A system for producing an ultrasound image comprises a scan head having a transducer capable of generating ultrasound energy at a frequency of at least 20 megahertz (MHz), and a processor for receiving ultrasound energy and for generating an ultrasound image at a frame rate of at least 15 frames per second (fps).

Scanheads that were developed in the late 1970's and early 1980's for imaging human tissue are still useful for many ultrasound imaging applications. A transducer located in the scanhead comprises discs of piezoelectric material, which when excited electrically vibrated at a frequency usually chosen to be between 2 and 10 MHz. At these frequencies, the vibrational energy of the transducer was directional and radiated from two faces of a thin circular disc in reasonably well-defined beams. In general, the energy radiating from the back of the transducer is absorbed by a suitable material while that from the front is coupled to the patient by a fluid capable of transmitting ultrasound energy with low loss characteristics. Emerging through a thin, low-loss cap, the energy is further coupled to the patient with a sonolucent gel applied to the patient's skin. Echoes resulting from the interaction of the ultrasound energy with body tissue traverse the same path in reverse, and when they strike the transducer generate an electrical signal whose strength is a function of the echogenicity of a target within the patient and the target's depth below the patient's skin. The location in depth is determined from the time interval between the transmit pulse and the received echo. With this information and the directional information delivered by a position encoder coupled to the transducer, the scanheads generate a gray-scale image of the tissue lying in a scan plane within the patient, which is refreshed and updated with every sweep of the transducer across the image plane. Two sweeps of the transducer comprises one operating cycle, referred to as 1 Hz, and equates to two frames per second.
Two dimensional ultrasound images (also known as B-scans) are made up of a number of adjacent lines of ultrasound data called A-scans, which are acquired from the scanhead through successive sweeps of the transducer. The line of ultrasound data is acquired when a transducer transmits the ultrasound pulse into the tissue being studied and then receives the ultrasound signal reflected by the tissue along a beam axis of the transducer. The lines of ultrasound data are located within the same plane and are usually spaced at constant intervals. Each line of data is acquired with the ultrasound beam axis moved laterally within the plane by a known incremental distance. The ultrasound image may have a linear format, in which the lines are parallel to one another and equally spaced, or a sector format, in which the lines radiate from an apex with equal angles between them. To produce a linear format image, the transducer is moved laterally, without altering the angle between the transducer and the line along which it is moved. To produce a sector format image, the transducer is mounted to a fixture, which rotates about an apex, causing the transducer to move in an arc. As the transducer moves, the position within the scan plane is tracked so that an associated ultrasound system can display the ultrasound line data at the correct locations within the displayed image.
Early clinical diagnostic ultrasound systems used wobbler scanheads to produce the sector format images. These systems used low frequency ultrasound, in the 2 to 5 MHz range. The wobbler scanheads usually consisted of the transducer located within a fluid filled chamber, a motor, a position encoder, and an acoustic window through which the ultrasound passed. The motor drive mechanism usually moved the transducer through an arc, resulting in a sector scan type image format while the position encoder kept track of the transducer position. The wall of the fluid filled chamber, which faced the tissue being imaged, acted as an acoustic window, which was usually made of a hard plastic material. This window allowed ultrasound to pass through with little attenuation. Further, in general, there is a reflected ultrasound wave which does not pass through the window. This wave can reverberate between the transducer and the window several times before dissipating. The reverb components, which strike the transducer, can cause an undesirable artifact in the ultrasound image. The magnitude of the reflected wave is determined by the acoustic impedance mismatch between the material used for the window and the fluid in the transducer chamber. The amount of attenuation is determined by the window material, which occurs as the ultrasound energy passes through the window. Both attenuation and reflections at the window are undesirable.
In the 80's these mechanically scanned transducers began to be replaced by solid state devices which consist of a plurality of narrow piezoelectric elements which, when excited sequentially, can be used to build up an image. These "linear array" scanheads had been developed at the same time as the mechanical ones, but delivered poorer image quality. Further work, throughout the 80's and 90's resulted in the development of "phased array" scanheads, which have the ability to excite groups of elements in ways that allows electronic beam steering and focusing, which in general produce better images than any mechanical scanhead and at frame rates of 60 frames per second. Today, phased arrays are universally used for ultrasound imaging of human tissue. However, a typical phased array system using a transducer operating at five MHz might have a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm.
One disadvantage with higher operating frequencies is as the operating frequency increases, fabrication difficulties make it challenging to build a phased array type imaging system. As a result, current systems operating in the 30-40 MHz range typically use mechanically scanned single element transducers, in scanheads similar in operating principal to the mechanically scanned systems described above. However, high frequencies generally result in higher attenuation and thus the attenuation due to an acoustic window is increased significantly. Accordingly, current high frequency transducers use a non-encapsulated transducer, which is moved back and forth with a linear servo-motor and position encoder system. At higher frequencies (greater than 30 MHz), transducer encapsulation is impractical due to a breakdown of theoretical properties and characteristics of materials with higher frequencies.
For high frequency transducers, since it is not encapsulated, the moving transducer is exposed. Acoustic coupling to the tissue being imaged is accomplished by creating a mound of ultrasound gel on the surface of the tissue, into which the moving transducer is lowered. Satisfactory imaging depends on the existence of a continuous layer of gel between the transducer and the tissue. If the transducer loses contact with the gel, or if an air bubble forms on the surface of the transducer, imaging will be compromised or even impossible. This type of imaging is restricted to relatively low frame rates, because a rapidly moving transducer will disrupt the gel layer and is more likely to lose contact. Further disadvantages of exposed transducers are that they can create a hazard to delicate tissue, and can also expose the transducer to possible damage from impact.
A further disadvantage in mechanical ultrasound scanheads is the use of moving magnet motors. The attraction of the moving magnet type is that there is no need for flexible wires to deliver power to the drive coil because the drive coil is stationary and the permanent magnet is attached to the moving member or rotor. Furthermore, the magnet type motor is inefficient. The usual mechanical scanhead consumes up to three Watts of electrical power, which is converted into heat that must be dissipated through plastic walls of the scanhead housing. As the housing is generally a poor conductor of heat the internal temperature of the scanhead may rise, which in time can degrade materials, alter the acoustic properties of the device, and can even be uncomfortable to the subject. Another reason the magnet motor is inefficient is that in an effort to keep the oscillating mass low, the moving magnets are kept relatively small. To achieve a certain torque, motor currents are correspondingly high, which gives rise to a high I^2R loss. These losses increase roughly as the square of the scanning rate.

High frequency, high frame-rate ultrasound imaging system


A tunneling magnetic sensing element includes a pinned magnetic layer whose magnetization direction is pinned in one direction, an insulating barrier layer disposed on the pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer whose magnetization direction varies in response to an external magnetic field disposed on the insulating barrier layer, and a first protective layer composed of iridium-manganese (IrMn) disposed on the free magnetic layer. Consequently, a high rate of change in resistance is obtained and the magnetostriction of the free magnetic layer is low, compared with a tunneling magnetic sensing element which is not provided with a first protective layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic sensing elements which utilize a tunneling effect and which are to be mounted on magnetic reproducing devices, such as hard disk drives, or other magnetic sensing devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a tunneling magnetic sensing element which has a high rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) without greatly increasing the magnetostriction λ of its free magnetic layer, the element thus having excellent magnetic sensitivity and stability, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a tunneling magnetic sensing element (tunneling magnetoresistance element), the change in resistance is caused by a tunneling effect. When the magnetization direction of a pinned magnetic layer is antiparallel to the magnetization direction of a free magnetic layer, a tunnel current does not easily flow through an insulating barrier layer (tunnel barrier layer) provided between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, and the resistance is at a maximum. On the other hand, when the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer is parallel to the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer, the tunnel current flows easily, and the resistance is at a minimum.
By use of the principle described above, a change in electrical resistance caused by a variation in the magnetization of the free magnetic layer under an influence of an external magnetic field is captured as a change in voltage, and thus a leakage magnetic field from a recording medium is detected.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-223412 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-196745 (Patent Document 2) each describe a magnetoresistance element in which a film that prevents interdiffusion is disposed between a magnetic layer and a protective film.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-106462 (Patent Document 3) describes a tunneling magnetic sensing element.
In tunneling magnetic sensing elements, one of the problems to be solved is increasing detection sensitivity by achieving a high rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) to improve the characteristics of read heads. In order to increase the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) of a tunneling magnetic sensing element, it is known to be effective to change the composition of the free magnetic layer, for example, by using a material having high spin polarizability at the interface with the insulating barrier layer.
When the iron (Fe) content at the interface with the insulating barrier layer is increased, spin polarizability can be increased and the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) can be increased. However, if the Fe content is high, the magnetostriction λ of the free magnetic layer has a large positive value, which causes noise in read heads, resulting in a decrease in stability of read heads.
Besides the method described above, the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) can be increased by changing the compositions of the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer. However, if the compositions of the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer are changed, other magnetic properties are changed. Therefore, it is desirable to obtain a high rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) without changing the compositions or thickness of the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer.
In tunneling magnetic sensing elements, it is important to optimize the structures of the insulating barrier layer and the free magnetic layer in order to increase the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R). For example, when an insulating barrier layer is composed of magnesium oxide (Mg—O), it is known that, in order to increase the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) of the tunneling magnetic sensing element, it is preferable that the free magnetic layer in contact with the insulating barrier layer has a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure.
In such a case, when the protective layer for preventing oxidation disposed on the free magnetic layer is composed of tantalum (Ta), for example, in the heat treatment step in the fabrication process, Ta of the protective layer diffuses into the free magnetic layer and further into the insulating barrier layer, and the free magnetic layer and the insulating barrier layer are inhibited from being crystallized. As a result, strain occurs in the bcc structure of the free magnetic layer or the insulating barrier layer, and it is not possible to obtain a high rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R).
In the giant magnetoresistance element described in Patent Document 1, in order to prevent interdiffusion between a protective layer and a magnetic layer, an interdiffusion-preventing film composed of a high-melting transition metal, such as Ta or Ti, is provided. Thereby, interdiffusion is prevented between the protective layer composed of ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), or the like and the magnetic layer.
Patent Document 2 describes that by disposing an intermediate layer composed of platinum-manganese (PtMn) between a protective layer composed of Ta and a free magnetic layer, interdiffusion between the free magnetic layer and the protective layer can be prevented.
However, neither Patent Document 1 nor Patent Document 2 describes a tunneling magnetic sensing element. That is, neither of them discloses an optimum structure of a protective layer on a free magnetic layer in a tunneling magnetic sensing element.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes the invention relating to a tunneling magnetic sensing element and discloses use of Ta, Ti, or the like for a protective layer. However, Patent Document 3 does not describe at all that by optimizing the protective layer on the free magnetic layer, the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) is increased. In Patent Document 3, Ta is used as the protective layer in many examples. However, in such a case, as described above, because of diffusion of Ta into the free magnetic layer and the insulating barrier layer, the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) is decreased, which is a problem.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tunneling magnetic sensing element including free magnetic layer and IrMn protective layer disposed thereon and method for manufacturing the same


An inverted microscope includes a lens holding mechanism which holds an objective lens arranged under a sample and used to form an observation image of the sample; a focusing mechanism which holds the lens holding mechanism on its upper part and moves the objective lens up and down together with the lens holding mechanism; and a microscope main body which serves as a casing including the focusing mechanism therein, and includes an opening allowing an attachment of the focusing mechanism and the lens holding mechanism in its upper wall surface. A size of the lens holding mechanism in a horizontal plane is larger than a size of an image projected onto the horizontal plane of the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverted microscope which generates an observation image of a sample by using an objective lens placed under the sample.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an inverted microscope has been widely used for an observation of a sample such as a cell soaked in a culture fluid (cultured cell). In such an observation, a container such as a Petri dish filled with the culture fluid is mounted on a stage, and an objective lens provided under the sample is used to generate an observation image. In a case of performing a time-course observation of a cultured cell for example, it is necessary to replace the culture fluid. On this occasion, there is a problem that the culture fluid is spilled out of the container by mistake on the stage and the spilt fluid intrudes in a main body of the microscope, resulting in polluting an optical member and a mechanism member provided in the main body of the microscope and damaging the function thereof.
In response to this problem, techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-90645, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. H5-50413, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-162770 have been proposed. In an inverted microscope disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-90645, a waterproof sheet which has a hole for securing a path of an observation light at its center is provided over a main body of the microscope. In a state that a vertical motion board which moves an objective lens in the vertical direction is fitted in the hole at the center, a vicinity of circumferential edge part of the hole is settled on the vertical motion board with a rubber band. With this structure, the fluid spilled from the sample and the like is retained on the waterproof sheet or induced to flow down to an outward through the waterproof sheet. Thus, an intrusion of fluid into the main body of the microscope is prevented.
In an inverted microscope disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. H5-50413, a water receiver having a tray shape is provided to a part, located within a main body of the microscope, of a vertical motion unit which moves an objective lens in the vertical direction. Therefore, the fluid which has intruded from a gap between an upper wall surface of the microscope main body and the vertical motion unit protruding from the upper wall surface is received by the water receiver. A discharge path is connected to the water receiver and the fluid received by the water receiver is discharged to an outward through the discharge path. Hence, a pollution caused by fluid is prevented because the fluid having intruded into the microscope main body is discharged before reaching an optical member and a mechanism member.
In an inverted microscope disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-162770, a tray which is used for receiving water and has a size larger than a stage is provided between the stage and a main body of the microscope. Therefore, the fluid spilled from the sample and the like is received by this tray. Because the fluid is controlled not to be spilled onto the microscope main body in this manner, an intrusion of fluid into the microscope main body is prevented.

Inverted microscope provided with blockage member for preventing spillage of fluid


The present invention provides for improved polyolefin cling/slip stretch wrap films having superior load retention, elongation, tear resistance and puncture resistance properties and for the methods of using those stretch wrap films. The stretch wrap films are preferably constructed in a multilayer fashion having an outside cling layer, an outside slip layer, at least one inside puncture resistant layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin, and at least one inside transverse direction tear resistant layer.

The use of thermoplastic stretch wrap films for the overwrap packaging of goods, and in particular, the unitizing of palleted loads is a commercially significant application of polymer film, including generically, polyethylene. Overwrapping a plurality of articles to provide a unitized load can be achieved by a variety of techniques. In one procedure, the load to be wrapped is positioned on a platform, or turntable, which is made to rotate and in so doing, to take up stretch wrap film supplied from a continuous roll. Braking tension is applied to the film roll so that the film is continuously subjected to a stretching, or tensioning, force as it wraps around the rotating load in overlapping layers. Generally, the stretch wrap film is supplied from a vertically arranged roll positioned adjacent to the rotating pallet load. Rotational speeds of from about 5 to 50 revolutions per minute are common. At the completion of the overwrap operation, the turntable is completely stopped and the film is cut and attached to an underlying layer of film employing tack sealing, adhesive tape, spray adhesives, etc. Depending upon the width of the stretch wrap roll, the load being overwrapped can be shrouded in the film while the vertically arranged film roll remains in a fixed position. Alternatively, the film roll, for example, in the case of relatively narrow film widths and relatively wide pallet loads, can be made to move in a vertical direction as the load is being overwrapped whereby a spiral wrapping effect is achieved on the packaged goods.
Another wrapping method finding acceptance in industry today is that of hand wrapping. In this method, the film is again arranged on a roll, however, it is hand held by the operator who walks around the goods to be wrapped, applying the film to the goods. The roll of film so used may be installed on a hand-held wrapping tool for ease of use by the operator.
The stretch wrap film is thus applied in its stretched state and is held in place by the cling forces of the film onto its opposite surface. Various film resins contain additives to increase this cling property, although specific film resins have been developed that possess inherently good cling characteristics.
Certain applications of stretch wrap films require that the film have superior cling characteristics in its applied stretched state and have superior slip characteristics when loaded beside other wrapped articles. These types of films are referred to as "cling/slip" films and are commonly used in the shipping of carpet and fabric rolls.
Some of the properties desired of a good stretch cling/slip film are as follows: good cling or cohesion properties of inside/outside surfaces, slip between outside layers, high puncture resistance, good machine direction tear resistance, high tear resistance in the transverse direction, good transparency, good opacity, low stress relaxation with time, high resistance to transverse tear when under machine direction tension, producible in thin gauges, good tensile toughness, high machine direction ultimate tensile strength, high machine direction ultimate elongation, and low modulus elasticity.
Physical properties which are particularly significant for the successful use of thermoplastic films in stretch wrap applications include their puncture resistance, their elongation characteristics, their toughness and their resistance to tearing while under tension. In general, tensile toughness is measured as an area under a stress-strain curve developed for a thermoplastic film and it may be considered as the tensile energy absorbed, expressed in units of ft. lbs./cu.in. to elongate a film to break under tensile load. In turn, this toughness characteristic is a function of the capacity of such films to elongate. The process of stretching the film decreases that capacity. Accordingly, the stretch wrap process will decrease the toughness of the film while it is in its stretched condition as an overwrap as compared to its unstretched form. Generally this loss of toughness is proportional to the amount of stretch imparted to the film as it is overwrapping a load of goods.
Currently, different grades of stretch wrap films are commonly marketed for different end uses according to overall film properties. For example, certain stretch wrap films having superior properties for load retention are characterized by requiring a higher force to stretch the film. However, such load retention films generally have poor puncture characteristics at such stretch conditions. On the other hand, certain stretch wrap films having superior puncture resistance properties have low load retention properties, thus limiting their use.
A need exists to develop superior stretch wrap films characterized by having superior load retention characteristics, puncture resistance, inside to outside surface cling, and slip properties between outside layers and against other surfaces. Such films could be used in a wider variety of end applications and thus not unduly limit users of stretch wrap films to selectively choosing a film based on its properties prior to initiating a stretch wrap application.


The present invention relates to a session-based traffic analysis system that may accurately analyze an amount of traffic for each transmission control protocol (TCP) connection using only one-way packets. The system may accurately analyze an amount of two-way traffic using only one-way connection information.

In recent times, the Internet may be easily used by anyone due to a drastic development and propagation of Internet technology.
Accordingly, a number of Internet users is rapidly increasing, and methods for connecting to the Internet and usage patterns of the Internet have become complex and diversified.
In addition, a broadband network for providing the Internet is complicated, and an Internet usage pattern is also diversified. Thus, a professional traffic analysis system is required to manage and operate a traffic network as an amount of traffic usage significantly increases due to the rapid increase and the drastic propagation of Internet users.
Here, the traffic analysis system refers to a system for analyzing a statistical amount of traffic, a current state of an Internet connection, a number of transmission control protocol (TCP) connection sessions, and a traffic usage for each service to analyze an increasing amount of traffic in the broadband network, and to analyze a factor causing interference against the network.
However, hundreds or thousands of high-cost and high-capacity traffic analysis systems are required to professionally analyze an entirety of upstream traffic and downstream traffic in the broadband network through segmentation. Accordingly, not only construction costs but also high costs for maintaining and repairing are incurred as a traffic rate increases. Thus, introducing a system for analyzing an entirety of the upstream traffic and the downstream traffic in the broadband network is difficult, in terms of costs and maintenance.
To solve the aforementioned issue, a traffic sample analysis method installed in a partial section of the broadband network to analyze traffic is currently adopted as a method for analyzing rapidly increasing high-capacity traffic of the broadband network. The traffic sample analysis method may eliminate the above-described issues in terms of costs and maintenance, which may result from using a plurality of analytical systems. However, traffic analysis is possible using only an extracted traffic sample, in lieu of the entirety of traffic. Accordingly, a result of the analysis may differ from an actual amount of traffic analysis and as a result, numerous errors in measurement may occur.
Accordingly, to overcome issues found in conventional high-cost and high-capacity traffic analysis systems, traffic sample analysis systems, and the like, there is a need for a traffic analysis method that may construct an efficient high-capacity traffic analysis system at low costs. However, a method satisfying all the requirements has yet to be proposed.


A guided missile having a longitudinally extending airframe with a tip, a seeker head arranged in the tip and a window located in front of the seeker head for closing the airframe at the tip so as to protect the seeker head. A jettisonable protective cap consisting of at least two separable parts is attached to the airframe in front of the window for protection of the window.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a guided missile having at its tip a seeker head which is covered by a protective cap releasable during the flight.
Guided missiles are provided with a seeker head at their tip responsive to the radiation of a tracked target. The seeker head usually has an imaging optical system imaging an object scene comprising the target onto a detector or a reticle. From the signals at the detector control signals are derived guiding the missile to the target. Towards the front the seeker head is covered by a curved window, the dome. The dome consists of a material which is transparent for the radiation to which the detector is responsive.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Missiles are accelerated to very high velocities. The dome is therefore exposed to considerable mechanical and thermical stress limiting the life time of the dome and thereby of the seeker head during the flight. Therefore it is known to cover the dome at first with a protective cap. The missile is first guided close to the target by other guidance means. Then the protective cap is pyrotechnically released freeing the dome and the seeker head and the seeker head can detect the target and guide the missile to the target. It is essential that the missile is not damaged by the releasing of the protective cap or disturbed in its path.

Guided missile having a jettisoned protective cap


A marine aft bulkhead and window system in a fully framed assembly includes a port side glass assembly that is fully retractable below a lowest edge of a window opening, a starboard side glass assembly that is fully retractable below the lowest edge of the window opening, a door glass assembly that is fully retractable below the lowest edge of a door opening, and a door assembly that is fully retractable to port or starboard horizontally.

The present invention relates to marine craft, and more particularly to a marine aft bulkhead and window system.
In general, a pilot house is an area on a ship housing the steering controls, with shelter and room for at least one member of the crew who can control the ship while it is in motion. On small crafts, the pilot house is usually limited in size and has few amenities. On larger boats, it is typically part of a larger bridge, housing multiple personnel and equipment like radar, radio, storage cabinets for charts, and so forth.
In addition to the wheel or other steering mechanism, the structure may have other tools for navigation, including electronic charts, radar to identify hazards, and communications radios. There may be a chair for comfort. Fixed or opening glass or fixed heavy duty plastic encloses three sides of the structure to provide an unimpeded view of the surrounding area while keeping the weather out.
The pilot house is built as an integral part of the design of the boat from the start. A cockpit canvas cover is often an "after the build" tack to provide an aft barrier to the area sheltered by the pilot house. However, these non-permanent covers are vulnerable during inclement weather and maintenance intensive. In addition, most aft cockpit canvas covers are inefficient and not well integrated.


A device is provided for correcting the position of at least one element of a machine tool, in particular a milling machine, in which at least one compensating element is disposed between a machine element and an element whose position is to be corrected. The compensating element is adjustable by an actuating distance such that, as a result of the actuation of the compensating element, the element is pivotable about a pivot axis at a joint between the machine element and the element of which the position is to be corrected which ensures the pivoting movement about the pivot axis.

The invention concerns a device for correcting the position of elements of a machine tool and a compensation element used therefor. In machine tools, in particular with an open frame structure (C-shaped), changes in the inclination between the tool side and the workpiece side arise due to different temperature distributions in the components. In particular for multi-spindle machines with which several identical workpieces are intended to be machined simultaneously, this change in inclination results in different dimensions of the individual workpieces, for example, different thicknesses, depending on the machining spindles and the workpieces. The dimensional differences between the individual workpieces can overshoot the predefined tolerances and lead to defective products.
It is a known practice to limit these changes in inclination by cooling systems and to discharge the heat arising at the main heat sources. However, with any expenditure which can be justified the heat arising can never be completely dissipated by a cooling system.
The basic idea of detecting dislocations in machine tools, said dislocations, for example, being caused by the effects of temperature, and compensating them in a well-regulated manner via pressurized deformation elements, is already known from the German patent publication DE 1 946 857 A, in which a process and a device for monitoring and correcting mechanical shifts, in particular in machine tools, is described. For this, one or more deformation elements are disposed at one or more points in the machine. The deformations of the machine tool are determined by analogy starting from a separate detector-deformation element which can be disposed outside of the machine. Between the deformation element and the detector element means for monitoring and regulation are provided. By extending or contracting the deformation elements dislocations are corrected. This solution is relatively complicated and a decisive disadvantage consists in the fact that the deformation elements are formed in a structurally very unstable manner so that, although highly precise manufacturing requires it, the stability of the machine tool is not ensured.
In the German patent publication DE 10 2004 007 042 A1 there is described a device for correcting the position of components in machine tools with headstocks and traversable longitudinal carriages for compensating dislocations which are caused by changes in temperature or static forces. For this the spindle housing is split below the spindle mounting in the central area of the housing and this separation point is once again closed by an adjustment device (actuator), where the actuator can be actuated by a drive. The separation is preferably done at the cross-sectional transition located at the left on the front side of the housing. At the separated partition the required spreading force is transferred by a mechanically programmable actuator. In order to be able to selectively set the desired inclination correction at the spindle flange the machine-specific temperature behavior is evaluated via the control and thereafter via the programmable actuator the spreading force necessary for the change is applied. In so doing, the actuator is deformed via a threaded spindle with two different pitches to generate the spreading load and thereby the working spindle is inclined. For this the threaded spindle is moved by a drive unit by the required adjustment travel. Serving as drive unit is a positioning drive which comprises a DC motor with an absolute value transmitter, an integrated control and power electronics, and a differential rack gear set in front. This unit is fastened on a motor bearing. Depending on the temperature which is recorded by a sensor the positioning drive, which via the actuator generates the spreading force necessary for changing the inclination of the spindle housing, is controlled via the machine control. Thus the inclination of the spindle is corrected by the required amount. Therein the actuator is not implemented in a very compact manner so that this is disadvantageous for stability. Furthermore, the inclination adjustment of the working spindle is done exclusively as a function of the measured temperature. Any undesirable changes in position which, in given cases, can occur due to other influencing factors, are not detected.
The main problem in the use of the aforesaid solutions is furthermore the loss of rigidity in the degree of freedom in which the compensation acts, as well as in other spatial degrees of freedom. Thus with this device for position correction a type of "floating positioning" with reduced rigidity is realized in every case, whereby the precision of production is negatively affected despite the position or inclination compensation having been carried out.
A device for correcting the dislocation of a translationally movable part, e.g. a carriage, a slide feed, a ram, or the like on a machine tool for cutting metal is known from the German patent publication DE 34 23 495 C2. The machine tool comprises a perpendicular column, a headstock which can be traversed along the column, and the movable part slidingly borne by the headstock and on which a workpiece or an additional device can be fastened.
In this solution the following components are provided:
pressurized with a pressurizing agent, a device for applying a corrective force for correcting the effect caused by the dislocation of the movable part,
a position detection device for detecting the position of the movable part,
a device for generating a dislocation correction value as a function of the detected position of the movable part, and
actuated depending on the dislocation correction value, a valve for setting the pressure of the pressurizing agent,
where the device for applying a corrective force comprises a compensation device for correcting an inclination of the movable part and the position detection device generates a position signal, and where the device for generating a dislocation correction value is a calculation device which generates a dislocation correction signal. The valve can be actuated electromagnetically by the dislocation correction signal and the device for applying a corrective force comprises a compensation device for correcting any bending of the movable part, a compensation device for correcting a headstock inclination caused by a shift of the position of the center of mass of the headstock and a compensation device for correcting an elastic deformation of the front lower section of the headstock. A calculation device supplied with the position signal performs an automatic evaluation of the load changes occurring on the movable part and provides for an optimal functional relationship between the movable machine tool part's shifted position represented by the position signal and the dislocation correction values for the individual compensation devices. In this way even for machine tools with large dimensions and heavy weight using relatively simple control means the effect caused by the dislocation of the movable machine tool part is intended to be corrected. This solution is configured in a relatively complicated manner and it is very complicated to compensate the bending of the movable part, here the axially traversable spindle.
It is the object of the invention to provide a simple device for correcting the position of elements of a machine tool, in particular a milling machine, and which ensures a high rigidity of the machine.
In the device according to the invention and for correcting the position of at least one element of a machine tool, in particular a milling machine, between a machine element and the element to be corrected with respect to its position, at least one compensation element is disposed, which can be traversed by an adjustment travel, and by actuating the compensation element by an adjustment travel the element can be pivoted about a pivot axis and where the machine element and the element to be corrected in its position are coupled to one another by a joint ensuring the pivoting movement about the pivot axis.
Due to the fact that the element which can be adjusted in its position is actuated via the compensation element and can be pivoted and stabilized by the joint, the rigidity of the machine is impacted only insignificantly.
If the machine tool in the form of a milling machine is formed with an, in particular open, C-shaped frame structure with a first structural part to which is assigned at least one working spindle with a spindle axis and a tool which can be driven about the spindle axis and with at least one second structural part to which is assigned at least one clamping device for at least one workpiece, then the inclination between the first and second structural part can be changed due to the fact that the first and/or second structural part forms or form or comprises or comprise the element which can be changed in its position and can be changed in their inclination relative to one another by one or more compensation elements through the induced pivoting movement about the pivot axis.
In so doing, the tool or tools disposed on the first structural part are aligned to one another in particular in a tool clamping plane inclined by 90° relative to the spindle axis and the workpiece or workpieces are aligned in a workpiece clamping plane, where the tool clamping plane and the workpiece clamping plane are aligned essentially parallel to one another. If between the tool clamping plane and workpiece clamping plane there is an inclination overshooting a predefined tolerance this inclination is compensated by correcting the inclination of the first structural part or an area of the first structural part and/or correcting the inclination of the second structural part or an area of the second structural part.
Preferably the element which can be adjusted with respect to its inclination is formed as a first part of the second structural part on which the clamping device for the workpiece is located, where a second part of the second structural part forms the machine element and the first part and the second part of the second structural part are pivotably connected to one another by the joint and between the first part and the second part of the second structural part several compensation elements are disposed. Due to the fact that there is pivoting of the machine tool's structural part on which the tool clamp is disposed, an essentially simpler inclination compensation is possible than for an inclination adjustment of the machine element on which the headstock with the entire drive technology for the tools is located.
In connection with this the joint is in an advantageous manner disposed on the second structural part's side facing the first structural part and is formed as a play-free flexure bearing, in particular consisting of sheet metal, and is fastened on the first part and the second part of the second structural part.
On the second structural part's side opposite the joint several compensation elements are disposed next to one another between its first part and second part, where preferably each two compensation elements are used as a pair and at a distance from one another two compensation elements or two pairs of compensation elements are disposed between the first part and the second part of the second structural part and where the separating line between the first part and the second part of the second structural part is aligned essentially horizontally.
A simple and practical possibility for determining the inclination or change in inclination between the two planes consists in the fact that it can be determined with a machine-internal measurement system and that from the value or values determined the magnitude of the adjustment travel of the compensation elements is calculated.
For simultaneously machining in particular structurally identical workpieces which are clamped on the second structural part the first structural part has a corresponding number of working spindles. For machining, for example, two workpieces disposed one over another with two tools disposed one over another, the inclination compensation is of particular importance since for too large an inclination between the workpiece clamping plane and the tool clamping plane the results of machining the workpieces can deviate from one another so undesirably that defective products occur.
The compensation element which is according to the invention and which is used for correcting the position of at least one element of a machine tool, in particular a milling machine, can be traversed by an adjustment travel and is disposed between a machine element and the element to be corrected with respect to its position and comprises an essentially tubular elongated body with a thin wall and a longitudinal axis aligned to the direction of the adjustment travel, where a supporting body is disposed within the elongated body and a pressure chamber is formed between the supporting body and the elongated body in such a manner that with a pressure force changing and acting in the pressure chamber of the elongated body the thin wall of the elongated body is changed in its length in the adjustment direction by the adjustment travel and thereby the element is adjusted in its position/inclination. Due to the disposition of a supporting body in the elongated body along with axial adjustability, high stability and rigidity of the compensation element is ensured and thus with its use the rigidity of the machine tool is impacted only insignificantly which for a good machining result in particular when high precision is required is an essential prerequisite.
Preferably the elongated body and the supporting body are connected to one another at a first end of the compensation element and at the other second end of the compensation element the pressure chamber is formed between the outer contour of the supporting body and the inner contour of the elongated body.
For this the supporting body and the elongated body each have at the second end of the compensation element a base, where between the bases the pressure chamber is formed so that with a force changing and acting in the pressure chamber against both bases the total height of the compensation element changes.
Along with this the force acting in the pressure chamber and generating the adjusting movement can optionally be induced by the pressurization of the pressure chamber, which is sealed by a seal and comprises a pressurizing agent conduit, by pressurizing medium or by a piezoelectric element which is disposed in the pressure chamber and which can be adjusted in its height by application of a voltage or by an element which is disposed in the pressure chamber and can be adjusted in its height mechanically.
With the solution according to the invention an extremely simple and practical solution for adjusting the inclination of a machine element is provided with which the stability of the machine is not impacted or is impacted only insignificantly.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device for correcting the position of elements of a machine tool and compensation element therefor


A method for controlling pressure-induced fog in a silver bromide photographic material involves surface treatment of the emulsion AgBr grains with thiocyanate and an iodide salt. In particular, a process for making a pressure fog-resistant photographic emulsion includes steps of forming a photographic emulsion containing cubic or cubooctahedral silver bromide grains, surface-treating the AgBr grains with a thiocyanate by adding the thiocyanate to the emulsion, chemically sensitizing the emulsion, maintaining the emulsion at a temperature and for a time sufficient to allow the thiocyanate to react with the grain surfaces, and then surface-treating the AgBr grains with an iodide salt by adding the salt to the emulsion in an amount and under conditions effective to fill in cubic faces of the AgBr grains. The latter step partially or fully converts the AgBr grains to octahedral grains. A photographic element can then be made by coating the emulsion on a suitable base.

Silver halide crystals have been the dominant photosensitive material in photographic processes for more than a century. During this time, improvements in sensitivity have produced a broad range of materials with specialized photographic properties. Modern photographic emulsions consist of a very large number of tiny silver halide grains suspended in a polymeric matrix, typically gelatin. Such emulsions are prepared with silver chloride, bromide, or iodide, or with mixtures of these halides. When light of the appropriate wavelength, strikes the silver halide grains, a latent image is formed which corresponds to the visible image that appears upon photographic development.
The preparation of a photographic element generally includes the steps of precipitation, sensitization, and coating. The photographic properties or overall sensitivity of an emulsion are dependent upon several variables which may be controlled at various steps in the photographic process. Factors which influence sensitivity include the composition (proportion of halides), and the average size and morphology (shape) of the grains. The morphology of emulsion grains varies widely with the conditions of precipitation. In the precipitation step, grains of an emulsion are formed by mixing, in the presence of a protective colloid, solutions of a soluble silver salt and of one or more soluble halides. The method, rate and conditions of this precipitation step control, in large part, grain structure, size and distribution.
Some emulsions also require the presence of other substances in the precipitation solutions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,069 issued May 16, 1967 to Illingsworth, describes an emulsion with low internal sensitivity prepared by precipitation or pre-washing treatment of the silver halide with thiocyanate ions
The shape of the grains tends to vary with composition. Silver chloride grains, for example, are usually cubic, while silver bromide grains are cubic, octahedral or cubooctahedral. In the formation of the latter, the boundary between cubic and octahedral depends, in large part, on the silver ion concentration of the precipitating conditions, generally reported as pAg (-log [Ag.sup.+ ]). Typically, cubic grains form at a lower pAg than octahedral grains The presence of iodide increases the probability of forming grains with octahedral faces, and shifts the boundary to a lower pAg. At a fixed pAg, the grain shapes are progressively more octahedral as the amount of iodide in the emulsions is increased. See generally "The Theory of the Photograph Process," T. H. James, ed., 4th Ed., Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. (1977) p. 94.
Sensitizers used in the sensitization step of the photographic process include sulfur-containing agents, noble metals, reducing agents and polymeric agents. Spectral sensitizers may also be added to make the silver halide grains more sensitive to longer wavelengths of light.
After sensitization, certain additives are used to prepare the emulsion for coating. For example, surfactants are added to facilitate wetting and spreading of the emulsion of the support. Tetraazaindenes are added to reduce spontaneous development in unexposed regions, and aldehydes can be used to permit high temperature processing.
Pressure fogging is a persistent problem with many silver halide photosensitive materials. Pressure exerted on an silver halide emulsion can generate electrons through a mechanism not completely understood. Emulsion grains, similar to other inorganic crystals and crystallites, have crystal defects such as dislocations, and sufficient stress can generate mobile electrons within the grains. Such stresses can be induced by poor camera design, such as squeezing roller pairs or other guides, mishandling of film by folding or twisting, or other physical phenomena which stress the film prior to development. The silver halide grains cannot discriminate between pressure-induced electrons and photon (or light-) induced electrons. Consequently, pressure-induced fog often occurs as lines in a negative which resemble scratches.
Pressure fog is a response to applied stress that fogs (i.e., makes developable in a non-imagewise fashion) some fraction of the emulsion grains. Such pressure-fogging can occur, and degrade the photographic performance of the film, at any point in the film's use up until development. Pressure-fogging does not require any imagewise exposure to be detectable, but if such an exposure should occur, the effects of pressure-fogging will be apparent as areas in the image with abnormally high density (in the negative).
Pressure fogging is distinctly different from pressure desensitization. The latter requires an exposure to be detectable. The application of stress to the film prior to exposure damages some fraction of the grains such that imaging efficiency is seriously degraded. This loss of efficiency in the stressed region translates to a diminished density (desensitization) in an exposed region of the film.
Several attempts have been described in the prior art that attend to the problem of pressure sensitivity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,071, issued Dec. 4, 1979 to Debrabanders et al., discloses radiographic emulsions substantially insensitive to formation of pressure marks upon rapid processing which consist of silver halide grains of diameter of at least 259 nm and hydrophilic colloid to silver halide ratio of 1.0. U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,277 issued Jan. 22, 1985 to Becker et al. discloses emulsions with surface-sensitized grains having a core/shell structure that have improved behavior with respect to pressure, when tested by applying a pressure trace to the emulsion immediately after the beginning of development.
Still other prior art has called for the addition of certain compounds to avoid the effects of pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,620 issued Jan. 27, 1981 to Nagatani et al. describes a silver halide photographic material for use in high-contrast photography which is resistant to pressure as measured by a folding of the film test by incorporating a quaternary ammonium, phosphonium or arsenium compound in the photographic material.
Japanese Patent 62-018538 reports pressure resistivity of an emulsion which includes thiocyanate. Japanese Patent 59-050438 discloses an emulsion with improved pressure properties which includes heterocyclic nitrogen and tellurium compounds. Japanese Patent 61-22641 describes an emulsion which has an anti-pressure property and is prepared from an ammonium compound as the silver halide solvent. Despite attempts to provide photographic emulsions which maintain photographic speed and developability, yet control pressure-fog, the art has not responded with a photosensitive material having features that adequately address these needs.

Pressure fog-resistant photographic element


A system comprising a solid oxide fuel cell stack and a gas turbine engine. The stack comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells, each fuel cell comprises an electrolyte, an anode and a cathode. The gas turbine engine comprises a compressor and a turbine with the compressor supplying oxidant to the cathodes. There are means to supply fuel to the anodes and to supply a portion of the unused oxidant from the solid oxide fuel cells to the cathodes. The means to supply a portion of the unused oxidant comprises a combustor and an ejector with the combustor burning a portion of the unused fuel from the solid oxide fuel cells in the portion of the unused oxidant from the fuel cells and is arranged to supply products of the combustor to the oxidant supplied by the compressor to the cathodes to preheat the oxidant supplied by the compressor.

One known solid oxide fuel cell system, as disclosed in our published European patent application EP0668622A1, comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack and a gas turbine engine. The solid oxide fuel cell stack comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells and each solid oxide fuel cell comprises an electrolyte, an anode and a cathode. The gas turbine engine comprises a compressor and a turbine arranged to drive the compressor. The compressor is arranged to supply oxidant to the cathodes of the solid oxide fuel cells and there are means to supply fuel to the anodes of the solid oxide fuel cells. A portion of the unused oxidant is supplied from the solid oxide fuel cells to the cathodes. A portion of the unused fuel is burnt in the remainder of the unused oxidant in a combustor and the products of the combustor drive the turbine. A heat exchanger may be provided to transfer heat from the products of the combustor to the oxidant supplied from the compressor to the at least one cathode to preheat the oxidant supplied by the compressor.
In this arrangement the combustor is arranged upstream of the high temperature heat exchanger.
A problem with this arrangement is that it is necessary to use a high temperature heat exchanger to transfer heat from the products of the combustor to the oxidant supplied from the compressor to the solid oxide fuel cells in order for the oxidant to reach the required temperature before entering the solid oxide fuel cell stack.


A system and method for docking various types of aircraft is disclosed. An aerodynamic lifting structure docking mechanism for docking two or more aircraft is provided comprising an aerodynamic lifting structure. The aerodynamic lifting structure includes a first and second airflow adjustment mechanism. The aerodynamic lifting structure further includes a first hard docking mechanism, and a second hard docking mechanism, and still further includes a soft docking mechanism. The first and second airflow adjustment mechanisms are configured to substantially remove any aerodynamic lifting structure vortices around each of the aerodynamic lifting structure tip areas. The soft docking mechanism is configured to soft dock a first aerodynamic lifting structure with a second aerodynamic lifting structure. The first hard docking mechanism is configured to hard dock with the second hard docking mechanism, thereby temporarily attaching the first aerodynamic lifting structure with the second aerodynamic lifting structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to docking of aircraft. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for docking aerodynamic lifting structures of different aircraft together at the tips of the respective aerodynamic lifting structures.
2. Background Art
Coupling aircraft together at their respective wing tips has long been recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art as providing several unique advantages for various mission scenarios. Previous attempts to couple aircraft, however, have been challenging and have often met in disaster. One prior art example attempted to couple fighter aircraft to a bomber at their wing tips in order to provide combat air support when the bomber was delivering their payload. In that ill-fated attempt, a defective autopilot caused the fighter aircraft to flip over and collide with the bomber, with subsequent loss of life and aircraft.
Regardless of the relative size of the two or more aircraft that are attempting to dock via their wing tips, the wing tip vortices that exist substantially prevent the two (or more) aircraft from approaching each other in a stable manner; the vortices from a first aircraft will affect the stability of the second aircraft if the second one gets too close to the wing tip area, and visa versa. FIG. 7 illustrates wing tip vortices generated at the wing tip areas of two aircraft. Under these conditions, i.e., with wing tip vortices, docking two (or more) aircraft at their wing tips becomes very difficult.
Thus, a need exists for a system and method to dock aerodynamic lifting structures of different aircraft together at the tips of the respective aerodynamic lifting structures.


The invention relates to a method for recording and displaying fluorescence images with high spatial resolution. Several recordations of an image of an object are made sequentially with an electronic camera and, between recordations, the image of the object and the electronic camera are shifted relative to each other. The recordations are subsequently unified to a compiled image of higher spatial resolution. Before or after the partial images are brought together, the signals, which belong to image points of the images and which are obtained at different times, are amplified with amplification factors which are dependent upon the time intervals between the image recordations and are essentially reciprocal to the time dependency of the fluorescence. Artefacts caused by decreasing fluorescence intensities (fading, bleaching) are thereby avoided. These fluorescence intensities decrease as a function of time.

The recordation of images, especially fluorescence images, in microscopy takes place today often with digital cameras such as CCD cameras. For this purpose, cameras today are used in different configurations and with different recording quality. In the selection of a camera, the parameters of recording time and resolution are, as a rule, mutually opposed. For a high image rate, only a limited recording quality can be achieved. High resolution digital cameras with correspondingly higher spatial resolution require an adequate exposure time for the reduction of the image noise per image spot. Further differences lie in the type of the color recording with or without color dividers and color filters in the light path and therefore sequential or parallel recording of the color channels.
In the parallel recording of color images with three color channels of a one-chip sensor, the basic problem is present that the actually available resolution of the sensor is at least halved by the color mask which is introduced. Here, for example, a green mask is disposed on the one half of the light-sensitive elements (pixels) and the other half is subdivided between red and blue with equal parts. Correspondingly, the available spatial resolution becomes less in the respective spectral channels. In cameras of this kind, as a rule, a mathematical interpolation between the measured image points is used in order to generate a color image having the basic resolution of the CCD sensor.
German patent 3,837,063 discloses a method known as the so-called "color-co-site-sampling method". With this method, the resolution loss caused by the color mask is completely compensated. For this purpose, the CCD sensor is displaced by a highly precise piezo-mechanical device relative to the image to be recorded in such a manner that complete partial images are recorded with the three color channels (R-G-B) sequentially at respectively different positions. Thereafter, and without interpolation, a complete image is developed by subsequent interlacing of the sequentially recorded partial images. The displacement takes place in dependence upon the color mask so that one and the same point in the object is detected sequentially by the three color channels (for example, 2x green, 1x red and 1x blue).
The scanning of an image in both directions can be increased up to a factor of three via an additional microscanning. Correspondingly, the number of recorded image points can be increased up to a further factor of nine; a further increase of the scanning is not purposeful because of the finite aperture.
The microscanning technique for increasing the resolution, however, causes that an image P is compiled from several sequentially recorded partial images Pn. For this reason, the method is sensitive to movements of the object or changes in luminosity. During recording of fluorescent images, the stability and brightness of the object is a problem. Because of the illumination exciting the fluorescence, the specimen undergoes a bleaching, a so-called photobleaching, and thereby a reduction of the intensity of the fluorescence, a so-called fading. With the compilation of the sequentially recorded partial images, artefacts then occur in the complete image, which are caused by the different fluorescence intensities of the sequentially recorded partial images.
To eliminate fading artefacts in the compilation of sequentially recorded partial images, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,567 discloses compensating the intensity of the fluorescence, which becomes less from one image to the next, by a corresponding lengthening of the recording time. The correction of the exposure time required for this is determined in each case in advance of the data acquisition. The artefacts in the compiled image are, however, only avoided if the fluorescence intensities actually follow the law which forms the basis of the computation of the corrected exposure times.

Method for recording and displaying fluorescence images with a high spatial resolution


A system and method for secure wireless cryptographic communication among participants in a wireless computing network is presented. This secure communication method is based on a random modulation technique and a domino match. Once the initial modulation scheme is selected, each data transmission includes an indication of what modulation scheme should be used for the next data transmission. If a given number of bits are to be used, the modulation scheme for the final transmission may be limited to complete the bit transfer. The bit value assignments within particular modulation schemes may also be varied for each subsequent transmission.

It has long been known that wireless communications provide significant benefits in terms of user mobility and convenience. With the recent advances in wireless communication protocols, wireless device battery life, and other supporting technologies, the application of such wireless communications into the computing environment has greatly increased productivity and convenience for computer users, both at the professional and home consumer level. Indeed, the high data rates available through modern wireless communication protocols has enabled corporate users to embrace such wireless computing capabilities for their computing infrastructure.
Indeed, the ability to form ad hoc wireless networks in addition to the ability to connect in an infrastructure mode to a corporate computer network allows corporate workers to collaborate, share documents, and conduct productive meetings without the hassles and constraints imposed by a wired only computer network. These mobile computing users may now have complete access to their network resources regardless of their physical location within the corporation. Still further, in an ad hoc mode, mobile computing users may conduct meetings at remote sites, such as an airport, with other wireless computing users. Indeed, such ad hoc wireless networks may be formed with corporate employees as well as customers or other visitors to a corporation. The internal security mechanisms will then ensure that the customer or other visitor may participate in the ad hoc meeting, but cannot gain access to the wired corporate infrastructure of the corporation.
Unfortunately, the broadcast nature of wireless communications exposes a significant threat that the information exchanged during such communications may be intercepted by malicious third parties. That is, because the information exchanged during a wireless computing session is broadcast wirelessly through the air to the other participants in the wireless computing session, a malicious entity can also receive this information. Such a malicious entity can then learn valuable information, including personal, financial, business information and passwords that may expose a further risk to the corporate computing infrastructure or the home computer network.
While it may be impossible to prevent a malicious eavesdropper from receiving the wireless transmission, it is relatively easy to protect the content of these broadcasts through simple encryption techniques that are well-known and practiced currently in the wireless communications arts. That is, while a malicious eavesdropper may still be able to intercept the wireless communication transmission, since the information being transmitted is encrypted, this malicious eavesdropper cannot decipher the information that he has intercepted. Indeed, modern private key encryption techniques effectively register the interception of such encrypted transmissions completely useless, garbled data. As such, most sensitive and corporate wireless computing communications utilize some form of data encryption for all data exchanged in a wireless computing session.
As is well-known in the art, such data encryption methods utilize a shared key or secret known only to the authorized participants in the wireless communication session. In this way, each party can encrypt its information prior to transmitting it wirelessly to the other participants in the computing session, who then each use the shared secret or key to encrypt the information for use. Any malicious third party eavesdropper receiving this wireless broadcast is unable to decrypt this information since he is not privy to the secret or key known by the authorized users.
However, for the system to work, each of the authorized uses in the wireless computing session must know the shared secret or key. The problem becomes, therefore, how to communicate this shared secret or key to each of the authorized participants in a wireless computing system without inadvertently disclosing this key to a malicious third party eavesdropper. Currently, this problem is handled in various ways, all of which detract from the benefits provided by wireless communications itself.
One method of exchanging the shared secret or key is to require each of the participants to physically couple to a wired network so that the key can be exchanged among the participants of the wireless computing session. However, requiring the participants of a wireless computing session to first physically couple their wireless computing devices together via a wire is burdensome and not desired by wireless computer users. Alternatively, the shared secret or key may be exchanged between the participants in an offline manner, such as though voice communication, the passing of notes, etc., however, these techniques are also undesired, and are more prone to inadvertent discovery by a malicious third party. Shared secret or key exchanges may also be made through close range infrared (IR) communications between the wireless computing devices. However, such techniques also entail a certain amount of risk that the IR transmission may be intercepted by a malicious third party eavesdropper unless extraordinary measures are taken during this shared secret or key exchange. At the corporate level, wireless computing users may be required to first log in to their wired computing network via a docking station or LAN cable adapter to receive the infrastructure shared secret or key for the day before they are able to begin wireless computing at work. Once again, such requirements for wired communications prior to engaging in secure wireless communications complicates the process, deters users from engaging in such wireless communications, and significantly detracts from the advantages provided through such advanced wireless communications technologies.
There exists, therefore, a need in the art for a secure method of wireless communication that eliminates the requirement for shared key encryption and the associated problems relating to shared secret or key exchange among authorized users of a wireless computing network.

Domino scheme for wireless cryptographic communication and communication method incorporating same


A wheel transmission for a heavy construction vehicle, which can be applied to specially-equipped vehicles as well as heavy construction vehicles such as a forklift truck and a mechanical shovel. The wheel transmission (200) is intended to drive a pair of right and left wheels independently, and includes a planetary gear assembly (210), a change clutch part (230), a one-way clutch part (300), and a brake part (270) housed in an axle hub at which opposite ends of a drive axle shaft are located, turning force from an engine of a heavy construction vehicle being transferred to the drive axle shaft through a torque converter, a driving shaft, a final reduction gear and a differential gear.

In general, heavy construction vehicles use hydraulic motors or engines as their power source, and are classified into wheel type and crawler type according to means of mobility.
Although a heavy construction vehicle is not intended to travel at a high speed and does not require multistage shifting, the heavy construction vehicle has essential concerns to be addressed such as reduction of noise and vibration transferred from an engine and minimization of radius of gyration.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a configuration of a conventional drivetrain, which is applied to a forklift truck as a kind of heavy construction vehicle. In such a conventional forklift truck, a transmission 1 is installed at its center region. A clutch 6 is disposed between an input shaft 2 and an output shaft 3 of the transmission 1, which is intended to cause turning force from the input shaft 2 to be cut off and to be transferred to the output shaft 3.
The clutch 6 is connected to a torque converter 5 which serves to augment driving force transferred from an engine 4 placed at a rear part of the forklift truck. The turning force transferred to the output shaft 3 of the transmission 1 is transferred to an axle shaft 9 through a final reduction gear 7 and a differential gear 8 to rotate wheels. An axle hub includes a drum brake or a disc brake (not shown) therein to brake on the moving vehicle.
However, the above-mentioned conventional transmission applied to a heavy construction vehicle such as a forklift truck has disadvantages in that there is a long distance between an engine and an axle shaft because the transmission together with a clutch are placed between a torque converter and an axle shaft, much of vibration and noise generated from the engine is transferred to a driver's seat located at the center of the heavy vehicle through the transmission, and it is difficult for a user to operate the heavy vehicle at a narrow site because the heavy vehicle must be configured to be long due to the transmission.
Since such a heavy construction vehicle, which is equipped with a transmission having a conventional configuration, turns in the same way as that of a usual passenger vehicle or a transport vehicle, the radius of gyration "R" of the heavy vehicle is relatively large, as shown in FIG. 2. Hence, it is difficult to operate at narrow site, and also its operating behavior is relatively slow.
Furthermore, a conventional heavy construction vehicle rearwardly moves when the vehicle begins to move from a stopped state on a slope way (when gear shifting is carried out). Since a heavy construction vehicle equipped with a transmission having a conventional configuration includes a large-sized housing adapted to receive a clutch and a transmission, there are drawbacks in that it is impossible to freely design the center part of the vehicle and it is possible to achieve a satisfactory reduction ratio only where a final reduction gear intended to finally reduce an engine speed is designed to have a large size.
To solve the above problems, the present applicant filed Korean Patent Application No. 2000–46795 titled "a wheel transmission for a heavy construction vehicle" which is adapted to be mounted on axle hubs of both front or rear wheels to prevent generation of noise from an engine and transfer of vibration to a transmission and is intended to drive the both wheels independently to minimize a turning radius of the vehicle. Furthermore, the wheel transmission in the application is intended to improve braking performance while integrally constituting a brake with a clutch, and is adapted to be compact to freely design an engine mounting and an axle mounting.
The wheel transmission is characterized in that in a wheel transmission for driving a pair of right and left wheels independently which includes a planetary gear assembly, a first change clutch part, a second change clutch part and a one-way clutch part housed in an axle hub at which opposite ends of an axle shaft are located, turning force from an engine of a heavy construction vehicle being transferred to the axle shaft through a torque converter, a driving shaft, a final reduction gear and a differential gear,                the planetary gear assembly includes a sun gear formed at an end of the axle shaft, and a plurality of planetary gears engaged with the sun gear and connected to one another via a carrier, the planetary gears being engaged with ring gears,        the first change clutch part includes a cylinder disposed in the axle hub positioned at a location corresponding to a radius of the ring gear in which the cylinder is provided therein with a brake piston and a service piston engaged with each other to be moved in the long direction of the axle hub by supply of hydraulic oil, the brake piston is elastically supported by a disc spring, the service piston is coupled to a reaction plate, and an inner surface of the axle hub and an outer surface of the ring gear are provided with a brake plate and a frictional plate engaged with each other in a spline manner to press the reaction plate,        the second change clutch part includes a cylinder disposed in the axle hub positioned at a location corresponding to a radius of the carrier in which the cylinder is provided therein with a brake piston and a service piston engaged with each other to be moved in the long direction of the axle hub by supply of hydraulic oil, the brake piston is elastically supported by a disc spring, the service piston is coupled to a reaction plate, and an inner surface of the axle hub and an outer surface of the carrier are provided with a brake plate and a frictional plate engaged with each other in a spline manner to press the reaction plate, and        the one-way clutch part includes a first one-way clutch through which an output shaft of the ring gear is connected to the wheel to cause the wheel to be rotated only in a reverse direction, and a second one-way clutch through which an output shaft of the carrier is connected to the wheel to cause the wheel to be rotated only in a forward drive direction.
Moreover, this wheel transmission is characterized in that the torque converter is provided at an output shaft with a usual auxiliary clutch so as to cause turning force of an engine to be transferred to a drive shaft or to be not transffered.
Therefore, according to the above patent application, since the wheel transmission is installed at wheel axle hubs of both wheels of front wheels or rear wheels, a distance between an engine and an axle shaft can be reduced, vibration and noise generated from an engine can be intercepted, a heavy construction vehicle can be operated at a narrow site by reduction in a full length of an equipment, it is possible to minimize a turning radius of a heavy construction vehicle, the wheel transmission serves as a service brake (a brake actuated in a running state), a parking brake and a clutch, and it is possible to improve braking performance and durability by adopting a wet oiling brake.
Furthermore, since a wheel is stably locked by the one-way clutch, it is possible to prevent a heavy construction vehicle from moving rearward when being started up on a slope way.
In addition, it is possible to broaden design flexibility of an engine mounting and an axle mounting by affording extra space to the center portion of a heavy construction vehicle, since speed of an engine is finally decelerated by a gear ration of a planetary gear assembly, it is possible to achieve a sufficient gear ratio even though a final reduction gear is reduced in size, and braking operation is automatically achieved by restoring force of a disc spring when an engine is stopped and this hydraulic pressure is released.
The present applicant also filed a provisional patent application titled "a wheel transmission for a heavy construction vehicle"(Korean Patent Application No. 2001–11280) on the basis of the wheel transmission (Korean Patent Application No. 2000–46795), in which a sun gear is divided into a forward drive sun gear and a reverse sun gear, a ring gear is held on a housing, and wheels are independently rotated in forward drive direction or reverse direction by a drive of a carrier due to rotation of the forward drive sun gear and the reverse sun gear.
FIGS. 3 to 5b show a configuration of the wheel transmission (Korean Patent Application No. 2001–11280). More specifically, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wheel transmission, FIG. 4a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of "A" portion of FIG. 3 in a forward drive travel, and FIG. 4b shows a planetary gear assembly in forward drive travel.
FIG. 5a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of "A" portion of FIG. 3 in a reverse travel, and FIG. 5b is a view showing a planetary gear assembly of FIG. 5a in a reverse travel.
As shown in the drawings, the wheel transmission (Korean Patent Application No. 2001–11280) is characterized in that in a wheel transmission 100 for driving a pair of right and left wheels 102 independently, which includes a planetary gear assembly 110, a first change clutch part 130 and a second change clutch part 140 housed in an axle hub 104 at which opposite ends of an axle shaft 108 are located, turning force from an engine being transferred to the axle shaft 108 through a torque converter, a driving shaft, a final reduction gear and a differential gear,                the planetary gear assembly 110 includes a pair of forward drive sun gear 114 and reverse sun gear 116 with the axle shaft 108 and a bearing 112 disposed therebetween in which the forward drive sun gear 114 is engaged with a plurality of first planetary gears 120, and the reverse sun gear 116 is engaged with a second planetary gear 122 with which a first planetary gear 120, the first planetary gear 120 being engaged with a ring gear 124 fixedly placed at an axle housing 106,        the first change clutch part 130 includes a cylinder 132 disposed in the axle hub 104 positioned at a location corresponding to that of the forward drive sun gear 114 in which a forward drive piston 136 advances and comes into close contact with the forward drive sun gear 114 while compressing a return spring 138 by supply of hydraulic oil into the cylinder 132, and at the same time a clutch plate 135 disposed at the forward drive sun gear 114 comes into close contact with a frictional plate 137 provided at a first clutch pack 108a extended from the axle shaft 108 so as to engage the forward drive sun gear 114 to the axle shaft 108, and        the second change clutch part 140 includes a cylinder 142 disposed in the axle hub 104 positioned at a location corresponding to that of the reverse sun gear 116 in which a reverse piston 146 advances and comes into close contact with the reverse sun gear 116 while compressing a return spring 148 by supply of hydraulic oil into the cylinder 142, and at the same time a clutch plate 145 disposed at the reverse sun gear 116 comes into close contact with frictional plates 147 provided at a second clutch pack 108b extended from the axles shaft 108 so as to engage the reverse sun gear 116 to the axle shaft 108.


A fabricated gas turbine engine component and method of manufacturing. In one embodiment the component having a structural member with a cover member metalurgically bonded thereto. The bonding of the cover member being controlled by an apparatus that sequentially applies a substantially non-unifrom bonding load across the components radius of curvature. The patterns utilized in the casting process are formed in one embodiment to a precision preformed geometry by a closed die forming operation.

The present invention relates generally to a gas turbine engine airfoil and a method of fabrication thereof. More particularly, the present invention has one embodiment wherein the airfoil includes a preformed cast cover member metalurgically bonded to an inner structural spar member. Although the invention was developed for gas turbine engines, certain applications may be outside of this field.
A gas turbine engine is typical of the type of turbo machinery in which the invention described herein may be advantageously employed. It is well known that a conventional gas turbine engine comprises a compressor for compressing air to an appropriate pressure necessary to support the combustion of a fuel in a combustion chamber. The high temperature exhaust gas exiting the combustion chamber provides the working fluid for a turbine, which powers the compressor. A power turbine driven by the flow of high temperature gas is utilized to turn a propeller, fan or other propulsion device. Further, the high temperature gas may be used directly as a thrust for providing motive power, such as in a turbine jet engine.
It is well known that the performance of gas turbine engines increases with the increase in the operating temperature of the high temperature gas flowing from the combustion chamber. A factor recognized by gas turbine engine designers as limiting the allowable temperature of the gaseous working fluid flowing from the combustion chamber is the capability of the various engine components to not degrade when exposed to the high temperature gas flow. Further, gas turbine engine designers are fully cognizant that the engine's airfoils are among the components exposed to the maximum thermal and kinetic loading during engine operation.
A variety of techniques have been integrated into the gas turbine engine blades and vanes to minimize their degradation as they are exposed to the high temperature gases. Film cooling, a standard technique generally integrated into blade and vane design, refers to a technique of cooling an external surface of the component by injecting a relatively cool media, such as air along the component's external surface. The cooling media functions as an insulating layer to reduce the unwanted heating of the external surface of the component by the flow of high temperature gas.
A second conventional technique often incorporated into the component design is an internal network of apertures and passageways within the component. A steady flow of pressurized cooling media is passed through the internal passageways of the component, and the cooling media is finally exhausted through the apertures onto the exterior surface of the component. The passage of the cooling media through the internal passageways and out through the exit apertures provides for convective heat transfer from the component walls to the cooling media.
Many prior gas turbine engine airfoils, such as vanes and blades, have been produced by production techniques using labor intensive complicated casting methods or laminating procedures. The typical lamination process utilized to produce an airfoil involves the high temperature diffusion or braze bonding of multiple layers of wrought material together to form the airfoil. Casting a sophisticated airfoil has required a generally elaborate procedure often with a relatively low yield that tended to be very labor intensive.
Although the prior techniques have produced airfoil components with internal passageways, exit apertures and film cooling, the need remains for an improved method and apparatus for making a fabricated gas turbine engine airfoil with a cover sheet metalurgically bonded to a spar. The present invention satisfies this need in a novel and unobvious way.

Airfoil for gas a turbine engine and method of manufacture


A mobile terminal includes a middle frame, a fixing frame, and a cover plate. The middle frame includes a first placement slot and a second placement slot. The fixing frame is disposed in the second placement slot. The cover plate is disposed in the first placement slot. The second placement slot includes first side surfaces. The first side surfaces are provided with a plurality of first protrusions. The fixing frame includes first sidewalls. The first sidewalls are provided with a plurality of second protrusions. The first protrusions and the second protrusions are arranged to form a support structure configured to support the cover plate, and the cover plate is fixedly connected to the support structure.

In current mobile phones, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a mobile phone includes a middle frame 10′, a display module 20′, and a glass cover 30′. An inner edge of the middle frame 10′ is provided with a step. The lower portion of the step is closed to form a first placement slot 12′. The upper portion of the step is closed to form a second placement groove 11′. The first placement slot 12′ is in communication with the second placement slot 11′. The display module 20′ is disposed in the first placement slot 12′. There is a gap between the display module 20′ and the lower portion of the step, and a width of the gap is 0.3 mm. The glass cover 30′ is disposed in the second placement slot 11′, and an overlapping width D1′ of the glass cover 30′ and the step ranges between 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm or more. Therefore, a distance from the display module 20′ to an inner wall of the second placement slot 11′ of the middle frame 10′ ranges between 0.9 mm and 1.1 mm.
As a result, a screen ratio of the mobile phone cannot be increased.

WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


The present disclosure provides a cable management solution for rack mounted computing components. In one embodiment, a backplate is preferably fixedly coupled to a rack structure. One face of the backplate is preferably operable to maintain connection with the preferred operating cables, such as, I/O devices, network, etc., which would typically couple directly to the computing component. On an opposite face of the backplate, is at least one plug operable to couple the various cable connections maintained by the backplate to at least one jack on the computing component engaged therewith. A series of alignment posts and alignment slots enable a computing component to be easily slid into and out of the rack as well as simplify engagement with and disengagement from the plug or plugs on the backplate.

The present disclosure relates generally to cable management. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a cable management solution for rack mounted computing components.
As rack mounted servers become more and more dense, an increasing number of servers can be mounted into an industry standard 42U rack where each xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d is generally equivalent to 1.75 inches of rack height. With some server systems intended for the internet service provider (ISP) market, 1U tall servers are becoming commonplace. Theoretically, the existence of 1U servers will allow up to 42 (forty-two) individual servers to be mounted into a single 42U rack. With each server typically requiring several cables, cable management becomes one of the largest roadblocks to such dense server system installations.
Conventional cable management techniques have included taking each of the cables connected to each respective port on the rear of a server and securing the cables to a folding cable management arm. The cable management arm is typically attached to both the back of the server and the back of the rack. This arrangement allows for a cable service loop of sufficient length such that the server can be slid out of the front portion of the rack on its rails for service. This method of cable management was developed when servers were much less dense and is becoming more difficult to implement as rack mounted components continue to shrink in height and racks become more crowded and dense.
As server installations become more dense, the individual servers take on more of a utilitarian or appliance role. In these dense configurations, no one server is the only server performing any given function. In reality, each of a plurality of servers is performing the same function, similar to the redundant server configurations seen in server farms and clusters. However, new, low-end applications, such as Internet Caching, Web Hosting, Firewalls, etc., are becoming more popular.
Having multiple redundant servers dramatically reduces the importance of 24 hour, 7 day availability per server and elevates the importance of 24 hour, 7 day a week availability of the data-center itself. As such, the service requirements of the individual servers can be handled at the depot level rather than on-site as in the past. Depot level service programs can reduce the cost of servers by reducing the need for hot-plug and redundant components such as fans, hard drives, and power supplies. Hot-plug and redundant components often only add unnecessary costs to a unit whose availability needs are handled by a number of similar units in the data-center rather than the individual unit itself. In addition, because the individual server no longer needs to be serviced while it is operational, simple rack guides can be substituted for more elaborate bearing and slide mechanisms to save cost, thereby further signifying the shift in service strategy for this new class of servers.
In accordance with teachings of the present disclosure, a computing system having one or more rack mounted components is provided. The computing system may include one or more computing components having a housing operable to maintain at least one processor and memory as well as other devices. A rack structure is also provided with guides disposed therein, and wherein the guides are operable to engage respective sides of the housing such that the computing component may be easily disposed within and displaced from the rack structure. To provide simplified removal and reinsertion of the computing component into and out of the rack structure, a backplate is preferably coupled to a rear opening of the rack structure. The backplate preferably includes at least one data plug that is operable to couple to at least one data jack on a rear face of the computing component. The backplate also preferably includes at least one data port that is operable to couple to at least one data cable.
The present disclosure includes a computing component having at least one processor, memory operably associated with the processor, and a housing operable to maintain the memory and the processor. First and second sides of the housing are preferably operable to engage a pair of guides disposed within a rack structure such that the housing may slide into and out of an opening of the rack structure. A rear face of the housing preferably includes at least one jack that is operable to couple to a plug on a backplate which may be disposed proximate the rear opening of the rack structure.
Further provided by the present disclosure is a backplate having at least one data port that is preferably operable to receive a data cable. Also preferably included on the backplate is at least one data plug that is operably coupled to the data port. The data plug is also preferably operable to couple to a data jack on a rack mountable computing component such that the data cable coupled to the data port is operably coupled to the rack mountable computing component.

Cable management solution for rack mounted computing components