A material separator separates non-magnetic particulate material into components having differing electrical conductivities and comprises a support frame, a drum rotatably journaled with respect to the support frame, a magnetic assembly in the drum interior and a drive system. The drum's sidewall is cylindrically shaped and the magnetic assembly incudes longitudinally extending magnetic arrays, each angularly spaced from one another and rotatably journaled on a respective array axis that is radially spaced from the drum axis. The magnetic arrays include opposite magnetic poles located along a rotational surface such that when they rotate, an oscillating magnetic field is induced through the drum's sidewall. The drive system rotates the magnetic arrays and the drum so that particulate material placed on an outer surface of the drum sidewall is subjected to the oscillating magnetic field whereby components having different electrical conductivities are discharged with differing discharge trajectories. A methodology for separating nonmagnetic particulate material is also provided.

The ability to separate aggregate material into various components has proved highly valuable to modern industrial applications. Many different separation techniques have been utilized in the past with these techniques relying on differing characteristics of the components of the aggregate, such as size, weight, specific gravity, solubility of different solvents, etc. Metal recycling, waste handling, incineration and biofuel production represent only a few of the various industries for which magnetic separation and materials handling is needed. Depending upon the particular application, material separators may be used either individually or collectively for the purpose of separating particulate material into desired components.
It has long been recognized in certain industries, such as the paper industry and the glass recycling industry, that the separation of non-magnetic particulate material into metallic and non-metallic components based on electrical conductivities has particular utility. One type of apparatus which has been used for the purpose of separating out non-magnetic metals is known as an eddy-current separator. Eddy-current separators operate under the principle that electric current is induced within the body of a conductor when that conductor either moves through a non-uniform magnetic field or is in a region where there is a change in magnetic flux. Accordingly, eddy-current separators make it possible to separate metallic non-magnetic metals, such as aluminum, copper, zinc and magnesium, from non-metallic material, such as glass, plastic and rubber.
One type of eddy-current separator which has been used incorporates a rotating drum with an internal and independently rotatable magnetic roll to separate a mixed conglomerate of non-magnetic particulate material into these metallic and non-metallic components. More particularly, both the drum and its internal magnetic roll are journaled for rotation in a common direction about respective longitudinal axles and independently driven by separate motors. Housed within the internal magnetic roll is an array of elongated, rare earth magnets, such as neodymium. These permanent magnets are angularly spaced apart from the magnetic roll's axis and are polarized in a radial direction such that circumjacent ones of these permanent magnets have opposite poles located radially inwardly. The magnetic roll is positioned with its axle radially offset relative to the drum's axle so that the magnetic roll is positioned to have an active surface located proximate to the drum's sidewall. Further, the magnetic roll rotates at a rotational speed of approximately 400-600 revolutions per minute (rpm), or sometimes higher, to produce an oscillating magnetic field in a region therearound.
In operation, then, mixed material is introduced onto the drum's sidewall via a feeding system. As the material is fed onto the drum's sidewall, it is subjected to the oscillating magnetic field produced by the internal magnetic roll. This results in the induction of eddy-currents in those components of the particulate material which are conductive. The conductive materials are thrown in the same direction of the external drum's movement to a first location which may be either a first conveyor positioned beneath the drum or a discharge bin. Non-conductive materials are unaffected, and less conductive materials are less affected, by the oscillating magnetic field and follow the rotation of the external drum to be deposited at a second discharge location which may be a second conveyor positioned underneath the drum.
While this type of eddy-current material separator has proved useful in various industries for the purpose of separating non-magnetic material into metallic and non-metallic components, there are drawbacks in the construction of the apparatus. For example, the relatively slow angular velocity of the internal magnetic roll, coupled with the relative large mass of the permanent magnets housed therein, makes it rather difficult to produce a magnetic field which is strong enough to extend beyond the drum's sidewall and induce a sufficient amount of eddy-currents into the metallic components of the particulate material. In addition, the physical arrangement in some of these prior art eddy-current material separators is undesirable in that the permanent magnets are not distributed evenly around the internal magnetic roll which can result in balancing problems of the magnetic roll at certain angular velocities. Accordingly, the ability of these separators to efficiently separate the particulate material into desired components can be hindered.
It would, thus, be advantageous to provide a material separator, and specifically an eddy-current material separator, which has improved performance characteristics in the separation of non-magnetic particulate material. These improved characteristics can be accomplished, at least in part, by providing a magnetic roll assembly having a plurality of internal magnetic arrays, with each of the magnetic arrays rotating at a much higher angular velocity relative to the external drum to produce a superior oscillating magnetic field in the vicinity of the drum's outer sidewall surface. The present invention is directed to meeting this need, among others.


An output driver has an output multiplexor and an output current driver. The output multiplexor receives a data signal and outputs a q-node signal. The output current 5 river receives the q-node signal and drives a bus based on the q-node signal. The output multiplexor processes the data signal in various ways to generate the q-node signal. The output current driver is responsive to current control bits to select a amount of output drive current. In addition, the output multiplexor is controlled such that the output impedance of the output current driver is maintained within a predetermined range.

The present invention relates generally to an output driver for integrated circuits, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for a bus output driver for integrated circuits.
Integrated circuits connect to and communicate with each other. Typically, integrated circuits communicate with each other using a bus with address, data and control signals.
In FIG. 1, a bus 20 interconnects a memory controller 22 and memory modules (RAMS) 24, 26, 28. Physically, the bus comprises the traces on a printed circuit board, wires or cables and connectors. Each of these integrated circuits has a bus output driver circuit 30 that interfaces with the bus 20 to drive data signals onto the bus to send data to other ones of the integrated circuits. In particular, the bus output drivers 30 in the memory controller 22 and RAMS 24, 26, 28 are used to transmit data over the bus 20. The bus 20 operates or transmits signals at a speed that is a function of many factors such as the system clock speed, the bus length, the amount of current that the output drivers can drive, the supply voltages, the spacing and width of the wires or traces making up the bus, the physical layout of the bus itself and the resistance of a pull up resistor attached to each bus.
The address, data and control lines making up the bus will be referred to as channels. In some systems, all channels connect to a pull-up resistor Z0. Typically the resistance of the pull up resistor is 28 ohms.
Output drivers for use on a bus, such as is shown in FIG. 1, are preferably current mode drivers, which are designed to drive the bus 20 with a determinable amount of current substantially independent of the voltage on the driver output. The output impedance of the driver 30 is a good metric of how much the driver's current will change with voltage changes on the driver's output, a high output impedance being desirable for the current mode driver. In addition, a high output impedance is desirable to minimize transmission line reflections on the bus when a particular driver 30 receives voltage changes from another driver on the bus 20. In such a case, a driver with a high output impedance will not substantially alter the impedance of the bus 20, thus causing only a small portion of a wave to be reflected at the location where the driver 30 is attached to the bus.
FIG. 2A shows a prior art bus output driver circuit 30 which has an output multiplexor 32 that connects to an output current driver 34 at q-node 40. The q-node 40 refers to the physical connection between the output multiplexor 32 and the output current driver 34. A q-node signal is output to the q-node 40. The q-node signal is a voltage level that causes the output current driver 34 to drive a corresponding voltage level on the bus 20 (also herein called a bus channel).
The output multiplexor 32 receives a clock signal at a clock input 42, and receives odd and even data signals at the odd data and even data inputs 44 and 46, respectively. The odd and even data signals are synchronized to the clock signal. The output multiplexor 32 transmits the data from the odd data and even data inputs onto the q-node 40 on the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, respectively.
The slew rate and output current of the bus output driver 30 are controllable. A set of slew rate control bits 50 is used to select the slew rate of the transitions of the q-node signal. A slew rate estimator 48 may be used to generate the slew rate control bits 50. Alternately, the slew rate control bits 50 may be generated by a process detector, a register that is programmed with a fixed value during manufacture or during testing of the device after manufacture, or by any other type of slew rate detection circuitry. The source of the slew rate control bits 50 may be external to the bus output driver 30. The output current driver 34 outputs a signal, called Vout, that corresponds to the q-node signal, onto the bus channel 20. A current control block 52 outputs a set of current control bits 54 that select the amount of current used to drive data onto the bus channel 20. The current control block 52 may be external to the bus output driver 30, and may be implemented as a current level detector or as a register programmed with a fixed value during or after manufacture of the device.
FIG. 2B is a schematic of the prior art output multiplexor and output current driver of FIG. 2A. The clock, odd data and even data signals are input to multiple current control blocks 62, 64 and each current control block 62, 64 outputs a q-node signal on a q-node 66, 68, 70, 72. In FIG. 213, the q-nodes 66, 68, 70, 72 are also designated as q<6>–q<0>, respectively. When the q-node signal has a sufficiently high voltage level, a corresponding transistor T0–T6 in the output current driver becomes active and pulls Vout low. Each q-node signal drives a binary weighted pulldown device T0–T6 in the output current driver. In other words, multiple q-nodes 66, 68, 70, 72 are used to drive a single channel 20 of the bus. The transistors T0–T6 are n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors and are binary weighted with respect to each other. In particular, each transistor T0–T6 will drive or sink a predetermined amount of current with respect to lout. Transistor T0 sinks 20 or 1×lout (e.g., about 0.26 milliamps minimum), transistor T4 sinks 24 or 16×lout, transistor T5 sinks 32×lout, and transistor T6 sinks 64×lout.
Since the current control blocks 62, 64 are similar, one current control block 62 will be described. The current control block 62 has an input block 82 and a pre-driver 84. The input block 82 is responsive to a current control signal output on a current control bit line 84. In FIG. 213, the current control signals are shown as Current Control <0> through Current Control <6>. Each q-node 66, 68, 70, 72 is associated pith a separate current control signal. The current control signal enables the NAND gates 86, 88 to respond to the odd and even data signals. Each NAND gate 86, 88 outputs its signal to a pair of passgates 92, 94, respectively. The passgate pairs 92, 24 are responsive to the clock signal such that one passgate pair 92, 94 is on at a time, outputting either the odd data or even data signal. The output of the passgates 92, 94 is connected to the pre-driver 84.
If the current control signal on the current control bit line 84 is at a low voltage, the NAND gates 86, 88 output a high voltage level regardless of the voltage level of the odd or even data signal, thereby causing a "low" voltage level at the associated q-node and disabling the corresponding transistor in the output current driver.
If the current control signal on the current control bit line 84 is at a high voltage level, the NAND gates 86, 88 are enabled, and the predriver 84, q-node and output current driver are responsive to the odd and even data signals.
In the prior art output driver 30, the output impedance of the output driver 30 is not well controlled, and is determined by the value of a supply voltage, Vcc (the high voltage for the q-node), the output voltage when it is being driven low, and the characteristics of the transistors in the output current driver 34.
FIG. 2C is a schematic of the prior art pre-driver 84 of FIG. 2B. The predriver has many predriver sub-blocks 96, 98, 100. Each predriver sub-block 96, 98, 100 has an inverter 11, 12, 13 and a passgate pair 102, 104, 106 respective ′, predriver sub-block 96 is always enabled with the gate of each transistor of the passgate pair 102 connected to the power supply Vcc and to ground, respectively. The other passgate pairs 104, 106 of the predriver sub-blocks 98, 10C˜1r,′ to the slew rate control bits, Slew Rate Control <0> and Slew Rate Control <1>. The slew rate of the predriver 84 is adjusted by enabling and disabling the passgates ′104, 106 with slew rate control signals on the slew rate control bits.
In particular, when the slew rate control signal on Slew Rate Control bi high, the passgate pair 104 of the predriver sub-block 98 is enabled. The -i pair 104 increases the rate of transition between a high voltage level and a low voltage level of the q-node signal on the q-node 66. When the slew rate control L1> is low, the corresponding passgate pair 104 of the predriver sub-block 98 is effectively disabled and the slew rate is unaffected. Enabling the additional passgate pairs of additional predriver sub-blocks 100 further increases the slew rate of the q-node signal.
However, when using multiple q-nodes to drive a single channel, it is difficult to match the delays and slew rates of each q-node under all process, voltage and temperature conditions.
Therefore, there is a need for an output driver whose output impedance is maintained within a desired range. There is also a need for an impedance controlled output driver which has an adjustable slew rate and operating current.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided is a seal bead structure of a gasket capable of reducing the reactive force generated in a common bead portion provided between multiple through-holes and thereby capable of achieving a stable sealing function by means of aligning the compression property over the entire bead. In order to achieve this, two through-holes are provided in a row in the flat portion of a metal gasket, with one seal bead provided on the edge of one through-hole, the other seal bead provided on the edge of the other through-hole, and a common bead portion for the both seal beads provided in the intermediate position between the both through-holes, the common bead portion having a two-stage half bead shape in which the half beads are formed on two stage in the same direction.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gasket which is one kind of sealing devices, and more particularly to a seal bead structure of a gasket in which a through hole is provided in a flat surface portion of a metal gasket, and a seal bead is provided in a peripheral edge portion of the through hole. The gasket according to the present invention is used, for example, in a field relevant to an automobile, or is used in the other fields.
Description of the Conventional Art
Conventionally, for example, as a gasket which is used in a water pump relevant to the automobile, there has been known a gasket in which a plurality of through holes penetrating in a thickness direction are provided in a flat surface portion of a tabular metal gasket, and a seal bead is three-dimensionally molded in a peripheral edge portion of each of the through holes. In the gasket mentioned above, in the case that it is necessary to seal between the adjacent through holes, and it is impossible to set full beads in parallel since a distance (a seal width) between the through holes is narrow, the seal between the through holes 61 and 71 is carried out by employing the following structure.
(1) A structure in which two full beads 62 and 72 are connected as one full bead 82, as shown in FIG. 3; or
(2) a structure in which two half beads 63 and 73 are connected as one trapezoidal bead 83 (FIG. 4) or one full bead (FIG. 5) 84, as shown in FIG. 4 or 5.
In FIGS. 3 to 5, FIGS. 3A, 4A and 5A are plan views of the metal gasket in which a plurality of through holes 61 and 71 are provided in a flat portion 51 so as to pass through in a gasket thickness direction (a direction which is orthogonal to a paper surface in the drawings), and each of the beads is provided in a peripheral edge portion of each of the through holes 61 and 71. FIGS. 3B, 4B and 5B show schematic cross sectional views along a line C-C, a line D-D and a line E-E in the respective FIGS. 3A, 4A and 5A.
In features of three kinds of seal beads, a sealing performance (pressure) has the following relationship:
full bead>trapezoidal bead>half bead (FIG. 6), and
a bead compression property and followability have the following relationship:
half bead>trapezoidal bead>full bead (FIG. 7).
An appropriate bead is selectively used in correspondence to a used requirement (a required pressure or a housing rigidity). In FIGS. 6 and 7, solid lines on the graphs indicate the full bead, single-dot chain lines indicate the trapezoidal bead, and dotted lines indicate the half bead, respectively.
Among them, in the case that a working pressure range is high, a portion between the through holes 61 and 71 is sealed by the structure (1) mentioned above, however, since the bead rigidity becomes extremely higher in a combined portion (a peak portion) which connects two full beads 62 and 72 to one full bead 82, a surface pressure of its peripheral portion is lowered, and there is fear that the sealing performance is lowered.
As a countermeasure thereof, in a seal bead structure described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-157377, a flat portion is provided by forming a combined portion 85 as a three-point connection in place of a pin point structure, and a surface pressure concentration is prevented in the combined portion 85 by setting a crossing angle to 25 to 45 degrees. As a result, uniformization of the bead surface pressure is achieved between the portion constituted by one bead and the portion constituted by two beads.
In the case that a bolt pitch is long, in the case that a thickness of an opponent housing is small, and in the case that the through holes 61 and 71 which are away from a bolt are sealed, the opponent housing is significantly deformed since the full beads 62 and 72 have greater generated reaction force on the assumption that an amount of compression is fixed as shown in FIG. 7. As a result, it is impossible to sufficiently compress the gasket, and the full beads 62 and 72 can not be applied.
Therefore, the case mentioned above is dealt with the structure (2) in which the half beads 63 and 73 having good compression property are combined with the trapezoidal bead 83 or the full bead 84. However, since the reaction force is not generated in the half beads 63 and 73 until the half beads 63 and 73 are compressed to about 50% of the bead height while the reaction force is generated in the trapezoidal bead 83 and the full bead 84 just after starting the compression, it is necessary to set a compression restoring property of the trapezoidal bead 83 and the full bead 84 so that the half beads 63 and 73 can be compressed 50% or more in the vicinity of the combined portion (the peak portion) 85. Accordingly, the reaction force is specifically made smaller by setting the bead width of the trapezoidal bead 83 or the full bead 84 to be wider, however, this structure can not deal with the case that the seal width between the through holes 61 and 71 is narrow.
As the other prior arts in relation to the present invention, there are seal bead structures which are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-121596 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-229195, however, these seal bead structures do not form a common bead portion provided between a plurality of through holes in a special shape.


A GPS wristwatch has a reception mode setting unit that sets a reception mode of a reception unit; and a locking level setting unit that sets a locking performance. The reception mode setting unit sets the reception mode to an automated timekeeping mode when an automated reception condition is met; sets the reception mode to a manual timekeeping mode when a first operation of an input unit is detected; and sets the reception mode to a positioning mode when a second operation of the input unit is detected. The locking level setting unit sets the locking performance to a high level when the reception mode is set to the manual timekeeping mode or the positioning mode, and sets the locking performance to a low level that is lower than the high level when the reception mode is set to the automated timekeeping mode.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece that receives satellite signals, and to a satellite signal receiving method.
2. Related Art
GPS satellites that orbit the Earth on known orbits are used in the Global Positioning System (GPS), a system enabling a GPS receiver to determine its own location. GPS devices that receive satellite signals transmitted from the GPS satellites, acquire time information and positioning information carried in the satellite signals, and execute processes to adjust the time kept by the GPS receiver or determine the current location of the GPS receiver are common today.
The processes of receiving satellite signals transmitted from the GPS satellites include automated reception processes that are executed to receive satellite signals when automatic reception conditions are met, and unconditional reception processes (manual reception processes) that execute the satellite signal reception process in response to a user operation (intention). See, for example, JP-A-2012-150047.
Because the automated reception process is executed regardless of the user's intention when the reception conditions are met, the user of the GPS device may be indoors or in another location where satellite signals are hard to receive when the reception process starts. When this happens, reception may continue to fail while the user remains in that location, and power consumption increases when the reception process continues for a long time.

Electronic timepiece and satellite signal receiving method


An expandable drinking and mixing straw apparatus that can be compactly stored and expanded when necessary to provide a deployed dual-functionality mixing and drinking apparatus. The several embodiments of the straw apparatus provide a unified apparatus as well as functionally equivalent embodiments with two straw sub-component members defined by an outer straw and an inner straw which sub-component members are bonded together at specified locations. When force is applied to the undeployed straw apparatus, a plurality of veins expands from the apparatus to provide mixing functionality without compromising suction functionality. Straw sub component bonding, vein bending and stopping, and method of deployment of the drinking and mixing straw apparatus are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drinking straws. More specifically, the invention relates to various embodiments of a drinking straw apparatus, preferably of plastic composition, wherein upon the application of force to the straw deploys mixing means thereby providing both drinking and mixing means for liquid beverages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By way of background, a variety of drinking straws are known in the art for transferring a liquid from a cup or other container to your mouth. Early straws of narrow bore, made from hollow stems of various grasses and from paper, evolved to paper coated with wax and then to plastics. Today most straws are made of plastic with a larger bore for convenient drinking. Plastic straws have various shapes. Straws may be straight, bendable with a fluted-type hinge near the top, twisted providing liquid through a winding path, miniaturized and attached to juice boxes with a pointed tip for penetration of the juice box, have cut-away shapes at the end to act a spoons or for stirring, have telescoping capability, multiple tubes, have weights, base plates for stirring and/or squeezing fruit, have fins for stirring, split ends, and the like. Various drinking straws are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,613,107; 2,979,267; 3,211,379; 3,315,405; 4,636,887; 4,636,887; 4,636,887; 4,909,437, 5,038,476; 6,056,206, 6,375,092; 6,561,434; and 6,676,032.
In spite of the many variations of drinking straws, there is a need for a straw apparatus that can provide both drinking and mixing capabilities, that can be conveniently stored without taking up significant space, that can be economically manufactured, and that can have structural integrity to stir separating liquids or liquid/solid mixtures or suspensions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved straw apparatus for stirring, mixing, blending and drinking liquids.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a drinking straw apparatus that provides means for mixing and stirring of liquids that is compact.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a straw apparatus that is conveniently stored in a compact form and can deploy mixing means for mixing and drinking liquid beverages.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention and equivalents thereof, are achieved by the methods and systems of the present invention described herein and manifest in the appended claims.

Straw apparatus for mixing and drinking beverages


A method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling the power consumption of a power amplifier included in a communication device. For at least some embodiments, the power consumption may be controlled by determining an order for the data packets to be transmitted, selecting a coding scheme used to encode the data packets, and/or determining an output power level of the power amplifier. The data packet transmission order, the coding scheme, and/or the output power level may be determined, at least in part, by the temperature of the power amplifier, a quality of service associated with the data packets, a data packet length, and/or a link budget. Adjustments to the data packet transmission order, the coding scheme, and/or the output power level may be made dynamically for each data packet.

A communication device may transmit and receive data packets with other communication devices through a communication medium. The communication medium may be a wired medium using, for example, coaxial or twisted pair wires where data packets are transmitted (e.g., driven) over the wires through line drivers. Another communication medium may be a wireless medium where the data packets are transmitted through the air via radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers. The term "power amplifier" may be used to refer to both line drivers and RF power amplifiers. Relatively large output power levels (compared to available output power levels) at the power amplifier may be used to transmit the data packets and increase the communication range between the communication devices. Large output power levels may also reduce transmission errors through the communication medium.
However, relatively large output power levels may increase power consumption and may reduce battery life of the communication device. Relatively large output power levels may also increase heat generated within the communication device. In some cases, the generated heat may be excessive and may cause portions of the communication device to reach a thermal limit. In turn, transmissions from the communication device may be temporarily halted (e.g., throttled) to allow the temperature of the communication device to decrease to an acceptable level. Throttling the transmissions may reduce overall data throughput and increase latency of the transmitted data packets.
Output power levels of the power amplifiers may be fixed to prevent the power amplifier from reaching the thermal limit. However, the fixed output power level is typically less than a maximum available level. Thus, the fixed output power level may reduce the communication range between communication devices and may increase error rates associated with the transmitted data.
Thus, there is a need to improve control of the power amplifier to increase performance of the communication device and reduce power consumption.

Controlling power consumption in a power amplifier in a communication device


A device for supplying water to a cutting wheel of a hand-held cut-off machine has a water-conducting line and a valve arrangement arranged in the line. The valve arrangement has a shut-off valve for controlling the water flow flowing through the line. The shut-off valve is actuated as a function of an operating signal of the cut-off machine such that in operation of the cut-off machine the water flow through the line is released by the shut-off valve. The shut-off valve interrupts the water flow through the line when the operating signal is absent.

The invention relates to a water supplying device of a hand-held power tool, wherein the water supplying device comprises a water-conducting line and a valve arrangement arranged in the line and comprising a shut-off valve for controlling a water flow flowing through the line.
Hand-held power tools comprising a water supply through which, for example, cooling water is supplied to the tool of the power tool and/or to the workpiece are known. Particularly in the case of a hand-held cut-off machine, the cutting wheel can be supplied with water for binding dust produced when performing a cut.
The control or regulation of the supplied amount of water is not satisfactory in the known embodiments. By means of an external valve, the water flow can be released before beginning the work to be performed and can be interrupted after completion. After release of the water flow, the water flows to the location to be worked on even when the power tool is not in operation. Before and after the actual working steps as well as during short work interruptions, unwanted quantities of water escape that, in addition to increasing water usage, also compromise the location to be worked on with an unnecessary quantity of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,841 B1 discloses an arrangement with a device for supplying water to a hand-held power tool in which a shut-off valve for opening or closing a water line is provided. The shut-off valve is actuatable by means of a throttle trigger lock with which also the throttle trigger for adjusting the output of the drive motor can be released. By actuating the throttle trigger lock, a water supply is provided only when readiness to operate the working tool with power is indicated by releasing the throttle trigger.
A disadvantage of the disclosed arrangement is that water can escape when performing a function control of the actuating elements, in particular, of the throttle lock even without operation of the working tool, for example, when the motor is standing still. An adjustment of the conveyed amount of water is difficult as is the adjustment in regard to different water pressure available at the intake. Coupling the throttle lock to the shut-off valve leads to stiff operation. When the valve is dirty, stiff and/or damaged, the basic functions of the power tool, such as simple acceleration or performing a dry cut, are made difficult.
The invention has the object to provide a device for supplying water to a hand-held power tool that enables an improved adjustment of the conveyed quantity of water to the actual water demand.


Apparatus, systems and methods for carbothermically producing aluminum are disclosed. The systems may include a reactor and an electrical supply. The reactor may include a plurality of side-entering electrodes and a top-entering electrode. The electrical supply may be operable to supply multiphase current to the side-entering electrodes and/or the top-entering electrodes. The electrodes may be in communication with a molten bath of the reactor, and the multiphase current supplied thereto may be passed through the bath to heat the reactor. The amount of current supplied to various electrode sets may be adjusted to facilitate tailored heating of the molten bath.

Aluminum metal is generally manufactured by two techniques: the traditional Hall method, where an electric current is passed between two electrodes to electrolytically reduce alumina to aluminum metal; and the carbothermic method, where aluminum oxide is chemically reduced to aluminum via chemical reaction with carbon. The overall aluminum carbothermic reduction reaction:Al2O3+3C→2Al+3CO  (1)takes place, or can be made to take place, via a series of chemical reactions, such as:2Al2O3+9C→Al4C3+6CO(vapor)  (2)Al4C3+Al2O3→6Al+3CO(vapor)  (3)Al2O3+2C→Al2O(vapor)+2CO(vapor)  (4)Al2O3+4Al→3Al2O(vapor)  (5)Al→Al(vapor)  (6)
Reaction (2), generally known as the slag producing step, often takes place at temperatures between 1875° C. and 2000° C. Reaction (3), generally known as the aluminum producing step, often takes place at temperatures above about 2050° C. Aluminum vapor species may be formed during reactions (2) and (3), although aluminum vapor species may be formed via reactions (4), (5), and (6).

Carbothermic aluminum production apparatus, systems and methods


A self-adjusting firestopping apparatus for holding of intumescent material within poke-through openings in construction barriers usually being floors but also possibly being walls or ceilings wherein cables or other penetrating members extend therethrough. The self-adjusting apparatus includes a sleeve with the intumescent material centrally located therein and preferably two plates extending along the sleeve and movably attached thereto by a flexibly resilient support device such as a coil spring or flat spring. This plate provides a movable false panel which is adapted to expand responsive to the placement of increasing numbers of penetrating members extending therethrough to increase the capacity of the intumescent firestopping device.

1. Field of the Invention
A firestopping design is shown in the present invention which is for the purpose of providing intumescent firestopping materials into openings extending through construction barriers such as walls, ceilings or floors. Such intumescent materials expand rapidly responsive to heat and/or fire for the purpose of sealing these openings. Such sealing mechanisms are commonly utilized in residential as well as commercial buildings. The present invention deals with a device which has the capability of providing the correct amount of intumescent material while simultaneously allowing a specific design for the containment sleeve to be usable with a wide range of sizes and numbers of penetrating members. Sometimes such a sleeve is usable for only a single penetrating member of a very small dimension and other times it is usable with multiple penetrating members which can assume a rather large overall accumulative diameter. The present invention allows a single construction to be expandable for use in a wide variety of different poke-through applications. This invention hereby makes specific reference to U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,481, issued May 11, 2004, by the same inventor, applicant and assignee noted herein on an "Intumescent Firestopping Apparatus". The present invention is specifically designed to be a modification of that particular design which includes a wider range of flexibility due to the introduction of self-adjusting movable plates. Applicant hereby expressly incorporates by reference all of the subject matter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,481 for all purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous patents have been issued which deal with intumescent materials used for sealing openings such as poke-through openings in various construction barriers such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,779 patented Apr. 28, 1981 to T. Rhodes et al and assigned to General Signal Corporation on a "Poke-Through Electrical Fitting With Releasable Wedging Point For Retention"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,486 patented Mar. 3, 1987 to W. Hauff on a "Flame-Retarding Wall Feedthrough Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,180 patented Oct. 23, 1990 to G. J. Harbeke on a "Shower Strainer Mounting Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,475 patented Apr. 12, 1994 to S. F. Stefely on a "Fire Stop Device"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,127 patented Jun. 6, 1995 to S. F. Stefely on a "Fire Stop Closure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,126 patented Jan. 25, 2000 to N. Castellani et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Flush Poke-Through Wiring Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,623 patented Sep. 5, 2000 to N, Bonilla et al and assigned to Hubbell Incorporated on a "Poke-Through Floor Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,078 patented Jan. 16, 2001 to S. Bambardekar et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Flush Poke-Through Wiring Fitting Having A Height Adjustable Data Jack Mounting Bracket"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,152 patented Oct. 23, 2001 to N. Bonilla et al and assigned to Hubbell Incorporated on a "Poke-Through Floor Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,692 patented Nov. 13, 2001 to H. Munzenberger et al and assigned to Hilti Aktiengesellschaft on a "Lead-In System For Ceilings And Walls Including Trapezoidally Corrugated Sheet Metal Framework"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,446 patented Jul. 9, 2002 to J. H. Whitehead and assigned to Thomas & Betts International, Inc. on a "Concealed Service Poke-Through Device"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,498 patented Feb. 11, 2003 to N. Bonilla et al and assigned to Hubbell Incorporated on a "Poke-Through Floor Fitting With Thermally Activated Conductor Links"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,169 patented Mar. 25, 2003 to M. G. Dykhoff and assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company on an "Adjustable Rack For Supporting Firestop Material In A Through-Penetration"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,5531,130 patented Apr. 22, 2003 to N. Bonilla and assigned to Hubbell Incorporated on a "4×8 Fire Rated Poke Through Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,081 patented Sep. 2, 2003 to M. T. Cole et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Water-Tight Cover Assembly For An In-Floor Fitting"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,640 patented Feb. 24, 2004 to N. Castellani et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Quad Receptacle, Dual Circuit Flush Poke-Through Wiring Fitting With Internally Mountable Communication/Data Jacks"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,100 patented Apr. 6, 2004 to Dd. D. Morris and assigned to Milliken & Company on a "Fire Resistant Conduit Insert For Optical Fiber Cable"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,720,495 patented Apr. 13, 2004 to N. Castellani et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Quad Receptacle, Dual Circuit Flush Poke-Through Wiring Fitting With Internally Mountable Communication/Data Jacks"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,481 patented May 11, 2004 to J. P. Stahl, Sr. and assigned to Specified Technologies Inc. on an "Intumescent Firestopping Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,395 patented Jun. 15, 2004 to J. B. Stout et al and assigned to Walker Systems, Inc. on a "Poke-Thru Fitting Having Polymeric Based Intumescent Material"; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2004/0128927 A1 published Jul. 8, 2004 to M. T. Cole on an "Integrated Ceiling And Wireway Distribution System" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,345 patented Aug. 31, 2004 to M. D. Morgan et al and assigned to W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn on "In Situ Molded Thermal Barriers"; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D498,211 patented Nov. 9, 2004 to S. C. Thibault and assigned to The Wiremold Company on a "Surface Mounted Electrical Cable Way".

Self-adjusting intumescent firestopping apparatus


This invention provides: methods of determining a predisposition or susceptibility of a subject to a mood disorder, a schizophrenia, or a neuro-psychiatric disease or disorder, comprising detecting a presence of a polymorphism in a vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT1) gene or a haplotype comprising the polymorphism, and methods of treating a mood disorder, a schizophrenia, or a neuro-psychiatric disease or disorder in a subject, comprising contacting the subject with a composition that encodes a VMAT protein or modulates an expression or activity of same.

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a common psychiatric disorder, which affects approximately 1% of the general population and is characterized by episodes of mania and depression. Family, adoption and twin studies have shown that BPD has a genetic component. However, genetic causes have been difficult to elucidate due to the complex mode of inheritance and genetic heterogeneity.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease. Approximately 1 percent of the population develops schizophrenia during their lifetime—more than 2 million Americans suffer from the illness in a given year. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties, than in women, who are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. Available treatments can relieve many symptoms, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives; it has been estimated that no more than one in five individuals recovers completely.
Methods of treating BPD, schizophrenia, and other mood disorders and neuro-psychiatric diseases and disorders are urgently needed.

Methods and compositions for treating and diagnosing mood disorders, schizophrenia, and neuro-psychiatric disorders

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


To provide a resin composition that has a high impact resistance, hardly causes peeling during molding, and is excellent in flame retardancy, heat resistance, and heat aging resistance for a long period. A resin composition containing (A) polyphenylene ether, (B) a hydrogenated block copolymer that is obtained by hydrogenating a block copolymer including a polystyrene block and a conjugated diene compound polymer block, and that has a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 500,000, and (C) an organic phosphorus-based flame retardant within a specified amount, wherein a value of the loss tangent (tan δ) peak height of the (B) component in a dynamic viscoelasticity spectrum obtained by measurement of the resin composition at a frequency of 10 Hz is in a specified range.

A polyphenylene ether-based resin composition (hereinafter, also referred to as "m-PPE resin composition") based on a polyphenylene ether (hereinafter, also referred to as "PPE")-based resin has improved molding processability and a predetermined heat resistance, is also excellent in electrical properties, dimensional stability, impact resistance, acid resistance and alkali resistance, and is low in water-absorbing property and specific gravity. In addition, since the m-PPE resin composition can achieve flame retardancy using no harmful halogen-based compound and antimony compound, it is also excellent in terms of environment as well as health and safety. Therefore, such an m-PPE resin composition is widely utilized in applications such as various electric/electronic parts, office equipment parts, automobile parts, building materials, various other exterior materials, and industrial goods.
Patent Document 1 discloses a polymer mixture using a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer and no polystyrene.
Patent Document 2 discloses a composition containing a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer having a specified circle-equivalent average particle diameter.
Patent Document 3 discloses a flame-retardant composition using a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer having a molecular weight of 200,000 atomic mass units to 400,000 atomic mass units.
Patent Document 4 discloses a production method in which, when a flame-retardant composition including a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer having a number average molecular weight of 150,000 to 350,000 is molten and kneaded using an extruder, the range from the upstream side of the extruder to 45 to 75% of the extruder length is defined as a non-melting and mixing zone, and a melting and kneading zone having 5 to 30% of the extruder length is provided downstream of the non-melting and mixing zone.
Patent Document 5 discloses a method for producing a resin composition using a polyphenylene ether powder, wherein a specified powder-supply facility location and specified extruding conditions are adopted.

Polyphenylene ether-based resin composition and method for producing the same


A hot and cold water dispenser includes a base unit that has an open top end and a closed bottom end respectively. The base unit is formed from rigid material such that the base unit maintains a fixed shape when a traditional one gallon, square shaped bottle typically sold at supermarkets and other retail outlets (referred throughout the patent application as an “existing one-gallon water bottle”) is positioned therein. A mechanism heats and cools water contained within the base unit, and is housed within the base unit. A mechanism dispenses the heated and cooled water, and is housed within the base unit and directly connected to the heating and cooling mechanism.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to water dispensers and, more particularly, to a hot and cold water dispenser for providing hot and cold water from a traditional one gallon, square shaped bottle typically sold at supermarkets and other retail outlets (hereinafter referred to as an "existing one-gallon water bottle") positioned within said water dispenser while said water dispenser is supported upon a support surface.
2. Prior Art
The human body is made up of seventy-five percent water and demands frequent hydration to perform at optimal levels. Water plays an important role in nearly every major function of the body such as regulating temperature, delivering oxygen to cells, flushing waste, protecting organs and tissues, and cushioning joints. Dehydration can lead to severe headaches and poor concentration making it difficult for children and adults to study, learn, or focus on complex tasks.
While purchasing bottled water in large quantities offers a cost effective way of enjoying water that is fresh and pure, actually handling the oversized containers can be awkward and difficult. Lifting a five gallon or a three gallon water bottle can place a tremendous strain on a user back and shoulders. Further, because of the shape of the containers, maintaining a grip on one can be difficult as well. For many consumers with limited strength or dexterity, use of these types of water bottles is not an option, and water dispensers employing smaller bottles are beneficial to a wide range of users.
One prior art example shows an assist device for use with a drinking water dispenser of the type utilizing a large inverted water bottle mounted in a recess or reservoir located on the top flat surface of the dispenser. The assist device is used by a person in replacing the water bottle on the dispenser. The assist device includes a base member for resting against one side of the dispenser in a horizontal orientation with respect to the floor supporting the dispenser. The base member includes a recess into which the bottom of the water bottle is set and an elongated support member having an upper end which is secured to the base member and a lower end which rests on the floor when the base member is disposed against the dispenser. The support member spaces the base member from the floor an appropriate distance so that the top rim of the water bottle is adjacent an upper edge of the dispenser. Attachment straps extend from the base member to the dispenser for retaining the base member in close proximity to the dispenser during the process of inverting the water bottle and mounting the bottle in the recess of the dispenser. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not allow a user to employ a smaller type of water bottle when using the system.
Another prior art example dispenses hot coffee or other beverage by the cup at a selected temperature, which can be varied from cup-to-cup. The beverage is brewed in a conventional way, and in one embodiment is stored in a conventional holding tank at elevated temperature. The holding tank communicates with two smaller reservoirs. A quantity of beverage is stored in a first reservoir at an elevated temperature, at or above the maximum desired dispensing temperature. A second quantity of beverage is cooled and stored in a second reservoir at a lower temperature, at or below the minimum desired dispensing temperature. When a cup of beverage is to be dispensed, the temperature is selected, and a quantity of beverage is dispensed from each of the reservoirs, proportioned so that the resulting dispensed beverage is at the selected temperature. In another embodiment, the first reservoir is omitted, and beverage from the holding tank provides the elevated temperature beverage for mixing. In several other embodiments, no cooling mechanism is needed. Instead, the holding tank is at a cooler temperature than the lowest vend temperature, and the beverage must be heated to the hot reservoir temperature and, in one embodiment, the cold reservoir temperature. In another embodiment, the holding tank functions as a cold reservoir. In still another embodiment requiring no heaters, the holding tank is eliminated, and the beverage is held in insulated chambers at the higher and lower temperatures. Unfortunately, this prior art example is designed for use in brewing drinks and is not designed for allowing a user to selected only hot and cold water as desired.
Accordingly, a need remains for a hot and cold water dispenser in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and provides hot and cold water from an existing one-gallon water bottle positioned within the water dispenser while the water dispenser is supported upon a support surface. Such a system offers consumers a fresh supply of drinking water, without requiring the use of a water line or installation of a full size water dispenser and use of heavy and cumbersome three or five gallon water jugs. The system is perfect for cool, refreshing drinks as well as hot teas or soups easily at one's fingertips. A lightweight and portable counter top unit that takes up little space in the home, the system works in conjunction with virtually any brand of one-gallon bottled water. Sparing the user the physical burden associated with changing a three or five gallon water bottle, the practical size of the system enables consumers to install a bottle of fresh water with ease. Such an advantage is particularly beneficial to those with limited living spaces such as urban residents and/or dormitory residents, elderly consumers, as well as those who suffer limited mobility or back pain. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.

One-gallon hot and cold water dispenser and associated method


The present invention provides a lock device for locking by inserting a striker into a base member. The lock device includes a latch, which is disposed on the base member and constrains and releases the striker, and a pawl, which holds the latch. Backlash of the latch is limited by a simple structure. A cam member is rotationally connected to the base member by a rotation shaft different from that of the pawl. An engaging protrusion and recess are formed on the pawl and cam member, respectively. When the pawl is at an allowable position, the protrusion and recess are engaged with each other to hold the cam member. The engagement is released when the pawl rotates to a holding position, engaging the cam member with the latch, which is at a locked position, thereby rotating the latch such that the striker contacts the bottom surface of a base groove.

Conventionally, as a vehicle lock device, for example, a vehicle seat lock device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The lock device includes a base member including a base groove, into which a striker can be inserted, and a latch including a latch groove that can be engaged with and disengaged from the striker. The base groove and the latch groove restrain the striker, and a pawl restricts the rotation of the latch so that the locked state of the striker is maintained. In the locked state, a protrusion formed on the latch is pressed by a cam member according to the urging force of a spring so that the latch is rotated (urged) in the locking direction to reduce the backlash of the latch in the locked state.
The latch and the pawl are supported on the base member via different rotation shafts and arranged in the same plane perpendicular to the rotation shafts. Also, the pawl and the cam member are coaxial and stacked in the axial direction.
When the latch in the locked state receives a major load in the releasing direction (unlocking direction), the pawl sustains the load. The cam member reduces the backlash in the locked state by the urging force of the spring. As mentioned above, the functions of the pawl and the cam member are clearly distinguished. For example, even if the function of the cam member is impaired, the function of the pawl, i.e., the function of maintaining the locked state, is guaranteed. That is, when a major load is applied to the latch, the cam member is not configured to sustain the load.
Accordingly, in the configuration in which the pawl and the cam member are coaxially arranged, it is necessary to ensure the range of rotation of the pawl, i.e., the range of the engagement of the pawl with the latch basically in accordance with the range of rotation of the cam member, which is rotated together with the pawl. Therefore, the amount of rotation of the pawl at the time of unlocking is increased. Thereby, the amount of operation of a control lever associated with the unlocking operation is increased as well so that manipulability and appearance are impaired.
Accordingly, for example, in the vehicle seat lock device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the pawl and the cam member are supported on the base member via different rotation shafts, and the pawl and the cam member are linked by a linkage. Thereby, it is assumed that the ranges of the rotations of the pawl and the cam member are independent from each other, or the timing of locking and unlocking (releasing) by the pawl and the cam member is arbitrarily adjusted.


An image forming apparatus capable of receiving data in high speed in accordance with high speed data transmission interface. The invention includes, a DMA transmission device, a bi-directional communication device, a flag indicator for indicating a status of the receiving parallel data from a host system according to DMA transmission is executed or not by the DMA transmission device a control device controls executing of the bi-directional communication by the bi-directional communication device that when the flag indicator indicates the receiving parallel data from a host system according to DMA transmission is executed, a signal of availability of bi-directional communication is sent to the host system after the receiving parallel data from a host system according to DMA transmission is suspended. When said flag means indicates said receiving parallel data from the host system according to DMA transmission is not executed, a signal of availability of bi-directional communication is sent to the host system immediately.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus such a laser beam printer which is capable of receiving data in a relatively high speed in accordance with a data transmission speed provided from a host system to the laser beam printer through an interface operative in a high speed data transmission mode using parallel port interface with DMA (direct memory access) function.
2. Discussion of the Background
There has been an image apparatus capable of receiving data with DMA function which is transmission without controlling of an interface. The DMA function is the function of transmission data from a designated address to a destination address without controlling by a CPU. In this DMA function, when a parallel port is source and a receiving buffer is destination, a high speed receiving of parallel data can be executed.
On the other hand, there has been standardized a new parallel port interface operative for data transmission between a host system and an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer, recently by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). This interface is called IEEE-1284 and includes bi-directional communication mode. In this interface, for request bi-directional communication mode, one byte data as expansion code is sent from a host system to an image forming apparatus for acknowledge setting bi-directional communication mode at a phase of negotiation.
In this system, during DMA transmission, when a bi-directional communication mode is requested, not only transmitted data but also the expansion code is taken into the receiving buffer, as a result, the bi-directional communication mode can not be executed and errors of data transmission are occurred. The reason of these errors of data transmission is that the expansion code data which should not be taken into the receiving buffer is transmitted to the receiving buffer because the DMA transmission is executed without controlling by a CPU. Therefore, a high speed parallel transmission by the DMA function and a bidirectional communication mode by software controlling can not coexist.

Image forming apparatus capable of receiving data in high speed in accordance with high speed data transmission interface


The invention relates to an assembly of two parts crimped together by folding at least one portion of peripheral edge (12) of one so-called first part (8) over the other so-called second part (9). Said first part (8) has a hinge-forming region facilitating the folding of said portion of peripheral edge (12). The invention also relates to a manifold comprising said assembly and a heat exchanger comprising said manifold.

Condensers are known comprising a bundle of parallel tubes and two manifolds in which the corresponding ends of the tubes are connected, in a fixed and leak-tight manner. Thus, the fluid of the air conditioning loop can circulate from one manifold to the other, through the tubes in which the fluid changes from the vapor phase to the liquid phase through heat exchange with a flow of air, sweeping over the tubes. These exchangers are assembled by brazing.
The manifolds comprise a collector plate with a longitudinally open wall and a cover closing the collector plate, after brazing. To pre-assemble the cover and the collector plate before brazing, it is known practice to crimp them. For this, the collector plate has raised edges of which a peripheral portion is crimped around the cover to close the manifold.
These known manifolds present the drawback of having to apply, to the portion of peripheral edge of the collector plate, an excessively high force during the crimping operation and of thus risking deforming the cover, which could prevent the cover and the collector plate from being brazed correctly.
One solution for avoiding the problems of deformation in the crimping operation is to use a counter-form, called "fork", that makes it possible to prevent the transmission of the crimping forces to the cover. Such a solution remains complicated to implement because it requires specific tooling.
The aim of the invention is to overcome the abovementioned problems.

Assembly of two parts crimped one over the other


An antenna module incorporates a microstrip patch antenna and a mast antenna in an at least substantially concentric arrangement for communicating signals in multiple communication bands. The output signals from the microstrip patch antenna and the mast antenna are output via a single RF cable. The antenna module can be used to communicate signals in multiple communication bands, including both satellite and terrestrial communications. The antenna module conserves space, while avoiding unacceptable distortion of radiation patterns for satellite services. In addition, the mast antenna can be implemented using a thinner, more flexible construction than certain conventional solutions. Further, providing the outputs from the antennas via a single RF cable may facilitate collocating tuners for multiple communication services, resulting in considerable size and cost savings by using a single set of RF cables and connectors.

The vast majority of vehicles currently in use incorporate vehicle communication systems for receiving or transmitting signals. For example, vehicle audio systems provide information and entertainment to many motorists daily. These audio systems typically include an AM/FM radio receiver that receives radio frequency (RF) signals. These RF signals are then processed and rendered as audio output. A vehicle communication system may incorporate other functions, including, but not limited to, wireless voice and data communications, global positioning system (GPS) functionality, satellite-based digital audio radio service (SDARS) functionality, keyless entry, and remote vehicle starting.
Communication systems, including vehicle communication systems, typically employ antenna systems including one or more antennas to receive or transmit electromagnetic radiated signals. In general, such antenna systems have predetermined patterns and frequency characteristics. These predetermined characteristics are selected in view of various factors, including, for example, the ideal antenna design, physical antenna structure limitations, and mobile environment requirements.
Some antenna modules incorporate multiple antennas for use in different applications, including cellular telephony in the AMPS, PCS, and GSM communication bands, digital audio broadcast (DAB), GPS, and SDARS systems. These antennas can be stacked or placed on the same circuit board, for example, arranged adjacent to one another in a row.
One type of antenna, known as an antenna mast, is commonly used in high frequency communications. For example, antenna masts may be used in wireless voice and data communications systems operating at frequencies up to and even in excess of 1 GHz. An antenna mast may be implemented, for example, as a flexible fiberglass or TEFLON® rod with a helically-wound conductor for receiving radio signals.
Small mast antennas, such as those used for cellular telephony, distort the radiation pattern for satellite services, e.g., GPS, and SDARS, due to coupling and shadowing. However, due to the small size of DAB and cellular telephone antenna masts, this distortion is normally acceptable. On the other hand, larger mast antennas, such as those used for AM and FM radio reception, present significantly more distortion in the radiation patterns for satellite services. Accordingly, larger mast antennas cannot be placed adjacent to satellite antennas.
To address this issue, some conventional solutions incorporate a concentric antenna arrangement. In such an arrangement, a helical antenna for use with satellite services such as GPS and SDARS is arranged concentrically with a mast antenna for reception of terrestrial signals, such as DAB or cellular telephone signals. The helical antenna, which operates at its axial mode, can be constructed using a thin, flexible substrate or a wire wrapped into a cylindrical shape. The cables or wires for the mast antenna are typically routed inside and concentric to the helical antenna. Accordingly, the mast antenna is thicker and more rigid than traditional AM/FM mast antennas. One drawback to this type of design is that the helical antenna cannot be bent along its length. In addition, if the mast antenna needs to be tilted for a particular vehicle application, the helical antenna must also be tilted, potentially resulting in an unacceptable radiation pattern for the helical antenna.

Multiband concentric mast and microstrip patch antenna arrangement


A two degree of freedom gyroscope having a drive motor (20), with a permanent magnet rotor (22), which includes an optical sensor (11) for providing an X-axis signal and a Y-axis signal which are indicative of the displacement of the actual rotor (22) spin axis from the null spin axis (28), a torquer coil (26) looped around the permanent magnet rotor (22) and disposed in a plane orthogonal to the null spin axis, and torquer drive elements (52, 54, 56) responsive to the X-axis and Y-axis signals induced in the sensor when the actual rotor (22) spin axis is displaced from the null spin axis (28) for providing current to said torquer coil (26) to urge the axes to coincide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gyroscopes and more particularly to a permanent magnet rotor, two degree of freedom gyroscope which utilizes dual-axis sensors and electronic commutations of a single torquer coil for closing the rotor positioning servo loop to obtain two-axis control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to use permanent magnet motors for driving inertial gyroscope sensing instruments. U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,922 describes a prior art permanent magnet motor drive for a gyro rotor. Permanent magnet motors are utilized in inertial gyroscope sensing instruments where optimum efficiency, rate stability and low run up time are required. The drive motors include a two phase stator, permanent magnet rotor and suitable drive circuitry to start, run up and maintain synchronous speed. The rotor is supported by a hydrodynamic bearing wherein the spinning rotor supplies the pressurized fluid for the bearing.
In conventional two degree of freedom gyros, two separate control paths are utilized using an angle sensor on each axis and a torque transducer acting about each axis. The conventional means of closing the X-Y loops in a two degree of freedom instrument are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,050. In conventional two degree of freedom gyro loop implementations two separate control paths are utilized using an angle sensor on each axis and a torque transducer acting about each axis. The separate angular sensors are used for sensing tilt about stationary X and Y axes and two separate torquers are used for implementing two stationary servo loops to urge the actual rotor spin axis to the nominal or null spin axis. The output signals from the two sensors serve as inputs to the torquer servo control electronics. The servo control electronics extracts and processes the angular displacement information and provides the drive currents to the two torquers to obtain two axes control.
In conventional angular momentum based two degree of freedom gyroscopes which utilize electronic closed loop control law means it is normal to use two separate torquer coils, one for each rate sensitive axis, to urge the gyro float or rotor to null with respect to the gyro housing as sensed by the gyro's position pick-offs which generate a position signal. A significant disadvantage to having separate X and Y torquers is the costly alignment procedure required to obtain orthogonality between the two torquer coils. If there is a misalignment between the torquers, the gyro's performance is impacted. For instance, due to a misalignment between the two torquer coils, when a rate is applied about a single axis there is a deflection about a single axis, however current flowing in one torquer coil will produce a component of torque along both axes. This results in a deflection about both axes when only a single axis needed to be rebalanced. The deflection about the wrong axis will have to be rebalanced causing erroneous rate information about that axis.
The present invention eliminates the use of two torquers and utilizes the disclosed electronically commutated two-axis gyro control scheme and a single torquer to obtain two axis control of the gyro rotor. Utilizing a single torquer coil alleviates stringent alignment procedures, reduces the cost and improves performance. By utilizing a single torquer coil and obtaining orthogonality electronically, as disclosed herein, an improved gyro can be obtained. The circuit of the present invention is particularly suitable for controlling a miniature two degree of freedom gyro as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,289.

Electronically commutated two-axis gyro control system


The disclosed technology includes a passive temperature controlled container for passively maintaining a specified temperature range in a storage chamber of the container for a predetermined amount of time. The passive temperature controlled container may be configured to have an inner PCM layer and an outer PCM layer, with an air chamber layer between the two PCM layers to allow for the free movement of air around all six sides of the container.

In the shipping industry, there often arises a need for rigid shipping containers to transport cargo in a temperature-controlled manner. For example, products related to pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, clinical trials, biologics, tissues, and derma patches not only must be transported within a specific temperature range in order to maintain the integrity of the product, but are also often required to be so transported in accordance with laws, regulations, or other guidelines. For example, the ICH stability guidelines dictate the storage conditions at which various drug products must be maintained. Furthermore, if a container is shipped from one environment to another (e.g., a hot environment to a cold environment), the external temperature forces acting on the exterior of the container may vary drastically during a single trip. Thus, there is a significant need in the market for reliable, temperature-controlled shipping containers.
Traditionally, temperature-controlled shipping containers come in two types—active temperature control and passive temperature control. Active temperature control containers can be electronically controlled devices that continually monitor and adjust the temperature of the container using, for example, compressor cooling and electric heating. These systems rely on electricity to function properly and may use dry ice as a coolant to push cool air into the payload area of the container. By contrast, passive systems are typically designed to maintain a particular temperature range for up to a predetermined amount of time, by incorporating gel packs or other types of phase change materials into the container. For example, a passive system may be capable of maintaining a given temperature range for up to 24 hours, 72 hours, or 96 hours.
Both active and passive systems have advantages and drawbacks. Passive systems are only good for a generally shorter, predetermined amount of time and must be configured properly with the right materials based on the requirements of the payload. However, active systems are typically much more expensive, and because they rely on a power source, they present a risk of damage to the payload if the power source supporting the container goes down.
Thus, it would be desirable to develop an improved passive temperature-controlled container for regulating a payload's temperature within a specified range, for an extended period of time, that can be achieved inexpensively compared to other solutions.

Passive temperature controlled container


A communication module for a measuring instrument may include a first interface, a second interface, and an integrated web client. To the first interface a measuring instrument can be connected, whereas to the second interface a database can be connected. The communication module is configured to receive at the first interface a measurement value and to forward it to the second interface by the web client.

When logging measurement values it is very often decisive to relate measurement values of various process quantities in order to obtain evaluations based thereon. In this case, it happens frequently that measurement values have to be picked up at different locations, which are often spaced very far apart, and have to be transferred to a centralized location for storage. Using centralized storage allows for instance for a uniform data backup concept to be used for different measurement values. Furthermore, it is possible to make available only one evaluation infrastructure for treating all kinds of measurement results.
Conversion of the physical process information into measurement values, which can be evaluated by electronic data processing units, usually takes place at the measurement site. The field units convert the physical process information into numerical values, which must finally be forwarded to the centralized evaluator units.
Nowadays, transmission of process information from field units into a centralized database of an evaluator unit takes place e.g. via dialup connections, web servers integrated into field units, per email, SMS or by facsimile transmission. In all of these methods, in order to reach the measurement information, information has to be retrieved actively from a receiver. That is, measurement values are provided by the field unit at a location agreed upon, where they must then be fetched by the user, in particular by a subsequent processing instance.
In order to facilitate fetching, it is indeed possible to use polling procedures, which ensure that the information provided is interrogated and fetched at regular time intervals. However, with such polling procedures, or with fetching procedures triggered by the user, it is rather difficult to fetch information immediately after it has been logged. Especially with irregular measurement value logging, it may happen that the time interval between interrogation and provision of a measurement value is very long. Or it may happen that interrogation is done in intervals that are too short so that the measuring system is additionally loaded with frequent interrogation and performance thereof is impaired.

Method and system for connecting to a field device


A digital signal processing unit 17 of a digital camera which includes a solid-state imaging element 5 having an imaging pixel cell 30 and a pair of focus detecting pixel cells 31R and 31L determines whether a captured image signal obtained by imaging by the imaging element 5 has a region affected by at least one of the flare and the ghost. And, when it is determined that there is the region, the digital signal processing unit 17 performs correction processing by signal interpolation using an output signal of imaging pixel cells around the focus detecting pixel cell included in the captured image signal on an output signal of all the focus detecting pixel cells included in the captured image signal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an imaging device and a signal correcting method.
2. Related Art
Recently, as the resolution of a solid-state imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor becomes higher, a demand for an information equipment having an imaging function such as a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a cellular phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) is rapidly increasing. In the meantime, the information device having an imaging function as described above is referred to as an imaging device.
However, a focus control method which adjusts a focus on a main subject by detecting a distance to a major subject includes a contrast auto focus (AF) method and a phase difference AF method. Since the phase difference AF method may detect a focusing position with high precision at a high speed as compared with the contrast AF method, the phase difference AF method is widely employed in various imaging devices.
As a solid-state imaging element which is mounted in an imaging device which controls a focus by a phase difference AF method, a solid-state imaging element in which a pair of focus detecting pixel cells having openings of a light shielding layer, which are off-centered in reverse directions to each other, are discretely provided on an entire surface of an imaging region is used (see Patent Literature 1 (JP-A-2010-62640)).
An area of the opening of the light shielding layer of the focus detecting pixel cell is smaller than those of other normal pixel cells, and as a result, it is insufficient to use the output signal as an imaging signal. Therefore, it is required to correct the output signal of the focus detecting pixel cell.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a method that selectively performs interpolation correction processing which interpolates and creates an output signal of a focus detecting pixel cell using an output signal of a normal pixel cell therearound and gain correction processing which corrects the output signal of the focus detecting pixel cell by amplifying a gain in accordance with variation of the output signal of the normal pixel cell around the focus detecting pixel cell.
In the imaging device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, when there is a strong light source within or near an imaging range, ghost or flare may be undesirably generated by the reflection on a surface of a lens which configures the optical system or a surface of a chip of a solid-state imaging element. When the light which generates the ghost or the flare is incident onto a focus detecting pixel cell, a defocus amount may not be calculated with high precision, that is, the focus may not be controlled.
A technology which prevents the phase difference AF precision from being deteriorated due to light which generates the ghost or flare is disclosed in Patent Literature 2 (JP-A-2008-242333) and Patent Literature 3 (JP-A-2006-184321).
Patent Literature 2 discloses a method which determines whether the ghost or flare is generated and corrects an output signal of the focus detecting pixel cell when it is determined that the ghost or flare is generated to improve the phase difference AF precision.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a method which detects a position and light amount of a photographing light source from an output of a solid-state imaging element and calculates a correction value from information on the position and the light amount of the photographing light source and information on light which generates a ghost or a flare in accordance with a position of a photographing light source which has been stored in a storing unit in advance to correct a light amount distribution for an image of a subject output from the solid-state imaging element using the correction value, thereby improving the phase difference AF precision.

Imaging device and signal correcting method


A strap system for securing an object to a dolly. The strap system includes a first strap section having first and second ends and releasably attached to the dolly at the first end and a second strap section having first and second ends and releasably attached to the dolly at the first end. The second end of the first strap section and the second end of the second strap section are releasably attached to each other.

In the moving of large objects, such as furniture, washing machines and the like, safety and making the move as easy as possible are the primary concerns. Moving large objects by hand obviously is highly inefficient and dangerous since the move would require multiple people and the object could fall and potentially injure the movers.
As such, dolly or hand carts have been utilized to lift the objects and allow them to be pulled along on the wheels, however even when using a dolly or cart the object still in prone to movement since it is unsecured. Along that line, straps are known in the art which that can be affixed to the cart and will tighten the object to the cart through the use of rackets and other more complex tightening systems.
While these products have been developed, a need exists for an improved strap system that is easy to use, releasable from the dolly or cart and has no moving parts, thereby making it cheap to manufacture.


Systems and methods for contacting solids with a fluid are provided. The system can include a first baffle having a latitudinal centerline that is in a plane defined by first and second axes, the latitudinal centerline of the first baffle being oriented at a first angle from about 5° to about 80° with respect to the second axis. The system can also include a second baffle axially offset from the first baffle along the second axis and having a latitudinal centerline in the plane that is oriented at a second angle from about 100° to about 175° with respect to the second axis and a third baffle axially adjacent to the second baffle along the second axis and having a latitudinal centerline in the plane that is oriented at a third angle from about 5° to about 80° with respect to the second axis.

1. Field
Embodiments described herein generally relate to systems and methods for hydrocarbon processing. More particularly, such embodiments relate to systems and methods for stripping entrained gas from a catalyst in FCC processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluidized Catalytic Cracking ("FCC") is used to produce transportation fuels such as diesel, gasoline, and other liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbon products from higher molecular weight feedstocks. The FCC process uses a reactor called a riser where fluidized catalyst particles thermally degrade or crack a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon to form more valuable, lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products. A by-product of the FCC process is a carbonaceous material known as "coke." Coke has a tendency to deposit on the catalyst particles, deactivating the catalyst. The lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products and the deactivated or spent catalyst particles are recovered from the reactor, and separated to provide a cracked hydrocarbon product and the spent catalyst.
The spent catalyst leaving the FCC riser can contain residual cracked hydrocarbons entrained thereon and/or therein. The spent catalyst is typically stripped in the presence of steam in a catalyst stripper to separate the residual cracked hydrocarbons. In the stripper, falling catalyst is distributed over a network of solid structures or baffles. The network of baffles can promote mixing of the falling catalyst with the upward flowing steam. The network of baffles used in conventional strippers contains rows of individual baffles that are arranged such that the surfaces of each baffle are co-aligned and/or co-planar with each other. During operation, rising gas bubbles have a tendency to coalesce along the underside of these baffles, which reduces stripping efficiency.
There is a need, therefore, for improved systems and methods for stripping catalyst of entrained gas in fluidized catalytic cracking processes.

Baffle system for fluid catalytic cracking


A cable barrier system is managed by a cable barrier management system including a management system controller having a management processor, a wireless data communications interface, and a plurality of turnbuckle subsystems configured to be joined to respective barrier cables to provide pretension. Each of the turnbuckle subsystems has a strain gauge mounting zone and is configured to enable communication of strain from a strain gauge circuit to the management processor. The management system controller includes a sensing circuit to receive the strain gauge output voltage from the strain gauge circuit and provide sensing circuit output to the management processor. The management system controller includes a cable barrier analysis module configured to determine excess strain events. The management processor generates strain event data, which is sent via the wireless data communications interface to a remote recipient computing device.

Cable barrier systems (CBS), such as wire rope fence systems (WRFS) or wire fence systems (WFS) (collectively, cable barrier systems (CBS)), may serve as permanent longitudinal safety barriers along stretches of roadways. A cable barrier system may be installed adjacent a stretch of roadway to prevent vehicles deviating off the roadway surface, from reaching a roadside hazard such as an opposite direction travel lane of a divided highway, obstacle, slope, or precipice. In one common application, a cable barrier system may be located in the median along a stretch of a divided highway, to stop vehicles veering from the roadway from crossing the median into the opposite direction lane of travel. Cable barrier systems of the general type that are the subject of this disclosure are available from suppliers such as Trinity Industries (Dallas, Tex.) Nucor (Charlotte, N.C.), Brifen USA (Oklahoma City, Okla.), and Gibraltar Global (Burnet, Tex.). The Transportation Research Board (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 711: Guidance for the Selection, Use and Maintenance of Cable Barrier Systems (including Appendices A-D), Transportation Research Board (2012), ISBN 978-0-309-25842-5, is hereby incorporated by reference in entirety. The CASS TL-3 & TL-4 Systems Assembly Manual (Trinity Highway Products, Dallas, Tex.) (Trinity Part No. 620038B)(September 2012) is hereby incorporated by reference in entirety.
A cable barrier system may include a set of pretensioned cables extending in the horizontal direction between a plurality of spaced vertical support posts. Although the number of cables may vary, a typical cable barrier system may include three (3) or four (4) tensioned cables. The cables may be formed of wire rope. The mounting posts may be set in concrete footings or in the earth adjacent the stretch of roadway. In order to function properly, the cables may be installed with a pretension. The pretension may be selected to minimize dynamic deflection of the cables upon vehicle impact and thus maximize vehicle capture by the cable barrier system. The cable barrier system may include hardware such as anchors, cable splices, and turnbuckles, which support the cables relative to the posts and ground. Turnbuckles, for example, may be installed between opposite ends of cable segments running end to end, to connect the cable segments. The turnbuckles can be adjusted to create a desired amount of pretension the cables. Factors such as installation temperature and cable pre-stretch may be important factors for proper functioning of a cable barrier system. The pretensioned cables may be damaged by vehicle to barrier collisions with the cable barrier system. Depending upon the extent of damage to the cables, reinstallation, renewing the pretension, or replacement of the cables may be undertaken. The cables may lose tension due to factors such as, for example, thermal expansion, fatigue and aging, and thus require periodic maintenance.

Cable barrier system for use with cable barrier management system including turnbuckle subsystem, and method


Embodiments are directed to managing software components loaded on a device by identifying a platform manifest having a valid certificate, confirming that the platform manifest is bound to the device, identifying components listed on the platform manifest, confirming that the listed components have a valid certificate, and loading listed components with valid certificates on the device. The components may be binaries and packages for an operating system. The components may be signed in an embedded manner or with detached signatures. The platform manifest may be bound to the device in a manner that allows for identification of unauthorized platform manifests.

Operating systems originally created for desktop computers have more recently expanded into other devices, such as mobile phones and game controllers. The transition of an operating system from the desktop platform to the mobile phone platform is complicated because of differing security models in these devices. The personal computer platform is generally an open platform. On the other hand, the mobile operating system is typically a locked-down platform. Mobile phones do not have the same logon concept like logging on to a personal computer and, therefore, they do not have the same set of user permissions and access control lists found on desktops.
Because mobile phones are directly connected to a mobile network, an important concern is protecting these networks. Service providers need to be sure that malicious or disruptive applications that might threaten the security and integrity of the network are not installed or run on a mobile phone. When mobile phone operating systems are being developed, existing desktop components are reused to provide the same functionality on the mobile phone despite the different security models. However, if the various development tools and management tools designed for the desktop were used without restriction, that would mean subverting the mobile phone lockdown model. A component that is acceptable on the desktop might not be safe on a mobile phone.
To maintain the mobile phone as a locked-down platform, there is a need to distinguish between components that are supposed to work on each platform. This is accomplished using two different sets of digital signatures. There is a desktop set of code-signed certificates, and a mobile phone set of code-signed certificates.
The components that are to run on the mobile phone platform need to be signed with the mobile phone set of code-signed certificates. Typically, the development process produces all the desktop components first, and then mobile build process begins. The mobile build process ingests relevant desktop components. Then, there is a re-signing step to authorize the selected desktop components and distinguish them from all other non-ingested desktop components with mobile code-signed certificates. For other components that were built specifically for mobile, they are signed with the mobile code-signed certificates without any sort of ingestion.

Securely defining operating system composition without multiple authoring


Disclosed are semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same. According to one embodiment, the method includes sequentially forming a gate insulation layer and a conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate. A buried impurity region is then formed in the semiconductor substrate. Thus, the gate insulation layer is formed before forming the buried impurity region, thereby substantially reducing impurity diffusion that can be caused by a thermal process for forming the gate insulation layer. In addition, the gate insulation layer is not exposed, thus protecting the gate insulation layer from being recessed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mask ROMs are largely divided into NAND-type ROMs and NOR-type ROMs. While the NAND-type ROM has a slow operating speed, it is adequate for high integration due to its small unit cell area. On the other hand, the NOR-type ROM has a high operating speed, but is not suitable for high integration due to its great unit cell area. Therefore, a flat NOR-type ROM structure, which enables both a high operating speed of the NOR-type ROM and a small cell area of the NAND-type ROM, has been proposed. The flat NOR-type ROM is a type of mask ROMs in which a device isolation layer and a contact plug are not included in a unit cell. The flat NOR-type ROM adopts a buried impurity region disposed in a semiconductor substrate as a bit line.
FIGS. 1 to 3 are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for fabricating a conventional flat NOR-type ROM semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a buffer oxide layer 20, an anti-reflecting layer 30, and a photoresist layer are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate 10. The photoresist layer is patterned using a typical photolithographic process, thereby forming a photoresist pattern 40 that exposes a region of the anti-reflecting layer 30. The anti-reflecting layer 30 is used to form the photoresist pattern 40 and is typically composed of silicon oxynitride (SiON).
Next, an ion implantation process is implemented using the photoresist pattern 40, as an ion implantation mask, to form an impurity region 50 in the semiconductor substrate 10. Through the ion implantation process, arsenic (As) ions are implanted into the semiconductor substrate 10, penetrating the anti-reflecting layer 30 and the buffer oxide layer 20. At this time, silicon atoms of the semiconductor substrate 10 are deviated from a lattice structure by a kinetic energy of the arsenic ions. As a result, the impurity region 50 has lattice defects.
Referring to FIG. 2, after forming the impurity region 50, the photoresist pattern 40 is removed to expose the anti-reflecting layer 30. Thereafter, the exposed anti-reflecting layer 30 is removed using an etchant containing phosphoric acid (H2PO4).
Etching of the anti-reflecting layer 30 using the phosphoric acid may cause etching damages to the buffer oxide layer 20 thereunder. That is, the buffer oxide layer 20 may suffer from an increase in thickness deviation as well as degradation of physical/electrical (device) characteristics. Thus, the buffer oxide layer 20 is not used for a gate insulation layer of a transistor and is thus removed by an etchant containing a fluoric acid. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the entire top surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 is exposed.
Referring to FIG. 3, a gate insulation layer 60 and 65 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 10, in which the buffer oxide layer 20 is removed. The process of forming the gate insulation layer 60 and 65 is an important process determining characteristics of MOS transistors. The gate insulation layer 60 and 65 is typically formed by thermally oxidizing the exposed semiconductor substrate 10.
The thermal oxidization process is typically conducted at approximately 850° C. Such a high-temperature thermal oxidization may, however, cause diffusion of impurities in the impurity region 50. Thus, the impurities in the impurity region 50 can be diffused to form a buried impurity region 55 having a greater width and depth. The buried impurity regions 55 serve as source/drain regions of the flat NOR-type ROM and as interconnections for connecting the source/drain regions.
The gate insulation layer 60 and 65 should be formed to a predetermined thickness (tox) or more to fabricate a reliable MOS transistor. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the top surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 is completely exposed during removal of the anti-reflecting layer 30. Thus, while the gate insulation layer 60 is formed to the thickness of the impurities As in the impurity region 50 can be excessively diffused. As a result, the distance 11 between the adjacent buried impurity regions 55 is reduced, causing a short channel effect, impeding high integration of semiconductor devices.
Further, in the thermal oxidization, the impurity region 50 having lattice defects is easily and rapidly oxidized as compared with other regions on the semiconductor substrate. Thus, the gate insulation layer 65 formed on the impurity region 50 has a thickness greater than that formed on the other regions, which also is not desirable for high integration of semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same