A filament-wound composite coupling for use in assembling a restrained joint between large diameter pipes with complementary retaining grooves, such as 16 inch or larger outer diameter polyvinyl chloride pipes. The coupling has first and second ends and ported retaining grooves associated with each end. Preferably, the coupling also includes O-ring seals and a pipe stop to index the pipes to be coupled. The composite coupling has a cylindrical composite body with a plurality of concentrically arranged layers of wound filaments in a thermoset plastic matrix. Each of the layers is characterized by a winding angle opposing the winding angle of the adjoining layers.

The present invention relates to a non-metallic connecting device for pipes conducting pressure medium, the non-metallic connecting device being characterized by the capacity to accept an insertable and separable insert to restrain a pipe end within the connecting device, and in particular, the present invention relates to a filament-wound composite connecting device for preparing a restrained joint between large diameter pipes conducting pressure medium.
Potable water is distributed at the lowest cost per mass of any commodity. Traditional water distribution systems employed large diameter metallic pipes interconnected by joints featuring complex metallic couplings. Traditional metallic pipes are subject to corrosion from some potable waters. Metallic couplings are also subject to failures, not just from corrosion but also from mechanical failure in response to both radially and axially directed forces. Such joint disrupting forces originate in frequent and occasionally substantial fluctuations in pressure and/or water flow. Traditional metallic coupled joints are often supported against separation or movement by association with strategically arranged masses of concrete. The concrete masses restrain the metallic coupled joints to counter and resist undesirable shifts that might cause a joint to mechanically fail. Preparation of each metallically coupled joint along with the often required concrete mass restraining the mechanically coupled joint is particularly problematic. Traditional water distribution systems are increasingly viewed as needing a fresh look with respect to efficiency, durability, capital cost and ease of installation and maintenance.
Modern materials are now being substituted for the metallic pipes and metallic mechanical couplings in many water distribution systems. Plastic pipes are not subject to corrosion. Joining plastic pipes, however, remains a challenge. In particular, plastics often have a slick or slippery surface relative to surfaces on metallic materials. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) are two plastic materials particularly considered feasible as pipe materials for large diameter pipes. Each of these materials, however, comes with its own challenges in being acceptable as a large diameter pipe material. As will be explained, these challenges often involve difficulties in joining pipes to form a distribution system.
Large diameter pipes systems of PE, and in particular, high density polyethylene (HDPE), are able to function at 200 psi and, therefore, tend to dominate the plastic high pressure water system market. However, HDPE large diameter pipes are relatively expensive. Moreover, connecting two HDPE large diameter pipes is both costly and time consuming. Each HDPE joint requires performing a fusion welding process. The fusion welding process requires about an hour to complete each joint and further requires the on-site presence of both significant large equipment and skilled labor. Providing sufficient working space about the joint while performing fusion welding is yet another concern. Attempts to substitute unskilled labor can result in defective fusion HDPE joints characterized by unacceptable axial tensile strength.
PVC pipe is relatively less expensive than HDPE pipe. As such, it might initially seem an excellent choice for a distribution system. The challenges of PVC pipe distribution systems can be readily understood by considering a 16 inch diameter PVC pipe system, exemplary of a large diameter pipe system. Currently available PVC 16 inch diameter pipes are capable of containing and operating at pressures of 200 psi. Currently available PVC 16 inch diameter water distribution systems, however, are operated at only 90 psi due to the limited pressure rating of the current PVC pipe couplings used in preparing joints between PVC pipes. The inventor has investigated extensively and discovered poor pressure performance of the current PVC pipe couplings relates to failure to withstand the hoop stresses associated with higher pressures, such as in the ASTM D2241 qualification test. Susceptibility to high pressure might be caused by insufficient wall thickness of the couplings about the internal O-ring grooves. That is, each currently available PVC coupling includes a pair of internal O-rings and a groove holding each O-ring. When part of a joint, the internal portion of the PVC coupling between the O-rings is subject to system pressure. System pressure acts upon this internal portion to radially expand a hoop shaped portion of the PVC coupling adjacent to each of the O-ring grooves. As higher system pressures further expand the PVC coupling adjacent to the O-rings, a leak occurs at one of the two O-rings. Such an undesired expansion thereby results in a water distribution system failure and, therefore, is the cause of the lower 90 psi pressure limitation.
Current 16 inch PVC couplings are typically manufactured via a two-step process. The first step of the process entails extruding a thick walled PVC billet (i.e. a thick walled hollow cylinder). A pipe stop, O-ring grooves, and spline grooves are then machined internally from the cylindrical billet to produce a finished PVC coupling. Because of the design of the coupling, the central pipe stop for a 16″ pipe must remain after machining away PVC material from the total starting thickness of the billet. The remaining wall thickness of the finished coupling after machining is only 0.635 inches. The O-ring groove depth cut into this 0.635 inch wall is 0.295 inches. This leaves a wall thickness of only about 0.34 inches between the O-ring groove location and exterior surface of the cylindrical coupling. As noted above, this thickness is insufficient to resist system failure at 200 psi.
The inventor investigated further by experimenting with a number of apparently simple solutions in an attempt to discover a more pressure resistant PVC coupling for PVC pipe. The desired new PVC coupling would allow the 200 psi high pressure capacity of PVC 16 inch pipe to be exploited rather than settling for a distribution system derated to 90 psi. For example, a simple solution might seem to be manufacturing a PVC coupling having sufficient wall thickness to withstand the hoop stresses generated in the ASTM D2241 testing. However, the starting wall thickness of the necessary billet would need to be 2 inches or greater for such a simple solution. One constraint that should also be noted is that only certain PVC extrusion mixtures have regulatory approval for potable water service. Initial experiments based upon extruding a billet with a 2 inch wall thickness, for an experimental 12 inch diameter PVC coupling of an approved extrusion mixture, necessitates that residence time of the PVC material in an extruder increase to a duration time that results in scorching or burning of the PVC resin in the resulting experimental billet. Such scorching or burning unacceptably degrades the physical properties of the PVC material. Moreover, it is thought that excessively thick extrusions fail to achieve a desirable level of "fusion" and thus are plagued by insufficient strength. It was concluded that an experimental coupling prepared from an approved PVC mixture as a billet with 2 inch thick walls of degraded PVC material would not pass the performance tests indicated in ASTM D2241 and would not yeild a water distribution system having the desired performance reliability.
Another attempted simple solution might seem to be providing additional reinforcement to current PVC couplings. Prior attempts to constrain the above-mentioned radial expansion in current PVC couplings with supplemental bands or rings of appropriately situated fiberglass reinforcement have failed due to underlying expansion and eventual bursting of the underlying PVC adjacent an O-ring groove when tested at appropriate internal pressure. The inventor concluded that the desired PVC based coupling was not the correct approach and began to explore other coupling materials.
Yet another simple solution might seem to be available by reinforcing current HDPE pipe couplings by supplemental filament winding layers over a HDPE pipe coupling. However, experimental reinforced HDPE couplings demonstrated unacceptable axial tensile strength, presumably due to the inherent poor compressive strength of HDPE. This approach was discarded after observing that a vertical face of a spline groove in the HDPE pipe coupling had sheared out in response to axial stress.
Still another simple solution involved compression molding two halves of a glass-filled polypropylene liner, butt welding the two halves of the liner together and then filament winding layers of Twintex® glass fiber roving over the newly-formed liner for added hoop strength. The butt welding of the two halves proved to be not feasible as glass fibers migrated to the surface edge during the heating operation. The presence of the glass made it impossible to form a leak proof bond in the butt welded coupling.
Another approach involved compression molding of Owens Corning Azdel® composite material as a liner and bladder molding Twintex® fabric around the liner for greater hoop strength. This approach failed because good consolidation was not achieved and water migration through the coupling wall was observed during hydrostatic testing.
Yet another approach involved winding 60% Twintex® glass roving into a hollow cylinders and subsequently machining internal grooves for splines and O-ring. This approach failed because of water permeation through the walls of the experimental couplings. The water permeation was interpreted as the interior surface of the experimental coupling becoming resin starved during consolidation of the Twintex® rovings. Furthermore, in addition to the unacceptable water permeation characteristic, machining of the spline and O-ring grooves proved a challenge and, when finally machined and tested, the experimental couplings still tended to split circumferentially.
Tubular items of composite prepared by filament winding processes have been used in very limited situations as pipe systems. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,402, Medney discloses precision machined male and female integral ends on filament wound pipe lengths being mated and locked by insertion of paired keys into a locking groove. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,403, Medney discloses an adhesive joint of male and female integral ends on filament wound pipe lengths. Such joining arrangements require that the pipes themselves are filament wound and do not take advantage of the more economical PVC pipes.
Clearly, an improved coupling for PVC pipe was still needed and a simple solution did not appear available. The inventor then discovered a more elegant and sophisticated solution, explained subsequently herein. The present invention addresses and overcomes the deficiencies of the current PVC coupling, allowing greater internal pressure without failure. This in turn allows for more efficient use of the high pressure capabilities of large diameter PVC pipe. Additionally, the present invention is less expensive and time consuming than current HDPE joint preparation by fusion welding. Moreover, a joint assembled with the present invention allows some unexpected new applications of PVC pipe. Further, the present invention enables large diameter PVC pipe water distribution systems having improved systems reliability.


A lamp unit of a vehicle lamp includes a projection lens arranged on an optical axis extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a light-emitting element arranged so as to face upward behind a rear focal point of the projection lens and in the vicinity of the optical axis, a reflector arranged so as to cover the light-emitting element from above and to reflect light from the light-emitting element forward toward the optical axis, and a mirror member disposed between the reflector and the projection lens. The mirror member includes an upward reflecting surface that upward reflects a portion of the reflected light from the reflector, and a front end edge formed so as to pass through the rear focal point of the projection lens. A region of the upward reflecting surface located nearer a self-lane side than the optical axis includes a first horizontal plane including the optical axis. A region of the upward reflecting surface located nearer an opposite-lane side than the optical axis includes a middle slope extending obliquely downward from the optical axis and a second horizontal plane extending parallel to the first horizontal plane from a lower end edge of the middle slope. A diffusing and reflecting portion that diffuses and reflects the reflected light from the reflector is formed in a position of the middle slope that is apart from the front end edge of the upward reflecting surface to a rear side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp unit of a vehicle headlamp, and particularly, relates to a projector-type lamp unit that uses a light-emitting element as a light source.
2. Related Art
In recent years, even in vehicle headlamps, lamp units that use a light-emitting element, such as a light-emitting diode, as a light source have been adopted.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a so-called projector-type lamp unit including a projection lens arranged on an optical axis extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a light-emitting element arranged so as to face upward behind a rear focal point of the projection lens and in the vicinity of the optical axis, and a reflector arranged so as to cover the light-emitting element from above and to reflect the light from the light-emitting element forward toward the optical axis.
In such a case, in the lamp unit disclosed in Patent Document 1, a mirror member that has an upward reflecting surface that upward reflects a portion of the reflected light from the reflector and has a front end edge formed so as to pass through the rear focal point of the projection lens is provided between the reflector and the projection lens. A portion of the reflected light from the reflector is reflected upward by the mirror member, thereby forming a light distribution pattern for low beams that has a cut-off line as an inverted projection image of a front end edge of the upward reflecting surface at its upper end.
Moreover, Patent Document 2 discloses a projector-type lamp unit in which, as the upward reflecting surface of the mirror member, a region located nearer the self-lane side than the optical axis is constituted with a first horizontal plane including the optical axis, and a region located nearer the opposite-lane side than the optical axis is constituted with a middle slope extending obliquely downward from the optical axis, and a second horizontal plane extending parallel to the first horizontal plane from a lower end edge of the middle slope.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2005-166590
[Patent Document 2] JP-A-2006-114274


A system for providing variable pitch to a rotor blade of an aircraft engine includes a rotatable hub; at least one blade mounted on the rotatable hub; a gear mechanism operably connected to the rotatable hub; a timing ring rotatably and operably connected to the gear mechanism; and a pitch arm operably connecting the timing ring and the at least one blade mounted on the rotatable hub. In the operation of the system, the gear mechanism facilitates the rotation of the timing ring to vary the pitch of the at least one blade mounted on the rotatable hub.

Standard methods of accomplishing pitch change in propellers, helicopter rotors, or some fans with limited number of blades, usually include a root attachment mechanism such as a ball/roller bearing and/or flex member, which allows rotation of the blade with relatively low friction. Such devices can be heavy due to the high blade centrifugal forces they must support. A further complication is that centrifugal loads on blade plate-like structures also produce significant twisting forces that pitch control systems must overcome. These forces tend to rotate the blade towards a dangerous flat pitch position, such that a malfunction in pitch control could result in rotor overspeed(s) and potential blade loss.
The force required to change the pitch angle of a rotating blade can be appreciable. In propeller technology, where variable-pitch was incorporated many years ago, this force is usually referred to as the Total Twisting Moment (TTM), which is the net sum of three basic forces. The first is Centrifugal Twisting Moment (CTM) that originates from the non-symmetrical mass distribution (i.e. oblong airfoil, non-circular) of a blade's airfoil about its pitch change axis. Second is Aerodynamic Twisting Moment (ATM) caused when the effective center of pressure on each airfoil section is aligned forward or aft of the pitch change axis and that airload causes a twisting load about the blade pitch axis. Last is Frictional Twisting Moment (FTM) which resists motion and develops in the retention bearings that support the blade, due to high centrifugal loads acting on them. Among these, CTM is by far the greatest, with ATM and FTM distant seconds. CTM acts to rotate a blade toward low pitch. Because the aerodynamic center of pressure of a blade's airfoil is usually forward of its pitch change axis, ATM normally acts to increase blade pitch, opposing CTM. FTM caused by friction, acts to oppose blade pitch change in either direction.
With TTM being dominated by CTM, the pitch control system exerts a twisting load in the direction of increased pitch to hold blade pitch constant, and a higher force yet to overcome FTM in order to increase blade pitch. If there is a malfunction and/or loss of control of the pitch system, a blade will naturally turn toward low pitch. Because low blade pitch results in less rotational resistance for the engine, the situation can result in a dangerous overspeed of the rotor and engine with a powered engine. Loss of engine power is usually accompanied by loss of pitch control. Again TTM can turn the blades to low pitch, but rotor thrust suddenly switches to a high drag force that can cause possible loss of aircraft control and/or result in rotor overspeed. Rotor overspeed is more likely if the rotor is driven by a turbine engine rather than a piston engine, especially if the former has a "free" turbine that powers the rotor. In a turbofan engine, with the great number of blades in the fan, loss of pitch control and the turning of blades to low pitch could cause significant drag and overspeed conditions. Therefore, backup pitch-change systems, pitch safety latches, or other complicated, expensive and/or heavy solutions have not been attractive to date.
To prevent undesirable change in pitch tendencies, the conventional solution is to add a counter-weight to the side of a blade at/near its root end. This weight must be of sufficient mass and position to create a net TTM that will always be able to overcome all inherent blade twist loads and drive the blade towards high pitch, or at least hold pitch setting to prevent movement toward low pitch. The counter-weight mass on each blade is normally quite substantial and adds undesirable weight to the rotor, as well as additional load to the rotor hub and blade retention bearings. Also, there is the added risk of failure of a counter-weight support arm, possible impact damage if the weight strikes the aircraft fuselage, combined with dangerous unbalance of the rotor.
Another means of addressing undesirable change in pitch tendencies involves use of a back-up pitch change system such as an auxiliary electric pump to backup a hydraulic system, which could drive pitch angle high to a "Feather" position, etc. Also, a high friction device(s), such as a linear ACME thread in the pitch actuation system, or a harmonic drive device, or latching device could be utilized, any of which can be designed to hold the current pitch position if pitch control is lost. The latter have the beneficial effect of allowing continued operation if the malfunction occurs in a fortuitous operating condition and/or there is continuous power from the engine. However, if pitch is held in a less-than-optimal position for gliding, or twin engine operation, there could still be a compromised flight control situation (s) that develops from the increased drag forces generated.
Turbofan engines, which derive 90 percent of their thrust from the large fan up front (essentially a ducted propeller), still do not make use of variable pitch today. Because engine speed generally remains nearly constant with jet engines, power is adjusted with fuel flow. However, all of today's jet engines have fixed pitch blades, which utilize larger, compromised airfoils to provide sufficient thrust that enables takeoff capability at full load on a hot day. Consequently, these engines suffer an efficiency penalty in cruise, when there is more blade airfoil than required, as it is at less than optimum blade angle. If aircraft travel is to survive for future generations, efficiency and fuel savings will need to be significantly increased.

Fan blade retention and variable pitch system


A level shift circuit applies an on signal 25 and an off signal 26 each consisting of pulses, to high-voltage MOSFETs 1, 2, respectively, having their source connected to a common potential COM to induce a voltage drop in load resistors 3, 4 in order to set or reset a RS latch 15 to turn on or off an IGBT 17 on an upper arm of a PWM inverter bridge circuit having a varying emitter potential, a circuit free from a long time delay prevents an increase dV/dt in potential of an AC output terminal OUT that results in charging of a capacity between a source and a drain of each of the high-voltage MOSFETs 1, 2, whereby the charge current induces a voltage drop in the resistors 3, 4 to cause the RS latch to malfunction. NOT circuits 8, 11 and a NOR circuit 13 transmit a regular on signal, while NOT circuits 9, 12 and a NOR circuit 14 transmit a regular off signal. A threshold for the NOT circuits 8, 9 is lower than that for the NOT circuits 7, 10, so that when a voltage drop simultaneously occurs in the resistors 3, 4, output pulses from the NOT circuits 7, 10 mask output pulses from the NOT circuits 8, 9.

The present invention relates to a level shift circuit for use in communicating, without potential insulation, on/off signals from a circuit connected to a common potential such as a ground to a control electrode of a controllable semiconductor device such as a semiconductor switching device on an upper arm of a power-inverting bridge circuit, for example, in a PWM inverter or a switching power supply, the controllable semiconductor device having an electrode (an emitter or a source) that acts as a potential reference for an input control drive signal and that has a potential varying relative to the common potential. Desirably, the present invention relates to a level shift circuit for use in the form of an HVIC (high-voltage IC).
In the interest of cost reduction, level shift circuits free from potential insulation provided be a transformer or a photocoupler have recently been used as circuits for turning on and off a semiconductor switching device constituting an upper arm of a power-inverting (i.e., conversion of a direct current into an alternate current) bridge circuit such as a PWM inverter.
FIG. 7 shows an example configuration of a conventional level shift circuit of this kind. In this FIG., 17 and 18 are output IGBTs connected in series between a main DC power supply Vdc (a positive-electrode side) for a high voltage, for example, 400 V and a common potential COM located at a negative-electrode side of this power supply, in order to form, for example, one phase of a power-inverting bridge circuit of a PWM inverter.
OUT denotes a connection point between an emitter of the upper-arm IGBT 17 of the bridge circuit and the lower-arm IGBT 18 thereof; that is, this is an output terminal for AC power generated by alternately turning on and off the IGBTs 17 and 18.
E2 denotes, for example, a 15-V auxiliary DC power supply (also referred to as a xe2x80x9cdriver power supplyxe2x80x9d) having a negative electrode connected to the common potential COM, and 20 is a driver for turning on and off the lower-arm IGBT 18 and which operates under the auxiliary DC power supply E2.
The remaining part of the circuit constitutes a level shift circuit for driving the upper-arm IGBT 17 of the bridge circuit. That is, reference numeral 1 designates a high-voltage MOSFET for inputting and conducting an on signal 25 consisting of pulses generated by a circuit (not shown) so that the resulting voltage drop in a load resistor 3 is used as a signal to turn on the IGBT 17. Reference numeral 2 designates a high-voltage MOSFET for inputting and conducting an off signal 26 consisting of pulses generated by a circuit (not shown) so that the resulting voltage drop in a load resistor 4 is used as a signal to turn off the IGBT 17.
Normally, the high-voltage MOSFETs 1 and 2 are configured to be equal to each other, as are the load resistors 3 and 4. Constant-voltage diodes 5, 6 connected in parallel to the load resistors 3, 4, respectively, limit any excessive voltage drop in the load resistors 3, 4 to protect NOT circuits 8, 9 or the like, which will be described below.
In the level shift circuit, the two MOSFETs 1 and 2 constitute a circuit section for inputting a signal based on the stationary common potential COM. On the other hand, the portion of the circuit enclosed by the broken line in the figure indicates a circuit section with a varying potential which operates based on the potential of the AC output terminal OUT that alternately follows the common potential COM and the potential Vdc of the main DC power supply depending on whether the IGBTs 17, 18 are turned on or off.
E1 in the circuit enclosed by the broken line denotes, for example, a 15-V auxiliary DC power supply (also referred to as a xe2x80x9cdriver power supplyxe2x80x9d) having a positive electrode connected to a line Vcc1 and a negative electrode connected to the AC output terminal OUT. The NOT circuits 8, 9 and subsequent circuits [consisting of low-pass filter circuits (also simply referred to as xe2x80x9cLPFsxe2x80x9d) 30, 31, a RS flip flop (a RS latch also simply referred to as an xe2x80x9cRS-FFxe2x80x9d) 15, a driver 16, etc.] operate using the auxiliary DC power supply E1 as a power supply.
However, a power supply voltage for a load resistor circuit for the high-voltage MOSFETs 1 and 2 which comprises the load resistors 3, 4 with their upper ends connected to the positive-electrode line Vcc1 of the auxiliary DC power supply E1 varies between a maximum value (E1+Vdc) and a minimum value E1 because the potential of the output terminal OUT varies between the common potential COM and the DC power supply potential Vdc.
Actually, however, a free wheel diode (not shown) is connected in parallel to each of the IGBTs 17, 18 in such a manner that its cathode is located on a collector side. Thus, when the free wheel diodes are in an ON-state, the potential of the output terminal OUT may have a negative value of several V relative to the common potential COM.
Next, operation of this level shift circuit will be described. The on signal 25 is applied to a gate of the MOSFET 1 to cause a current to flow through the MOSFET 1 to induce a voltage drop in the load resistor 3. When the potential at a lower end of the load resistor 3 becomes smaller than a threshold for the NOT circuit 8, an output from the NOT circuit 8 is set to the Hi level.
This Hi level is applied to a set terminal S of the RS latch 15 via the LPF 30 to set an output Q from the RS latch 15 to the Hi level, thereby turning the output IGBT 17 on via the driver 16. At the same time (strictly speaking, for prevention of a possible inter-arm short circuit, slightly before the point of turn-on), the IGBT 18 is turned off via a circuit (not shown) including the driver 20.
Next, the off signal 26 is applied to a gate of the MOSFET 2 to cause a current to flow through the MOSFET 2 to induce a voltage drop in the load resistor 4. When the potential at a lower end of the load resistor 4 becomes smaller than a threshold for the NOT circuit 9, an output from the NOT circuit 9 is set to the Hi level.
This Hi level is applied to a reset terminal R of the RS latch 15 via the LPF 31 to set the output Q from the RS latch 15 to a Lo level, thereby turning the output IGBT 17 off via the driver 16. At the same time (strictly speaking, for prevention of a possible inter-arm short circuit, slightly after the point of turn-off), the IGBT 18 is turned on via the circuit (not shown) including the driver 20.
When the output IGBT 18 is turned off or the IGBT 17 is turned on, this switching causes a rapid increase in potential dV/dt at the output terminal OUT to charge a capacitance between a source and a drain of each of the MOSFETs 1 and 2.
This charge current may induce a voltage drop in the load resistors 3 and 4 which is different from the true on and off signals, thereby causing the RS latch 15 to malfunction, mistakenly turning on the IGBT 17 to cause an inter-arm short circuit in the bridge circuit, or unnecessarily turning off the IGBT 17.
In addition to switching of the IGBTs 17, 18, extraneous noise may induce a similar abnormal voltage drop in the load resistors 3, 4.
The low-pass filters (LPF) 30 and 31 are inserted to prevent such malfunctioning of the RS latch 15 in order to remove, as abnormal signals, input signals of a small pulse width (a high frequency) resulting from switching or extraneous noise.
The reason why the on/off pulse signals 25, 26 are used to turn on and off the output IGBT 17 as in the circuit in FIG. 7 will be described below. In order to reduce harmonics components of an AC output from a PWM inverter or the like at low cost, it is desirable to increase a carrier frequency at which an output switching device is turned on and off and thus to operate the level shift circuit at a high speed.
To operate the level shift circuit at a high speed, a relatively high current must flow through the high-voltage MOSFETs 1, 2 for a level shift circuit. In particular, if a circuit section with a varying potential such as one shown by the broken line in FIG. 7 has a high potential, losses caused by the above current increase.
If, for example, a 10-mA current flows through the high-voltage MOSFET, the main DC power supply Vdc provides a voltage of 400 V, and the signal for turning on the high-voltage MOSFET is a signal that does not consist of pulses (in this case, only one MOSFET is used), then the average of losses on the high-voltage MOSFET occurring while the collector potential is high has a large value of about 2 W if the high-voltage MOSFET has an average on/off duty cycle of 50%.
Thus, the average loss on the high-voltage MOSFET is reduced by decomposing a current through the high-voltage MOSFET into pulses for turning the output IGBT on and pulses for turning the output IGBT off (in this case, two MOSFETs are used for turning the IGBT on and off) and minimizing the duration of these pulses.
Another reset input R of the RS latch 15 (the reset terminal 21 is connected to the RS latch 15) is used for resetting the RS latch 15 in an initial state or turning off the IGBT 17 when an error occurs.
If a level shift circuit such as one described above has high frequency signal components that may cause malfunctioning associated with dV/dt at the AC output terminal OUT, the components can be removed by the low-pass filters 30, 31. Low frequency components, however, are difficult to remove.
Consequently, with a large dV/dt, the time required by the AC output terminal OUT to reach the voltage VDC of the main DC power supply is short enough to prevent malfunctioning. With a small dV/dt, however, this time is long enough to cause malfunctioning.
To prevent this, the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter can be reduced, but a problem of this method is that the reduction may increase a time delay in the level shift or require the width of on/off pulses to be increased, thereby increasing losses on the level shift circuit.
Another problem is that the value of a current resulting from on/off pulses must be increased due to the degraded constant-current characteristic of the high-voltage MOSFETs 1, 2 for the conventional level shift circuit. This will be described below.
FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the characteristics of a voltage VDS between a source and a drain (horizontal axis) of the high-voltage MOSFETs 1, 2 for a level shift circuit and the characteristics of a drain current ID (vertical axis) thereof, which is called the VDSxe2x88x92ID characteristic. This FIG. shows that the high-voltage MOSFET generally has a degraded constant-current characteristic due to resistance in a drift area (VDS maintains a large value until ID increases up to a constant value IH).
Accordingly, if the circuit section with a varying potential has a low potential, that is, the AC output terminal OUT has a potential close to the common potential COM [FIG. 8 shows a case where the terminal OUT has a potential equal to the common potential COM and where the power supply voltage for the load resistor circuit for the MOSFETs 1, 2 (that is, the voltage E1 of the power supply line Vcc1 with the load resistors 3, 4 connected thereto) is set equal to the voltage of the auxiliary DC power supply E1], a drain current IL flows which is determined by a load line 32 of the load resistor 3 or 4.
The load resistor 3 or 4 is set to have such a value as to sufficiently invert the output from the NOT circuit 8 or 9 due to a voltage drop caused by this current IL.
On the other hand, if the circuit section with a varying potential has a high potential, that is, the AC output terminal OUT has a potential close to the main-power-supply voltage Vdc [FIG. 8 shows a case where the terminal OUT has a potential equal to the main-power-supply voltage Vdc and where the voltage of the power supply line Vcc1 is set equal to (Vdc+E1)], a drain current IH flows which is determined by a load line 33 of the load resistor 3 or 4.
The drain current IH has a larger value than the current IL, thereby increasing losses on the level shift circuit.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a level shift circuit that meets a first object of preventing malfunctioning, regardless of the magnitude of dV/dt at the AC output terminal OUT, caused by switching of semiconductor switching devices in an inverter bridge circuit or by extraneous noise and without causing a time delay in the level shift circuit or increasing the width of on/off pulses, the level shift circuit also meeting a second object of preventing an increase on losses on the level circuit caused by the degraded constant-current characteristic of the high-voltage MOSFET.
To attain the above object, the present invention provides a level shift circuit comprising a first and a second controllable semiconductor devices each having an electrode acting as a potential reference and connected to a common potential, the potential reference electrode and a main electrode being electrically connected together while a conduction signal is being input between the potential reference electrode and a control electrode; a DC power supply having one electrode connected to an external circuit at a predetermined site varying between the common potential and a predetermined high potential and having a voltage lower than a voltage between the two potentials; a first and a second load resistors each having one end connected to the other electrode of the DC power supply and having the other end connected to the main electrode of a corresponding one of the first and second controllable semiconductor devices; and a logic circuit operating under the DC power supply, wherein a pulse-like conduction signal is input to each of the control electrodes of the first and second controllable semiconductor devices with different timings so that the conduction through the controllable semiconductor devices causes a pulse-like voltage drop in the first and second load resistors, the voltage drop being then communicated to the logic circuit as a signal.
The level shift circuit preferably includes signal-disabling means for preventing a signal corresponding to a pulse-like voltage drop from being communicated to the logic circuit when the voltage drop simultaneously occurs in the first and second load resistors.
In a further embodiment, the signal-disabling means masks a signal corresponding to a voltage drop in the first load resistor and communicated to the logic circuit, using a masking signal generated based on a voltage drop in the second load resistor, while masking a signal corresponding to a voltage drop in the second load resistor and communicated to the logic circuit, using a masking signal generated based on a voltage drop in the first load resistor.
In a further embodiment, the signal-disabling means uses thresholds for detecting a voltage drop in the load resistors to generate pulses in such a manner that a threshold for use in generating (via NOT circuits) pulses for the signal communicated to the logic circuit differs from a threshold for use in generating (via NOT circuits) pulses for the masking signal, in order to carry out the masking so that the pulse width of the masking signal entirely covers the pulse width of the signal communicated to the logic circuit.
In an additional embodiment, the signal-disabling means delays a front edge of a raw pulse signal generated by detecting a voltage drop in said load resistor, in order to obtain the signal communicated to the logic circuit, and wherein the signal-disabling means delays a rear edge of the raw pulse signal to obtain the masking signal in order to carry out the masking.
In a still further embodiment, the signal-disabling means carries out the masking in such a manner that no difference in generation exists between the signal communicated to the logic circuit and the masking signal and removes signals that remain despite the masking, via a low-pass filter.
In addition, the level shift circuit preferably comprises one or more sets of the controllable semiconductor devices and load resistors, a pulse-like conduction signal being input to each of the control electrodes of the controllable semiconductor devices wherein a current negative feedback resistor is inserted between the potential reference electrode of each controllable semiconductor device and common potential so that the voltage between the control electrode and the common potential has a predetermined value smaller than the voltage value of the DC power supply while each controllable semiconductor device is conductive.
Still further, the circuit includes constant-voltage diodes for limiting the voltage between the control electrode of each controllable semiconductor device and the common potential to the predetermined value.
Other advantanges and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings.


The hard coating includes mainly (Al,Cr).sub.2 O.sub.3 crystals and a chrome content higher than 5 at % wherein the (Al, Cr).sub.2 O.sub.3 is a single crystal. The coating is deposited at a temperature lower than 90.degree. C., preferably lower than 500.degree. C. The hard coating is deposited by a CVD or PVD process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard coating. It relates further to a workpiece coated by such hard coating and to a method of coating a workpiece by such a hard coating.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A predominant feature of aluminum oxide is an extremely high thermodynamic stability and a comparatively high hardness. As thermodynamic stability thereof is understood its resistance in an aggressive environment also at high temperatures. Apart from its use on parts subject to wear in aggressive mediums aluminum oxide is used as coating material, especially for tools used for machining or cutting operations. Coatings of aluminum oxide are further used in optical and electronic applications. Generally known is the deposition of aluminum oxide coatings by means of chemical or physical gas phase deposition, CVD or PVD. In case of a chemical deposition aluminum chloride is brought to react with water vapor. At reaction temperatures of 1000.degree. C. coatings grow at a rate of maximal 0.3 .mu.m/h such as disclosed in the paper "Aluminium-oxid-CVD mit einem AlCl.sub.3 /O.sub.2 Reaktionsgemisch" (Aluminum oxide CVD by a AlCl.sub.3 /O.sub.2 reaction mixture) of H. Altena et al., R & HM, March 1987. The method described in this paper is used for a coating of hard metals. The coatings grow with crystalline structure whereby generally the .alpha.- or .kappa.-modification of aluminum oxide is produced, see also S. Vuorinen et al., "Characterization of .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, .kappa.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and .alpha.-.kappa. multi-oxide coatings on cemented carbides", Thin Solid Films, 193/194 (1990) 536-546.
Because the .alpha.-modification has the higher thermal stability it also has a better wear resistance. Further, because the forming of nuclei on the substrate proceeds quite inhomogeneously it is necessary, in order to achieve a coherent coating, to deposit initially an intermediate layer such as is taught in M. Kornmann et al., "Nucleation of Alumina Layers on TiC and Cemented Carbides by Chemical Vapor Deposition", J. Cryst. Growth, 28 (1975), 259-262. In technical processes generally a TiC intermediate layer is used.
If a metal organic composition is used as a Al-donor instead of an aluminum chloride, such as aluminum-triisopropylate or aluminum-trimethyl, the depositing temperature can be lowered to about 420.degree. C. as disclosed in J. E. Carnes et al., "Self-Healing Breakdown Measurements of Pyrolytic Aluminum Oxide Films on Silicon", Journal of Applied Physics, 42 (11), 4350-4356 (1971). This method finds application e.g. in the production of electronic circuits. An amorphous, i.e. not crystalline aluminum oxide layer is produced.
For the physical deposition of aluminum oxide, vapor deposition and sputtering methods can be used. Coatings which are produced by these methods find optical and electronic applications.
In case of sputtered coatings an amorphous structure is produced at a temperature of the workpiece below 500.degree. C. Only above a workpiece temperature of 1100.degree. C. the .alpha.-modification segregates from aluminum oxide such as disclosed in J. A. Thornton, "Structure and Heat Treatment Characteristics of Sputter-Deposited Alumina", Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull., 56 (5), 504-508, 512 (1977).
The reactive plasma enhanced vapor deposition of aluminum oxide is described in R. F. Bunshah et al., "Alumina Deposition by Activated Reactive Evaporation", Thin Solid Films, 40, 211-216(1977). Also here crystalline coatings in a .alpha.-modification are found only at a workpiece temperature>1100.degree. C. The mechanical properties of these coatings are, however, poor. A coating hardness of 500 to 800 HV is disclosed. Also, these coatings are described as being porous and as adhering poorly.

Hard coating; a workpiece coated by such hard coating and a method of coating such workpiece by such hard coating


An automatic beam current limiting arrangement of a television receiver or display monitor comprises an average beam current limiter coupled to the low side of the high voltage transformer for reducing the contrast of a reproduced image when the average beam current exceeds a threshold and a peak current limiter coupled to the cathodes of the picture tube for controlling a current source which determines the threshold of the average beam current limiter in response to the sum of the cathode currents of the picture tube. In one embodiment, the cathode current sensing circuits comprise the same cathode current sensing circuits utilized in an automatic black level setting arrangement. This beam limiting arrangement allows operation at high contrast levels while inhibiting excessive peak white areas.

Conventional color television receivers and display monitors usually include an average beam current limiter for the protection of the picture tube and the high voltage circuitry. When the average beam current exceeds a predetermined maximum amplitude of, for example, 1.4 milliamperes (ma), the contrast and/or brightness of the reproduced image is decreased by the beam limiter to avoid a further increase of the beam current.
FIG. 1 shows the circuit diagram of a television receiver including a commonly employed average beam current limiter. In a video signal processing channel 10, low level red (r), green (g), and blue (b) color video signal provided by a video signal processing circuit 20 are amplified by respective picture tube (or kinescope) drive amplifiers, generally indicated by reference number 30, to produce high level red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color video signal suitable for directly driving respective cathodes of a picture tube (or kinescope) 40. Although there are three drive amplifiers, one for each color, only drive amplifier 30R for producing the high level red (R) color video signal is shown for simplicity. As is indicated in FIG. 1, low level video signal processing circuit 20 may comprise an integrated circuit (IC), such as the TDA 3562 or TDA 3506 IC, available from Philips of The Netherlands. A high supply voltage for picture tube 40 is developed at the high potential end of a high voltage winding 51 of a horizontal flyback transformer 50 in response to horizontal deflection signals generated by a horizontal deflection circuit 60.
Beam limiting arrangement 70 of the television receiver shown in FIG. 1 is of the conventional type which responds to the average beam current drawn by picture tube 40. Specifically, the beam current of a picture tube 40 is sensed (or "sampled") at the junction of a resistor R1 and a capacitor C1 coupled to the low potential end of high voltage winding 51 of horizontal flyback transformer 50. Resistor R1 and a relatively high voltage supply (e.g., +200 volts) form a constant current source from which current flowing to picture tube 40 through high voltage winding 51 of flyback transformer 50 is drawn. Capacitor C1 serves to remove horizontal rate signal components. The sense point is coupled to the contrast control input of the video signal processing circuit 20 through a low pass filter circuit including a resistor R2 and a capacitor C2 and a switching diode D2. A manual contrast control circuit 80, illustratively shown as including resistors R3, R4 and R5, a potentiometer R6 and a filter capacitor C3, is also coupled to the contrast control input of the video processing circuit 20. A diode D1 clamps the junction of capacitor C2 and diode D2 to a relatively low voltage (e.g., +12 volts) and therefore protects capacitor C2 and diode D2 from the relatively high supply voltage (e.g., +200 volts) which might otherwise be applied to them at relatively low beam currents.
In operation, diode D1 is conductive and diode D2 is non-conductive at low beam currents. The voltage developed across capacitor C1 decreases toward zero as the average beam current increases. Protection diode D1 is rendered non-conductive and thereafter switching diode D2 is rendered conductive as the beam current increases. After switching diode D2 is rendered conductive, the contrast control voltage is decreased as a function of beam current and, in turn, the beam current is also decreased. Diode D2 is rendered conductive when its cathode voltage falls approximately 0.7 volts below its anode voltage. The anode voltage is equal to the contrast control voltage. The point at which diode D2 is rendered conductive and average beam current limiter 70 is activated to reduce the contrast is referred to as the "threshold" or "delay" of average beam current limiter 70. The "threshold" or "delay" of average beam current limiter 70 shown in FIG. 1 is determined by the value of resistor R1 and is fixed.
The rather low dynamic range of a picture tube may cause an overload problem when only the average beam current is limited as in the television receiver shown in FIG. 1. This is illustrated by the waveform shown in FIG. 1--1.
Waveform 1a represents a video signal (V.sub.1) for producing a large white window. Such a window results in a high amount of average beam current which puts the beam limiter into operation. Waveforms 1b and 1c show video signals producing the same amount of average beam current as the signal of waveform 1a because their envelopes cover same area. Assuming the identical contrast setting as for waveforms 1a, 1b and 1c, the staircase signal of waveform 1b produces an ultra bright picture portion, while waveform 1c produces bars of excessive brightness and hot spots on the picture tube mask. Such hot spots may cause the mask to deform in which is sometimes referred to as mask "doming". Thus, the contrast setting for waveform 1c should be lower than for waveform 1a. Unfortunately, beam current limiting arrangement 70 shown in FIG. 1 cannot differentiate between waveforms 1a, 1b and 1c shown in FIG. 1--1. This is so because the beam current is averaged by the aquadag capacitor of picture tube 40 (i.e., the capacitor formed between the inner and outer coatings of picture tube 40) and the voltage developed across capacitor C1 is related to the current which recharges the aquadag capacitor through high voltage winding 51 during horizontal retrace. The actual beam current is the sum of currents flowing through the electron guns of picture tube 40.

Beam current limiting arrangement having a peak amplitude, responsive threshold


An OLED device comprises an anode and a cathode and having therebetween a light emitting layer containing an emissive material, wherein a layer between the anode and cathode contains a phosphineoxide compound bearing two or more tri(hetero)arylphosphineoxide groups, provided these groups are selected to give a compound with a Et≧2.65 eV.

While organic electroluminescent (EL) devices have been known for over two decades, their performance limitations have represented a barrier to many desirable applications. In simplest form, an organic EL device is comprised of an anode for hole injection, a cathode for electron injection, and an organic medium sandwiched between these electrodes to support charge recombination that yields emission of light. These devices are also commonly referred to as organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. Representative of earlier organic EL devices are Gurnee et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,862, issued Mar. 9, 1965; Gurnee U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,050, issued Mar. 9, 1965; Dresner, "Double Injection Electroluminescence in Anthracene", RCA Review, Vol. 30, pp. 322-334, 1969; and Dresner U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,167, issued Jan. 9, 1973. The organic layers in these devices, usually composed of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, were very thick (much greater than 1 μm). Consequently, operating voltages were very high, often >100V.
More recent organic EL devices include an organic EL element consisting of extremely thin layers (e.g. <1.0 μm) between the anode and the cathode. Herein, the term "organic EL element" encompasses the layers between the anode and cathode electrodes. Reducing the thickness lowered the resistance of the organic layer and has enabled devices that operate much lower voltage. In a basic two-layer EL device structure, described first in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,429, one organic layer of the EL element adjacent to the anode is specifically chosen to transport holes, therefore, it is referred to as the hole-transporting layer, and the other organic layer is specifically chosen to transport electrons, referred to as the electron-transporting layer. Recombination of the injected holes and electrons within the organic EL element results in efficient electroluminescence.
There have also been proposed three-layer organic EL devices that contain an organic light-emitting layer (LEL) between the hole-transporting layer and electron-transporting layer, such as that disclosed by Tang et al [J. Applied Physics, Vol. 65, Pages 3610-3616, 1989]. The light-emitting layer commonly consists of a host material doped with a guest material. Still further, there has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,292 a four-layer EL element comprising a hole-injecting layer (HIL), a hole-transporting layer (HTL), a light-emitting layer (LEL) and an electron transport/injection layer (ETL). These structures have resulted in improved device efficiency.
In organic electroluminescent devices, only 25% of electrons and holes recombine as singlet states while 75% recombine as triplet states according to simple spin statistics. Singlet and triplet states, and fluorescence, phosphorescence, and intersystem crossing are discussed in J. G. Calvert and J. N. Pitts, Jr., Photochemistry (Wiley, New York, 1966). Emission from triplet states is generally very weak for most organic compounds because the transition from triplet excited state to singlet ground state is spin-forbidden. Hence, many emitting materials that have been described as useful in an OLED device emit light from their excited singlet state by fluorescence and thereby utilize only 25% of the electron and hole recombinations. However, it is possible for compounds with states possessing a strong spin-orbit coupling interaction to emit strongly from triplet excited states to the singlet ground state (phosphorescence). One such strongly phosphorescent compound is fac-tris(2-phenyl-pyridinato-N^C-)Iridium(III) (Ir(ppy)3) that emits green light (K. A. King, P. J. Spellane, and R. J. Watts, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 107, 1431 (1985), M. G. Colombo, T. C. Brunold, T. Reidener, H. U. Güdel, M. Fortsch, and H. -B. Bürgi, Inorg. Chem., 33, 545 (1994)). Organic electroluminescent devices having high efficiency have been demonstrated with Ir(ppy)3 as the phosphorescent material and 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) as the host (M. A. Baldo, S. Lamansky, P. E. Burrows, M. E. Thompson, S. R. Forrest, Appl. Phys. Lett., 75, 4 (1999), T. Tsutsui, M. -J. Yang, M. Yahiro, K. Nakamura, T. Watanabe, T. Tsuji, Y. Fukuda, T. Wakimoto, S. Miyaguchi, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 38, L1502 (1999)). Additional disclosures of phosphorescent materials and organic electroluminescent devices employing these materials are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,303,238 B1, WO 00/57676, WO 00/70655 and WO 01/41512 A1.
Few organic-based emissive materials can be deposited as neat films. Usually it is necessary to codeposit them with a host material, either a charge transporting "small" molecule or a polymer, to get a reasonable light output. Well known host materials for dopant-host system include hole transporting 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) and electron transporting aluminum tris(8-hydroxylquinoline) (Alq), which have been both used in OLEDs. However, the known host materials are not suitable host materials for all dopants. There continues to be a need in the art for suitable host materials for dopants which have short emission wavelength, such as in the green or blue regions of the spectrum.
In the emissive layer of phosphorescent OLEDs, the host is generally selected to have a triplet energy higher than that of the phosphorescent dopant in order to avoid exothermic energy quenching to the host. In addition, it is desirable for the host material to be an efficient charge carrier to achieve low drive voltage of the devices (Appl. Phys. Lett., 77, 904 (2000)). Host materials containing phosphineoxide have been disclosed in JP2003317965A and JP2004204140A. In both patent applications, the phosphineoxide group was used mainly as a linking group incorporating conventional charge (hole and electron) transporting units into one structure. The charge transporting ability of phosphineoxide itself has not been explored. Furthermore, the majority of the structures disclosed therein have triplet energies corresponding to emission in the red or deep red of the visible spectra. Publication JP2004204140A specifically requires that at least one naphthyl group be attached to the phosphorus atom (the triplet energy of naphthalene itself is 2.6 eV) consequently the triplet energy of the compounds should be no more than 2.6 eV. Therefore, there is a particular need in the art for host materials which can support dopants with green and blue phosphorescent emission.
It is a problem to be solved to provide a device containing a phosphorescent material in a light emitting layer, the device also containing a compound that enables high luminescent efficiency and low drive voltage.

Light-emitting device containing bis-phosphineoxide compound


A pricing model may be used by a decision maker in the evaluation of prices of numerous items to multiple customers. The present system and method facilitates targeted and strategic pricing decisions that increase profitability and avoid unnecessary risks in pricing changes. The method includes the analysis of three categories of information—sales volume, purchase frequency and gross profit percent.

Wholesale distributors of a broad range of products typically sell commodity items. As such, the margins are very small. The traditional theory is that margin degradation is caused by the competition and by customers. However, probably one of the largest causes of margin degradation is a distributor's inability to manage pricing at the customer/item level. What is typically done is that distributors will set prices for a number of specific items for a given customer, and then price everything else at a general mark up/discount. This general mark up/discount creates a cap on the amount of margin generated. In order to raise margin, the decision maker can adjust upwardly the general mark up/discount. By doing this, a large percentage of the line item pricing is changed which is very visible, and therefore, very risky. Another alternative is to manage pricing at the customer/item level. However, this management of pricing at the customer/item level often has a substantial challenge in the actual number of customer/items. A typical distributor pricing decision maker may have responsibility for one hundred customers, each purchasing one hundred to two hundred unique items. The result is tens of thousands of unique customer/item combinations. As territories grow with recent trends, the pricing management responsibility will increase, and hence, the pricing management challenge will continue to grow.
There are several packages that are known which use mechanisms in groupings of items in attempt to manage pricing. These systems typically focus on only single sales property. These prior packages are not very flexible, and they allow for potentially unfavorable price changes that may put all sales at risk. One specific prior art pricing model utilized a benchmark gross profit percent as a guideline for pricing and further included a market variance sort by item which was the difference between the existing gross profit and the projected gross profit. Other prior types of solutions include systems with too many fixed assumptions and wooden rules for price setting. There was no room or not enough room for subjective manipulation and input from a pricing decision maker or makers regarding the creation of variable benchmark statistics in the categories of sales volume, frequency (velocity) and gross profit percent and how those statistics can be utilized when manipulating customer/item level pricing.


A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.

Additive manufacturing, also referred to as 3D printing, typically involves sequential layer by layer addition of material to build a part. Beginning with a 3D computer model, an additive manufacturing system can be used to create complex parts from a wide variety of materials. However, it is not practically possible to create any structure, part, or component. Additively manufactured structures are often limited in size, in feature resolution, and throughput time to manufacture. For example, a large and finely detailed part could take weeks or months to manufacture using conventional additive manufacturing systems.
Additive manufacturing machines today typically fall within certain bounds of operation
with regards to material throughput
      rate   -            m     .        [         g     hr        ]       , largest part size −Z[cm], and
   resolution  -         R    [         features     mm        ]      .   Characterization of additive manufacturing machine performance can involve calculation of several variables, including resolution to mass throughput rate, diagonal size of the print bed as compared to the printable resolution, or mass throughput rate as compared to the diagonal print bed. Part size and mass throughput can also be respectively calculated for additive manufacturing machines. Additive manufacturing machine typically are able to print either very large (>10 m) or very high throughput (>50 kg/hr) parts or structures, not both.
One additive manufacturing technique known as powder bed fusion (PBF) uses one or more focused energy sources, such as a laser or electron beam, to draw a pattern in a thin layer of powder by melting the powder and bonding it to the layer below. This technique is highly accurate and can typically achieve feature sizes as small as 150-300 um. However, powder bed fusion additive manufacturing machine manufacturers struggle to create machines that can produce printed material in excess of 1 kg/hr. Because of this slow powder-to-solid conversion rate, machine sizes are relatively small due to the length of time it would take to print larger parts. Today's largest machines have printable part volumes generally less than 64 L (40 cm)3. While these printers are capable of printing parts of nearly arbitrary geometry, due to the high machine cost and low powder conversion rate the amortized cost of the machine ends up being very high, resulting in expensive parts.
Unfortunately, increasing part size or decreasing manufacturing costs by simply scaling-up the machine is not an acceptable solution. As a minimum, to melt a given volume of material the laser has to deliver both enough energy to bring it up to the melting temperature, and the phase change energy required to melt. If no thermal energy is dissipated in this process, then there is a linear scaling between laser energy deposited over time (laser power), and material throughput rate. If a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing machine maker wants to scale up in material throughput rate they would necessarily need to increase their laser power. This increase in laser power unfortunately increases proportionally with the cost of the laser, and a scale up greatly increases the cost of today's already expensive machines.
Even if laser costs were not a factor, power scaling a laser can have other detrimental effects. Every powdered material has optimum melting properties dependent on power flux. If power is too low, the powder doesn't melt, and if too high the laser can drill into the material (key-holing). Increasing the laser power of a machine already operating at one of these optimum points results necessarily requires an increase in laser area (spot size) to maintain the optimum power flux. Simply increasing the spot size degrades printable resolution, while dividing up the laser into multiple beams increases the system complexity.
In effect, currently available powder bed additive manufacturing machines can be limited in part size, part manufacturing cost, resolution of part details, and part manufacturing throughput.

Long and high resolution structures formed by additive manufacturing techniques


A sacrificial fabric structure is disclosed for protection from the moving chain in chain saws. The structure includes fabric woven in a loose satin weave.

This invention relates to sacrificial fabrics for protection from the hazards of the moving chain in chain saws. It has long been known to use special fabrics in garments to provide protection from chain saws.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,956, issued Jul. 21, 1981 on the application of Bartels discloses protective pads of a multitude of layers of nylon fabric. The nylon is woven in plain weave or 1/2 twill weave. Each layer is made using interwoven strips which are torn with more difficulty from the pad structure than when the layers are not interwoven.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,683, issued Mar. 7, 1995 on the application of Bledsoe et al. discloses a protective pad made from so-called hybrid fabric layers including knitted fibers of several kinds.
European Patent Application Publication No. 202,183, published Nov. 20, 1986, discloses chain saw protection in a construction of several fabric layers wherein the fabric is loosely woven from aramid yarns and the several layers are loosely stitched together to afford entire breakaway layers to stop the chain. The fabric weave is disclosed to be linen-type (plain).


The present invention includes a guidewire device capable of delivering perfusion fluids to a vascular site while at the same time exhibiting handling characteristics associated with existing non-perfusion guidewires. Preferred embodiments include a perfusion guidewire which closely matches the dimensions and physical characteristics of standard guidewires. Preferred embodiments also permit high pressure perfusion of supersaturated solutions, and include a liquid flow path which will not promote bubble generation or growth, or destabilize a supersaturated solution.

Various medical procedures require fluids to be delivered to specific locations within the body, typically via a fluid delivery catheter. A narrow steerable guidewire is often used to maneuver through narrow, tortuous, and/or branching body passageways. After the guidewire has been directed to the desired location, a fluid delivery catheter may be inserted over the guidewire. The guidewire is usually removed before fluid delivery begins. Guidewires which are themselves capable of fluid delivery (such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,508) are also known in the art.
During balloon angioplasty procedures, a catheter equipped with a small balloon is inserted (usually over a guidewire) into an artery that has been narrowed, typically by the accumulation of fatty deposits. The balloon is then inflated to clear the blockage or lesion and widen the artery. Upon balloon inflation, blood flow distal to (i.e., "downstream" from) the inflated balloon may be almost completely stopped.
Myocardial ischemia (i.e., a reduction in blood perfusion to the heart muscle) occurs transiently in the majority of patients undergoing coronary angioplasty procedures, such as balloon angioplasty, directional atherectomy, rotational atherectomy, and stent deployment. The permissible duration of occlusion due to balloon inflation or other device deployment is normally determined by the severity of myocardial ischemia. Typically, evidence of severe ischemia (including patient chest pain and ECG changes) requires that the operator deflate the balloon or remove the occlusive device after approximately 60 to 120 seconds. For anatomically difficult lesions, such as type B and C lesions, longer periods of balloon inflation (or other device deployment) are frequently desirable for the first balloon inflation or other device deployment.
Autoperfusion balloon catheters, and catheters of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,508, can in some circumstances allow longer periods of balloon inflation. However, the blood (or other physiologic liquid) flow through such devices is frequently insufficient to provide an adequate oxygen supply to tissues distal to the angioplasty balloon or other occlusive device.
Recent advances in the generation and application of oxygen supersaturated solutions have made it possible to deliver greater amounts of oxygen to tissues distal to an angioplasty balloon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,426, and pending application Ser. Nos. 08/273,652, filed Jul. 12, 1994, entitled "Method for Delivering a Gas-Supersaturated Fluid to a Gas-Depleted Site and Use Thereof"; 08/353,137, filed Dec. 9, 1994, entitled "Apparatus and Method of Delivery of Gas-Supersaturated Liquids"; 08/453,660, filed May 30, 1995, entitled "Method for Delivering a Gas-Supersaturated fluid to a Gas-Depleted Site and Use Thereof"; 08/465,425, filed Jun. 5, 1995, entitled "Method for Delivery of Gas-Supersaturated Liquids"; 08/484,279, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled "Apparatus and Method of Delivery of Oxygen-Supersaturated Physiologic Solutions During Clinical Procedures"; and 08/484,284, filed Jun. 7, 1995, entitled "High Pressure Gas Exchanger", which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose various methods for the generation and application of oxygen supersaturated liquids.
As is described in the above referenced patent applications, the generation, transport and delivery of oxygen supersaturated liquid may require the application of very high hydrostatic pressures. Accordingly, there remains a need for a high pressure fluid delivery device capable of infusing bubble-free fluid, which is supersaturated with oxygen, to vessels or ducts through and beyond the central lumen of a balloon angioplasty catheter or similarly occlusive device. There remains a further need for a quick connect/disconnect assembly which can withstand high pressures that may be experienced in delivering such oxygen supersaturated liquids from a fluid reservoir to a suitable fluid delivery device, and which can minimize the time required for the initiation or termination of oxygen supersaturated liquid perfusion.


A semiconductor memory comprises a memory cell, a pair of reference cells for use in generation of a reference electric potential, a first read circuit which compares a read electric potential obtained from the memory cell with the reference electric potential and determines data in the memory cell, a second read circuit which detects a state of the pair of reference cells and outputs a detection signal indicating the state of the pair of reference cells, and a control circuit which controls a write operation for the pair of reference cells based on the detection signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory for use as a magnetic random access memory utilizing the tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) effect which uses a toggle write system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to practically use a magnetic random access memory, it is necessary to restrict a TMR effect between MTJ (magnetic tunnel junction) elements and to eliminate disturbance during a write operation.
As one technique for achieving this, a toggle write system has been noticed (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,906, for example). In this write system, there is used an MTJ element, wherein a free layer is composed of two ferromagnetic layers which are weakly exchange-coupled with each other. In addition, an axial direction for facilitating magnetization of the MTJ elements is set in a direction which is different from a direction in which two write lines orthogonal to each other extend.
A write operation is always carried out by feeding a write current in a predetermined direction to the two write lines whatever a data value may be.
In the toggle write system, a data value changes every time one write operation is carried out for an MTJ element targeted for a write operation.
Therefore, in this system, before carrying out a write operation, it is necessary to read data on an MTJ element targeted for a write operation and grasp a state of that MTJ element.
Namely, in the case where write data is identical to data in the MTJ element targeted for a write operation, there is no need for carrying out a write operation. Only when the present data differ from the write data, only one write operation is carried out.
In a read operation, in general, a read electric potential obtained by an MTJ element targeted for a read operation is compared with a reference electric potential, and a data value is determined.
This reference electric potential is generated from a reference cell (MTJ element) for storing data "1" and a reference cell (MTJ element) for storing data "0".
For example, these two reference cells are connected in parallel, and an intermediate electric potential between a read electric potential obtained by the cell for storing data "1" and a read electric potential obtained by the cell for storing data "0" are defined as a reference electric potential.
However, in a magnetic random access memory using a toggle write system, in the case of generating the reference cell for storing data "1" and the reference cell for storing data "0", it is necessary to discuss a method for setting a data value in response to each of these reference cells.
This is because the state of the MTJ element of the magnetic random access memory using the toggle write system depends on the state of the MTJ element before a write operation, and the state of the MTJ element cannot be determined only by a write operation, whereas, for example, in die sort testing before shipment, the states of the reference cells are different depending on cells.
Moreover, it is impossible to control the magnetization direction of the MTJ element in the way of fabrication because of an exchange coupling.
Therefore, in setting the data value in response to the reference cell, for example, all the reference cells connected to one of a pair of reference cell bit lines must be reliably set to "1", and all the reference cells connected to the other must be reliably set to "0".
However, if a large amount of time and troubles is required to provide these settings, it causes high manufacturing cost and is inconvenient.
Hence, with respect to a semiconductor memory in which the state of the memory cell (for example, MTJ element) cannot be determined by carrying out a write operation as long as a read operation is not carried out in advance, if there exists a sequence for automatically providing setting of a data value in response to a reference cell, the existence of the sequence is very effective in reduction of the manufacturing cost.


There are provided a multi-point conference system and a multi-point conference device capable of using an SIP terminal as a conference terminal and clearly and smoothly performing speaker switching without requesting a conference terminal to transmit an intra frame when a speaker is detected. The multi-point connection device includes an image processing unit for accumulating in a memory (13), image data from the conference terminal participating in the conference, and decoding the image data on the speaker accumulated in the memory (13) and re-encoding the decoded image upon detection of a speaker in a medium processing unit (15). Upon switching of a speaker, the image processing unit re-encodes the first image as an intra frame and transmits the image data to conference terminals other than that of the speaker, so that the conference terminals other than that of the speaker can perform decoding from the intra frame, thereby clearly and smoothly performing the speaker switching.

In conventional multi-point conference systems, one of the following methods is used as a method for detecting a speaker from a plurality of conference terminals:
(1) a multi-point conference device detects the speaker;
(2) a conference terminal notifies the multi-point conference device that the conference terminal is a speaker.
In the both methods described above, if the multi-point conference device identifies a new speaker and directly switches to a new speaker, there may happen such a case where switching of a speaker is done in the middle of an inter frame (an inter frame coded frame). As a result, conference terminals except for the speaker cannot perform the switching of a speaker smoothly until they receive an intra frame (an intra-frame coded frame).
Therefore, in order to switch the image of a speaker, a terminal which is a speaker is requested to transmit or re-transmit an intra frame.
As an example of a conventional multi-point conference system, reference will be made to the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 where a conference terminal notifies the multi-point conference device that the conference terminal will become a speaker. This system has a configuration comprising a plurality of conference terminals arranged at multiple points and a multi-point communication control unit (multi-point conference device). The conventional multi-point conference system operates as follows.
(A1) When a multi-point conference device is requested from an optional conference terminal to perform speaker switching, the multi-point conference device requests the conference terminal that has requested the speaker switching to transmit or retransmit an intra frame and the other conference terminals participating in the conference to freeze images currently displayed by respective conference terminals until the reception of an intra frame transmitted by the multi-point conference device.
(A2) Receiving the request to transmit an intra frame from the multi-point conference device, the conference terminal transmits an intra frame to the multi-point conference device. Meanwhile, the conference terminals that have received the request to freeze images from the multi-point conference device freeze currently displayed image until they receive the intra frame.
(A3) The multi-point conference device, on receipt of the intra frame from the speaker terminal, transmits an intra frame to the other conference terminals. The conference terminals except for the speaker, on receipt of the intra frame, release freeze and switch respective images using an intra frame.
As described above, in the conventional multi-point conference system, the multi-point conference device is able to perform speaker switching by sending to a conference terminal which will become a speaker an intra frame transmission request and making the speaker conference terminal transmit an intra frame to the multi-point conference device.
Further, in publications relating to multi-point conference systems, for instance a multi-point control unit detecting a picture header of video data from multiplexed data from each video-conference terminal, extracting only intra frame video data subjected to intra-frame coding and synthesizing the extracted intra frame video data is disclosed in Patent Document 2 (discussed later). Further, a multi-point video-meeting control system capable of switching video data and audio data without causing a sense of incongruity is disclosed in Patent Document 3 (discussed later). In Patent Document 3, a structure in which intra frame data is detected from video data, intra frame detection information is generated, and switching to the video data of the terminal selected as the speaker is performed according to the generated intra frame detection information is disclosed. Further, in Patent Document 4 (discussed later), a multi-point communication system where the current speaker is accurately identified is disclosed.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-02-274084 (p. 3, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2001-69474A (p. 3, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2002-176503A (p. 3, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 4]
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A08-331535 (pp. 2-3, FIG. 1)

Multi-point conference system and multi-point conference device


A computer storing a print control program, the program, and a recording medium containing the program according to the present invention control access from the computer to a printer in the kernel mode.

There are occasions where an operation such as document preparation or image processing is executed by software operating on a computer, and the operation result or a file already stored in a storage medium of the computer is sent to an external printer to perform printing. Printing from the software to the printer is performed through services provided by an OS (Operating System) and a printer driver that controls the printer connected to the computer and via a printer port.
[Outline of Computer]
A computer comprises many hardware resources such as a central processing unit (CPU), storage devices (a memory, a hard disk, etc.), input devices (a keyboard, a mouse, etc.), output devices (a display, etc.), and card slots for connecting to peripheral devices (a printer, a scanner, etc.). These hardware devices operate under the control of an OS stored in a storage device.
Various application programs used in the computer run under the OS. The OS provides basic functions used mutually by many application programs, e.g. input/output functions such as keyboard entry and screen output, and management of a disk and memory, and controls the whole system of the computer.
The hardware devices of the computer and peripheral devices are produced by a plurality of manufacturers, and the specifications thereof may differ among manufacturers. The OS controls all the operations of the computer and absorbs differences in specifications of different hardware devices to provide an environment common to application programs.
Developers of application programs can save the time and labor for development and unify the operability of the application programs by making use of functions provided by the OS. An application program developed for use with a certain OS can basically be used in any computer in which the OS can run.
There are a large number of different kinds of OS, represented by MS-DOS (registered trademark), UNIX (registered trademark), Linux, FreeBSD (registered trademark), etc. Among them, Windows (registered trademark) series available from Microsoft is the most popular OS for use by corporations and general home users. Mac OS (registered trademark) available from Apple is widely used in the DTP industry and the multimedia industry. Servers of corporations and scientific institutions often use UNIX (registered trademark)-based OS's developed by various companies and UNIX (registered trademark)-based OS's such as Linux and FreeBSD (registered trademark), which are distributed without charge. In recent years, Windows NT (registered trademark) and Windows 2000 (registered trademark) available from Microsoft have been increasing the share of the market as OS's for servers.
[Outline of Printer Driver]
FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of a printer driver of Windows 2000, which is a typical OS, and the related services, and outlines the operation thereof. A computer 1 operates under an OS 3. When an application program 4 running on the OS 3 outputs to a printer 69, complicated processing is executed.
The OS 3 has two operating modes, i.e. a kernel mode 8 and a user mode 9. In the kernel mode 8, all instructions for operating the OS 3 are executable. If an erroneous instruction is executed, there may be an adverse effect on the whole system. The user mode 9 is completely open to the user to run an application program, etc.
In the user mode 9, instructions for operating the OS 3 are limited so that an adverse effect is not exerted on the system. Because execution of instructions that may have an adverse effect on the system is limited, an environment easy for the user to use is provided. The OS provides many system functions to operate the computer. System functions automatically activated when the OS is started or modules for implementing the functions are referred to as "services".
FIG. 11 shows services, such as a GDI32 (61), a GRE (GDI Rendering Engine) 62, a printer graphic driver 63, a printer interface driver 64, a spooler 65, a language monitor 66, and a port monitor 67. FIG. 11 further shows a printer device driver 68 for controlling the printer 69.
These services operate in either the kernel mode 8 or the user mode 9. The printer device driver 68 operates in the kernel mode 8. The GDI32 (61) is an abbreviation for "Graphic Device Interface" for 32-bit systems, which is a service providing an interface that is concerned with output to a device, such as plotting, device context, metafile, coordinates, font, etc.
The GRE 62 is a service for generating data for printing. Regarding inherent functions of the printer 69, e.g. the model or type thereof, the GRE 62 calls the printer graphic driver 63 to generate data for printing. The printer graphic driver 63 operates in the kernel mode 8 to generate data for printing. The printer graphic driver 63 generates RAW data (described later).
The printer interface driver 64 generates data for printing in the user mode 9. The printer interface driver 64 provides the function of making various settings regarding printing, e.g. a number of copies to be printed, a type of paper used, and black-and-white/color printing setting.
The spooler 65 is a service for temporarily storing data for printing in a storage medium and for managing output to the printer 69. The language monitor 66 provides a service for converting data for printing from the spooler 65 to printable data. Further, the language monitor 66 provides a service for interpreting information from the printer 69. For example, the language monitor 66 provides information concerning the printer 69, e.g. a paper jam, or a toner-out condition, to a higher-order service and the user. The port monitor 67 controls and monitors a port used for printing.
The printer device driver 68 controls the printer 69 directly. The printer interface driver 64, the GRE 62 and the language monitor 66 provide standard functions provided by the OS 3. However, the printer 69 has unique functions depending on the model or type thereof. These unique functions are supported by a driver program, e.g. a mini-driver, supplied by the manufacturer.
The printer interface driver 64 provides the above-described unique functions that call the mini-driver. The printer graphic driver 63 is mostly provided by the manufacturer supplying the printer 69. The printer graphic driver 63 can provide functions unique to the printer 69. The language monitor 66 is generally different for each model or type of the printer 69 and supplied by the manufacturer.
Data for printing is temporarily stored in a storage medium, e.g. a memory or a hard disk, (this is called "spooling"). When the printer 69 is ready to process it, or when there is a request from the printer 69, the stored print data is sent to the printer 69 to print it. This operation is executed by the spooler 65. In Windows, two formats, i.e. EMF (Enhanced Metafile Format), and RAW, are used for data for spooling that is passed to the spooler 65.
EMF is a format for printers developed for use in 32-bit Windows systems. EMF data can be generated by an application program or the like. However, printers that can receive and print EMF data are limited to those compatible with EMF. A printer that is not compatible with EMF needs to convert EMF data to RAW data to print it. RAW data depends on the model of printer 69. Therefore, RAW data is generated by a driver corresponding to each individual printer 69.
[Flow of Printing]
The following is an outline of the flow of print data when printing is performed from the application program 4 to the printer 69. The application program 4 sends a print request to the GDI32 (61). The print request and output data from the application program 4 are transmitted to the GDI32 (61) operating in the user mode of the OS 3. If the format of the data is EMF, the GDI32 (61) sends the data to the spooler 65 as data for spooling.
If the format of the data is not EMF, the GDI32 (61) passes the data to the GRE 62. The GRE 62 calls the printer graphic driver 63 to generate data for spooling from the data. The generated data for spooling is sent to the printer interface driver 64. The printer interface driver 64 makes various settings for printing and passes the data to the spooler 65.
The spooler 65 spools the data to create a temporary file and stores it in the hard disk. The spooler 65 reads the temporary file and passes the data to the language monitor 66. The language monitor 66 generates printable print data suitable for the printer 69. The print data is transmitted to the printer device driver 68 through the port monitor 67.
The procedure of printing to the printer 69 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 12. The application program 4 sends a print request to the GDI32 (61) (S300) and transmits data to be printed thereto. The GDI32 (61) receives the print request and data (S301) and analyzes the data (S302). Then, the GDI32 (61) judges the format of the data (S303). If the data format is EMF (if "Yes" is the answer), the GDI32 (61) sends the data to the spooler 65 as data for spooling (S315→S316).
If the data format is not EMF (if "No" is the answer), the GDI32 (61) passes the data to the GRE 62 (S304). The GRE 62 receives the data (S305), calls the printer graphic driver 63, and passes the data thereto (S306). The printer graphic driver 63 receives the data (S307) and generates data for spooling (S308). The printer graphic driver 63 passes the generated data for spooling to the GRE 62 (S309). The GRE 62 receives the data for spooling (S310) and sends it to the printer interface driver 64 (S311).
The printer interface driver 64 receives the data for spooling (S312), makes various settings for printing (S313), and transmits the data to the spooler 65 (S314→S316). The spooler 65 receives the data for spooling (S316), spools the data to create a temporary file (S317), and stores it in the hard disk (S318). The temporary file is read by the spooler 65 and passed to the language monitor 66 (S319). The language monitor 66 generates data for printing from the temporary file (S320) and sends it to the port monitor 67 (S321).
The port monitor 67 receives the data for printing (S322) and sends it to the printer device driver 68 (S323). The printer device driver 68 finally transmits the data for printing to the printer 69 (S324). Thus, the data requested to be printed from the application program 4 is printed. While being transmitted to the printer device driver 68, the spooled data is under supervision of the language monitor 66 and the port monitor 67.
International Publication No. WO 02/091195 discloses a common interface that operates in the kernel mode to perform transmission and reception of data between device drivers of a computer. The proposed common interface is not concerned with a technique whereby a print history is obtained to manage and limit the user's print operation for the purpose of security and so forth.
Meanwhile, it is important to manage the operation of printing from a computer to a printer and also the data to be printed from the viewpoint of security, i.e. protection of private information, and management of secret data. Accordingly, there are occasions where it is necessary to obtain a print history and to limit the user's print operation. It is sometimes desirable to perform print control when a specific file is to be printed, for example, by suspending the print operation, or printing fake data in place of the actual print data.
However, it is difficult to perform such print control with an OS used in a computer. Print data is sent to a printer through a plurality of services and device drivers of the OS that operate in the user or kernel mode and through a series of complicated operations thereof. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately control print data under print control. Controlling a driver operating in the kernel mode may cause an unstable operation of the OS. Therefore, the conventional print control system does not perform such control.

Computer containing a print control program, the program, and program recording medium

Abstract: When access is made from an application program (4) to a printer (69), a spooler (65) operates. An access request is detected in response to an event occurring when the spooler (65) operates. A common interface driver (7) controls data output to the printer (69) at a filter (41) or the spooler (65) according to a control condition previously registered in a control condition database (36).


A drive device (1) for machine auxiliary units (K, L, S/G) for transmitting a machine drive force from a machine (VM) to the machine auxiliary units by a belt. At least one machine auxiliary unit is provided as an electrical machine (S/G) that has either a poly-V-belt pulley to be driven by a poly-V-belt or a toothed belt pulley to be driven by a toothed belt. The belt has a toothed side (R1) and a poly-V side (R2) opposite one another, wherein a machine belt pulley is designed to drive the toothed side of the belt for transmitting the machine drive force, if the electrical machine has a poly-V-belt pulley, or is designed as a poly-V-belt pulley if the electrical machine has a toothed belt pulley.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drive device for machine auxiliary units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Machines, such as the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, usually have various associated machine auxiliary units, such as a generator for generating power, an air-conditioning unit, a power steering unit, a water pump etc. The internal combustion engine or other such machine typically employs a belt to drive the machine auxiliary units. More particularly, the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine has a belt pulley for driving the belt and the belt is coupled mechanically to belt pulleys of the machine auxiliary units. Therefore, the machine auxiliary units are rotated simultaneously and are driven by the belt as the internal combustion engine rotates.
The use of a belt to transmit a high torque from the machine to the machine auxiliary units can be difficult. A wider belt can be used to transmit a higher torque. However, a wider belt requires a corresponding amount of installation space to be available. The belt tension also can be increased to transmit the higher torque, but the higher tension subjects the bearings to higher loads. Interlocking belts, such as toothed belts, can be used, but are particularly disadvantageous if the coupled machine auxiliary unit is an electrical machine or a generator. More particularly, the high degree of inertia of the generator can subject the belt to a high level of loading due to rotary vibrations of the machine. This problem is particularly likely if the machine is an internal combustion engine that has a crankshaft to drive the belt.
DE 102 00 686 discloses using a poly-V-belt with corresponding belt pulleys for driving the machine auxiliary units by the crankshaft.
DE 1 107 033 discloses a combined V- and toothed belt. However, DE 1 107 033 explains only that the V-belt is suitable for transmitting considerable forces, whereas the toothed belt is provided to transmit precise control movements.
The object of the invention is to provide an alternative drive device for machine auxiliary units, of which at least one is an electrical machine.

Drive device for at least one machine auxiliary unit

Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


Various embodiments of the present invention disclose A method and an apparatus for an ultrasound diagnosis based on an electronic device. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the electronic device includes: a display; a camera; a first communication circuit for probe connection; a second communication circuit for communication with at least one external device; and a processor electrically connected with the display, the camera, the first communication circuit, and the second communication circuit, wherein the processor can be configured to detect an ultrasonic diagnosis mode, execute the ultrasonic diagnosis mode and establish communication with the external device in response to the detection of the ultrasonic diagnosis mode, acquire data in the ultrasonic diagnosis mode, display the data on the display and transmit the data streaming to the external device using the second communication circuit, and provide an control guide for the probe in response to reception of control information from the external device. Various embodiments are possible.

An ultrasound image diagnosis device may radiate an ultrasound signal generated from a transducer of a probe from a body surface of a target to a desired part within the body and acquire an image of the corresponding part inside the target based on information of the ultrasound signal (for example, an ultrasound echo signal) reflected from the target. For example, the ultrasound image diagnosis device may be used for the purpose of observing the inside of the target, detecting foreign materials, and assessing injuries. The ultrasonic image diagnosis device has advantages in that it is more stable than a diagnosis device using an X-ray, can display an image in real time, and it generates no radiation exposure, so that it has been widely used together with other image diagnosis devices.
In general, the ultrasound image diagnosis device includes a control panel through which a user controls the ultrasound image diagnosis device. The control panel includes a touch screen for displaying a menu for optimizing an ultrasound image displayed on a display device and providing a function of selecting the displayed menu, a track ball for moving a cursor displayed on a screen of a display unit and providing a function of searching for an image from a cine image, and a keyboard for inputting text and providing a short-cut function according to a measurement mode, and is mounted to an ultrasound diagnosis system to be movable in upward, downward, leftward, and rightward directions according to a location of a patient.

Electronic device and operation method thereof