. However, the geometry is such that the upper rollers typically carry most of the vehicle loads, and high pull loads (e.g., more than 20,000 lbf) can lead to dimpling of the channel flanges where the upper rollers make contact. This in turn can cause the carriage to hang up on the track as it moves up and down during normal operation, which can adversely affect performance and frequently require time-consuming operator intervention for maintenance, etc.
Additionally, debris, sand and/or other particulates can accumulate in the roller bearings and/or the track, especially in locations with high exposure to sand, and this can damage the rollers and/or adversely affect the ability of the carriage to move up and down smoothly. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an improved vertically-moving vehicle restraint that is less susceptible to damage from pull loads or sand and other debris than conventional restraints, while offering longer service life and higher reliability than conventional restraints.


A system for automatic loading of wafer boats onto a cantilever paddle for insertion of the wafer boats into a furnace tube includes an end effector carriage moving on a track and supporting an end effector having spaced, parallel pads to engage opposed outer side portions of a wafer boat. The end effector receives a wafer boat from a robotic arm of an elevator. The robotic arm moves transversely relative to the track to position the wafer boat over the track on which the paddle carriage moves. The end effector carriage moves the end effector pads under the wafer boat, lifts it from a pair of elevator tines, moves the wafer boat over a desired part of the paddle, and lowers the wafer boat onto the paddle. The end effector carriage then returns the end effector to an initial location. The elevator and end effector main the wafer boat at a slight tilt as it is shifted from a wafer boat queue to the cantilever paddle so as to prevent rattling of wafers held in slots of the wafer boat due to vibration of the system.

The invention relates to a system for automatically loading semiconductor wafers into a diffusion furnace, and particularly to such a system which uses non-articulated, rather than articulated, robotic members, is not overly complex in structure, and is relatively inexpensive compared to commercially available automatic loading systems for loading wafer boats onto cantilever paddles.
The present assignee has marketed a simplified automatic wafer loading system for loading slotted cantilever tubes of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,059, using the trademark ATMOSCAN. That automatic wafer loading system is much simpler in construction and lower in cost than automatic wafer loading systems ordinarily used for loading wafer boats into diffusion furnaces. One known system for loading a number of loaded wafer boats onto a silicon carbide cantilever "paddle" is marketed by PRI, Inc. (Precision Robotics, Incorporated). This system includes articulated "hand", "arm", and "shoulder" elements to load wafer boats onto a silicon carbide paddle. The PRI system also has the capability of storing information regarding locations of wafer boats, locations of test wafers in each wafer boat, and separately identifying and loading test wafers. The PRI system is marketed for $400,000-$500,000. Another complex prior art wafer loading system is marketed by Tokyo Electron Limited, and sells for $600,000-$700,000. Most of the available systems for loading wafer boats onto cantilever paddles use the articulated arm members to carry a wafer boat transversely and directly to the desired location on the cantilever paddle.
The above-mentioned non-articulated ATMOSCAN cantilever tube loading system mentioned above includes a queue assembly that moves on a base. The base also supports a track on which a carriage supporting the cantilever tube moves. "Shell" type wafer boats, which typically carry 25-50 wafers, are manually loaded onto a queue rack. A "queue carriage" lifts the next available wafer boat off of the queue rack and carries it to a vertical elevator having a pair of "fork lift" tines which engage the bottom of the wafer boat and lift it off of the "queue nest". The elevator is operated under computer control. The computer is programmed to raise the wafer boat to the level of one of four desired wafer loading assemblies. A telescoping arm supports the tines, and moves transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ATMOSCAN cantilever tube, carrying the wafer boat into precise alignment with such longitudinal axis. An IBAL (Individual Boat Automated Loading) assembly is mounted on a carriage that moves along the same track as the carriage that supports the cantilever tube. The IBAL assembly includes a centered lift or "nest" mechanism aligned with a loading slot in the bottom surface of the cantilever tube. That lift mechanism is narrower than the slot, and lifts the wafer boat off the tines and carries it into the open end of the slotted cantilever tube; the lift or "nest" mechanism extends through the loading slot to accomplish this.
Still under programmed control, the IBAL assembly carries the loaded wafer boat into the next available wafer boat position inside the cantilever tube. The IBAL assembly then lowers the wafer boat onto the bottom inside surface of the cantilever tube so it covers part of the tube of the loading slot. The IBAL assembly then moves back to its initial position and waits for another loaded wafer boat to be delivered by an elevator assembly.
The foregoing prior art system is subsequently described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1, which also illustrates the present invention for loading a cantilever paddle.
By way of background, there are many existing wafer fabrication facilities in wafer fabrication facilities throughout the world. Most such wafer fabrication facilities have been designed with a fixed amount of floor space for each diffusion furnace and its associated wafer loading station. Such fixed amounts of floor space often are not large enough to accommodate the large, complex, expensive automatic cantilever paddle wafer loading systems of the type marketed by PRI and Tokyo Electron Limited. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of new semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities being constructed. The new wafer fabrication facilities allocate larger amounts of floor space for each furnace station (thereby increasing the overhead cost for each furnace) in order to accommodate the larger automatic wafer loading systems of the type marketed by PRI, Tokyo Electron Limited, and others. The new wafer fabrication facilities constitute the main market for such wafer loading systems.
However, there is an unmet need for an inexpensive, effective automatic system for loading wafer boats onto cantilever paddles which can fit into the limited amount of space available for loading stations in the already existing wafer fabrication facilities. There are substantial reasons favoring use of automatic wafer boat loading systems for each furnace station in any wafer fabrication facility, including avoiding safety problems that are associated with operators manually lifting heavy boatloads of semiconductor wafers high enough to place them on the cantilever paddle for the top furnace tube of each furnace station, and reducing the number of yield-reducing human-produced particulates that inevitably are generated by every human-performed task in semiconductor wafer processing. Up to now, however, no one has been able to provide a system that meets the needs of this market at an acceptable cost.


Disclosed is a fluoroelastomer loaded with an inorganic filler which is coupled to the fluoroelastomer by a titanate, zirconate or aluminate for use as a base layer and/or a release layer on a fuser, transfix, receiver or rheological transfer member in a copy machine. The coupled filler bonds tightly to the fluorocarbon matrix, significantly decreasing the wear rate of the member. These fillers also significantly increase the thermal conductivity of the compound as is often desirable in fusing applications.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to printing machines and to coatings for the fuser component of such machines which increase the durability of fluoroelastomer release layers on such components.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Fuser components using fluoroelastomer coatings often exhibit surface wear as a prime failure mode for both black and white and color applications. Black and white as well as many color xerographic machines use fluoroelastomers as the release surface in conjunction with functional release agents. Field experience with xerographic machines which have a thermally conductive fluoroelastomer release layer show paper edge wear of the fluoroelastomer is the primary failure mode, sometimes causing print quality concerns in as few as several hundred thousand prints. The fluoroelastomer coating is often worn through when the component is removed at several million prints. When used in color applications, gloss differential resulting from minor surface wear of the fluoroelastomer is a major cause of failure.
The art has long recognized the problems associated with fuser surface layer wear. Attempts have been made to increase the wear resistance of the fluoroelastomer coatings.
Eddy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,813, dated Mar. 17, 1998 and entitled Thin, Thermally Conductive Fluoroelastomer Coated Fuser Member discloses a thermally conductive fuser member comprising base member and a surface layer, where the surface layer comprises a fluoroelastomer and an alumina filler having an average particle size of from about 0.5 to about 15 micrometers.
Two patents to Tan et al attempt to solve the wear problem using a silane.
Tan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,033, dated Dec. 7, 1999 and entitled Fuser Member with Metal Oxide Fillers, Silane Coupling Agents, and Functionalized Release Fluids discloses a fuser member comprising a support and, coated thereon, a fluoroelastomer layer comprising a metal oxide filler and a silane coupling agent.
Tan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,041, dated Sep. 5, 2000 and entitled Fuser Member with Surface Treated Al2O3 and Functionalized Release Fluids discloses a fuser member comprising a support and coated thereon a fluoroelastomer layer comprising a metal oxide filler which had been previously interacted with a silane coupling agent.
It is an object of this disclosure to provide a wear layer for fuser components.
It is an object of this disclosure to provide a wear layer for fuser components that provides an extended service life to such components.


A method of fabricating a circuit board is provided that includes forming a first layer of conductive material over an insulating layer, removing portions of the conductive material to define a first circuit pattern and a first rail area that is electrically isolated from the first circuit pattern, and removing portions of the conductive material from the first rail area. Optionally, the first rail area is positioned generally adjacent to a first edge of the circuit board and spans at least a portion of the length of the first edge. Optionally, portions of the conductive material of the first layer are removed to define a second rail area that is electrically isolated from the first circuit pattern and the first rail area, and portions of the conductive material of the first layer are also removed from the second rail area.

Circuit boards and printed circuit boards (PCB) are commonly used in electronic devices of today. Many electronic devices, such as motherboards, memory devices, video adaptors, network cards and the like are created using circuit boards.
Generally, a circuit board is a flat piece of insulating material such as fiberglass, epoxy or phenolic resin, on which electrical components are mounted and interconnected to form a circuit. The flat piece of insulating material forms the substrate. A laminated circuit board is a circuit board in which a conductive layer is laminated onto an insulating layer. Circuit boards or PCBs have multiple conductive paths or interconnects to provide electrical connections among circuit components on the board. FIG. 1A shows a typical laminated circuit board having a copper layer laminated onto a fiberglass layer. This circuit board or substrate has a thickness of 0.010 inches, a length of 7.2 inches and a width of 1 inch. FIG. 1B shows a typical laminated circuit board having a fiberglass layer sandwiched between two metal layers such as copper. This circuit board has a thickness of 0.012 inches, a length of 7.2 inches and a width of 1 inch. Circuit boards are commonly used for devices such as memory devices, module boards, video cards, sound cards and the like.
The connections between components on a circuit board are typically created by using photolithography. The circuit pattern is drawn, photographed, and reduced to a negative having the desired final size. This negative is called the photomask or mask. Light is passed through the mask onto a substrate having a conductive layer that has been coated with a photoresistive material. Where light strikes the photoresistive material, its composition is changed. In the next step, the photoresistive material not affected by light is washed off. Finally, the circuit board is exposed to an etching solution that eats away the parts of the conductive layer not protected by the photoresistive material, creating the desired circuit pattern on the surface of the circuit board.
Standard substrates are used for circuit boards and devices such as memory devices. Minor defects or deformations in these substrates or circuit boards can have a significant impact on further processing of the circuit board which includes attaching components, such as integrated circuits, to the circuit board. Processing requires strict tolerances and even minor deformations can damage equipment or render a circuit board useless. For example, even a 1/16″–⅛″ bow in a substrate for a dual in line memory module (DIMM) can cause problems in processing the module.
FIG. 2 shows a typical circuit board after it has been patterned. After a circuit board is patterned, circuit boards typically include lengths of conductive material along each edge of the circuit board, from one end to the other end. These lengths of conductive material are called rails and are shown in FIG. 2 as a first rail 201 and a second rail 202. The rails 201 and 202 are formed as a result of the patterning. The conductive material can be a metal such as copper. Conductive materials have a property that once they are deformed or bent, they "remember" that deformation. For example, once a piece of copper is bent a certain way, the piece will have a tendency to bend that certain way even after it is bent a different way. Because of the rails, these circuit boards or substrates have a tendency to remember any deformation that they are subjected to. Circuit boards encounter thermal cycling during processing which causes the expansion and contraction of the substrate. This can result in circuit boards that are warped or deformed.
What is needed is a way to reduce warping or deforming of circuit boards during processing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of forming a non-continuous conductive layer for laminated substrates


A composition for the treatment of Demodex blepharitis and/or acne containing tea tree oil (TTO), coconut oil, aloe barbadensis, decyl glucoside, sodium chloride, sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, and Hexylene Glycol in glycerin or in water or in a mixture of glycerin and water. The composition is used to treat Demodex blepharitis and/or acne by applying the composition to the eyelid margin and eyelashes or acne and scrubbing the eyelid margin, eyelashes, and eyelash roots or acne with the composition using any suitable cloth, wipe, sponge, brush, or cotton tipped applicator.

Demodex (class Arachnida, superorder Acariformes) is one of the most commonly found ectoparasites in humans. On the eyelids, D. folliculorum lives in the eyelash follicles and D. brevis lives deep in the meibomian glands and the sebaceous glands of the lashes. They eat skin cells, and oils in the hair follicle. It is reported that Demodex is an etiologic factor in chronic blepharitis, conjunctival inflammation, and meibomian gland dysfunction. Patients who suffer from blepharitis as a result of an ocular Demodex infestation often present a number of symptoms such as foreign body sensation in the eye, redness, and itching. Uncontrolled ocular Demodex infestation in eyelids may cause mal-directed eye lashes (trichiasis), meibomian gland dysfunction leading to lipid tear deficient dry eye, conjunctival inflammation (conjunctivitis), and sight-threatening corneal abnormalities. The symptoms can become severe enough that the patient may require surgery to achieve relief.
Tea tree oil (TTO) is natural oil distilled from the leaf of Melaleuca alternifolia. TTO is known to be effective for killing Demodex in vitro and in vivo. A lid scrubbing treatment with TTO is known to be effective for decreasing Demodex in eyelashes treated with a cotton tip wetted with 10% TTO (Koo et al, J Korean Med Sci 2012; 27: 1574-1579). One of the active components of TTO is terpinen-4-ol. U.S. Pat. No. 8,455,015 discloses that terpinen-4-ol is effective in treating an ocular Demodex infestation or Demodex-induced blepharitis in the form of solutions, suspensions, sprays, lotions, gels, pastes, medicated sticks, balms, cleansers (including shampoos and soaps), creams, or ointments. In addition, various studies show that tea tree oil is just as effective as some of the commonly used dermatological cures for acne. According to research, tea-tree oil is rich in terpinene-4-ol, which makes it significantly more effective in treating acne than commercial options like benzoyl peroxide. Terpinene-4-ol causes antimicrobial activity, and this destroys the skin-based bacteria responsible for acne.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a type of cannabinoid, a chemical found naturally in cannabis (marijuana and hemp) plants. Studies have shown that CBD can be an effective therapeutic aid for pain that is associated with arthritis. Generally, CBD has strong anti-inflammatory properties and studies suggest that it can be used to reduce the inflammation and pain that is associated with different types of arthritis.


An optical transceiver module includes a housing comprising a first end and a second end, an electrical interface associated with the first end and an optical interface associated with the second end. The electrical interface is adapted to be locked into a receiving cage. The optical interface is adapted to be connected with one or more optical transceiver components. The optical transceiver module includes a locating mechanism that restrains the one or more optical transceiver components. The optical transceiver module also includes a locking mechanism that can lock the optical transceiver module to a receiving cage. The optical transceiver module further includes an automatic-restoring unlocking mechanism comprising a sliding plate, an unlocking lever, and a restoration spring, wherein the automatic restoring unlocking mechanism automatically restores the sliding plate to the normal position after the optical transceiver module is unlocked from the receiving cage.

Optical transceivers are widely used in both data communication and telecommunication fields. Computers are increasingly being connected with communication lines and other devices or networks with the computers performing as servers to the peripherally connected computers or devices. The volume of data sent and received by the computer serving as a server of a network is such that the networks are advantageously constructed using optical fiber lines in order to increase the throughput of data.
Optical fiber lines and the associated optical signals require transceivers to convert the optical light pulse signals to electronic signals, which are usable by the telecommunication systems and computer systems. Such a transceiver includes a transmitting optical component and a receiving optical component to send and receive the optical signals.
Industry standards and agreements have been established to define the physical parameters of the transceiver devices and, particularly, the overall interface. This permits the interconnection of different devices manufactured by different manufacturers without the use of physical adapters.
One of such industry agreements is the Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) Transceiver MultiSource Agreement (SFP MSA or SFP agreement). The SFP agreement establishes a module enclosure. The module may be connected to a module interface on the main circuit board. An optical transceiver module is a telecommunication device that can receive optical signals, convert the received optical signals into electrical signals, and output the electrical signals. Simultaneously, the optical transceiver module can also receive electrical signals, convert the received electrical signals into optical signals, and output the optical signals and carry on the transmission. A common optical transceiver module can have different kinds of housings to abide by some agreements or standards. For example, an SFF (small form-factor) agreement housing includes an electrical interface, and an optical interface. An SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) compatible housing includes an electrical interface, and an optical interface. A 1×9 transceiver (a module structure by Lucent) housing includes an electrical interface and an optical interface for receiving or transmitting electrical and optical signals.
When an SFP module is used in applications, it is plugged into a receiving cage and is locked inside the receiving cage with a lock mechanism. In most prior art, an SFP optical transceiver module needs to be pulled out of the cage with two fingers. The two fingers require a finger size space between two neighboring optical transceiver modules, thus setting an upper limit to the density of the optical transceiver module matrix in application. In ordering to eliminate the requirement of pulling off an optical transceiver module by two fingers, an unlocking mechanism is needed. Some prior art optical transceiver modules have unlocking mechanisms allowing an optical transceiver module to be unlocked from its receiving cage by pushing a sliding plate into the receiving cage. There is still a need for a finger space for holding the module so it can be held and pulled out. The sliding plate of the locking mechanism has to be manually restored to its original position after the optical transceiver module is unlocked. If the manual step is skipped, the optical transceiver module may still remain in the unlocked condition, making the optical transceiver module unsafe and unreliable for operation. Some other prior art systems have made attempts to eliminate this manual restoration step. But the prior art systems remain to be complex, expensive to manufacture, and not easy to use.
Optical transceiver components fabricated by many manufacturers have different designs and physical dimensions. In most prior art systems, the housing case bodies of the optical transceiver modules need to be redesigned to fit the optical transceiver components from different manufacturers. The design and manufacturing tailored to each manufacturer is costly and time consuming.

Small form factor pluggable optical transceiver having automatic-restoring unlocking mechanism and mechanism for locating optical transceiver components


A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling driving of an actuator. A plurality of control units are configured to control the driving of the actuator. A plurality of monitoring control units are correspondingly provided for the plurality of control units, and configured to monitor the corresponding control units. The driving of the actuator is controlled by one of the control units, which is in a normal state. When an abnormality occurs in the one of the control units being used to control the driving of the actuator, the one is switched to another one of the control units to control the driving of the actuator.

It has been known a shift range switching device that switches a shift range by controlling a motor in accordance with a shift range switching request given from a driver. For example, a switched reluctance motor is used as a drive source of a shift range switching mechanism. The switched reluctance motor is hereinafter referred to as "SR motor".


A system and methods for broad area visual obscuration around a platform. In one embodiment the system comprises a source of visible light, shaping optics and projecting optics. The system projects a light beam onto an illumination area in a sweeping pattern to repetitively illuminate all portions of the illumination area, such that a stationary observer within the illumination area receives repeating pulses of the light at a power, intensity, frequency and duration sufficient to visually impair the observer so as to substantially prevent the observer from discerning the platform between pulses. The light pulses are capable of temporarily blinding human eyes but incapable of causing permanent vision loss.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to reduction in visual acuity to prevent, for example, perception and/or targeting of platforms.
2. Description of Related Art
Aircraft flying low or landing in hostile or uncontrolled territory can be targeted by ground-based small arms fire. These weapons, such as machine guns and hand-held rocket launchers, rely on "point-and-shoot" targeting. The shooter sees the target, aims the weapon by aligning his or her eye with an expected trajectory of the projectile, and fires. Thus, the shooter must be able to see the target in order to aim accurately. Further, small arms are generally only accurate at close ranges, such as up to about one kilometer. Therefore, the shooter must be relatively close to the target in order to have a reasonable chance of hitting it.
Laser-based visual interrupters have been developed to temporarily blind individuals on the ground so that they cannot accurately discern the position of aircraft. These laser-based systems, however, emit narrow beams that are generally directed at individuals without the benefit of a stabilized pointing system.

System and methods for broad area visual obscuration


A conical lens mount having a snap-in lens clamp is disclosed. The lens mount has a hollow, truncated generally conical configuration with the lens mounted at the apex of the lens mount. The base portion of the conical lens mount defines a reference plane for use in an optical system. Preferably, the conical lens mount has integrally formed spring members for maintaining the lens mount and its reference plane at a predetermined position in an optical system. The conical lens mount finds particular application in an athermalized optical system.

The present invention relates to lens mounting systems in general, and more particularly, to a conical lens mount having a snap-in lens clamp.
Various types of lens mounting systems from complex mechanical configurations to simple molded plastic mounts are known in the art. Depending upon the particular optical application, relatively tight mechanical tolerances are required to accurately position the lens in the optical system. In the case of athermalized optical systems, temperature effects on the optical elements and their mounts must be taken into consideration in system design.
It is, accordingly, a general object of the invention to provide a lens mount for use in an optical system.
It is a specific object of the invention to provide a lens mount having a truncated generally conical configuration for mounting a lens at the apex thereof.
It is another object of the invention to provide a conical lens mount having a snap-in lens clamp.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a conical lens mount having a base portion that defines a reference plane and integral springs to position the base reference plane against a surface in an optical system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a conical lens mount fulfilling the above objects that can be molded from low cost plastic.
It is a feature of the invention that the conical lens mount can be employed in an athermalized optical system.
It is another feature of the invention that the conical shape of the lens mount provides relative movement of the mounted lens without a bearing mechanism.
It is still another feature of the invention that the conical shape of the lens mount provides structural integrity and resists creep deformation.

Conical lens mount with snap-in lens clamp


A method and apparatus for measuring the amount of residual chlorine in solution with enhanced accuracy. The basic measurement technique involves introducing a solution of iodide ion into the sample to reduce the chlorine, thereby producing a proportionate amount of iodine; measurement of the iodine concentration is used to infer the initial amount of chlorine. The accuracy of this measurement technique is enhanced by introducing a sufficient amount of scavenger, preferably finely divided zinc metal, into the iodide solution to react with trace amounts iodine present therein.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to potentiometric measurements, and more particularly to measurement of aqueous chlorine (Cl.sub.2) concentrations using electrochemical means.
B. Description of the Related Art
Chlorine is widely used to purify water for drinking and recreation, to remove or neutralize effluents such as cyanides in wastewater, and to cleanse various foods prior to packaging and distribution. In addition, chlorine is often produced as a byproduct in synthetic and other industrial chemical reactions. Whether introduced deliberately or inadvertently into sources of potable water, even relatively minute amounts of residual chlorine can produce deleterious health consequences. For example, recent federal guidelines prohibit certain discharges of wastewater having chlorine concentrations in excess of 50 parts per billion (ppb), or less than 10.sup.-6 M.
Traditionally, aqueous chorine concentrations have been measured using colorimetry, amperometric titration or starch-iodide titration. More recently, potentiometric measurement techniques have been introduced. In one such system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,382 (the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference), a test reagent comprising a dissociated complex of alkali metal ion and iodide ion is first introduced into an acidified sample. The iodide ion is present in sufficient quantity to react with all of the residual chlorine according to the following reaction: EQU Cl.sub.2 +I.sup.- .fwdarw.I.sub.2 +Cl.sup.-
Since this reaction proceeds to completion, the final concentration of iodine (I.sub.2) reflects the initial concentration of chlorine in the sample. The iodine concentration is measured using two electrode elements, one having a noble metal oxidation-reduction element (sensitive to the concentration ratio [I.sub.2 ]/[I.sup.- ]) and the other having an iodide-sensitive membrane. These electrodes can be separate devices, or can be combined into a unitary "combination electrode" design.
The well-known Nernst equation describes the electric potential developed by each element. For the noble metal element, the potential E.sub.nm is given by: ##EQU1## For the iodide-sensitive element, the potential E.sub.is is given by: EQU E.sub.is =E.sub.o '-(RT/F).times.log[I.sup.- ] EQU Subtracting, EQU E.sub.nm -E.sub.is =E.sub.o "+(RT/2F).times.log[I.sub.2 ]
Accordingly, the potential difference between the two electrode elements is proportional to the concentration of iodine and, therefore, to the initial concentration of chlorine in the sample.
Unfortunately, there are inherent limits to the sensitivity of this technique related, we have found, to the age and storage history of the reagents used for measurement. We believe that the culprit is the iodide ion, and have detected a propensity of this species to undergo trace amounts of irreversible oxidation to iodine over time, even at neutral pH. This oxidation, which can be virtually imperceptible, results in the accumulation of iodine in the test reagent before it is used to perform measurements; a test reagent so contaminated produces a distorted measurement of the iodine concentration and, hence, suggests a higher chlorine concentration than actually is the case. Because the degree of iodide oxidation depends on the age of the test reagent as well as various ambient conditions, the amount of excess iodide is wholly unpredictable, eliminating the possibility of calibrating the measurement to account for the excess iodine.
While iodide oxidation does not significantly degrade measurement accuracy in cases of relatively high chlorine concentrations, the effect significantly interferes with measurements involving chlorine levels below 10 ppb.

Method and device for measuring chlorine concentrations with enhanced sensitivity


Examples disclosed herein relate to identifying an amount of remaining supply of a print material, selecting one of a plurality of threshold ranges associated with the amount of remaining print material, and updating a visual indicator indicative of the selected one of the plurality of threshold ranges.

Multi-function devices often combine different components such as a printer, scanner, and copier into a single device. Such devices may be configured to receive refills of consumables, such as print materials (e.g., ink, toner, and/or additive materials) and/or media (e.g., paper, vinyl, and/or other print substrates).
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


In an interconnect structure of an integrated circuit, a diffusion barrier film in a damascene structure is formed of a film having the composition TaNx, where x is greater than 1.2 and with a thickness of 0.5 to 5 nm.

1. Technical Field
The field of the invention is that of integrated circuit processing, in particular forming interconnection structures to electrically connect various components on the integrated circuit.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventional semiconductor devices typically are made up of a semiconductor substrate, normally a monocrystalline silicon with a plurality of dielectric and conductive layers formed on it. An integrated circuit is formed of semiconductor devices connected by a set of spaced-apart conductive lines and associated interconnection lines, such as bus lines, word lines and logic interconnection lines. Such interconnection lines generally constitute a limiting factor in terms of various functional characteristics of the integrated circuit. There exists a need to provide a reliable interconnection structure capable of achieving higher operating speeds, improved signal-to-noise ratio, improved wear characteristics, improved reliability while at the same time reducing the dimensions of the circuit elements to increasingly smaller size.
Most interconnection lines in the past have been made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloys. The performance of a semiconductor device could be improved by forming the interconnection line of a metal having a higher conductivity than aluminum, thereby increasing current handling capability. It is known that copper, copper-based alloys, gold, gold-based alloys, silver and silver-based alloys generally exhibit a higher conductivity than aluminum and aluminum-based alloys, but each has its own drawbacks. One drawback of using copper, for example, is that copper readily diffuses through silicon dioxide, the typical dielectric material employed in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Moreover, a low cost satisfactory method for etching copper has yet to be developed.
One method of forming copper interconnection lines is by using a "damascene" technique. Damascene is a process which has been employed for centuries in the fabrication of jewelry, and has recently been adapted for application in the semiconductor industry. Damascene basically involves the formation of a trench or a channel in a planarized insulating layer. That opening is filled with a metal to form a channel and any remaining metal material is polished from the surface of the insulating layer. The traditional etch back technique of providing an interconnection structure involves depositing a metal layer, forming a conductive pattern with interwiring spacings, and filling the interwiring spacings with dielectric material. Thus, damascene differs from the traditional etch back technique by forming a pattern of openings in a dielectric layer that are filled in with metal to form a conductive pattern followed by planarization.
In a "dual damascene" technique, in addition to the etched trench or channel (line) in the dielectric, additional holes known as vias are etched at specific locations in the bottom of the trenches. These vias are openings to lower level circuit elements which are buried in the dielectric. In the dual damascene technique, the trench and the via extending down from the trench are filled with conductive metal in a single step. This is a cost saving measure and also can increase both the process yield as well as the qualities of the electrical connections in the circuit.
According to conventional practices, a plurality of conductive layers are formed over a semiconductor substrate, with the uppermost conductive layer joined to a bonding pad for forming an external electrical connection. In a copper interconnection process, conductive layers would be formed by either damascene or dual damascene techniques. The uppermost conductive layer of the integrated circuit which is to be connected to the chip carrier is typically referred to as the wire bonding layer. The wire bonding layer has bonding pads which are used to make external connections by means of electrically conductive wires and external connection electrodes.
The most commonly used materials for the wire bonding layer are aluminum or aluminum-based alloys, such as aluminum with 2% copper. A bonding tool coupled to a bonding machine connects the bonding pads with external connection electrodes using electrically conductive wires. The electrically conductive wires are bonded to the bonding pads by the bonding tool using ultrasonic and thermal energies.
A suitable conductive barrier layer is needed between the copper interconnection lines and both the surrounding dielectric and any other metallic contacts it might make. Such a barrier layer can be conveniently formed by employing a material that is substantially impervious to the diffusion of impurities into the copper interconnection lines and to the diffusion of copper atoms into the dielectric or nearby metal contacts. It is well known that titanium nitride (TiN) is a suitable conductive barrier material for copper. However, in the copper interconnection processes, conventional tantalum nitride (TaN) is the most commonly used conductive barrier material. Besides TaN, tantalum silicon nitride (TaSiN) can also be used as a conductive barrier material for the copper interconnection processes. The use of TiN would require additional deposition chambers because the deposition of TiN and TaN cannot be performed using the same deposition chamber. The need for additional deposition chambers for TiN deposition undesirably increases the cost and process complexity for the production of semiconductor devices.
Conventional TaN used in interconnect applications as a diffusion barrier for Cu has a nitrogen-to-tantalum ratio of slightly under 1.0. It typically contains a nitrogen content by atomic weight of 20%. U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,769 illustrates a barrier layer used to reduce diffusion of Al into Cu formed from TaN having a somewhat higher fraction of N, in the range of 1.0 to 1.2. This corresponds to a range of 30% to 40% by weight. The foregoing composition produces a layer that is said to be satisfactory for limiting Al diffusion at a TaN in a thickness of as low as 50 nm.

Interconnect structure diffusion barrier with high nitrogen content

International Business Machines Corporation


A motorized skateboard (10) having an electric motor (102) that rotates a rear fifth drive wheel (86) that extends behind the rear truck (36) of the motorized skateboard (10). The drive wheel (86), which is biased downward by the force of gravity, interfaces with the surface of the ground. A hand-held cable assembly (140) having a power switch (142) controls the operation of the electric motor (102) which applies power to and causes the rear drive wheel (86) to rotate. The rotating drive wheel (86) further causes the motorized skateboard (10) to be propelled forward. The forward motion will continue as long as the rider depresses the power switch (142).

As is well known in the prior art, a skateboard typically includes an elongated board, sometimes referred to as a deck, having an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface supports the feet of the skateboard rider and the lower surface has two sets of trucks that are longitudinally spaced. Skateboard trucks have attached front and back sets of wheels that have the ability to both travel over an up and down range as well as pivot around a central point forward and aft. A central axle extends through the trucks and into the wheels which are rotatably attached to the ends of the trucks.
The rider stands on the upper surface of the board and by shifting the location of the feet and center of gravity, tilts the board to cause change of direction. Conventional skateboards require that a rider provide the propelling force to move, in the form of placing one of the rider's feet on the ground and pushing with that foot as the other foot remains on the top surface of the board. By virtue of the manual propulsion, a conventional skateboard has limitations in both speed as well as the fact that the rider can tire over a period of time. Perhaps it is for these reasons that conventional skateboards are typically used by adolescents and much less by adults.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED4,073,356Schlicht14 Feb. 19785,020,621Martin 4 Jun. 19915,487,441Endo et al30 Jan. 19965,893,425Finkle13 Apr. 19992004/0163867Hillman26 Aug. 20046,848,527Nelson 1 Feb. 20057,172,044Bouvet 6 Feb. 2007
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,621 issued to Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,425 issued to Finkle, and U.S. publication 2004/0163867 issued to Hillman each disclose a motorized skateboard that mounts an engine or a motor at the rear end of the skateboard and utilizes a transmission to mechanically transmit rotary power from the motor to a wheel or wheels of a skateboard truck. While these attempts create propulsion for the skateboard, certain issues are created. When only turning a single wheel, the wheel turns on one side at a different speed than on the other side. Moreover, the wheels and trucks of conventional skateboards are able to pivot and move somewhat, as described previously. Designing and incorporating a transmission or differential between the motor and the skateboard wheel it adds cost and complexity to the device. Moreover, the skateboard cannot turn or move as it typically does, and thus the skateboard loses its "feel", maneuverability and performance.
Yet other designs have incorporated a fifth wheel in roughly the center of the board. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,356 issued to Schlicht, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,441 issued to Endo et al which disclose the use of a fifth driven wheel disposed intermediate the front and rear trucks or sets of wheels of the skateboard. These designs utilize an engine and battery which are also positioned mid-board. The driven fifth wheel in each case is rigidly, but rotatably, mounted to the skateboard. On non-even terrain, it may be difficult for the wheel to follow the terrain in a manner that can maintain traction with the ground so that there are no interruptions in propulsion of the skateboard. This also creates difficulties for traction if there are protrusions or bumps that the skateboard encounters.
Another disadvantage of the Schlicht arrangement is that a portion of the wheel as well as the motor and controls and the like are disposed on the upper surface of the board. U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,527 issued to Nelson also has such an arrangement. Of course, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that Nelson's design presents an impediment when the rider positions his feet or body.
Furthermore, positioning a fifth wheel between the trucks of the skateboard creates a completely different ride and feel than that of a conventional skateboard. U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,044 to Bouvet provides a non-motorized, self-propelled wheel board having a large wheel in the middle thereof, and describing the riding sensation as surfing on the ground.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a motorized skateboard which provides riding and maneuvering capabilities and characteristics which are identical, or nearly identical, to that of most conventional skateboards. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides other related advantages as described below.