Apparatus and method for mixing a fluid dispersion disposed in a container. The apparatus includes a table upon which the container may be disposed. A clamp assembly is disposed above the table so as to define a holding space therebetween. The clamp assembly is movable between an uppermost position and a lowermost position, wherein when the clamp assembly is in the uppermost position, the holding space has a maximum height and when the clamp assembly is in the lowermost position, the holding space has a minimum height. At least one blocking structure is disposed between the table and the clamp assembly to limit the downward movement of the clamp assembly and thereby establish the lowermost position of the clamp assembly, wherein the blocking structure is positioned to provide that the minimum height of the holding space is at least 30% of the maximum height of the holding space.

The present invention relates to the mixing of fluid dispersions and more specifically to apparatus and methods for mixing paint disposed in a container.
As is well known, solids in fluid dispersions, such as paint, tend to settle in a downward direction through the force of gravity. Fluid dispersions disposed in containers for commercial sale are typically mixed in the containers before they are used by the purchasers. Many fluid dispersions can be facilely mixed in a container by manually shaking the container. Other fluid dispersions, however, such as paint, are more difficult to manually mix in a container and, thus, are often mixed in the container using a machine that shakes, rotates, vibrates or otherwise moves the container.
A variety of different types of mixing machines are known for mixing fluid dispersions disposed in containers. One type of known mixing machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,689 to Ahrenskou-Sorensen, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This type of mixing machine comprises a table having a support surface upon which a container may be placed. A clamping member is movably mounted above the table for clamping the container to the table. A first electric motor is operable to vertically move the clamping member toward and away from the table. The amount of pressure applied by the clamping member to the container is monitored by measuring the current drawn by the first electric motor. When the current drawn by the first electric motor exceeds a certain upper level corresponding to a maximum amount of force, electric power to the first electric motor is either cut off or limited to the upper current level. In this manner, the force applied to the container does not exceed the maximum amount.
When the container is firmly clamped to the table, a second electric motor is operable to vibrate the table and the clamping member to mix the fluid dispersion in the container.
The foregoing type of mixing machine can hold different sized containers, such as a 5 gallon paint container or a 1 gallon paint container. In addition, the mixing machine can hold a plurality of 1 gallon containers, such as a case of 1 gallon containers. Regardless of the type of container or number of containers placed on the table, the clamping member applies the same maximum amount of force to the container(s). Typically, the maximum amount of force is based on the amount of force required to securely hold a 5 gallon container of paint during shaking, which is usually around 900 ft-lbs or more of force. Unfortunately, this amount of force can crush a smaller container that is not as structually strong as a 5 gallon container. For example, the mixing machine will often crush a single 1 gallon container of conventional steel construction if the container has been dented or otherwise damaged. Moreover, the mixing machine would crush a container having an unconventional plastic construction, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Publication No. US2001/0025865A1 to Bravo et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,620 to Hellenberg discloses an improved mixing machine that addresses the foregoing deficiency of the mixing machine of U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,689. This improved mixing machine has an opto-coupler or shaft encoder for determining the absolute vertical position of the clamping member. The opto-coupler or shaft encoder is connected to a sophisticated control system, which utilizes the position of the clamping member to change the maximum amount of force to be applied by the clamping member. The control system stores a first maximum force, such as for a 5 gallon container and a second maximum force, such as for a 1 gallon container, which is less than the first maximum force. Initially, the control system will limit the force applied by the clamping member to the first maximum amount of force. If, however, the clamping member travels below the height of a standard 5 gallon container without experiencing resistance, the control system determines that a 1 gallon container or other type of small container is present in the mixing machine. In response, the control system will limit the force applied by the clamping member to the second maximum amount of force.
Although the mixing machine of U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,620 solves the force problem for a conventional 1 gallon steel container, it does not solve the force problem for a container having an unconventional plastic construction, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Publication No. US2001/0025865A1 to Bravo et al.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved apparatus and method for mixing fluid dispersions disposed in containers having different sizes and constructions. The present invention is directed to such an apparatus and method.

Apparatus and method for mixing fluid dispersions disposed in containers of different sizes and construction


A device including a rod having an end portion and a hooked portion is presented. The end portion and the hooked portion are located at opposite ends of the rod. A support is connected to the rod. The support includes a many rod guides. The hooked portion is adapted to string filamentous material through at least one bead that has a thru-hole.

1. Field
The embodiments relate to an improved beading tool and method for stringing beads on hair, string, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art beading tools all have long and narrow exposed hooks or loops, or long narrow tubes with enclosed short hooks of various configurations that fit in the holes of a row of beads. Hair or string is placed in the hook or loop, and the beads are pushed off the hook or loop by hand onto the hair or string, with the folded over hair or string being held by the hook or loop as the beads slide over it, thus stringing the beads. Such an action is slow, and the fragile nature of the exposed long narrow construction necessary to pass through the bead holes makes it unsafe for children. The lengthy size of these tools is somewhat unwieldy, especially for a child, and gives them a flimsy appearance.


A filter setting and sealing apparatus includes a wobble plate mounted to press a filter edge into a plane defined by the top rim of a brew cup. A sealer defined by expandable sealer jaws is moveable into the filter. The jaws are actuated for radial outward expansion to seal the filter to the cup proximate the filter rim and cup edge. A second sealer is used to seal any gaps remaining in the seal after initial sealing. Methods are disclosed.

More particularly, liquid coffee is dispensed from coffee makers or vending devices by the preparatory use of coffee grounds or media containing brew cups having a filter therein.
In the past, cup-shaped fluted surface filters are placed into a brew cup, dividing the cup into two chambers, one holding the media for preparing the beverage and one receiving the liquid beverage resulting from passage of a liquid through the media and the filter. In one instance, for example, the media is coffee (typically in powdered or ground form) and the beverage produced is liquid coffee. A pierceable top is sealed over the filter and media. Not water is injected through the pierced top, into the media. Liquid passing through the media flows through the filter and into the lower chamber, producing a beverage which, in the coffee vending or making application, is transferred to an appropriate container for consumption.
Consistent manufacture and assembly of the filters, tops and media in the brew cups is desired, with numerous prior devices having been created to accomplish this task.
Related application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/766,369, filed Jun. 21, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes improved methods and apparatus related to the transfer of filters to and into brew cups. That application is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
This current application is directed to accurate placement of cup-shaped filters into respective brew cups and to the further securement or sealing of the filters to the respective brew cups.
In this regard, the assembly of the filter to the cup should be consistently accomplished over many cycles so that the combination of each brew cup, filter and media in each unit is without aberration or deviation and can be effectively used in brewing, dispensing and beverage handling systems.
Currently, it is known that filters are positioned and welded to the cups in a single "push-down" motion. Filters must be placed with the top of the filter set accurately to a specified dimension above the top of the cup. Any variation in location of the filter above the cup prior to welding can result in a failed weld. The prior welding head, including a plastic sealing cone, is used to push the filter to a hopefully proper level in the cup by means of the heated sealing cone. The heated sealing cone both positions and welds the filter by pressing down toward the cup as it seats or places the filter therein. Any misalignment between the welding head and filter causes one side of the filter to be pushed lower than the rest. If one side of the filter is pushed lower than the rest of the filter, a failed seal may result. Thus, the welding head must be precisely located by using a system of linear rails, allowing the head to float. Pins attached to the head center the head by locating the head carrier plate as the head is lowered.
Accordingly, such prior systems require equipment providing significant precision alignment and guide apparatus. Given the relative flimsy nature of the filter material, consistent control over and placement of the filter during final placement and welding is difficult with these prior systems and material factors. Aberrations such as failed or incomplete seals allow media spills and inconsistent handling at the beverage making or dispensing machine. Liquid spills, inaccurate flow of liquids through inconsistent media volumes, and brew cup jams or other malfunctions can occur.
It has thus been one objective of the invention to provide improved apparatus and methods for accurately placing filters into brew cups and for sealing the filters to those cups.
Another objective of the invention has been to provide improved filter to cup sealing apparatus and methods.
Another objective of the invention has been to provide apparatus and methods for sealing filters to brew cups, yet without the vagaries of, or aberrations in, seal creation produced by prior systems such as prior welding heads, sealing and pusher cones and the like.

Apparatus and methods for placing and attaching formed filters into brewing cups


There is disclosed a die 1 for forming a honeycomb structure comprises: a plate-like die substrate 2 having at least two surfaces 8, 9, in which back holes 3 for introducing a green material are formed in one surface 8, and slits 4 communicating with back holes 3 are formed in the other surface 9; an underlayer 5 disposed on the substrate 2 so as to coat at least a part of a portion constituting the back hole 3 and the slit 4; an intermediate layer 6 disposed so as to coat at least a part of the underlayer 5 and constituted of tungsten carbide particles whose average particle diameter is 5 μm or less and containing W3C as a main component; and a surface layer 7 disposed so as to coat at least a part of the intermediate layer 6 and constituted of diamond and/or diamond-like carbon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a die for forming a honeycomb structure, and a method of manufacturing the die, and particularly relates to a die for forming a honeycomb structure, and a method of manufacturing the die in which wear resistance is superior and in which pressure resistance can be reduced to realize sophisticated formability.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of manufacturing a honeycomb structure of a ceramic, an extruding method has been heretofore broadly performed using a die (hereinafter referred to simply as the die in some case) for forming a honeycomb structure. The die comprises a die substrate having: a back hole for introducing clay (green material); and a clay extruding slit which communicates with the back hole and which is formed into a lattice form or the like. In this die, usually the back hole for introducing the clay is disposed in an opening having a large area in one surface (surface on a clay introduction side) of the die substrate. The clay extruding slit is disposed into the lattice form or the like having a small width corresponding to a partition wall thickness of the honeycomb structure in the surface on a formed article extrusion side opposite to the clay introduction side of the die substrate. Moreover, each back hole is usually disposed in a position where the latticed clay extruding slits intersect with each other, and the back hole communicates with the slit inside the die substrate. Therefore, the clay formed of a ceramic material or the like introduced from the back hole moves from a clay introducing hole having a comparatively large inner diameter into the clay extruding slit having a small slit width, and is extruded from the clay extruding slit to constitute a formed article having the honeycomb structure.
As this type of die for forming the honeycomb structure, for example, there has been disclosed a die for forming the honeycomb structure, in which a diamond film or a diamond-like carbon film is formed on the surface of the die substrate in order to enhance wear resistance (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-339068). There has been disclosed another die for forming the honeycomb structure, in which an underlayer, and a surface layer are formed in this order on the film substrate, and the surface layer is constituted of tungsten carbide particles containing a main component of W3C and having an average radius of 5 μm or less (see International Publication No. 03/039828).
However, in the die for forming the honeycomb structure, described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-339068, there has been a problem that the layer (underlayer), constituting the substrate of the diamond film or the diamond-like carbon film, has low smoothness, this underlayer has a large influence on the smoothness of the diamond film or the diamond-like carbon film formed on this underlayer, this lowers the smoothness of the surface of the die for forming the honeycomb structure, and formability is deteriorated. Especially, there has been a tendency that the formability drops with decrease of the thickness of a partition wall of the formed honeycomb structure. In the die for forming the honeycomb structure, described in International Publication No. 03/039828, pressure resistance is reduced, but further enhancement of the wear resistance has been expected with the thinning of the partition wall of the honeycomb structure to be manufactured.

Die for forming honeycomb structure, and method of manufacturing the same


A tunable etalon, driver circuit, a light receiving device, an I-V convertor circuit connected to the light receiving device, an amplifier circuit having a gain switching function, an AD convertor, a microprocessor, and a voltage setting memory having a gain table as data of gain of the amplifier circuit are provided, and preliminary measurement of a light reception voltage is performed based on a current detected by the light receiving device, and the gain of the amplifier circuit is adjusted to adjust the light reception voltage obtained by the preliminary measurement to a dynamic range of the AD convertor with reference to the gain table of the gain of the amplifier circuit with respect to the light reception voltage obtained by the preliminary measurement stored in the voltage setting memory.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical filter device.
2. Related Art
In related art, there has been a transmission wavelength tunable interference filter (hereinafter, referred to as "tunable etalon") disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-11-142752). The tunable etalon varies the wavelength to transmit by adjusting a gap between mirrors using an external force on opposed substrates, for example, an electrostatic actuator. In the transmittance characteristics of the tunable etalon for wavelengths, in wavelength bands divided at fixed intervals, transmittance is determined at each interval. The wavelength interval is determined depending on the value of an electrostatic force (voltage) applied to the tunable etalon. Therefore, to obtain spectrum data of colors of objects, it is necessary to obtain data while changing the voltage applied to the tunable etalon sequentially with respect to each wavelength interval.
FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of an optical filter device that measures a light reception voltage in a wavelength band using a tunable etalon in related art. In FIG. 9, a control arithmetic circuit 112 includes a microprocessor 111 and a voltage setting memory 110 that stores a V-λ table (voltage data table) 109. The level of the drive voltage of the tunable etalon is determined based on the voltage data of the V-λ table 109. The voltage setting memory 110 may be built in the microprocessor 111. The control arithmetic circuit 112 connects to a tunable etalon driver circuit 113, an amplifier circuit 107, and an AD converter 108.
A flow of measurement for one wavelength in an optical filter device in related art is as follows.
Measurement Procedures in Related Art
The tunable etalon driver circuit 113 outputs drive voltage data with respect to each wavelength to an electrostatic actuator of a tunable etalon 4 in response to the V-λ table 109 stored in the voltage setting memory 110 by a command from the control arithmetic circuit 112 (step 51).
A reflected light 2 or a transmitted light 3 from an object to be measured is transmitted through the tunable etalon 4 and enters a light receiving device 5 (step 52).
The light receiving device 5 is a current output device such as a photodiode, and the light is converted into a voltage (light reception voltage) in an I-V converter circuit 106 connected to the device (step 53).
The light reception voltage is amplified by the amplifier circuit 107 connected to the output of the I-V converter circuit (current-voltage converter circuit) 106 (step 54).
The amplified light reception voltage is converted from an analog signal into a digital signal by the AD converter 108 connected to the output of the amplifier circuit 107 (step 55).
The light reception voltage converted into the digital signal is measured by the microprocessor 111 (step 56).
In the case where the light reception voltage measured by the microprocessor 111 is larger than a reference voltage value, gain of the amplifier circuit 107 is lowered by a command from the control arithmetic circuit 112 so that the light reception voltage may be equal to or less than the reference voltage value, the measurement procedures step 52 to step 56 are repeatedly performed, and the measured light reception voltage value is updated (step 57).
However, there are two problems in light reception voltage measurement in the optical filter device using the tunable etalon in related art. The first problem is that the measurement time is longer. This is because the measurement procedures step 52 to step 56 are repeatedly performed until the voltage becomes equal to or less than the reference voltage value in the above described light reception voltage measurement. The second problem is that measurement accuracy becomes lower. This is because a system of raising the gain of the amplifier circuit when the measured light reception voltage is smaller is not incorporated, and, in the case where the voltage is significantly smaller than the dynamic range of the AD converter, the conversion error becomes larger at conversion from the analog signal into the digital signal.


Prism-coupling systems and methods for characterizing large depth-of-layer waveguides are disclosed. The systems and methods utilize a coupling prism having a coupling angle α having a maximum coupling angle αmax at which total internal reflection occurs. The prism angle α is in the range 0.81αmax≦α≦0.99αmax. This configuration causes the more spaced-apart lower-order mode lines to move closer together and the more tightly spaced higher-order mode lines to separate. The adjusted mode-line spacing allows for proper sampling at the detector of the otherwise tightly spaced mode lines. The mode-line spacings of the detected mode spectra are then corrected via post-processing. The corrected mode spectra are then processed to obtain at least one characteristic of the waveguide.

Prism-coupling techniques can be used to measure the spectrum of guided modes of a planar optical waveguide to characterize the waveguide properties, e.g., to measure the refractive index and stress profiles. This technique has been used to measure the stress and the depth-of-layer (DOL) of different ion-exchanged (IOX) glasses.
Certain types of IOX glasses are actual dual IOX (DIOX) glasses formed by first and second diffusions that give rise to a two-segment profile. The first segment is adjacent the surface and has a relatively steep slope, while the second segment extends deeper into the substrate but has a relatively shallow slope. Such DIOX profiles are formed in certain types of chemically strengthened glasses and anti-microbial glasses.
Such two-segment profiles result in a relatively large spacing between low-order modes, which have a relatively high effective index, and a very small spacing between high-order modes, which have a relatively low effective index. This difference in mode spacing is further enhanced when a conventional coupling prism, which has an output-side angle α of about 60°, is used. For such a coupling prism, angular sensitivity of exit rays is higher for the low-order modes than for the high-order modes. The spacing between modes is of interest since the modes are detected by a photodetector (i.e., a digital camera). The resolution of the measurement is defined by the number of photodetector pixels between adjacent modes.
By way of example, consider a typical refractive index profile of a DIOX glass formed using Ag+ (shallow) and K+ (deep) diffusions. The steep, shallow Ag+ IOX region can have an index variation of about 0.06 and a depth of about 3 μm from the glass surface. The shallower but deeper K+ IOX region can have a substantially smaller index variation of only about 0.01 and a depth of about 90 μm from the glass surface. The spacing between the lowest-order two (TE or TM) modes at the photodetector can be many hundreds of pixels, while the spacing between the highest-order two modes may be only a few pixels.
This distribution of the modes over the photodetector pixels is problematic when precise measurements of the deeper segment of the DIOX profile are sought because the high-order modes that travel in the deeper segment are under-sampled. If the DOL is large enough, it becomes impossible to adequately resolve the spectral lines of high-order modes, and as a result the DIOX profile cannot be precisely measured.
One option for obtaining the required measurement resolution is to have a larger photodetector with more pixels, which in some cases may also require a larger-aperture optical system. However, such photodetectors and larger-aperture optical systems add substantial cost and complexity to the measurement system.


A method for network initiated redial comprising the steps of receiving, at a network subsystem, from a first mobile device a request to establish a first call with a second mobile device at a time T0; notifying the first mobile device about an unsuccessful attempt of establishing the first call with the second mobile device; the method further comprises the step of registering, at the network subsystem, an unsuccessful first call attempt between the first mobile device and the second mobile device at a time T0; receiving, at a network subsystem, from the second mobile device a request to establish a second call with the first mobile device at a time T3; notifying the second mobile device about an unsuccessful attempt of establishing a second call with the first mobile device; registering, at the network subsystem, an unsuccessful second call attempt between the second mobile device and the first mobile device at a time T3; verifying whether there occurred a simultaneous or substantially simultaneous calls situation between the first call and the second call; establishing a network initiated call between the first mobile device and the second mobile device when there occurred a simultaneous or substantially simultaneous calls situation between the first call and the second call.

1. Field of the Invention
The object of the present invention is an apparatus and method for network initiated redial. The method finds its application in communication systems such as telephones, videoconferencing systems or the like wherein two users/mobile devices establish a communication channel between each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention concerns improving the ease of use with respect to redial operations when two persons/mobile devices are trying to connect to each other at the same or substantially the same time.
Such substantially simultaneous connection situation frequently occurs when, for example at least one mobile device looses access to the network, a client mobile device freezes and needs a reboot, a network error occurs during connection, a low battery condition occurs or similar, followed by an immediate simultaneous redial of both persons or mobile devices.
Another possible cause of a simultaneous dialing may occur when one person tries to call another who does not pick up the call. The caller retries while the recipient having noticed an unanswered call tries to call back simultaneously with the first person's redial.
Yet another plausible cause of a simultaneous dialing may occur when two persons or mobile devices try to call each other accidentally at the same time, for example at a set time of a meeting or at a time of frequent calls such as new year's eve.
Prior art patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 7,319,861 B2 entitled "Network initiated auto-redial" discloses network initiated auto redialing, which is based on an auto redial duration selected or entered by a calling party. An auto redial interval or retry rate may also be selected or entered by the calling party. If the calling party is unavailable when a connection is established with a called party, a message is played or sent to the called party explaining that the call is an auto redial call. The message may explain that the calling party is now unavailable. Additionally, the message may include identifying information regarding the calling party. For example, the message may include a directory number of the calling party.
This publication concerns a typical callback when busy. If a user has such service enabled and receives a busy signal, the network will try to redial the other party for a predefined period of time. Therefore it would not apply to a situation of substantially simultaneous dialing by both parties.
Typically such redial approach will takes longer to succeed because it does not take into account the state of the other party when attempting a redial operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,786 B1 discloses a method for redialing in telecommunication networks for a callback when the line is not busy. If a caller attempts a call to reach a called subscriber, but the subscriber initially does not answer the call, then a redial function is automatically performed by the telecommunication network in predetermined time intervals within a predetermined time window.
Another prior art patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,044 B2 entitled "Callback when not engaged by means of automated redialing in communication network" discloses a method of redialing in telecommunication networks for a call back when not engaged, whereby a caller carries out a call attempt to reach a callee, whereby the callee does not respond at first. According to the presented apparatus and method, the callee may be reached without the caller having to continually undertake a further call attempt, whereby a radialling is automatically carried out by the relevant exchange within a given time window at given time periods and a connection to the callee is established should the same respond.
This method concerns performing a redial for a callback when not busy in telecommunications networks, which operate independently of the used telecommunication network and the telecommunication mobile device. This, however does not address a situation when both users or mobile devices are engaged with dialing each other simultaneously or substantially simultaneously and none of them may succeed.
Taking into account the foregoing prior art, there is a need to design and implement an improved apparatus and method for network initiated redial especially applicable to situations of simultaneous or substantially simultaneous dialing by both parties/mobile devices.

Apparatus and method for network initiated redial


A parameter analysis method executable by a computer, the method includes training a model configured to output an index value relating to a characteristic of an optical signal, and changing the characteristic of the optical signal usable for training the model.

A digital coherent optical transmission technology is one of technologies that implement large-volume data transmission. According to a digital coherent optical transmission technology, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP) implemented in a transmitter and a receiver executes multi-level modulation processing such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and demodulation processing therefor.
For digital signal processing (DSP), many parameters which relate to multi-level modulation/demodulation processing and waveform equalization are set, for example. Accordingly, skilled knowledge and experiences relating to technologies of both an optical region and signal processing region of a digital coherent optical transmission technology may be required for appropriate communication settings in DSP.
In recent years, such a digital coherent optical transmission technology is employed by, as well as telecommunications carriers which provide communication services, data center carriers for implementing data center interconnect (DCI) and carriers in broadband businesses with information technology (IT) systems. For realizing inexpensive communication systems, carriers other than telecommunications carriers configure a network in many cases by employing optical fiber (so-called "dark fiber") not used by telecommunications carriers.
In those cases, a person with insufficient knowledge and experiences may engage in not only the signal processing region but also in the optical region in the digital coherent optical transmission technology by performing inappropriate communication settings, possibly resulting in degraded transmission quality. Against this issue, for example, Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2012-528491 describes an optical coherent receiver in which a filter factor for phase recovery is optimized.
However, combinations of parameters relating to DSP communication settings include many combinations of parameters correlated in optical signal transmission processing, and therefore it may be difficult in reality to apply the technology described in Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2012-528491 to all of the combinations. Accordingly, a mathematical equivalent behavior model for analyzing influences of parameters on transmission processing may be constructed through training using actual optical signals, and the model may be used to identify a parameter of a high importance in communication settings.
However, optical signals have characteristics depending on various conditions of optical components and electrical components in an optical transmitter/receiver and optical fiber, which means that the model may not be sufficiently trained in a realistic time period and that improving precision of the model may be difficult. This issue also exists in other optical signal transmission technologies, without limiting to the digital coherent optical transmission technology.
In view of these circumstances, it is desirable to provide a model training method, a parameter analysis method, and a parameter analysis apparatus, which may construct a mathematical model with high precision for analysis of influences of parameters in communication settings for optical signal transmission processing, and to provide a storage medium storing a parameter analysis program.


A display device including a plurality of source lines over a substrate, a plurality of gate lines over the substrate extending across the plurality of the source lines, and a plurality of pixels over the substrate arranged in a matrix array at intersections of the source lines and gate lines. The pixels comprise at least first and second thin film transistors, whereby one of a source or drain of the first thin film transistor is connected to one of the source lines, and a pixel electrode connected to a source or drain of the second thin film transistor, whereby the first and second thin film transistors are electrically connected in series between the pixel electrode and the one of the source lines. A portion of the one of the source lines covers at least a portion of the first thin film transistor so that (1) the source or drain of the thin film transistor which is connected to the one of the source lines and (2) at least a part of a channel of the first thin film transistor are light shielded while both of (1) the source or drain of the second thin film transistor which is connected to the pixel electrode and (2) a channel of the second thin film transistor, are not covered by any portion of the one of the source lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active matrix display construction and, more particularly, to a circuit and device structure for improving the quality of the image displayed on the viewing screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 2(A) schematically shows a conventional active matrix display. In this figure, the region 204 surrounded by the broken line is a display region. Thin-film transistors 201 (only one is shown) are arranged in rows and columns in this region 204. Conductive interconnects connected with the source electrodes of the thin-film transistors 201 are image signal lines or data signal lines 206. Conductive interconnects connected with the gate electrodes of the thin-film transistors 201 are gate-selecting signal lines 205 (only one is shown).
We now take notice of driver devices. The thin-film transistors 201 act to switch data, and drive a liquid-crystal cell 203. Auxiliary capacitors 202 (only one is shown) are used to reinforce the capacitance OF the liquid-crystal cell, and act to hold image data. The thin-film transistors 201 are employed to switch image data indicated by the voltage applied across the liquid-crystal material. Let VGS be the gate voltage of each thin-film transistor. Let ID be the drain current. The relation VGS -ID is shown in FIG. 3. In particular, if the gate voltage VGS is in the cutoff region of the thin-film transistor, the drain current ID is increased, and it is called OFF current.
In the case of an N-channel thin-film transistor, the OFF current flowing when the gate voltage VGS is biased negatively is stipulated by the current flowing through a PN junction formed between a P-type layer and an N-type layer. The P-type layer is induced in the surface of the thin-film semiconductor. The N-type layer is formed in the source and drain regions. Because numerous traps exist in the thin-film transistor, this PN junction is incomplete and so the junction tends to produce a leakage current. As the gate electrode is biased more negatively, the OFF current is increased, for the following reason. The concentration of carriers in the P-type layer formed in the surface of the thin-film semiconductor is increased, thus reducing the width of the energy barrier in the PN junction. As a result, the electric field is concentrated, so that the current leaking from the junction increases.
The OFF current produced in this way depends greatly on the source/drain voltage. For example, it is known that as the voltage applied between the source and drain of a thin-film transistor is increased, the OFF current is increased drastically. That is, the OFF current produced when a voltage of 10 V is applied is not merely twice as large as the OFF current produced when a voltage of 5 V is applied between the source and drain. Rather, the ratio of the former OFF current to the latter OFF current reaches 10 or even 100. This nonlinearlity also depends on the gate voltage. Generally, where the reverse bias applied to the gate electrode is large (in the case of an N-channel type, a large negative voltage), the ratio is large.
In an attempt to solve this problem, the multi-gate method has been proposed as described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 44195/1993 and 44196/1993. In this method, thin-film transistors are connected in series. This method is intended to reduce the OFF current of each individual thin-film transistor, by reducing the voltage applied between the source and drain of each thin-film transistor. For example, where two-thin-film transistors are connected in series as shown in FIG. 2(B), the voltage applied between the source and drain of each thin-film transistor is halved. This reduces the OFF current by a factor of 10 or even 100 because of the principle described above.
TFTS, source lines, and gate lines are formed in an active matrix circuit. These elements hinder transmission of light. Specifically, the ratio (aperture ratio) of the area of the region that can be used for image display to the whole area is small. Typically, the aperture ratio is 30 to 60%. Especially, in a backlit display device. comprising an active matrix circuit backlit with intense light, if the aperture ratio is small, a major portion of the incident light is absorbed by TFTs and by the liquid-crystal material and so these TFTs and liquid-crystal material get hot. As a result, their characteristics are deteriorated.
However, as the image displayed on a liquid crystal display is required to have stricter characteristics, it is more difficult to reduce the OFF current by a required amount by the aforementioned multi-gate method. In particular, if the number of the gate electrodes (or, the number of thin-film transistors) is increased to 3, 4, and 5, then the voltage applied between the source and drain of each TFT decreases to one-third, one-fourth, and one-fifth, respectively. In this way, the latter voltage does not decrease rapidly. Therefore, in order to reduce the voltage between the source and drain by a factor of 100, as many as 100 gates are needed. That is, in this method, the resulting advantage is most conspicuous where the number of gates is two. However, if more gates are provided, great advantages cannot be expected.
In view of the foregoing problems, the present invention has been made.
It is an object of the invention to provide a pixel circuit which reduces the voltage applied between the source and drain of each TFT (thin-film transistor) connected with a pixel electrode down to a level which is about less than one-tenth, preferably less than one-hundredth, of the level normally obtained, thus reducing the OFF current. This pixel circuit is characterized in that the number of TFTs used for the above-described object is reduced sufficiently. Preferably, the number of the TFTs is less than 5, more preferably 3.
It is another object of the invention to provide an active matrix display comprising TFTs which are prevented from being irradiated with light without lowering the aperture ratio.
The theory underlying the inventive concept is illustrated in FIG. 2(C), where TFTs (thin-film transistors) 221 and 222 are connected in series. A capacitor 223 is inserted between these TFTs 221 and 222 to lower the voltage produced between the source and drain of the TFT 222 especially located on the side of a pixel electrode. This reduces the OFF current of the TFT 222. The illustrated capacitor 224 is not always necessary. Rather, this capacitor 224 increases the burden-imposed during writing. Therefore, if the ratio of the capacitance of a pixel cell 225 to the capacitance 223 is appropriate, then it may be desired to dispense with the capacitor 224.
The operation is next described in detail. When a select signal is sent to a gate signal line 226, both TFTs 221 and 222 are turned ON. Depending on the signal on an image signal line 227, the capacitors 223, 224 and the pixel cell 225 are electrically charged. When they are fully charged, i.e., when a balanced state is obtained, the voltage applied to the source of the TFT 222 is substantially equal to the voltage applied to the drain of the TFT 222.
Under this condition, if the select signal is made to cease, both TFTs 221 and 222 are turned OFF. Then, a signal for other pixel is applied to the image signal line 227. The TFT 221 produces a finite amount of leakage current. Consequently, the electric charge stored in the capacitor 223 is released, so that the voltage drops but at a rate roughly equal to the rate at which the voltage developed across the capacitor 202 of the normal active matrix circuit shown in FIG. 2(A) drops.
On the other hand, with respect to the TFT 222, the voltage developed between the source and drain is initially almost zero. For this reason, the OFF current is quite weak. Then, the voltage developed across the capacitor 223 drops. Therefore, the voltage between the source and drain increases gradually. This, in turn, increases the OFF current. Obviously, increases in the OFF current lower the voltage developed across the pixel cell 225 sufficiently more mildly than in the case of the normal active matrix circuit shown in FIG. 2(A).
For example, it is assumed that the TFTs 201 and 221 have similar characteristics and that the voltage developed across the capacitor 202 changes from 10 V to 9, V or 90%, during one frame. In the case illustrated in FIG. 2(A), the voltage developed across the pixel cell 203 drops down to 9 V during one frame. However, in the case illustrated in FIG. 2(C), even if the voltage developed across the capacitor 223 drops to 9, V the OFF current is quite small because the voltage between the source and drain of the TFT 222 is 1 V. This holds true when one frame ends. Consequently, the accumulated amount of electric charge released from the pixel cell 225 and from the capacitor 224 is quite small. Hence, the voltage developed across the pixel cell 225 is substantially maintained at 10 V.
It is not easy to compare the case illustrated in FIG. 2(A) with the case illustrated in FIG. 2(B). In FIG. 2(B), the voltage applied between the source and drain of one TFT is half (or 5 V) of the voltage (10 V) applied in the case of FIG. 2(A). It is unlikely that the voltage between the source and drain is 1 V, unlike the case of TFT 222 shown in FIG. 2(C). This is one advantage of the present invention.
If LDD regions or offset regions are inserted in the channels of the TFTs 221 and 222, then these regions form drain resistors and source resistors, respectively. This mitigates the electric field strength at the drain junction. Obviously, this reduces the OFF current further.
If a combination of TFTs and capacitors is added as shown in FIG. 2(D), then greater effect can be produced. However, the rate at which the effect is increased is lower than in the case in which the configuration shown in FIG. 2(A) is replaced by the configuration shown in FIG. 2(C).
In the above-described structure, the capacitors 223 and 224 can be ordinary capacitors. If one or both of them are MOS capacitors, then integration can be accomplished more efficiently. As mentioned previously, the capacitor 224 is not always necessary. If a lightly doped region is formed between the TFTs 221 and 222 to form a circuit configuration in which a resistor is inserted in series, then the OFF current can be reduced further.
Each capacitor consists of a fixed capacitor comprising two opposite metal electrodes. Instead, each capacitor may consist of a MOS capacitor formed by laminating a gate-insulating film and a gate electrode on a substantially intrinsic semiconductor film. The MOS capacitor is characterized in that the capacitance is varied by the potential at the gate electrode.
In one example of the MOS capacitor, three or more TFTs are connected in series with each one pixel electrode. At least one of them excluding those of the series connected TFTs which are located at opposite ends is maintained in conduction and used as a capacitor. In another example, a MOS capacitor is connected to the junction of the drain of one of the TFTs connected in series and the source of the other TFT. A stable electrostatic capacitance is obtained by maintaining the gate electrode of the MOS capacitor at an appropriate potential.
The present invention is characterized in that source lines are formed so as to cover channels in TFTs. The TFTs can be the top gate type obtained by forming a thin-film semiconductor region, gate lines (gate electrodes), an interlayer insulator, and source lines in this order. Alternatively, the TFTs can be the bottom gate type obtained by forming gate lines (gate electrodes), a thin-film semiconductor region, an interlayer insulator, and source lines in this order. It is to be noted that an ordinary active matrix circuit using bottom gate TFTs has no interlayer insulator. In the present invention, however, an interlayer insulator is needed to provide insulation between channel and source lines.
FIGS. 21 and 22 show conventional arrangements of TFTs in active matrix circuits. Gate lines 19 (only one is shown) and source lines 21 (only one is shown) are arranged so as to cross each other substantially at right angles. Branch lines 20 (only one is shown) extend from the gate lines and are made to overlap thin-film semiconductor regions. Thus, the branch lines 20 are used as gate electrodes of TFTs. At one end of each thin-film semiconductor region, a pixel electrode 22 and a contact 25 are formed. At the other end, a source line and a contact 24 are formed.
That portion of each thin-film semiconductor region which substantially overlaps the gate line is a channel 23. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the channel 23 is widely spaced from the source line 21. The branch line 20 from the gate line increases the area occupied by the TFT, thus deteriorating the aperture ratio.
In the present invention, any structure corresponding to the branch line 20 is not formed. A channel is formed under a source line. This reduces the area occupied by the TFT. Also, the aperture ratio can be enhanced. The channel in a TFT is easily affected by light. Therefore, the whole TFT is normally enclosed. Furthermore, a light-shielding film is formed. This further lowers the aperture ratio. In the present invention, a source line is formed so as to cover the channel, thus shielding the channel from extraneous light. Consequently, it is not necessary to form a light-shielding film. This is quite effective in enhancing the aperture ratio.
The active matrix circuit of this construction is quite advantageously used for a backlit display device. As described above, a backlit display device is required to have a high aperture ratio. In addition, the device is illuminated with intense light. Hence, it is imperative that TFTs be shielded from light. In the present invention, light is projected from above source lines. This assures that the source lines shield the channels in the TFTs from light.
Other objects and features of the invention will appear in the course of the description thereof, which follows.

Active matrix display device having thin film transistors

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A wafer W is held in a horizontal attitude within an airtight container 41 by a vacuum chuck 42 such that small gaps are formed between the wafer W and the inner surfaces of the airtight container 41. A cleaning liquid is supplied toward the center portion of a front surface of the wafer W through a fluid supply port 40 which is an end of a fluid supply path 5, and is discharged through a fluid discharge portion 44 arranged in the bottom portion of the airtight container 41 in a form of a groove running along a circle having its center located on the center axis of the wafer W. The cleaning liquid flows and spreads from the center portion of the wafer W toward the peripheral portion while removing particles adhered to the wafer W, and is discharged through the fluid discharge portion 44.

In manufacturing of a semiconductor device or an LCD substrate, a technique called "photolithography" is used to form a resist pattern on a substrate. Photolithography refers to a technique that coats a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to simply as a "wafer") with a resist liquid, exposes the resist in a predetermined pattern, and then develops the resist, thereby to form a desired resist pattern. Such a process is generally performed in a system made up of a coating-and-developing apparatus for coating and developing a resist liquid and an exposure apparatus connected to the coating-and-developing apparatus.
In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency to reduce the size and film thickness of device patterns. Accordingly, the demand for enhanced exposure resolution is increasing. To meet this demand, a technique is proposed to improve the conventional exposure method that uses argon fluoride (ArF) or krypton fluoride (KrF). This technique exposes a substrate after forming a light-transmissive liquid layer (e.g., a deionized water film) on its surface (which is hereinafter referred to as 'immersion exposure'). This immersion exposure technique utilizes the fact that the wavelength of light decreases in water; ArF (light) actually has a wavelength of 134 nm in water though its normal wavelength is 193 nm.
An immersion exposure apparatus will now be briefly described with reference to FIG. 21. A wafer W is held in a horizontal attitude by a retention mechanism (not shown). An exposure means 1 is disposed above the wafer W such that the exposure means 1 faces the wafer W across a gap. A lens 10 is provided in the center portion of the leading end of the exposure means 1. Outside the lens 10 are provided a supply port 11 for supplying deionized water to the surface of the wafer W and a suction port 12 for sucking and thereby retrieving the supplied deionized water. The deionized water continuously supplied through the supply port 11 is continuously retrieved through the suction port 12, thereby forming a liquid film (or a deionized water film) between the lens 10 and the surface of the wafer 10. The wafer W is irradiated through the lens 10 and the liquid film with light emitted from a light source (not shown) to imprint a predetermined circuit pattern in a resist R.
Upon completion of the exposure of one imprint region (or shot region) 13, the exposure means 1 is moved in a horizontal direction to align with and expose the next imprint region 13 while maintaining the liquid film between the lens 10 and the surface of the wafer W, as shown in FIG. 22. This process is repeated to imprint a predetermined circuit pattern in the surface of the wafer W. It should be noted that in FIG. 22 each shot region 13 is shown larger than actual size.
The above immersion exposure technique has a problem in that the resist might be dissolved into the liquid film and the dissolved components, for example, PAG (acid generator) or a quencher, may remain on the wafer W. Although a process for removing the liquid on the surface of the wafer W is performed after the exposure process, the liquid may possibly be left on the surface. Especially, since the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W has a beveled shape, there is the possibility that a liquid containing the above dissolved components may remain on the beveled surface of the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W.
If liquid containing the above dissolved components remains on the wafer W, the dissolved components adhere to the wafer W and may cause generation of particles, resulting in defects in the resist pattern and hence in the device. Furthermore, these particles may adhere to the wafer transfer arms installed in the coating-and-developing apparatus and, as a result, may be scattered in processing units or transferred to another wafers, thus causing "particle contamination".
When particles originating from the dissolved components are attached to the wafer W, these particles are fixedly or firmly adhered to the wafer during the heat treatment performed after the exposure process, affecting the line width of the pattern. Furthermore, the particles adhered to the wafer W may damage the pattern during the developing process.
Efforts have been made to develop a new resist liquid insoluble in the liquid film formed during the immersion exposure process. Further, it has been proposed that a water-shedding protective film may be coated onto the resist film in order to reduce the dissolution of the resist into the liquid film and to prevent the liquid used in the immersion exposure process from remaining on the surface of the wafer W. However, it is very difficult to create such a new resist liquid. Further, adding a protective film forming step results in the increase in the total number of processes and hence in cost.
In view of the above, a practical method for removing the particles originating from the resolved resist liquid components is to clean the surfaces and the peripheral portion of the wafer W after the immersion exposure process. The so-called spin cleaning apparatus is generally used as a unit for cleaning the wafer W. This apparatus rotates the wafer W while supplying a cleaning liquid to the center portion of the wafer W, and thereafter performs spin-drying. This unit is incorporated in the coating-and-developing apparatus.
However, such a cleaning apparatus requires a spin chuck for rotating the wafer W and a large cup for recovering the cleaning liquid scattered from the wafer W. This means that the entire cleaning apparatus has a large size and a complicated structure. Furthermore, if the cleaning apparatus is provided with a suction device ensuring that the cup assuredly captures the scattered cleaning liquid, the size of the cleaning apparatus becomes larger.
JP5-291223A discloses a cleaning apparatus that has neither a rotating mechanism nor a cup member for recovering the cleaning liquid. This cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning chamber and a buffer tank each including a heat exchanger with heating and cooling capabilities. A cleaning liquid is supplied from the buffer tank to the cleaning chamber through a substantially center portion of the cleaning chamber to clean the wafer W, and the supplied cleaning liquid is discharged through the discharge port provided in the lower center portion of the cleaning chamber and returned to the buffer tank.
In the cleaning apparatus disclosed in JP5-291223A, the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the center portion of the wafer W to clean the surface of the wafer W. The cleaning liquid that has dropped from the surface of the wafer W flows into the discharge port and is trapped in the buffer tank. However, it is difficult for this cleaning apparatus to uniformly spray a cleaning liquid over the entire surface of the wafer W and thereby to reliably clean both the surface and the peripheral portion of the wafer W. Therefore, this cleaning apparatus is not suitable for the cleaning performed after the immersion exposure process.

Cleaning apparatus, coating and developing apparatus, and cleaning method

Abstract: This arrangement allows the particles to be uniformly and reliably removed without rotating the wafer W. The entire cleaning apparatus 4 has a small size.


It is arranged such that displacement sensors (70) are installed at a position in or vicinity of elastic members (382), to generate outputs indicating a displacement of the floor contact end of a foot (22) relative to a second joint (18, 20), and a floor reaction force acting on the foot is calculated based on the outputs of the displacement sensors by using a model describing a relationship between the displacement and stress generated in the elastic members in response to the displacement, thereby enabling to achieve accurate calculation of the floor reaction force and more stable walking of a legged mobile robot (1). Further, a dual sensory system is constituted by combining different types of detectors, thereby enabling to enhance the detection accuracy. Furthermore, since it self-diagnoses whether abnormality or degradation occurs in the displacement sensors etc. and performs temperature compensation without using a temperature sensor, the detection accuracy can be further enhanced.

In legged mobile robots, in particular, in biped mobile robots of humanoid type, a sensor is installed at each foot to detect displacement of the foot at foot landing or floor reaction force acting on the robot from a floor surface which the robot contacts and based on the detected values, control is appropriately performed to achieve stable walking.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 5(1993)-305584 proposes a technique to install the floor reaction force sensor at each robot foot. In the prior art, a six-axis force sensor is installed between an ankle joint and a floor contact end of each foot to detect the floor reaction force acting on the foot.
Further, Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan Vol. 13, No.7, pp. 1030-1037 (October, 1995) proposes a technique to install a displacement sensor detecting the displacement of the feet. In the prior art, a foot of a similar legged mobile robot is made of an upper foot plate and a lower foot plate connected by wire to sandwich a shock absorber therebetween. Sensing elements each comprising a potentiometer (displacement sensors) are disposed at four corners of the upper foot plate, and a converter is installed at its upstream such that distance (displacement) between the upper and lower foot plates is detected through the sensing elements. In this manner, it is detected whether the foot has landed and there is a height difference (irregularity) at a landed floor area.
In the feet of the legged mobile robots, in particular, of the biped mobile robots of humanoid type, it is necessary to install an appropriate guide member to prevent the supporting leg from spinning about the vertical axis due to reaction force of swinging the free leg during robot walking. At the same time, the feet must have certain elasticity to absorb and mitigate the impact at foot landing of the free leg.
When the sensor is thus installed at each foot of the legged mobile robot, in particular, of the biped mobile robots of humanoid type, since space at the feet is limited, the displacement sensor should preferably be compact enough to be installed there. Moreover, in order to achieve a stable walking of the legged mobile robot, it is preferable to detect not only an occurrence of the foot landing but also the floor reaction force acting on the foot.

Leg-type moving robot and floor reaction force detection device thereof


A multi-function replaceable modular LED lamp includes a lamp base, a lampshade, a plurality of LED modules, a power supply control circuit board, and a detector. The lampshade is disposed on the lamp base. The plurality of LED modules is detachably disposed in the lamp base and electrically connected to the power supply control circuit board. The detector is detachably disposed on the lamp base and electrically connected to the power supply control circuit board. The detector has a specific function, such as, an earthquake detection, a human body detection, a disaster detection, an alarm detection and the like. The LED modules, the detector and the other parts of the present invention are replaceable with ease, which has the advantages of environmental protection and energy saving.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-function replaceable modular LED lamp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional LED lamp comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes secured to a lamp base. In case one of the light emitting diodes malfunctions, the illumination is not even. This also influences the sense of sight for beauty. In order to overcome the aforesaid problem, it is necessary to replace a whole lamp, which costs a consumer a lot of money, increases the amount of trash, and is not friendly to environmental protection.
Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to the development of a multi-function replaceable modular LED lamp.

Multi-function replaceable modular LED lamp


The invention relates to biodegradable iron alloy-containing compositions for use in preparing medical devices. In addition, biodegradable crystalline and amorphous compositions of the invention exhibit properties that make them suitable for use as medical devices for implantation into a body of a patient. The compositions include elemental iron and one or more elements selected from manganese, magnesium, zirconium, zinc and calcium. The compositions can be prepared using a high energy milling technique. The resulting compositions and the devices formed therefrom are useful in various surgical procedures, such as but not limited to orthopedic, craniofacial and cardiovascular.

Metallic implant devices, such as plates, screws, nails and pins are commonly used in the practice of orthopedic and craniofacial implant surgery, and metallic stents are also implanted into a patient body to support lumens, for example, coronary arteries. These metallic implant devices are typically constructed of stainless steel, platinum or titanium. An advantage of these materials of construction is that they exhibit good biomechanical properties. However, a disadvantage is that implant devices constructed of these materials do not degrade over a period of time. Thus, the patient may require surgery to remove the implant device when there is no longer a medical need for the device in the patient. For example, in certain instances, such as pediatric applications, there may be a concern that if an implant device remains in the patient's body after it is determined that there is no longer a need for it, the device may eventually be rejected by the body and cause complications for the patient. Thus, there is room for improvement in medical implant devices and, particularly, in the materials for construction of these devices. For example, it would be advantageous for: (i) the implant device to be constructed of material that is capable of degrading over a period of time, (ii) the implant device to dissolve in a physiological environment such that it would not remain in the body when there is no longer a medical need for it, and (iii) a patient not to be subjected to surgery in order to remove the implant device from its body.
Conventional biomaterials used for orthopedic and craniofacial applications are primarily chosen based on their ability to withstand cyclic load-bearing. Metallic biomaterials, in particular, typically exhibit properties such as high strength, ductility, fracture toughness, hardness, corrosion resistance, formability, and biocompatibility to make them attractive for most load bearing applications. The most prevalent metals known for load-bearing applications are stainless steels, titanium (Ti), and cobalt-chromium (Co—Cr) based alloys, although their stiffness, rigidity, and strength far exceed those of natural bone. Further, their elastic modulus differs significantly from natural bone causing stress-shielding effects that may lead to reduced loading of bone and this decrease in stimulation may result in insufficient new bone growth and less implant stability. With conventional metallic biomaterials there is also a potential risk of toxic metallic ions and particles being released into the patient's body at the implant site through corrosion or wear which may cause an immune response. Implant devices constructed of conventional metallic biomaterials may also lead to hypersensitivity, growth restriction (most significantly for pediatric implants), implant migration, and imaging interference. Due to these complications, it is estimated that 10% of patients having implants may require surgery to remove or replace the implants, e.g., metallic plates and screws, exposing these patients to additional risks, and increasing surgical time and resources.
There is a need and desire to design and develop new load-bearing biomaterials with the objectives of providing adequate support while the natural bone is healing and allowing the implant device to harmlessly degrade over time in the patient's body when the implant device is no longer needed to perform its function in the body.
As a result of this need, degradable biomaterials have recently been developed employing resorbable polymers. However, resorbable polymer fixation plates and screws have been shown to be relatively weaker and less rigid as compared to conventional metallic biomaterials, and have demonstrated local inflammatory reactions. Biodegradable materials which are used as replacements for conventional metallic biomaterials in the construction of implant devices include polymers, such as polyhydroxy acids, polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and the like. These materials have been found to exhibit relatively poor strength and ductility, and have a tendency to react with human tissue which can limit bone growth.
To overcome the disadvantages associated with resorbable polymer, iron (Fe)-based alloys have emerged as new biodegradable materials for cardiovascular and orthopedic applications. Iron-based alloys have been found to degrade without producing harmful hydrogen gas. The evolution of hydrogen, such as, hydrogen bubbles may result in complications within a body of a patient. Further, iron-based alloys have been found to possess better mechanical properties, e.g., high strength, than degradable magnesium-based alloys. For example, iron has been investigated as a biodegradable stent and showed no significant obstruction of the stented vessel. However, iron is known to degrade very slowly. Further, the various known biodegradable iron-based alloys can exhibit low biocompatibility and/or low corrosion rates, which render these materials unsuitable for use as implant devices.
In the field of biomedical applications, there is a desire to develop improved biodegradable metal alloy-containing implant materials having good compressive strength, corrosion rate matching time of healing of the surrounding tissue, and biocompatibility.

Biodegradable iron-containing compositions, methods of preparing and applications therefor

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH—OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION


A hydraulic control system has an actuator with first and second chambers, first and second valves having elements movable to fill and drain the first and second chambers, and at least one sensor configured to generate a load signal indicative of a load on the fluid actuator. The system has an interface device movable to generate a desired velocity signal of the actuator. The system has a controller in communication with the first and second valves, the at least one sensor, and the interface device. The controller is configured to move the element of the first valve to a position based on the desired velocity signal and to move the element of the second valve to a position based on the load signal and a desired pressure within the second chamber.

Work machines such as, for example, excavators, loaders, dozers, motor graders, and other types of heavy machinery use multiple hydraulic actuators to accomplish a variety of tasks. These actuators are typically velocity controlled based on an actuation position of an operator interface device. For example, an operator interface device such as a joystick, a pedal, or any other suitable operator interface device may be movable to generate a signal indicative of a desired velocity of an associated hydraulic actuator. When an operator moves the interface device, the operator expects the hydraulic actuator to move at an associated predetermined velocity. However, this predetermined velocity is set during manufacture of the work machine, generally without a load being applied to the hydraulic actuator. During operation of the work machine when a load applied against the hydraulic actuator is light, the hydraulic actuator may move at a velocity that substantially matches the operator's expected velocity. However, when the load applied against the hydraulic actuator is heavy, the hydraulic actuator may move at slower and unexpected or undesired velocity. Also, when the load changes direction, the hydraulic actuator may move faster than expected, resulting in voiding within the hydraulic actuator. Attempts to control the velocity of the hydraulic actuator regardless of loading have resulted in harsh or jerky movements of the hydraulic actuator.
One method of improving the predictability of hydraulic actuator velocity while providing smooth operation of they hydraulic actuator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,332 (the '332 patent) issued to Pfaff et al. on Apr. 19, 2005. The '332 patent describes a hydraulic actuator controlled by electrohydraulic proportional valves to operate in different metering modes. A joystick position signal is converted into a desired velocity signal for the hydraulic actuator. The desired velocity signal is then used to command an opening amount of each of the electrohydraulic proportional valves to drive the hydraulic actuator at the desired velocity. A load on the hydraulic actuator is determined by measuring pressures associated with the hydraulic actuator, and the hydraulic actuator is operated in the different modes based on the determined load. A transition strategy is used to transition between the modes of operation, wherein the supply and return line pressures are set to threshold pressures required for the new mode of operation before transitioning from the old mode of operation.
Although the hydraulic actuator and control strategy of the '332 patent may improve velocity predictability of the fluid actuator under varying loads by basing the mode of operation on measured loading conditions, it may be complicated and still lack sufficient control. In particular, because each of the electrohydraulic proportional valves are controlled based on the desired velocity signal, the control strategy may be complex and require precise timing and calibration to avoid undesired valve interactions. In addition, because the opening amount of the valves is based solely on desired velocity, pressure fluctuations can still adversely affect predictability of the hydraulic actuator.
The disclosed hydraulic control system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Independent metering valve control system and method


A method for manufacturing a terminal-equipped electric wire is a method in which an exposed core wire of the electric wire is ultrasonically welded to a core wire connection portion of a terminal having a core wire connection portion and a coating crimping portion. The manufacturing method for the terminal-equipped electric wire including: supporting the core wire connection portion on an anvil; bringing the coating crimping portion into contact with a vibration suppressing contact portion; arranging the exposed core wire on the core wire connection portion and arranging the coating of the electric wire in the coating crimping portion; and ultrasonically welding the exposed core wire to the core wire connection portion in a state where the core wire connection portion is supported on the anvil and the coating crimping portion is in contact with the vibration suppressing contact portion.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for ultrasonically welding an electric wire connection portion of a terminal and a core wire of an electric wire, with the electric wire connection portion and the core wire sandwiched between an anvil and an ultrasonic horn. Patent Document 1 also discloses a technique with which the core wire of an electric wire is ultrasonically welded to a bottom plate of a core wire connection portion in a case where the electric wire connection portion of the terminal includes a core wire connection portion and a coating crimping portion.

Method for manufacturing terminal-equipped electrical wire, terminal-equipped electrical wire, and ultrasonic welding device


A mixing and processing apparatus for plastic melt is equipped with a separately drivable gear pump as a delivery unit. In order to avoid material deposits between the mixing and processing apparatus and the delivery pump, the gear pump is directly mounted at the outlet end of the mixing and processing apparatus, such as an extruder, so that the plastic melt is directly fed axially into the suction space of the gear pump. Cleaning operations after shutdown or in the case of change of material are eliminated due to this direct transfer without dead space.

The use of separately driven gear pumps for conveying a plastic medium from a mixing and processing apparatus is disclosed in DE 37 14 243 Al, DE 38 42 988 Al, and DE 39 17 523 C2.
In such gear pumps, the plastic medium to be conveyed is fed centrally, by means of a connection duct, to the suction side of the gear pump between the two rotating gears therein. The medium is pumped to the pressure side of the pump by the rotating gears through their engaged teeth and discharged through a delivery outlet.
In the production of highly viscous, shear-sensitive polymers by means of screw extruders, the use of a gear pump as a delivery means is conventional. Details concerning pressure buildup, control, and regulation of the independent drives of the pump and of the mixing and processing apparatus are disclosed in DE 38 33 777 C2. The gear pump is mounted with its flange in a radial connection with an intermediate channel at the outlet end of a single-shaft extruder. In all other known applications as a delivery pump, the suction side of the gear pump is placed in working cooperation with the mixing and processing apparatus by means of a channel of varying length.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that deposits can build up in the channel between the mixing and processing apparatus and the gear pump. This occurs particularly during periods of shutdown and upon a change of material. A considerable time expenditure is necessary for cleaning purposes which results in considerable expense. In order to resist the high pressures in the extruding of plastic compounds, it is known from GB Patent 1,170,728 to arrange conveyer screws on both sides of extended shafts of the gears of a gear pump, which screws convey from outside to inside. In addition to the considerable expense for sealing the three resulting working spaces, there is also the basic disadvantage that the conveyor screws and the gear pump must always be operated at the same speed and thus, in practice, this arrangement is either impractical or can only be used for a very few materials.

Apparatus for mixing and processing plastic material including a delivery pump


Errors in interpolation when using diagonal interpolation can be reduced, thereby high-quality intra-field interpolation can be achieved. A further upper data line (41) and an upper data line (42) are inputted into an upper diagonal correlation detection portion (21), and the upper data line (42) and a lower data line (43) are inputted into a lower diagonal correlation detection portion (22). The lower diagonal correlation detection portion (22) determines correlation of pixels on actual data lines above and below an interpolation point in a left diagonal direction, a central direction and a right diagonal direction around the interpolation point. The upper diagonal correlation detection portion (21) determines correlation of pixels on actual data lines above and below an auxiliary interpolation point, which is secondarily set, in a left diagonal direction, a central direction and a right diagonal direction around, for example, the auxiliary interpolation point. On the basis of the determination results, a direction having a strong correlation is detected to produce interpolation data by using pixels in the interpolation direction.

In a major TV (television) broadcast system, for example, the NTSC (National Television System Committee) TV broadcast system, 60 field images of 262.5 horizontal scanning lines are displayed each second to equivalently display 30 frames of images (the number of horizontal scanning lines per frame=525 lines) each second. Such a system combining two field images to make and display a frame image is called an interlaced system. On the contrary, a system displaying a frame image at a time without dividing the number of scanning lines is called a progressive system. While, for example, a field image of 262.5 horizontal scanning lines is displayed every 1/60 of a second in the interlaced system, in the progressive system, a frame image of 525 horizontal scanning lines is displayed every 1/60 of a second, so screen flicker is reduced, thereby a high-resolution image can be displayed. In some cases, a video standard in which a frame image of 525 scanning lines is displayed by the interlaced system is called "525i", and a video standard in which a frame image of 525 scanning lines is displayed by the progressive system is called "525p".
Conventionally, an IP converter for converting an interlaced image into a progressive image is known. When an interlaced image (for example, a field image of 262.5 scanning lines) is converted into a progressive image (for example, a frame image of 525 scanning lines), it is required to interpolate pixel data for a part which is not included in the original field image.
In the IP conversion, a process of interpolating pixel data changes depending upon a signal source in general. More specifically, in the case of still pictures, inter-field interpolation is performed, and in the case of moving pictures, intra-field interpolation is performed. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, assuming that a pixel h in a field FE2 is an interpolation point, in the inter-field interpolation, data is interpolated in the field FE2 to be interpolated using data in previous and following fields FE1 and FE3. On the other hand, in the intra-field interpolation, data is interpolated using data in the field FE2 to be interpolated. In the fields FE1, FE2 and FE3 in FIG. 11, a solid line indicates a line where video data actually exists, and a broken line indicates a line where interpolation data is produced.
Referring to FIG. 12, the concept of typical intra-field interpolation will be described below. FIG. 12 shows part of an arbitrary field image in the interlaced system. In the drawing, lines W and X indicate pixel lines (actual data lines) where video data actually exists. A line Y indicates a line where video data exists in a field previous to or following the present field as well as a line (interpolation data line) where interpolation data is produced during intra-field interpolation. A symbol ∘ on each line indicates a position where a pixel exists.
In FIG. 12, assuming that the pixel h is a point to be interpolated, as a simple technique of intra-field interpolation, for example, there is a method using a value (average value) determined by dividing the sum of pixel data (such as luminance or chroma data) of pixels c and m directly above and directly below the pixel h by two as interpolation data. As another technique of intra-field interpolation, there is a technique called "diagonal interpolation". A method of interpolating data in a pixel to be interpolated from two adjacent actual data lines W and X above and below the pixel by the diagonal interpolation is described in, for example, Published Japanese translation of PCT International Publication for Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-506113.
The diagonal interpolation is a technique of determining interpolation data by calculation referring to not only pixels directly above and directly below the pixel to be interpolated but also pixels in diagonal directions. For example, interpolation data is determined by calculation referring to pixels on the actual data lines W and X on not only an interpolation axis C1 in a vertical (central) direction but also interpolation axes L2 and L1 in left diagonal directions and interpolation axes R2 and R1 in right diagonal directions around the pixel h which is the interpolation point. In this case, a combination with the strongest correlation is detected among combinations of pixels on each interpolation axis, that is, (a−o), (b−n), (c−m), (d−l) and (e−k), and by using the data, data of the pixel h is interpolated.
In order to detect correlation, for example, subtraction of each pixel data is performed to obtain its absolute value. For example, the correlation of the combination of the pixels (d−l) is expressed by Formula 1 below. ABS means obtaining an absolute value. In this method, in the case of data with a strong correlation, the value of Formula 1 is small.ABS(d−l)  (Formula 1)
However, in the method using Formula 1, only correlation between one pixel and one pixel is determined, so even if data is originally and completely irrelevant to a video sequence, a strong correlation may be shown (that is, a wrong interpolation axis may be selected), thereby inadequate interpolation data is often produced. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, in the case of an image with the shape of a thin line in a direction of the interpolation axis R1, an interpolation axis in a direction different from an adequate direction may be selected by mistake. Therefore, in general, correlation is detected using some data considered as a group.
For example, as shown in Formula 2 below, in order to detect correlation between data of a pixel d and data of a pixel 1, a data group 2-1 (c, d and e) around the pixel d and a data group 2-2 (k, l and m) around the pixel l are used, thereby errors in correlation detection can be reduced.ABS(c−k)+ABS(d−l)+ABS(e−m)  (Formula 2)
In the case of Formula 2, like Formula 1, the stronger the correlation is, the smaller the calculation result becomes. However, even in a method using Formula 2, in the case of an image with a strong correlation in right and left diagonal directions, a strong correlation in a wrong diagonal direction is detected, thereby as a result, inadequate interpolation data may be produced.
Thus, in the intra-field interpolation using conventional diagonal interpolation, in the case where an optimum reference pixel is detected from two adjacent pixel lines above and below the interpolation point in a diagonal direction, when an pixel with the same luminance exists, a strong correlation is shown, thereby resulting in a problem that a pixel in a diagonal direction irrelevant to a video sequence is interpolated by mistake.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method a video display apparatus and a recorded information reproducing apparatus capable of reducing errors in interpolation in the case of using diagonal interpolation to perform high-quality intra-field interpolation.

Image processing device and method, video display device, and recorded information reproduction device


A retractable windshield and flare panel assembly for a motorcycle includes a vertically moveable windshield and a pair of oppositely-moving, horizontally-retractable flare panels. A motor-driven drive screw drives a vertically moving threaded drive block. The drive block engages the windshield to move the windshield vertically. A pair of flare panel sliders are also mounted to the drive block and engage elongated slots in the flare panels. The elongated slots extend in both horizontal and vertical directions so that the flare panel sliders function as cams to move the flare panels horizontally. The drive screw is turned by a reversible motor to move the threaded drive block up and down. This vertically positions the windshield and by cam action horizontally positions the flare panel slides on each side of the windshield module. The curved movable windshield and the left and right flaring panels are arranged to slide past each other within a structurally strong module formed as a sandwich having front and rear windshield support panels and a flare support panel with the windshield and flare panels slideably mounted thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to windshields and fairings for motorcycles and the like and, more particularly, to a retractable windshield and flare panel assembly for motorcycles and the like.
2. Prior Art
A windshield for a motorcycle is mounted in front of a rider. Typically, a windshield for a motorcycle is provided as a separate unit which is bolted to the motorcycle. For high-speed road driving, the windshield provides some streamlining for the motorcycle as well as protection for the rider from wind, weather, and debris on the road such as dust and rocks. For low-speed, driving around town, the windshield is often unbolted and removed from the motorcycle. Removing and reattaching the windshield is time-consuming and inconvenient, particularly when the rider is on a road trip and storage of the windshield is inconvenient.
Windshields which are adjustable in height are sometimes incorporated into a fixed fairing assembly which is mounted in front of a rider to provide reduced drag for the motorcycle and protection for the rider against wind and weather. Windshields which are manually adjustable in height are available, but these require that the motorcycle be stopped for adjustment.
The need has arisen for an improved retractable motorcycle windshield and a retractable fairing assembly.

Retractable windshield and flare panel assembly


A plastic blank for packaging and a method of making same is disclosed. The blank includes a score line having high and low portions such that the total length of a high portion plus the total length of a low portion is about 1/65 inch or less. The low portions may be holes and preferably the plastic is polyester.

Boxes and similar three-dimensional packages are often manufactured by first cutting a flat sheet of plastic, cardboard or paper into a shape which can be folded into a box. These flat shapes are commonly referred to as "blanks." It has long been known that the use of performed creases known as "score lines" allows blanks to be easily folded. By creasing the blank, the manufacturer or packager can fold the blank precisely where it should be folded. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,267 discloses, among other things, lining up score lines in plastic sheets with score lines in cardboard blanks to create cardboard boxes having windows which extend around two sides of a box.
While score lines may have been in use for quite some time, a number of disadvantages still surround prior attempts to inexpensively and easily create score lines, particularly in blanks made out of certain plastics. For example, many systems heat the plastic blank during scoring by means of heated platens and rules or using RF fields. Although a high-quality score results from such a process, the heating step results in added expense, increased safety considerations and slower production rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,435 discloses a plastic sheet with a ruled line for bending. The ruled line is a groove which has shallow and deep recess portions running along the length of the groove. In other words, the groove has alternating and generally-rectangular "hills" and "valleys" extending in the direction of the groove. The shallow portions are "chamfered" at the edges so that the generally rectangular hills have rounded edges which give the groove "a good touch feel." The chamfer is apparently necessary because, at the size ranges taught by the patent (0.3-1.5 mm), the edges of the shallow portions will not "have a good touch feel" when the package is bent at the scoring line. JP 64-40317, an earlier reference by the same applicant as the patent, also discloses a plastic sheet with a ruled line for bending and similarly-sized deep portion lengths (0.1-2.0 mm) and shallow portion lengths (0.3-3.0 mm). Both references suffer from the further disadvantage that the score line is visually distracting because the score line actually appears to be a perforation.
Accordingly, none of the foregoing references teaches an efficient manner of placing relatively smooth score lines in plastic blanks without the need to heat or specifically chamfer the high and low portions in the groove. There is, therefore, a need for blanks and a process for making same which overcomes these disadvantages.
The present invention meets these needs.


In an electric rotary machine, a stator, a metallic supporting member configured to support the stator, and a rotor are provided, the rotor is relatively rotatably supported with respect to the stator, a magnetic path is formed via a gap portion between the stator and the rotor to give a torque to the rotor, and a space section is provided to interrupt the magnetic path at a position of the metallic supporting member near to a magnetic pole of the stator facing the gap portion.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric rotary machine in which a magnetic circuit (or a magnetic path) is formed between a rotor and a stator, and, more specifically, relates to a technique in the electric rotary machine which prevents a reduction of a driving efficiency generated due to an overflow of the magnetic path from a naturally ideal position of the magnetic path.
(2) Description of the Related Art
An electric machine in which a stator in which coil windings are equipped is supported by means of a metallic supporting member is exemplified by a Japanese Patent Application Publication (tokouhyou) of PCT Application (whose international publication is WO 03/084027) No. 2005-522166 published on Jul. 21, 2005 which corresponds to a U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,327 issued on Jul. 20, 2004.
The previously proposed electric rotary machine disclosed in the above-described Japanese Patent Application Publication houses a rotor and the stator in an internal spatial region of a case made of an aluminum alloy. Cooling fins are attached on an external of the case. The stator is attached in an inside of the case. The stator is laminated with a plurality of thin-plate steel plates and non electrically conductive nonferrous layers. The stator minimizes a loss due to an eddy current of a magnetic flux at the inside of the stator. Furthermore, the stator is partitioned by means of thirty-six (36) grooves in a peripheral direction of the stator. The stator has the same number of stator cores as that of the grooves. An electrically conductive coil winding is wound on each of the stator cores. Since the case described above is formed of the aluminum alloy having a high thermal conductivity, heat generated on the coil windings and stator cores can speedily be discharged through the external of the case while a rigidity of the electric rotary machine is secured. Thus, a cooling performance of the electric rotary machine described above becomes high.


To reduce the size of a starter for installing it in a smaller engine compartment, the rotational speed of the starter motor has to be high and it is reduced to a certain speed through a reduction device to obtain a higher torque. To realize a high reduction ratio in a small planetary gear reduction device, an impact force imposed on the device at an instant a starter pinion engages with a engine ring gear and repeating impacts during a cranking period must be reduced. As a coupling between an internal gear and a housing of the reduction device, a flexible or a resilient coupling is disclosed herein. The flexible or resilient coupling relieves an excessive impact force at the engagement by permitting rotation of the internal gear relative to the housing, and reduces noise caused by the cranking impacts by permitting a small vibrating move of the internal gear. The flexible coupling is realized by a combination of a bumpy surface and projections coupled thereto. The resilient coupling is realized by pushing a spring against the bumpy surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starter motor for cranking and starting an engine, more particularly to a starter which has a speed reduction mechanism using a planetary gear device.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, more starters having a planetary gear reduction device which are small in size and light in weight are used for vehicles because of necessity to save a space in an engine compartment and to reduce fuel consumption. In order to reduce the size and weight of the starter, it is desirable to further increase a reduction ratio of the reduction device of the starter. To increase the reduction ratio of the planetary gear reduction device while keeping the size thereof within a predetermined diameter D (shown in FIG. 7) of an internal gear, it is necessary to reduce a Module (M) of gears as shown in FIG. 6.
Generally, a relation between the Module M and a stress .sigma..sub.b at a tooth foot is expressed in a following equation. EQU .sigma..sub.b =P/(M.times.b.times.y)
where y=(cos .alpha..times..phi..sup.2)/(cos .omega..times.6.psi.),
P: Impact force applied to a tooth tip by transmission torque, PA2 M: Module, PA2 b: Gear width, PA2 .alpha.: Pressure angle, PA2 .phi.: Tooth foot width divided by M, PA2 .omega.: Angle made by an operating line of P and a line perpendicular to a tooth center line, and PA2 .psi.: Distance between a tooth foot and a cross-point of an operating line of P and a tooth center line, divided by M.
As seen from the equation, as the Module M is decreased, the stress .sigma..sub.b becomes larger. On the other hand, in a conventional planetary gear reduction device, the impact force P is applied to gear teeth at a gear engagement and during a cranking period as shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, it has been difficult to decrease the Module M without causing damages of teeth due to the large engagement impact and fatigue of the teeth due to a repetition of the cranking impacts. The damages of the gear teeth often occurs to a sun gear of the planetary gear reduction device.
Because of the reason mentioned above, the Module M of conventional planetary gear reduction devices has been chosen to be more than 1.25 and the reduction ratio to be less than 5.45, as exemplified in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei-2-238171. Because the Module M cannot be reduced, there has been a certain limit in reducing the size and weight of starter motors.
It has been also attempted to increase the reduction ratio of the planetary gear reduction device by using a multi-stage planetary gear system as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei-6-159205. The multi-stage reduction system, however, cannot make the device small and light.

Starter having planetary gear reduction device