An actuator includes: a magnetic field generator that has different magnetic poles alternately arranged in a plane, with a predetermined position being the center of the magnetic poles; a coil holder that holds a plurality of coils that are radially arranged and face the magnetic field generator, relative motion being caused between the magnetic field generator and the coil holder; and an electromagnetic conversion unit that detects the relative motion and is mounted on either the magnetic field generator or the coil holder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an actuator that is incorporated into an input device such as a mouse used in conjunction with a personal computer, and more particularly, to an actuator that includes a mobile unit to move in-plane by virtue of magnetic force and can perform accurate coordinate input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, small-sized actuators each having a mobile unit that moves in-plane by virtue of magnetic force have been developed. Such actuators are expected to be novel devices for transmitting various types of information from computers to operators. For example, an actuator of the above kind can be incorporated into a mouse that is normally used in conjunction with a personal computer. A conventional mouse has been used as an input device for performing input from an operator to a computer. In a case where the above actuator is incorporated into a conventional mouse, signals generated from the computer can be transmitted to an operator. In this manner, the conventional mouse can be used as a man-machine interface.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-117470 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a small-sized actuator of the in-plane mobile type. This actuator includes a coil unit that has a small loop coil and a large loop coil arranged in one plane, and a magnet unit that has four permanent magnets secured onto a base plate. The four permanent magnets generate magnetic flux that crosses the loop coils in a chain-like fashion. In this actuator, relative motion can be caused between the coil unit and the magnet unit that are maintained in parallel with each other. Either the coil unit or the magnet unit can be moved in the plane by virtue of a thrust force that is generated at the time of energizing the loop coils.
Patent Document 1 also discloses a structure in which a scale magnet for position detection is attached to the mobile magnet body, and a MR sensor is fixed in such a position as to face the scale magnet and to perform position detection. With this structure, feedback control is performed with signals supplied from the MR sensor, so that the mobile unit can be moved to a desired position.
An input device such as a mouse is naturally required to have a function of performing coordinate input. Therefore, the above described actuator having a mobile unit that moves in a plane upon receipt of a signal from the outside should have a structure as an input device.
The actuator disclosed in Patent Document 1, however, is a device that is to be incorporated into an optical apparatus, for example. In an optical apparatus, the actuator moves a lens (a driven part) in a plane and positions the lens at a predetermined location. The actuator disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not to be incorporated into an input device such as a mouse. Particularly, the actuator disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot be used as a coordinate input device incorporated into an input device such as a mouse, because the actuator cannot detect the position of a part that is moved by an operator to perform an input operation.
As described above, actuators having in-plane mobile parts have been developed. However, there has not been a disclosure of an actuator that operates upon receipt of a signal from a computer, and also functions as an input device for inputting instructions from operators, when incorporated into an input device such as a mouse.


A computer node comprises dual hard drives. A method of testing the computer node comprises performing a test of the first hard drive, waiting a specific time period, and performing a test of the second hard drive. Each test comprises isolating the drive being tested, writing data to the drive being tested, removing power from the drive being tested, repowering the drive being tested, and reading data from the drive being tested.

The present disclosure relates to a method of testing a computer node and to the computer node itself.
In clustered computer systems comprising a network of computer nodes, it is known that upgrades can fail due to the system drive in a clustered node failing at the point at which it is rebooted to perform its part of the upgrade procedure. A system drive refers to the drive that contains the operating system for the node and does not contain stored data. This weakness is difficult for a computer system administrator to spot in advance because a drive will get into a state where it is going to fail the next time the system is rebooted, but won't display any degraded function during normal running. The computer node can then remain this "faulty" state for any length of time, only exhibiting the failure at the point at which a reboot is performed. An upgrade is very often the only time a node is actually rebooted and this is a particularly bad time for a system drive failure to occur, because it leaves the clustered computer system exposed.
Nodes may be designed with dual redundant hard drives to help counter this problem, but this is only a complete solution if the chance of both drives failing on the same reboot is significantly improved over the chances of one drive failing on a single reboot. Theoretically, the chance of both drives failing on the same reboot=(chance of a single drive failing on the next reboot)*(chance of a single drive failing on the next reboot). However, the chance of both drives failing on the same reboot is in fact much more related to the expected length of time before a drive goes into the faulty state where it will fail at the next reboot and comparing that to how often a server is rebooted.

International Business Machines Corporation


A pierce joint terminal includes a base. The terminal includes a contact raised from an outer periphery of the base and configured to pierce a circuit member to be crimped for establishing electric contact with a conductor within the circuit member.

The invention relates to a pierce joint terminal, and an assembly of a pierce joint terminal and a circuit member. According to the invention, the contact of the pierce joint terminal pierces into the circuit member such as a flat cable to crimp the end of the contact projecting through the circuit member, thus establishing electric contact with a conductive portion within the circuit member.
A related art of the pierce joint terminal is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S63-13285.
A pierce joint terminal has a flat plate-shaped base portion. The base portion has square holes at two portions thereof. Each peripheral edge of the holes constitutes the inner peripheral edge of the base portion. Each inner peripheral edge of the base portion has four connection pawls raised. The four connection pawls are provided to extend from the inner peripheral edge of the base portion and they are respectively bent upwardly.

Pierce joint terminal, and assembly of pierce joint terminal and circuit member


A method of forming an article from a plurality of fiber bundles comprising the steps of providing at least one supply of fiber bundles, the fiber bundles having bonding fibers, supplying the fiber bundles to an injector, sequentially injecting fiber bundles from the fiber bundle feed assembly to predetermined positions within a mold member, heating the fiber bundles within the mold member to facilitate the adhesion of bonding fibers to, in turn, integrate the fiber bundle into an article, and, removing the fiber bundles from the mold member. An article and a system for forming same is likewise disclosed.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates in general to the formation of articles and the articles formed thereby, and more particularly, to an article forming method and system comprising the injection and heating of a plurality of fiber bundles to form an integrated article (which in certain embodiments may include an integrated cover and/or an integrated frame member). Among other articles, as seat cushion article is disclosed as well as a method and system of formation thereof. It will be understood that the seat cushion provides an exemplary embodiment, and is not intended to be limiting in any manner.
2. Background Art
Articles, such as cushions and other resilient, yet elastically deformable components, are formed from many different materials in a number of different manners. For example, horse hair cushions were for a long time made from a plurality of natural fibers which were bonded together with a bonding agent, such as a latex material. The combination is then covered with a fabric or other textile. Over time, the fibers degrade as does the bonding agent. Moreover, such a cushion is susceptible to compression set over time and repeated use.
Other cushions are formed from a foam material. In certain embodiments, a urethane closed cell foam is utilized. It is cut so a desired shape and often covered with a fabric or other textile. In other embodiments, the urethane foam can be molded into a desired shape. Again, a fabric or other textile covers the molded foam. While these foams have advantages over the horse hair cushion described above, there are problems associated with the urethane foam.
For example, the urethane foam is typically substantially uniform throughout. Thus, the resulting cushion is substantially uniform. If it is desired to have different regions having different performance, pieces of foam are typically cut into multiple smaller parts and glued together to form different regions. This is a labor intensive operation and is typically not feasible from a cost standpoint. Additionally, the adhesives and joints between the different foam pieces can suffer performance degradation.
Furthermore, the urethane foam captures and retains fluids. Often, the retention of fluids results in odor problems and moisture problems. It is often difficult to fully dry urethane foam. Thus, mold and mildew can quickly set into the urethane foam.
Finally, as urethane foams are formed from a chemical reaction of two reagents, the recyclability of such urethane foams is quite limited. Typically, urethane foams can be shredded to form carpet padding and the like. However, it is not possible to remold or reform urethane foam into a new cushion structure. Thus, reuse and recyclability of urethane foam cushions is quite limited.

System and method of forming an article, and an article formed thereby


A fuel injection control device includes a basic-injection-use map for deriving a basic injection amount and an additional-injection-use map for deriving an additional injection amount, each corresponding to the throttle opening. During operation of the engine, in each engine cycle, a first calculation stage for calculating the basic injection amount, and a second calculation stage provided after the first calculation stage are set. A first injection amount and a second injection amount obtained by applying the throttle opening measured in the first calculation stage and the second calculation stage, respectively, are compared. When the second injection amount is greater than the first injection amount, an additional injection amount is calculated by subtracting the first injection amount from the second injection amount; and when the first injection amount is greater than the second injection amount, the basic injection amount calculated in the first calculation stage is corrected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection control device and method for continuously controlling an amount of fuel injected into an engine during operation thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fuel injection control device which is configured to continuously correct a currently applicable fuel injection amount in response to a change in throttle opening during engine operation.
2. Description of the Background Art
There are several known fuel injection control devices which detect a change of throttle opening, and which are operable to correct a fuel injection amount based on a changed amount of the throttle opening. An example of such fuel control device is disclosed in Japanese published Patent Document JP-B-62-9740.
The Japanese published Patent Document JP-B-62-9740 discloses a fuel injection control device which, when an increasing rate of a throttle opening within a predetermined time exceeds a predetermined value, incrementally increases an injection fuel amount independent from a basic fuel injection amount.
However, according to Japanese Patent Document JP-B-62-9740, the additional fuel injection is performed only once at an initial stage of acceleration. Hence, even when a further change of throttle opening is continued, during the operation of the engine, the fuel injection control device of this reference is not configured to execute an updated fuel injection amount correction corresponding to such a change.
The present invention has been made to overcome such drawbacks of the existing fuel injection control device. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a fuel injection control device which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the related art, and which continuously corrects a fuel injection amount in response to a change of throttle opening.

Fuel injection control device and method for continuously controlling fuel injection during engine operation based on throttle position


An cylindrical convex portion of which opposite ends are open is integrally formed onto a fuel tank made of HDPE therewith so as to inwardly extend in the fuel tank to provide an opening thereon. A press-fit portion of a filler hose connecting pipe made of PA as a tubular member is press-fitted in the cylindrical convex portion to connecting the tubular member to the fuel tank. At least one continuous annular projection is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the press-fit portion of the tubular member so as to bite into the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical convex portion to provide continuous circumferential contact. A face of the annular projection in direction axially of one end of tubular member is formed so as to extend outwardly and inclinedly with respect to the axial direction of the tubular member form one end toward the other end thereof.

The present invention relates to structure for connecting tubular member to fuel tank, such as hose connecting pipe or valve-housing, for example, for connecting to a fuel tank of an automobile.
FIG. 8 shows an example of a prior art fuel tank system which is installed in an automobile so that gasoline is fed to an engine. In this instance, gasoline is supplied in a fuel tank A through a filler hose B and a connecting pipe C, by means of a fueling gun (not shown) inserted into a filler pipe D connected to a filler hose B. Gasoline in the fuel tank A is fed to an engine by a fuel pump E through a feed hose F, and excess gasoline is collected through a return hose G into the fuel tank A. A communication pipe D-1 is branched from the upper portion of the filler pipe D, and a communication hose H, which is connected to the communication pipe D-1, is attached at the tip end portion thereof via a connecting pipe I to the fuel tank A. The tip end portion of the connecting pipe I extends into the fuel tank A, or stays in the fuel tank A in such a manner as to reach gasoline surface or liquid level therein when the fuel tank A is full-filled state. The fueling gun is equipped with a mechanism (not shown) which stops fueling automatically, when sensing that the tip end portion of the connecting pipe I stays under the surface of the gasoline (dips in gasoline) in the fuel tank A, that is, the tank A is full-filled state. And, an evaporative emission hose J is connected via roll over valves K, K to the fuel tank A at the upper portion thereof. Evaporated gasoline or gasoline vapor filled in the fuel tank A flows through the evaporative emission hose J to a canister. The roll over valves K, K are closed on occasion of an automobile rolling over, and the like, so as to prevent gasoline or fuel from flowing into the evaporative emission hose J.
Meanwhile, usually, a fuel tank A is made of thermoplastic resin material, due to reason that it is light weight, does not rust and is easily formed into designated shape, and so on. For example, a fuel tank A has a multi-layer composition, a layer or layers of high density polyethylene(HDPE), at least for an outermost layer, and an internal fuel barrier layer or layers such as polyamide(PA, nylon), or ethylene vinyl alcohol(EVOH) which are bonded or fused to the HDPE layer or layers respectively by a bonding layer or bonding material. HDPE is often applied also for a connecting pipe C to connect a filler hose B to a fuel tank A and a housing of roll over valve K In prior connecting structure shown in FIG. 9, a connecting pipe C is formed into a relatively elongated tubular member made of HDPE, with which a flange C-1 for fusing is integrally formed at the axial center thereof and in the inner peripheral surface of the connecting pipe C, a metallic cylindrical body L extending from the upper end to below the axial center of the connecting pipe C is provided. The connecting pipe C thus configured is inserted into an opening M of the fuel tank A, comprising an outer layer N made of HDPE, an inner layer O made of HDPE and a fuel barrier layer P made of PA therebetween, and fixed onto the fuel tank A(outer layer N made of HDPE) by fusing the flange C-1 of the connecting pipe C thereto.
In some cases, the connecting pipe C itself is made of thermoplastic resin having good gasoline permeability resistance such as PA, and the connecting pipe C thus configured is fused and fixed onto the fuel tank A. Usually a connecting pipe C made of PA cannot be directly fused onto a fuel tank A made of HDPE. However, Japanese Patent No.2715870 and German Patent No. 19535413(DE19535413C1) disclose inventions relating to fixing a PA tubular member onto an opening of the HDPE fuel tank by means of bonding member or bonding material(bonding member layer). And, a prior art technology shown in FIG. 10 is actually applied for connecting a connecting pipe to a fuel tank. In connecting structure with application of bonding materials for fusing shown in FIG. 10, a bonding member layer Q of modified polyethylene (modified PE) compatible with PA, is beforehand bonded or fused onto the back surface of a flange C-2 of the PA connecting pipe C, and is fused onto the surface of the rim portion of the opening M(surface layer or outer layer N of HDPE) provided on the fuel tank A when connecting pipe C the connecting to the fuel tank A, so that the connecting pipe C is fixed onto the fuel tank A.
However, in the connecting structure shown in FIG. 9, evaporated gasoline or gasoline might penetrate in a clearance created between the outer surface of the connecting pipe C and the rim or the inner peripheral surface of the opening M, and might permeate through the HDPE flange C-1 having insufficient gasoline permeability resistance (refer to arrows in FIG. 9), resulting in permitting evaporated gasoline (vapor fuel) to diffuse or flow out into the air. And, even in the connecting structure shown in FIG. 10, since modified PE used for a bonding member layer Q is usually inferior to HDPE used for the fuel tank A in gasoline permeability resistance, evaporated gasoline could permeate through the bonding member layer Q and diffuses out into the air (refer to arrows in FIG. 10).

Structure for connecting tubular member to fuel tank


The abstract discloses a method for preparing supports for the assay of chemical or biological substances, consisting in preparing N different supports, each being homogeneous for a type of reaction, then in mutually combining, according to a predetermined arrangement, all or part of the said homogenous N supports to constitute assay supports having each an ordered set of reaction zones of N different types or less. The invention also concerns the assay supports prepared by this method and their use in processes of immunological hybridisation assays.

The present invention concerns the area of assaying chemical or biological substances, such as sequences of nucleic acids or proteins by specific reaction with a set of specific reagents fixed on a support. It relates more particularly to the assay of nucleic acids by hybridisation with oligonucleotide probes fixed on a support. This type of assay finds application in sequencing, diagnosis or quality control for research or industrial production.
The match law A-T (or A-U) and G-C gives nucleic acids the property of forming specific hybridisation complexes between complementary sequences. This long known hybridisation property means that a fragment of nucleic acid, or an oligonucleotide, can be used to display the presence of a complementary nucleic sequence. The analysis of DNA fragments after gel separation (E. Southern, J. mol. Biol., 1975, 98, 503-517) is today largely used both in the area of fundamental research and in medical analysis (Caskey, Science, 1987, 236, 1223-1228; Landegrer et al., Science, 1988, 242, 229-237; Arnheim et al., Ann rev. Biochem., 1992, 61, 131-156).
Several assay techniques of nucleic acids based on their hybridisation property with probes have been developed, in particular for the sequencing of unknown DNAs or RNAs, the detection of sequences associated with a pathology, and the search for point mutations in sequences (S. Ikata et al., Nuclei Acids Res., 1987, 15, 797-811; J. A. Matthews, L. J. Krieka, Analytical Biochemistry, 1988, 169, 1-25).
More recently, new assay methods for unknown DNA fragments have been put forward, based on hybridisation with a series of oligonucleotides comprising 5 to 9 bases arranged in known sequence and immobilised on a solid support (E. Southern, European Patent published under number: 0 373 203; K. R. Khrapko et al., FEBS Letters, 1989, 256, 118-122 ; R. Drmanac et al., Genomics, 1989, 4, 114-128 ; R. Drmanac et al., DNA and Cell Biology, 1990, 9, 527-534 ; K. R. Khrapko et al., J. DNA Sequencing Mapp., 1991, 1, 375-388 ; R. Drmanac et al., Science 1993, 260, 1649-1652 ; R. J. Lipshutz, J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn., 1993, 11, 637-653; U. Maskos, E. Southern, Nucleic Acids Res., 1993, 21, 4663-4669 ; A. C. Pease et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 1994, 91, 5022-5026; J. C. Williams, Nucleic Acids Res., 1994, 22, 1365-1367 ; E. M. Southern, Nucleic Acids Res., 1994, 22, 1368-1373.
These new assay methods are based on the preparation of a support on whose surface is fixed a series of oligonucleotide sequences having the same length covering all possible sequences for this length, each of the oligonucleotide sequences occupying cells, or zones, separated on the support. The preparation and use of said support is described in particular in European patent applications published under Nxc2x0s 373 203 and 392 546 and in international patent application published under nxc2x0 WO 94/12670. The sequence of nucleic acid to be assayed is labelled and applied to the support under conditions allowing hybridisation with the oligonucleotides, then after washing, the localisation of the labelling is noted on the support surface in order to detect the signals transmitted by any hybrids which may be formed between the assayed, labelled DNA fragment and one or more oligonucleotides of the series immobilised on the solid support. Each position shown to be positive on the support corresponds to a complementary sequence thus identified in the assayed DNA fragment.
Immobilisation of the oligonucloetides on the support surface may be conducted in accordance with two principles: either immobilisation after synthesis of the oligonucleotides, or direct synthesis of the oligonucleotides on the support.
Immobilisation after synthesis of the oligonucleotides is difficult to implement and does not appear sufficiently reproducible as is the case for antibodies ( European patent Nxc2x0 0 063 810), therefore most teams working on this subject have chosen to develop techniques for direct synthesis on the support to be used for hybridisation and detection (International Patent Applications WO 90 03 382, WO 90 15 070, WO 91 08 307, WO 91 07 087, WO 92 10 092, WO 92 10 587, WO 93 10 161, WO 93 09 668, WO 94 22 889, WO 95 11 748, WO 95 30 774). These involve the synthesis one same surface of a series of oligonucleotide sequences having the same length covering all possible sequences for this length. Therefore, for oligonucleotides with 2 bases, chosen from among the four forming the DNA, 16 sequences are possible, for oligonucleotides with 3 bases 64 sequences are possible, for oligonucleotides with 4 bases 256 sequences are possible, for oligonucleotides with 5 bases 1024 sequences are possible, for oligonucleotides with 6 bases 4096 sequences are possible etc.. The shorter the oligonucleotide sequence, the less information it provides for sequencing; for a DNA fragment with arrangement, all or part of said homogeneous supports are mutually combined to form assay supports each having an ordered set of reaction zones of N different types or less.
By xe2x80x9ctype of reaction xe2x80x9d is meant the specific reaction likely to occur between the assayed substance and the support, when they are brought into contact. This reaction is determined by the nature of the different N reagents, present in ordered and verifiable manner on the supports obtained by the method of the invention, each of the initial N supports being homogeneous for one of its reagents. For the assay of nucleic acids, by type of reaction is meant the specific hybridisation reaction likely to occur between an oligonucleotide sequence fixed on one of the initial N supports, re-detected in a reaction zone on the final support, and a complementary nucleic acid sequence present in the assayed substance.
According to one first particular embodiment, the method of the invention comprises the following stages:
a) preparation of N flat shaped supports homogeneous for a type of reaction;
b) cutting said flat, homogeneous N supports into strips of substantially equal width;
c) combining substantially side by side the strips derived from at least one part of the N homogeneous supports so as to prepare intermediate supports which, along an axis that is perpendicular to said strips of homogeneous supports, comprise alignments of different reaction zones, each of said alignments of one same intermediate support being identical;
d) cutting the intermediate supports into strips of substantially the same width, each of said strips comprising one of said alignments of different reaction zones,
e) combining substantially side by side the strips which each comprise an alignment of different reaction zones, in such manner as to form assay supports each having alignments of ordered reaction zones of N different types or less.
According to a second particular embodiment, the method of the invention comprises the following stages:
axe2x80x2) preparation of N homogeneous supports in the form of filaments or fibres, and
bxe2x80x2) combining substantially side by side several of said filaments in such manner as to prepare intermediate supports which, along an axis perpendicular to said filaments, comprise alignments of different reaction zones, each of said alignments of one same intermediate support being identical, then, carrying out stages (d) and (e) previously described in the first embodiment.
Stage (bxe2x80x2) above may consist of gluing side by side the homogeneous filaments prepared in stage (axe2x80x2) so as to form the intermediate supports defined in stage (c) of the first embodiment.
One variant of stages (a) and (axe2x80x2) described above, consists of:
axe2x80x3) preparing N homogeneous supports in the form of filaments, and proceeding with weaving each of said N filaments with a weft made of reactively neutral strand so as to prepare the N homogeneous supports of the type of those in stage (a) described in the first embodiment,
then, carrying out stages (b), (c), (d) and (e) previously described.
One variant of stages (axe2x80x3) and (bxe2x80x2) described above consists of:
axe2x80x2) preparing N homogeneous supports in the form of filaments, and
bxe2x80x3) proceeding with weaving all or part of the homogeneous N filaments by intertwining a weft made of said N filaments with a strand that is reactively neutral, so as to prepare intermediate supports or a final support, then
optionally carrying out stages (d) and (e) described previously, if the supports prepared at stage (bxe2x80x3) are intermediate supports.
In order to maintain the rigidity of the intermediate support of stages (b), (bxe2x80x2)and (bxe2x80x3), it is advantageously fixed to an auxiliary element for temporary or permanent support; xe2x80x9ctemporaryxe2x80x9d meaning that the auxiliary support element is removed after stage (e) or (bxe2x80x3), xe2x80x9cpermanentxe2x80x9d meaning that the auxiliary support element is left in place after stage (e) or (bxe2x80x3).
Also, the final support obtained at stages (e) and (bxe2x80x3) may advantageously be made rigid and therefore handled with greater ease if it is fixed onto a support element. Also, this support element may be used to give a particular shape to the final support, such as for example one or more recesses to facilitate and border the deposits of hybridisation and revealing reagents at each reaction zone, or even to form an edge for the support.
The homogeneous supports of flat shape or in fibre form may be in a porous or non-porous matter. As porous flat support, preference is given to a cellulose microporous membrane.
If the support of the invention is intended to be used for the assay of nucleic acids, the initial N supports are each homogeneous for one type of specific hybridisation reaction. Advantageously, each of the N homogeneous supports then comprises a different oligonucleotide sequence. In one particular embodiment, intended for the sequencing or assay of mutations, on each of the N homogeneous supports is fixed a different oligonucleotide sequence but of similar length, all the oligonucleotide sequences of the N supports then covering all the possible sequences for this length.
Assay of the extent of hybridisation with each of the oligonucleotides, for example using the Tm values, at each reaction zone of the supports, can determine with great precision the sequence of the assayed nucleic acid, DNA or RNA or the presence of a mutation.
The supports of the inventions may also be used for immunological assay; in this case, the N supports are each homogeneous for one type of antigen-antibody reaction. In this embodiment, one different antibody or one antigen, according to whether the assayed substance is an antigen or an antibody, is fixed by any method known to men of the art on each of the initial N supports.
The supports of the invention may also be used for the assay of substrates likely to react with a series of different enzymes each placed at the level of each reaction zone.
The invention also relates to an assay support prepared using the above-described methods, and the use of this support for methods of assaying chemical or biological substances, and its incorporation into assay kits for chemical or biological substances.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following examples which are given for guidance purposes and are not restrictive.

Method for preparing assay supports having an ordered set of reaction zones


The present invention is directed to a sandal with a sole. The sole has an upper surface and an opposite lower surface. The upper surface is formed from objects, such as hemispheres and/or spheres that each has a curved surface forming at least a portion of the upper surface. The lower surface is also formed from objects, which may be the same as those that form the upper surface. Additionally, the sole is formed with voids extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The voids are defined, in part, by the objects near the upper surface and the objects near the lower surface.

Footwear, such as sandals, provide a sole that protects and separates a user's foot from a ground surface when in an-as-worn position. The sole may protect a user's foot from rough terrain, slippery conditions, and un-hygienic environments. For example, a sandal may be worn as a shower sandal in a community shower, which may have slippery and unsanitary surfaces that a user whishes to avoid directly contacting. Sandals may also be used in a variety of other environments, such as the beach, to protect the user from hot sand and other surfaces.


A support hanger is provided for a turbine engine. The support hanger includes a pin with a pin head, a retainer and a flexible seal. The retainer is pivotally connected to the pin head. The retainer includes a seal bearing surface facing towards the pin head. The seal includes a retainer bearing surface sealingly engaging the seal bearing surface.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to a panel support hanger and, more particularly, to a support hanger for flexibly connecting panels such as, for example, a turbine engine exhaust liner and a turbine engine exhaust duct.
2. Background Information
A turbine engine may include a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, an augmentor section and/or an exhaust section, which are sequentially arranged between an airflow inlet and an airflow exhaust. The exhaust section may include a tubular exhaust liner arranged within and connected to a tubular exhaust duct. An exhaust gas path extends axially through the exhaust section, adjacent to a radial inner side of the exhaust liner. A cooling gas path also extends axially through the exhaust section, between a radial outer side of the exhaust liner and a radial inner side of the exhaust duct.
Exhaust gas directed through the exhaust gas path may have a significantly higher temperature than that of cooling gas directed through the cooling gas path. These gases may also have different pressures. The exhaust liner and the exhaust duct therefore may be subject to different temperature and/or pressure gradients during turbine engine operation. These different temperature and pressure gradients may cause the exhaust liner and the exhaust duct to move (e.g., deflect, expand, contract, shift, etc.) relative to one another.
There is a need for a support hanger that connects a turbine engine exhaust liner to a turbine engine exhaust duct, while also accommodating movement therebetween.

Panel support hanger for a turbine engine


An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image forming medium, a charge unit charging the surface of the electrostatic latent image forming medium with a predetermined potential, a toner supply unit (TSU) supplying toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrostatic latent image forming medium to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, and a transfer unit transferring the toner image to a print medium, the electrostatic latent image forming medium including a transparent frame member, a light source inside the frame member, an optical shutter array including a plurality of optical shutters, and a photoconductive layer on which the electrostatic latent image is formed using light transmitted through the optical shutter array. A diffuser may surround the light source to diffuse light to maintain the intensity of light reaching the optical shutters at a uniform level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrostatic latent image forming medium for forming an electrostatic latent image using an optical shutter array and an image forming apparatus having such electrostatic latent image forming medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, laser printers, and facsimile machines, print an image by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium, such as a photoconductive drum or a photoreceptor belt, using a laser scanning unit (LSU), developing the electrostatic latent image using a developing agent having a predetermined color, and transferring the developed image onto a sheet of paper.
FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus including an LSU.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum 20 on a surface of which an electrostatic latent image is formed, an LSU 10 scanning a laser beam to form the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductive drum 20, and a toner supply roller 30 supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductive drum 20.
The LSU 10 includes a laser diode (LD) 11 emitting a laser beam, a polygon mirror 12 scanning the laser beam emitted from the LD 11, a focusing lens 13 focusing a laser beam reflected by the polygon mirror 12, and a reflective mirror 14 reflecting a laser beam passing through the focusing lens 13 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductive drum 20.
When the LSU 10 scans a laser beam onto the surface of the photoconductive drum 20 charged with a predetermined potential, the electric charges in a portion of the surface of the photoconductive drum 20 onto which the laser beam is scanned disappear, i.e., the electric charges become neutralized. Accordingly, an electrostatic latent image with a potential different from potentials of other portions of the surface of the photoconductive drum 20 is formed in the portion onto which the laser beam is scanned. Toner supplied by the toner supply roller 30 is selectively adhered to the electrostatic latent image by an electrostatic force. Thus, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a desired image. The image developed on the photoconductive drum 20 is transferred to a sheet of print paper P and then fixed on the sheet of print paper P by a fixing unit (not shown).
The LSU 10 has a complicated structure, and consequently the size of the conventional image forming apparatus is large, and the manufacturing costs thereof are high. Accordingly, there is a limitation in realizing a compact and inexpensive image forming apparatus using the LSU 10.
Also, since the LSU 10 scans a laser beam and forms an electrostatic latent image in a line-by-line manner while the polygon mirror 12 is rotated by a motor (not shown), it is difficult to increase print speed by reducing the time spent on scanning the laser beam. Since the rotation speed of the polygon mirror 12 is limited to a maximum of 55,000 rpm due to vibrations and noises caused by the rotation of the polygon mirror 12 of the LSU 10, maximum print speed using an LSU is limited by this limitation in rotational speed of the polygon mirror 12.

Electrostatic latent image forming medium using optical shutter array and image forming apparatus having the same


A method for simulating a transistor circuit determines which nodes in the circuit change state in response to events, and then accurately computes the times at which those nodes change states. Using parasitic capacitance and transistor conductance values extracted from the circuit layout, this method and evaluates driving-point resistances and delays in an RC-network representation of the complete circuit.

This invention relates generally to the simulation of electronic circuits, and more particularly to the simulation of such circuits at a switch level.
Digital MOS circuits, including high-speed full-custom chips, can consist of a few hundred thousand transistors. In fact, circuits of this size are now commonplace with the advent of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI). After these circuits are designed, they are modeled (i.e., simulated) before being fabricated in silicon. This is because silicon fabrication is costly and time-consuming, and because simulation allows the operation of the circuits to be tested and analyzed relatively easily and inexpensively before fabrication.
Digital MOS circuits can be simulated at various levels of detail depending upon the amount of precision of the information required. For example, transistor-level simulation, which is very detailed, greatly increases the probability of the circuit working correctly when it is first fabricated in silicon. In addition, errors in layout, design, and timing that may be impossible to detect by other methods can be detected by a transistor-level simulation of the complete circuit.
The more detailed the level, however, the smaller the circuit that can be simulated in any reasonable amount of time. Transistor-level simulation is so slow and difficult to use that is not appropriate for very large circuits.
Simulations of large digital MOS circuits are usually performed with either gate-level modeling or switch-level modeling. Gate-level modeling, which involves building circuits from predetermined logic gate models, can validate the logic behavior of certain circuits, such as those designed in a standard-cell system that have validated gate-level models. For full custom circuits, however, gate-level modeling is inadequate because it does not properly simulate certain MOS circuit phenomena, such as bidirectional signal flow, resistance-ratio effects, and charge-sharing.
Switch-level modeling, which is exemplified in FIG. 1, addresses the drawbacks of gate-level modeling and transistor-level modeling. In switch-level modeling, each transistor 100 is replaced by a switch 110 having a conduction path 120 with a given resistance value represented as element 125. Depending upon the signal at a gate 130, switch 110 is either closed or opened thereby placing conduction path 120 into or out of the remaining circuit.
Switch-level modeling is not only relatively fast, it is more accurate than gate-level modeling because gate-level modeling uses specific input/output relationships which may not fit each circuit accurately. The speed and accuracy of switch-level modeling are two reasons that it is commonly used to simulate very large circuits, such as those with more than one hundred thousand transistors.
Most switch-level simulators, however, provide detail only at the logic simulation or state level and do not provide any timing information. Such pure logic simulation gives information about the logic-levels of signals without regard to the actual timing (i.e. delays) associated with signal changes.
Timing simulation is useful and sometimes necessary to obtain details about the signal waveform and information about when and how fast signals change. Some switch-level simulators provide details about the timing delays associated with signal changes. This is done, as shown by FIG. 2, by treating each node 200 of a circuit as a node 210 with an associated capacitance value 215 to ground.
Some conventional switch-level simulators model transistor conductances and node capacitances by "strengths," either from a discrete or a continuous set. "Strengths" are approximations of transistor conductances. Certain switch-level simulators provide timing by using these "strengths" as a measure of the node conductances from which delays are computed. Strengths and the delays calculated from strengths are only crude approximations of actual node conductance and circuit delay, however. The inaccuracy of these approximations is the principal source of timing inaccuracy by such conventional switch level simulators and the principal reason why most switch-level simulators are unable to resolve the output of a circuit correctly if dynamic logic is present.
The inability of conventional switch-level simulators to resolve the output of a circuit correctly will be illustrated by the exclusive OR circuit 300 shown in FIG. 3. Circuit 300 includes three drivers 310, 320, and 330. Driver 310, which is composed of transistors 315 and 317, receives an A input inverted. Driver 320, which is composed of transistors 325 and 327, receives a B input inverted. Driver 330, which is composed of transistors 335 and 337, is connected to the output of driver 320. Circuit 300 also includes exclusive OR gate 340, which is composed of transistors 342, 344, 346, and 348.
Conventional switch-level simulators which rely on strength propagation to determine the logic-levels in the circuit operate by propagating strengths across transistor channels. Thus, a node is assigned a strength equal to the smaller of the strength of the transistor and the strength of the node connected by the transistor. For such a mechanism to produce the correct result for circuit 300, the strengths of the six transistors 315, 317, 325, 327, 335 and 337 in the drivers 310, 320 and 330 have to be larger than the strengths of the four transistors 342, 344, 346 and 348 in exclusive OR gate 340. In actual design, this is usually not true. Therefore, this type of conventional switch-level simulator will not be able to simulate such a circuit correctly.
Another attempt to improve the accuracy of simulators has been the development of techniques for computing delay in certain circuits. Efficient algorithms to compute delay have previously been developed only for tree RC-networks. In tree RC-networks, there are no loops. Such algorithms can therefore not be used for the majority of circuits because most circuits do have loops.
Recently, two different techniques have been developed for determining delay in general RC-networks One technique is relaxation-based and appears to have a computation complexity of O(n.sup.3). The other technique has a computation complexity of O(n.sup.3) for planar networks and O(n.sup.6) for general networks this complexity is disadvantageous.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system for switch-level modeling which generates accurate timing information.
Another desirable feature would be to provide such a system without large computation complexity.
It would also be desirable to provide a simulation system which executes rapidly.

Switch-level timing simulation based on two-connected components


The invention is directed to a method of forming a vented rotor for caliper disc brakes and the like. Such a vented rotor includes an outer friction portion having one or more ring sections with opposed friction surfaces adapted to interface with associated friction members. The vented rotor is formed by first casting a rotor to the desired configuration including at least the ring section. This initial casting is formed in such a manner that one or more depressions are provided a surface of the ring section. Then, material is removed in one or more machining steps from portions of the friction surface opposite the friction surface having the depressions, to the point that the depressions extend completely through the ring section to form the vents.

The present invention relates to rotors for caliper disc brakes and the like, and in particular to an improved method of forming a cross vented brake rotor.
Rotors are generally well known in the art, and are used extensively in vehicle braking systems, power transmission devices, clutches, and other similar machinery and mechanisms. Vehicle caliper disc braking systems slow the vehicle by inhibiting the rotation of the vehicle wheels. Rotors used in typical braking systems include a central hat section for attaching the rotor to a vehicle wheel and drive member for rotation therewith, and an outer friction portion having a pair of annular ring sections with opposed friction surfaces.
A caliper assembly secured to a non-rotating component of the vehicle, such as the vehicle frame. The caliper assembly includes a pair of brake pads disposed adjacent the rotor friction surfaces, and a moveable piston operatively connected to one or more of the brake pads. When the driver brakes the vehicle, hydraulic or pneumatic forces move the piston which clamps the pads against the friction surfaces of the rotating rotor. As the brake pads press against the moving rotor friction surfaces, frictional forces are created which oppose the rotation of the wheels and slow the vehicle. The friction converts the vehicle's kinetic energy into large quantities of heat, much of which is absorbed by the friction surfaces and conducted to the rest of the rotor and to other components to which the rotor is connected
Excess heat leads to premature brake wear and/or failure. Therefore a brake rotor should quickly transfer and dissipate the heat generated during braking. Vents have been formed in the friction surfaces of the rotor to circulate air around the annular peripheral section for cooling the brake. Cross vented rotors typically have vents extending in the axial direction through the friction surfaces.
Brake rotors are typically cast from a ferrous material such as cast grey iron, and then are machined in multiple operations to shape the hat section and friction surfaces. In general, solid cast iron or cast aluminum rotors are preferred from the standpoint of strength. Rotors having cross vented friction surfaces, are typically produced by initially casting a solid rotor which is then subjected to relatively extensive machining operations to form the vents. While this has proven to be an effective means of producing vented rotors, the additional machining operations increase the cost of manufacturing such rotors. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a method of forming a cross vented rotor which is less expensive than the conventional method, and which may not be significantly more expensive than the conventional method of forming a full cast, solid rotor.

Method of forming a cross vented rotor and an initial casting for forming a vented rotor


A signal transmission method and an apparatus are disclosed. In an embodiment a signal transmission method includes generating a demodulation reference signal and sending the demodulation reference signal, wherein the demodulation reference signal is sent in a specific time-frequency resource, and the specific time-frequency resource is located on symbols corresponding to a synchronization signal block.

In Long Term Evolution (LTE), a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) occupies six physical resource blocks (PRB) (namely, 72 subcarriers) on both sides of a central frequency and four consecutive OFDM symbols. The LTE-PBCH can support a 1, 2, or 4-antenna port (AP) transmission solution.
A demodulation reference signal of the LTE-PBCH is a cell-specific reference signal (CRS). The CRS in LTE is used for coherent demodulation of a PBCH signal, and further used for radio resource management (RRM) measurement, channel state information measurement, and coherent demodulation of a data channel and a control channel. The CRS occupies entire system bandwidth, is distributed in 10 sub-frames, and supports four APs. Therefore, the CRS has relatively high resource overheads and is unsuitable for a 5G new radio access (NR) system.
Therefore, a reference signal transmission solution suitable for NR is urgently needed, to reduce resource overheads.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Demodulation reference signal transmission method and apparatus


The present invention provides a scalable, modular and pipelined distributed bus arbitration system for efficiently resolving bus contention between sub-systems, e.g., processors, coupled to a common system bus. The arbitration system includes a plurality of distributed bus arbiters which receives the bus requests from the sub-systems and independently determine the next bus master. The arbitration protocol enables the arbitration process to be eliminated from the critical timing path thereby allowing the system to operate at the maximum system clock frequency possible for a given integrated circuit (IC) technology to reduce overall system clock latencies. Any change among the sub-systems during an arbitration clock cycle is based on any system bus request(s) which are active during a clock cycle immediately preceding the arbitration clock cycle, and is independent of any system bus request(s) asserted during the arbitration clock cycle. In addition, the arbitration protocol treats a current bus master, i.e., the bus master driving the system bus, preferentially. Each arbitration task is completed within a system clock cycle regardless of processor speed. As a result, the arbitration latency for retaining the current bus master is one system clock cycle while the latency for selecting and switching bus masters is two system clock cycles. In this implementation, a last port driver is the only sub-system permitted to assert a bus request in a clock cycle and immediately drive the system bus in the next immediate clock cycle. Conversely, when a second sub-system which is not the last port driver needs to drive an inactive system bus, the second sub-system asserts its bus request line in a first clock cycle, and arbitration occurs within all the respective bus arbiters occurs in a second clock cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems architecture. More particularly, the invention relates to system bus arbitration protocols.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the design of an efficient system architecture with a number of subsystems, e.g., a multi-processor system, the use of a common system bus shared by the sub-systems is useful for satisfying several important design goals. These goals include minimizing the total number and cost of interconnections between the sub-systems, maintaining modularity in the interfaces of sub-systems, and simplifying the integration of interfaces for add-on sub-systems, e.g., expanded memory and peripherals. However, sharing a system bus necessitates the use of a bus arbitration protocol to resolve the inevitable bus contentions from the sub-systems.
Conventional bus arbitration protocols for resolving bus contentions can be divided into two general classes; centralized arbitration and distributed arbitration protocols. In an exemplary conventional centralized arbitration system 110, as shown in FIG. 1A, system 110 includes processors 111, 112, 113, 114, a system bus 118 and a centralized arbiter 119. System bus 118, e.g., Address.sub.-- bus, is coupled to processors 111, 112, 113, 114 and centralized arbiter 119. In addition, each of processors 111, 112, 113,114 is coupled to centralized arbiter 119 by one of bus request lines Req.sub.-- 0, Req.sub.-- 1, Req.sub.-- 2, Req.sub.-- 3, and one of bus grant lines Bus.sub.-- Grant.sub.-- 0, Bus.sub.-- Grant.sub.-- 1, Bus.sub.-- Grant.sub.-- 2, Bus.sub.-- Grant.sub.-- 3, respectively.
Centralized arbiter 119 is the sole bus arbiter and is responsible for arbitrating all bus contentions. When one of processors 111, 112, 113, 114 needs to drive system bus 118, a request is made to centralized arbiter 119 via the appropriate bus request line. If no other processor is contending for system bus 118, centralized arbiter 119 assigns bus 118 to the requesting processor. Conversely, if two or more processors make a bus request within a pre-determined period, centralized arbiter 119 uses a suitable allocation scheme, e.g., a round robin or a predetermined priority scheme, to decide what processor should be assigned the next bus master. In either case, centralized arbiter 119 communicates the bus grant to the assigned processor via the appropriate bus grant line. For example, processor 111 makes a request to arbiter 119 via bus request line Req.sub.-- 0 and eventually receives a grant from arbiter 119 via bus grant line Bus.sub.-- Grant.sub.-- 0.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a conventional distributed arbitration system 120 which includes processors 121, 122, 123, 124 and a system bus 128. System bus 128, e.g., Address.sub.-- bus, is coupled to processors 121, 122, 123, 124. In addition, processors 121, 122, 123, 124 are coupled to each other by bus request lines Req.sub.-- 0, Req.sub.-- 1, Req.sub.-- 2, Req.sub.-- 3 and also by bus control lines Bus.sub.-- Busy.sub.-- 0, Bus.sub.-- Busy.sub.-- 1, Bus.sub.-- Busy.sub.-- 2, Bus.sub.-- Busy.sub.-- 3.
The distributed arbitration protocol dictates that all processors 121, 122, 123, 124 are responsible for simultaneously arbitrating bus contentions and assigning the same processor to be the next bus master. For example, when one of processors 121, 122, 123, 124 needs to drive system bus 128, a request is broadcasted to every other processor coupled to bus 128 via the appropriate bus request line. If no other processor is contending for system bus 128, all the other processors will independently assign bus 118 to the requesting processor. Conversely, if two or more processors make a bus request within a pre-determined period, then each of processors 121, 122, 123, 124 uses a suitable identical allocation scheme to independently arrive at the same conclusion as to which processor should be the next bus master. In either case, the processor assigned to be the next bus master captures system bus 128 by asserting the appropriate bus busy line, thereby communicating to all the other processors that system bus 128 is now in use. For example, processor 121 broadcasts a bus request on bus request line Req.sub.-- 0. When system bus 128 is free and none of the other bus request lines Req.sub.-- 1, Req.sub.-- 2 and Req.sub.-- 3 has been asserted by a processor with higher priority, processor 121 proceeds to capture system bus 128 by asserting bus control line Bus.sub.-- Busy.sub.-- 0. Appendix A is a specification of one such distributed arbitration scheme, named the "Futurebus+" based on the I.E.E.E.Standard 896.2-1991.
In most conventional bus arbitration protocols, such as the above mentioned protocols, in order to minimize the overall delay arising from bus arbitration, the sequential tasks of sending and receiving a bus request, and assigning the next bus master are completed in the same system clock cycle. While it is expedient to attempt to complete processing of the bus request and the corresponding bus driver assignment in one system clock cycle, as the system clock speed increases in response to processors with faster processor clocks, the ability to receive a bus request and complete the arbitration process within a single fast system clock cycle is no longer attainable. Hence, these conventional bus arbitration protocols are not scalable with respect to faster processors. A system designer is forced to either slow the system clock speed or to use multiple system clock cycles for resolving bus contentions. As a result, the performance is inhibited by either a slower system clock speed or extra system clock latencies inserted for solely arbitrating bus contentions.
Hence, there is a need for a solution to the bus arbitration problem that is efficient, cost effective, modular and scalable as processor clock speeds increase.

Pipelined distributed bus arbitration system


A method for automatic organ segmentation in CT images comprises in a first step, rough region segmentation; in a second step, coarse organ segmentation; and in a third step, refinement of organ segmentation. The organ may be a liver. Rough region segmentation may comprise applying standard anatomical knowledge to the CT images. Coarse segmentation may comprise identifying organ voxels using a probabilistic model. Refinement of organ segmentation may comprise refinement based on intensity, followed by refinement based on shape. Apparatuses configured to carry out the method are also disclosed.

Accurate liver segmentation from abdominal CT scans is critical for computer-assisted diagnosis and therapy, including patient specific liver anatomy evaluation, functional assessment, treatment planning, and image-guided surgery. Traditionally, radiologists or physicians manually delineate the liver region in the images, slice by slice, which is tedious and time-consuming.
FIG. 1 illustrates some challenges in liver segmentation posed by intensity inhomogeneity within the liver. White arrows in CT scan 102A indicate two adjacent regions of liver tissue which exhibit different intensities. White arrows in CT scan 102B indicate adjacent regions of liver tissue that appear different on the basis of intensity distribution as well as average value. CT scan 102C shows a slice including a tumor 103 and normal liver tissue 104. Tumor 103 appears significantly darker than normal liver tissue 104. In scan 102D, a white arrow indicates a circular region of tumor tissue which is extremely dark in comparison to the surrounding normal tissue.
Significant intensity difference therefore cannot be taken as necessarily indicating a boundary between the liver itself and other organs or tissues outside the liver
FIG. 2 illustrates some other challenges in liver segmentation, posed by intensity similarities in the regions just inside and just outside the liver boundary. CT scan 202A shows a slice in which the intensity of the liver 204 is very similar to the intensity of the stomach 203. Similarly, in scan 202B, it is hard to determine a significant difference between the intensities at the heart 205 and liver 204B. A white arrow in scan 202C near the outer boundary of the liver shows a region of very low contrast between the liver itself and muscle tissue at the abdomen wall. All these examples show that very small intensity differences between adjacent areas cannot be taken as necessarily indicating that a liver boundary is not present between those areas.
There is therefore a need for new methods of carrying out liver segmentation that lend themselves to automatic, computer-based processing, and yet are able to make accurate determinations based on more than simple intensity differences. Similar methods may also be useful for segmentation of other organs from CT scans, in the abdomen or elsewhere.


A fireplace comprises a firebox which has a flue and front, bottom, top, rear and side panels. An outer casing is spaced from and surrounds the firebox. A combustion air plenum is positioned at a point above the bottom of the firebox and is connected to a conduit that communicates with a source external to the room in which the fireplace is situated for supplying combustion air to the fireplace. The firebox has a combustion air entry port in at least one of side panels of the firebox near the bottom of the firebox for supplying combustion air to the interior of the firebox. The combustion air port communicates with the combustion air plenum through a first passage. The flue passes upwardly through the firebox and is adapted to be connected to a second conduit that is in communication with a source external to the room which the fireplace is situated for exhausting the combustion gasses from the fireplace. A second passage is provided between the outer casing and the firebox for circulation of air to be heated along the firebox.

Various types of fireplaces are known in the art. One traditional type of fireplace is a masonry fireplace which is built into a room of a house or other dwelling unit. Such a fireplace has a masonry firebox and a masonry chimney which extends upwardly to vent above the roof of a house. While these fireplaces may be decorative, their heating efficiency is very low. Further, these fireplaces are necessarily fixed in place and require that a room be decorated around the location of the fireplace.
One way to solve this problem has been to use free-standing fireplaces. These fireplaces may be positioned at any desired location in a room. However, unless the fireplace is heavily insulated or cooled by some means, the fireplace becomes very hot during operation and is capable of burning an unwary child.
One way to cool, or at least partially cool, the exterior surface of a fireplace is to add additional casings to the exterior of the fireplace in which insulation may be placed or through which air may be channelled. One disadvantage with this technique is that the use of the additional casings, as well as the insulation, add to the weight and bulk of a fireplace.
A further disadvantage of this technique is that the addition of casings, and passages within the casings, increases the number of steps required in the manufacture of the fireplace. This added complexity increases the overall cost of the fireplace. This is particularly the case if the fireplace is designed to burn natural gas or propane. Such fireplaces must have a sealed firebox and, accordingly, they must have sealed passages which are connected with an external source of oxygen and an external source for venting the combustion gases. Typically, such fireplaces are vented to the outdoors. The passages for the combustion air to travel from the outdoors into the firebox and the combustion gases to travel from the firebox to the outdoors must necessarily pass through at least some of the additional casings. Accordingly, the addition of casings to provide internal air flow passages can become highly labour intensive due to the need to maintain the combustion and exhaust air passages air-tight as they pass through the additional casings.


A film formation method performs a supply cycle of sequentially supplying two kinds of reactive gases inside a vacuum container to form a thin film on the substrate. The method includes placing the substrate, including a depressed portion formed thereon, on a table, then adjusting a temperature of the substrate to a temperature at which a first reactive gas is adsorbed and condensed, then supplying the first reactive gas and thereby depositing a condensed substance of the first reactive gas on the substrate, then rotating the table, then partly vaporizing the condensed substance by supplying a heated gas to the substrate; and then supplying a second reactive gas in an activated state to the substrate and thereby causing the second reactive gas to react with the condensed substance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process for forming a thin film on a target object, such as a semiconductor wafer, inside a vacuum container by use of at least two reactive gases of different types. The term "semiconductor process" used herein includes various kinds of processes which are performed to manufacture a semiconductor device or a structure having wiring layers, electrodes, and the like to be connected to a semiconductor device, on a target object, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate used for an FPD (Flat Panel Display), e.g., an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), by forming semiconductor layers, insulating layers, and conductive layers in predetermined patterns on the target object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Owing to the demands of increased miniaturization of patterns used in semiconductor devices, it has become more important to form embedded structures of high quality inside depressed portions in the patterns. For example, in order to provide device isolation areas on a semiconductor wafer, various techniques have been proposed concerning an STI (shallow trench isolation) structure, which includes a trench formed in the wafer and an insulating film embedded in the trench. As regards techniques of this kind, it has become more difficult to provide films good in filling performance as well as film quality, along with the increased miniaturization of patterns. In the present circumstance, oxide films formed by a combination of a PSZ (polysilazane) film coating method and an HDP (high density plasma) method are widely used as embedded films of this kind. However, where a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method, such as the HDP method, is used, voids are easily generated at overlap portions of films deposited on the sidewall of a trench. Consequently, problems arise such that deterioration in film quality, such as an increase in etching rate, is caused, and deposition in deep trenches is difficult. Further, along with the increased miniaturization of patterns, fluctuation of the shape of resist masks influences more on the shape of depressed portions, and may cause depressed portions to have a reversely taper shape that is wider toward the bottom. Where a depressed portion has a high aspect ratio and a reversely taper shape together, it is particularly difficult to embed a film therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,153,542 discloses an apparatus configured to rotate a table with a wafer placed thereon relative to a gas supply section, while sequentially supplying different reactive gases onto the wafer, to perform film formation cycles including a plasma process and a thermal process. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-162449 discloses a film formation method utilizing liquid phase epitaxy for improving characteristics for embedding a film, along with repetition of plasma irradiation and thermal annealing for improving the film quality. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-47644 discloses a technique for forming an oxide film by liquefying TEOS gas on the substrate and then supplying oxygen gas under heating.

Film formation method and apparatus for semiconductor process


A device for deactivating a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance marker includes first, second, third and fourth rectangular coils arranged in a two-by-two array in a common plane. Drive circuitry energizes the coils according to an operating cycle which includes three modes. In the first mode, all four coils are driven with respective alternating currents in phase with each other. In the second mode, the first and second coils are driven in phase with each other and the third and fourth coils are driven substantially in phase with each other and substantially 180.degree. out of phase with the first and second coils. In the third mode, the first and third coils are driven in phase with each other and the second and fourth coils are driven in phase with each other and 180.degree. out of phase with the first and third coils. Taking into account the three modes of operation, substantial magnetic fields are generated in each of three mutually orthogonal directions so that a substantial deactivation field is provided along the length of the marker to be deactivated, regardless of the direction of orientation of the marker relative to the coil array. Two-coil and quadrature-driven deactivators are also disclosed.

It has been customary in the electronic article surveillance industry to apply EAS markers to articles of merchandise. Detection equipment is positioned at store exits to detect attempts to remove active markers from the store premises, and to generate an alarm in such cases. When a customer presents an article for payment at a checkout counter, a checkout clerk deactivates the marker by using a deactivation device provided to deactivate the marker.
Known deactivation devices include one or more coils that are energizable to generate a magnetic field of sufficient amplitude to render the marker inactive. One well known type of marker (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,489) is known as a "magnetomechanical" marker. Magnetomechanical markers include an active element and a bias element. When the bias element is magnetized, the resulting bias magnetic field applied to the active element causes the active element to be mechanically resonant at a predetermined frequency upon exposure to an interrogation signal which alternates at the predetermined frequency and is generated by detecting apparatus, and the resonance of the marker is detected by the detecting apparatus. Typically, magnetomechanical markers are deactivated by exposing the bias element to an alternating magnetic field of sufficient magnitude to degauss the bias element. After the bias element is degaussed, the marker's resonant frequency is substantially shifted from the predetermined frequency, and the marker's response to the interrogation signal is at too low an amplitude for detection by the detecting apparatus.
One deactivator device commercially provided by the assignee hereof employs a housing having an open side with a plastic bucket inserted in the housing such that an article or a plurality of articles may be placed in the bucket. Three coil pairs are disposed about the bucket in respective x-, y- and z-axis planes, whereby a strong demagnetization field is generated inside the bucket in each of the three orientations. In this device, the deactivation field is generated in the form of a pulse generated in response to the checkout clerk actuating a switch. Because of the three orthogonal coils provided in this device, effective deactivation occurs regardless of the orientation of the marker.
The assignee hereof commercially provides a second deactivation device that is manufactured at a lower cost than the first device and is easier to operate in connection with relatively large articles of merchandise. The second type of deactivator, sometimes referred to as a "pad" deactivator, employs one planar coil disposed horizontally within a housing. Articles of merchandise bearing markers are moved across the horizontal top surface of the housing. The pad deactivator includes detection circuitry with operates continuously or virtually continuously to detect the presence of markers and to briefly energize the deactivation coil on occasions when a marker is detected. A deactivator of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,125.
FIG. 1 shows, somewhat schematically, a plan view of a deactivation coil of the type used in a typical commercial embodiment of a pad deactivator. The coil 12 shown in FIG. 1 is in the form of a 4-inch square. A marker to be deactivated is swept horizontally above the coil 12. Detecting circuitry (not shown) detects the presence of the marker, and triggers drive circuitry (also not shown) which temporarily energizes the coil 12 with an alternating current to form a deactivation field. The marker must be swept over the coil slowly enough so that the marker is detected and the coil energized before the marker leaves the vicinity of the coil.
A difficulty encountered with the coil arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is the variation in the effective peak demagnetization field amplitude experienced by the marker to be deactivated, depending upon the orientation of the marker as it is swept over the deactivation coil 12. The coil 12 provides the strongest magnetic field in the Z direction, which is the direction orthogonal to the plane of the coil 12. The magnitudes of the peak fields in the X and Y directions (parallel to the plane of the coil as indicated in FIG. 1) are substantially lower. FIG. 2 illustrates peak magnetic fields generated by the coil of FIG. 1, as a function of distance above the coil, when the coil is excited at a level of about 15,200 Amp-Turns (A-T) Curve 14 represents the Z direction field, as it varies with distance above the coil, while curve 16 indicates the lateral direction (X or Y direction) peak field, as it varies with distance above the coil.
It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the peak magnetic field in the Z direction is substantially greater than the lateral direction field at points 1 cm or more above the coil.
In one conventional variety of magnetomechanical EAS marker, the biasing element is formed as a 12.5 mm wide strip of a semi-hard magnetic material designated as "SemiVac 90", available from Vacuumschmelze, Hanau, Germany. When the length of the marker is aligned with the direction of the magnetic field, a peak field level of about 100 Oe suffices to degauss the biasing element enough to deactivate the marker. However, if the length of the marker is transverse to the field direction, a peak field level of about 200 to 300 Oe is required to deactivate the marker due to the increased demagnetization factor which occurs in this situation.
Referring again to FIG. 1, the coil 12 has branches 18 and 20 running in the Y direction and branches 22 and 24 running in the X direction. Current passing through the Y-direction branches 18 and 20 generates magnetic field components in the Z and X directions; similarly, current passing through the X-direction branches 22 and 24 generates magnetic field components in the Z and Y-directions. If a marker is oriented with its length parallel to the Y direction and is swept over the coil 12 along the locus indicated by the X axis in FIG. 1, then the dominant magnetic field components applied to the marker are substantially transverse to the marker length. Such is also the case with respect to a marker oriented with its length in the X direction and swept along the Y-axis locus. Since a 300 Oe transverse field is required for reliable deactivation, FIG. 2 indicates that the marker should not be swept at more than about 10 cm above the coil if deactivation is to be assured. It will be noted that at 10 cm there is a peak Z direction field of about 300 Oe, which would be transverse to a horizontally oriented marker.
Another conventional marker is only about 6 mm wide, and would require a field strength of about 600 Oe for reliable deactivation by a transverse field.
Furthermore, because of the high field level required for reliable deactivation, it is not feasible to continuously energize the deactivation coil, so that the prior art devices, as indicated before, are operated to generate the deactivation field only in occasional, short pulses initiated by user input or upon detection of a marker.
The difficulties in assuring that a sufficiently strong deactivation field is applied to the marker are exacerbated by the increasingly popular practice of "source tagging," i.e., securing EAS markers to goods during manufacture or during packaging of the goods at a manufacturing plant or distribution facility. In some cases, the markers may be secured to locations on the articles of merchandise which make it difficult or impossible to bring the marker into close proximity with conventional deactivation devices.

Multi-phase mode multiple coil distance deactivator for magnetomechanical EAS markers


A thin film transistor, a pixel, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the same are disclosed. The thin film transistor includes a connection to the channel region separate from connections to the source and drain.

1. Field
The disclosed technology relates to a thin film transistor, and a pixel and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the same, and in detail, relates to a thin film transistor with an improved hysteresis characteristic, and a pixel and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the same.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Various display devices for displaying a motion picture and text have been developed. Such devices include, for example, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
Among the flat panel displays, the organic light emitting diode display, which displays images by using organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) that generate light by recombining electrons and holes, has a fast response speed, has low power consumption, and has excellent emission efficiency, luminance, and viewing angle, such that it has recently been favored.
In general, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display may be classified as either a passive matrix OLED (PMOLED) display or an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) display according to a method of driving an organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). An active matrix display selectively turns the pixels on and off and is mainly used in because of resolution, contrast, and operation speed.
Performance of the flat panel display is determined by various metrics, such as whether a clear and clean image is displayed without motion blur when displaying a motion picture or moving text with the motion picture. Motion blur is generated due to the reaction speed of liquid crystal in a case of the liquid crystal display (LCD).
However, in an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, atoms of the organic emission layer are excited and light emits, so motion blur due to the reaction speed is not generated, however the motion blur is generated by a delayed response time because of a hysteresis characteristic of a driving transistor controlling a current applied to the organic emission layer.
In detail, in an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a driving transistor transmits a driving current of a data voltage level according to a data signal to the organic emission layer, and the gray level of the current data may not be displayed due to the hysteresis characteristic of the driving transistor. Particularly, when the current amount is quickly changed from a low grayscale to a high grayscale, or from the high grayscale to the low grayscale, the current corresponding to the grayscale change is normally transmitted according to the hysteresis characteristic of the driving transistor and the normal luminance is not displayed such that the motion blur appears.
Accordingly, research into the improvement of the hysteresis characteristic of the driving transistor to display a clear image of high display quality by eliminating motion blur in the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is required.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Thin film transistor, and pixel and organic light emitting display device having the same


A method and apparatus are provided for "field effect imaging" of moving substrates, such as webs of paper. Non-conductive, non-magnetic toner having approximately a 5-20 micron mean particle size is electrically charged to a level of at least about 8 micro Coulombs/gram and then a first roller with a conductive surface is brought into operative association with the electrically charged toner so that toner particles adhere to the surface. The toner particles are preferably maintained in an electrostatic fluidized bed, and charged by a corona element in the bed. An array of pin or stylus primary electrodes are selectively energized or de-energized to provide no-write or write condition, respectively using a computer to switch the electrodes into or out of operative connection to a source of electrical potential. The toner particles are transferred from the first roller to a substrate either directly (after passing past the primary electrodes), or they are first transferred to a second roller which then brings the toner particles into contact with the substrate. If a second roller is utilized, the primary electrodes can be in association with the first roller, or between the first and second rollers for transferring only "write" toner to the second roller.

Commercial non-impact printing systems typically use a method of developing toner (liquid or dry powder) to an electric or magnetic latent image created by some writing means. Generally associated with the creation of the latent image are an imaging cylinder, some means for creating the image, and associated conditioning means for residual image removal and cleaning. All of these components wear out during system operation and must be added to the cost of each printed page. Toner itself costs somewhere (in 1994) in the neighborhood of $0.0006 to $0.001 per page. Adding in the rest of the consumable components, the cost is raised to a range of $0.0625 to $0.0065 per page. Latent image non-impact printing carries a considerable additional imaging cost. Direct-to-paper imaging systems such as ink jet technologies carry only the cost of the ink; however, many of these technologies do not obtain imaging as desirable or quick or versatile as latent image systems do.
Another technology that is not commercial but attempts to obtain direct-to-paper imaging (that is without a latent image) is the magnetstylus technology, exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,816,840, 4,402,000, and 4,464,672. This technology uses a dry, magnetically attractable, electronically conductive toner which forms a connecting path from the primary to the secondary electrode. The "write" condition of the toner is the active electrode condition and extra toner is removed by a magnetic field. Typically inductive charging of the toner for the "write" condition is used, and the secondary electrode uses a dielectric receptor material above it. This technology has not become commercial, however, primarily due to imaging and background removal problems, as well as problems with transferring the toner to a substrate.
Another proposed technology for direct-to-paper imaging is called direct electrostatic printing (DEP), and is exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,860,036 and 4,810,604. This technology typically utilizes some sort of a toner conveyor which moves the toner past the primary electrodes formed by multiple apertures, with an electrically insulated base member clad on one side thereof with a continuous conductive layer of metal, and on the opposite side a segmented conductive layer. Toner passes through the apertures into a web which is moving past a stationary backing electrode or shoe which can be connected up to potential sources to either effect printing or cleaning operations. The toner delivery systems in DEP technology leaves much to be desired, and the dual conductive apertures spaced apart from each other by an insulating member are more complex than is desired.
According to the present invention a method and apparatus are provided which are able to achieve direct-to-paper imaging (that is without a latent image) in a simple yet effective manner. The technology of the present invention may be referred to as "field effect imaging". The invention utilizes non-conductive, non-magnetic toner which does not form a connecting path from the primary to secondary electrodes, has the "write" condition when the primary electrode is de-energized, removes extra toner with an electric field, does not use inductive charging of the toner for the "write" condition, and uses simple primary electrodes, typically pin or stylus simple electrodes disposed in an array. In the field effect method only the electrostatic adhesion force dominates in control of the toner on a "secondary electrode" (typically a conductive surface which can be either positively or negatively charged, or grounded, such as a roller with a conductive surface), and imaging is subtractive in nature (that is the toner in the non-image areas is removed by the primary electrodes).
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of applying a toner image to a moving substrate (typically paper web), using a non-conductive, non-magnetic toner having a 5-20 micron mean particle size, at least a first moving conductive member, and an array of primary electrodes, is provided. The method comprises the steps of substantially consecutively and continuously: (a) Electrically charging the non-conductive, non-magnetic toner having a 5-20 micron mean particle size to a level of at least about 8 micro Coulombs/gram. (b) Bringing the first moving conducting member into operative association with the electrically charged toner from step (a) so that toner particles adhere thereto, forming a layer thereon. (c) Selectively energizing individual primary electrodes from the array of primary electrodes to cause them to apply electric fields to the layer of toner particles in a no-write condition to effect removal of toner particles where the applied electric field exists at a level greater than an electrostatic adhesion force on the toner particles in the layer, the applied electric field times the charge on the toner being greater than Q.sup.2 /(16*.PI.*.epsilon..sub.0 *r.sup.2), where Q is the charge on the toner, .epsilon..sub.0 is the permitivity constant, and r is the toner particle radius; or selectively de-energizing individual primary electrodes from the array of primary electrodes to cause them not to apply electric fields to the layer of toner particles in a write condition, in which the layer of toner particles merely passes past the array of primary electrodes without toner particles being removed from the layer. (d) Transferring the toner particles remaining on the first conductive member after it passes past the array of primary electrodes to the moving substrate. And, (e) fusing the toner particles to the substrate.
Step (c) is typically practiced to apply an electric field of greater than about 1.6 volts/.mu.M when in the no-write condition. Step (c) is typically further practiced so that the magnitude of the electric field applied in the no-write condition is equal to (V.sub.1 -V.sub.2)/D, where V.sub.1 =the electric potential of the primary electrode, V.sub.2 =the electric potential on the first conductive surface, and D=the separation distance between the primary electrode and the first conductive surface, D=about 75-250 microns.
Typically the toner is in an electrostatic fluidized bed during the practice of step (a), such as shown in European published patent application 494454, and the first surface is moved past the fluidized bed in the practice of step (b), and the toner removed in the no-write condition during the practice of step (c) returns to the fluidized bed. Preferably the primary electrodes are pins or styluses, and the first conductive surface is the exterior surface of the first roller. In that case step (d) is practiced by bringing the exterior surface of the first roller into contact with the moving substrate and by applying a transfer electrical force (e.g. using a transfer corona on the opposite side of the moving web of paper from the roller) to the toner on the exterior surface of the first roller to cause the toner to transfer from a first roller to the substrate. Alternatively a second roller may also be provided having a second conductive exterior surface, in which case step (d) may be practiced by electrically transferring the toner from the first roller to the second roller, and then bringing the exterior surface of the second roller into contact with the moving substrate, and by applying a transfer electrical force to the toner on the exterior surface of the second roller to cause the toner to transfer from the second roller to the substrate. Step (c) may be practiced by utilizing the primary electrode disposed between the first and second rollers, or associated with the first roller remote from the second roller. Where two rollers are utilized, premature transfer of toner from the first roller to the second roller may be provided by shielding the rollers from each other remote from the area of closest proximity between them.
Step (c) is typically practiced by electronic switching of the connection of each primary electrode pin or stylus of the array to a source of electrical potential, by controlling electronic switches using a computer. A flow shield may also be provided mounted just "downstream" of the primary electrode array in the direction of movement of the first roller to cause the toner particles removed from the first roller to fall by gravity into the fluidized bed below it.
According to another aspect of the present invention a field effect imaging apparatus is provided which comprises the following elements: An electrostatic fluidized bed of non-conductive, non-magnetic toner particles. Means for mounting a moving substrate on which toner is to be applied. Means for electrically charging toner particles in the fluidized bed. A first roller having a conductive outer surface mounted for rotation adjacent the fluidized bed to receive charged toner particles from the fluidized bed in a layer on the surface thereof. An array of primary electrodes. Means for selectively applying electrical potential, or no electrical potential, to the individual primary electrodes depending upon whether a no-write or write condition is the exist. And, means for transferring toner from the first roller to a moving substrate mounted by the means for mounting a moving substrate.
The array preferably comprises an array of pin or stylus electrodes and the array may either be mounted adjacent but spaced from the first roller and between the fluidized bed and the substrate (in which case the toner transferring means transfers toner from the first roller directly to the moving substrate), or a second roller may be provided between the first roller and the substrate. In this case the primary electrodes may either be associated with the first electrode, or may be disposed between the rollers so that only the "write" toner is transferred from the first roller to the second roller.
The array pins or styluses may be mounted so that they are spaced about 75-250 microns from the first roller, or from between the rollers. A flow shield for causing toner removed by the no-write conditions of the primary electrodes to fall back into the fluidized bed may be provided as well as a shield between the first and second rollers. The means for electrically charging toner particles in the fluidized bed may be a rotating cylinder with a plurality of corona points, or a corona wire, immersed in the fluidized bed.
According to another aspect of the present invention a field effect imaging apparatus is provided comprising the following elements: Means for mounting a moving substrate. A source of charged toner particles. A first roller having a conductive outer surface mounted for rotation adjacent the source to receive charged toner particles from the source in a layer on the surface thereof. An array of pin or stylus primary electrodes. Means for selectively applying electrical potential, or no electrical potential, to the individual pin or stylus primary electrodes depending upon whether a no-write or write condition is the exist. And, means for transferring toner from the first roller to a moving substrate mounted by the means for mounting a moving substrate.
The first roller conductive exterior surface may be coated with or comprise a conductive hard metal coating; for example it may be coated with hard chrome, tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, or Diamond-Like Nanocomposite.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective direct-to-paper imaging system and method. The "direct writing" field effect toning method and apparatus of the invention have no latent image to deal with, the rollers utilized are conductive with hardened surfaces that need no particular conditioning, the imaging (primary) electrode array contains no wearing parts and is not in contact with any moving surfaces, and in general the only consumable is the toner itself. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.

Field effect imaging apparatus using non-conductive non-magnetic toner


A method for coating a workpiece by using a spraying device is provided. The coating of the workpiece is performed according to at least one coating parameter and at least the following steps are performed during the coating: sensing a locational heat distribution in a working area of a surface of the workpiece; and adjusting the at least one coating parameter in accordance with the sensed heat distribution. A device for coating a workpiece is also provided.

Thermally and mechanically highly loaded components such as, for example, turbine components, and in particular in this case turbine blades, are generally coated with a coating material in order to increase the temperature resistance and/or the abrasion resistance of the workpiece. Typical coatings which are used for coating turbine blades are so-called MCrAlX coatings, where M is a metal, for example iron (Fe), cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni), Cr is chromium, Al is aluminum and X represents yttrium (Y) and/or silicon (Si), scandium (Sc) and/or at least one rare earth element, or hafnium. Ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), such as zirconium oxide, whose structure is at least partially stabilized by yttrium oxide, are also used, in particular in turbine blades. The coatings described are applied by means of a spraying method to the components to be coated. Examples of such spraying methods are high-speed flame spraying and plasma spraying.
For example, stochastic process deviations can occur during coating of turbine components, in particular turbine blades, with adhesion-promoting, thermal barrier and/or oxidation- and corrosion-inhibiting coatings using spraying methods. These include, among other things, changes in the shape and size of the spray spot due to wear of the electrode in the spraying device, fluctuations in the powder feed, plant failures, etc. Ultimately, significant changes result in abnormal termination of the process or to substandard performance; that is to say that the coated component fails to meet the imposed requirements and must be stripped and subsequently re-coated, or it must be considered a reject.

Monitoring and control of a coating process on the basis of a heat distribution on the workpiece