A method for manufacturing an inner cutter for a reciprocating electric shaver, including the steps of: press-stamping a thin metal plate to obtain a thin metal plate element that has an outer contour of an unfolded inner cutter and elongated openings that extend substantially perpendicular to the direction of the reciprocating motion the inner cutter makes and further has bridging-portions formed between the elongated openings; pressing the bridging-portions so that each bridging-portion has a final sectional shape of each cutter blade of the inner cutter; twisting the bridging-portions so that the cutter surfaces of the cutter blades are aligned substantially to the surface of the thin metal plate element; forming the thin metal plate element into substantially an arch shape with the cutter surface sides of the cutter blades facing outward; and executing finishing-work on the outer circumferential surface of the arch-shaped thin metal plate element.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an inner cutter for a reciprocating electric shaver in which an inner cutter makes reciprocating motions while making sliding contact with the inside surface of an arch-shaped outer cutter and further relates to such an inner cutter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical reciprocating electric shaver, the inner cutter is caused to make a reciprocating motion while making sliding contact with the inside surface of an arch-shaped outer cutter, thus cutting by the inner cutter hair that advances into the apertures formed in the outer cutter. Such inner cutters include an assembled inner cutter and an integral inner cutter as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. S62-148684.
In the assembled inner cutter, a plurality of cutter blades formed by stamping a thin metal plate into an arch shape are lined up at fixed intervals and held on a retaining base. In such an inner cutter, it is necessary to form a plurality of cutter blades and attach these cutter blades to a cutter blade attachment member. Accordingly, it requires increased numbers of manufacturing steps, and the problem is its poor productivity.
To the contrary, the integral inner cutter is a cutter in which all of the cutter blades are integrated. FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective of such conventional integral inner cutters.
In the inner cutter 10 shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of arch-shaped cutter blades 14 are formed parallel to each other at fixed intervals by slits 12 that are opened in a hollow cylindrical body of a metal, ceramic, etc. (hereafter collectively called a "metal" in the present application) so that the slits 12 are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the hollow cylindrical body. The inner cutter 16 of FIG. 8 includes a plurality of arch-shaped cutter blades 20 that are parallel to each other at fixed intervals, and these cutter blades 20 are obtained by bending a flat metal plate into substantially an arch shape and by forming slits 18 that cut across the ridge line of the arch-shaped metal plate.
Of the above-described inner cutters, the inner cutter 10 shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by groove-cutting that is done by, as shown in FIG. 9, moving a circular cutting tool 200, which is rotated as shown by two-head curved arrow, in the direction perpendicular to the axis of a metallic hollow cylindrical body 10A as shown by two-head straight arrow, thus forming the slits 12. On the other hand, in the arch-shaped inner cutter 16 shown in FIG. 8, a thin metal plate formed with cutter blades 20 is used instead of the hollow cylindrical body 10A and bent into an arch shape.
However, in the method that uses a rotating cutting tool 200 as shown in FIG. 9, the cutter blades 14 (20) take the sectional shape as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the inner cutter 10 (16) in a perpendicular section that includes the ridge line (and the centerline in the direction of the reciprocating motion of the inner cutter). In the cutter blades 14 (20) in FIG. 10, the rake angle θ which is the angle formed between the top surface (cutter surface) 22 and the end surfaces 24 directly beneath the top surface 22 of each cutter blade 14 (20) is 90°.
The top surfaces 22 of these cutter blades 14 (20) make a reciprocating motion while making sliding contact with the inside surface of an arch-shaped outer cutter 26 and thus cut hair that enters through apertures formed in the outer cutter 26. Accordingly, it is desirable that the rake angle θ be as sharp as possible; in other words, it is desirable that the rake angle θ be an acute angle that is less than 90°.
In order to form the rake angle θ into an acute angle, the outer end surfaces 24 of the cutter blades 14 (20) are ground or polished (hereafter collectively referred to simply as "grinding" in some cases) using a grindstone 28 or 30 as shown in FIG. 11. The grindstone 28 of a disk-form or rod-form grindstone is inserted into the spaces (slits 12 (18)) between the arch-shaped cutter blades 14 (20) and rotated as shown by two-head curved arrow and moved. The grindstone 30, on the other hand, has a tip end of a knob shape, and grinding is performed by rotating as shown by circular arrow and moving this knob-shaped tip end while pressing the knob-shaped tip end against the end surfaces 24.
FIG. 12 shows another way to form an acute rake angle in cutter blades. In the method of FIG. 12, grinding is performed by a circular grindstone 32 which is thicker than the width of the slits 18 of the arch-shaped inner cutter 16 and whose circumferential edge protrudes in the form of an acute angle; and such a circular grindstone 32 is caused to advance into the slits 18 from the inside of the inner cutter 16 while being rotated. This method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. S53-116961. In FIG. 12, the reference numeral 34 is a centerline of the rotation of the grindstone 32.
In the inner cutters 10 and 16 made by the methods illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9, since a thin metal plate or a metallic hollow cylindrical body with a certain thickness is used, the thickness of the cutter blades 14 and 20 (i.e., the thickness in the radial direction) is the same as the thickness of the thin metal plate or of the hollow cylindrical body. Ordinarily, it is necessary to reduce the weight of the inner cutter in order to reduce the driving force of the driving motor of a shaver and thus to reduce the consumption of energy; furthermore, it is desirable to avoid a thin metal plate or a hollow cylindrical body that has an excessive thickness in order to improve the grindability.
On the other hand, if a thin metal plate or a hollow cylindrical body of a small thickness is used, then the strength of the cutter blades becomes insufficient, and the inner cutter is caused to flex repeatedly together with the outer cutter by the pressure that is applied to the outer cutter during shaving. Further, the cutter blades undergo metal fatigue as a result of deformations, sagging of the cutter tips occurs, and the problem of deterioration in sharpness arises. Though inner cutters in which resin molded parts used for reinforcement are attached to compensate for the insufficient strength exist, the number of parts increases in such inner cutters, and the weight of the reciprocating portion also increases.
The method in which, as shown in FIG. 11, the end surfaces of the arch-shaped cutter blades 14 (20) are ground by causing the grindstone 28 or 30 to advance into the slits 12 (18) from the outside to make the rake angle θ of the cutter blades in acute angles requires extremely fine work, and thus it requires long working time. As a result, the working efficiency is poor, and the problem of productivity drop and manufacturing yield arises.
Furthermore, in the method that uses a rotating grindstone 32 as shown in FIG. 12, the grindstone 32 is caused to advance into the slits 18 from the inside of the arch-shaped inner cutter 16. Accordingly, the grindstone 32 needs to have an extremely small diameter. However, small diameter grindstones tend to easily wear out in a short period of time, and it is necessary to frequently replace the grindstones. As a result, in the method shown in FIG. 11, the working efficiency is poor, and the problem of a high manufacturing cost arises.

Method for manufacturing an inner cutter of a reciprocating electric shaver and an inner cutter of a reciprocating electric shaver


A system and method detects within an IP network an offending network device that has been adversely affecting the IP network performance. A discovery protocol frame is propagated to successive network switches and is formed as a field having a query for inquiring within each network switch to which the frame is propagated whether the network switch has a database entry regarding the MAC address and switch port for the offending network device to locate the offending network device. This discovery protocol frame includes a command for any network switch that has the offending network device connected thereto to disable the switch port to which the offending network device is connected or block all data traffic from the MAC address of the offending network device.

A common problem that occurs in a Local Area Network (LAN) or other IP networks is when one network device connected to the network adversely affects the entire network performance. The behavior of that offending network device often impacts normal network performance. Usually, it is necessary to determine where the offending network device is physically located in a building and its connection status to network switches and other network resources or network devices. This information needs to be determined quickly so action can be taken to restore the network to normal performance.
It is well known that each network device includes a universally unique identifier as its Media Access Control (MAC) address. In a network that uses a plurality of network switches, for example, layer 2 Ethernet switches, each network switch maintains a table of MAC addresses and the physical port on which that MAC address was learned. For example, a faulty network device could have a bad MAC card and transmit packets in an out-of-control manner. In another example, a server could use an IP address of x.x.x.x with its MAC information and address. A computer as a network device could previously have had that IP address of x.x.x.x. The user of that computer may not have used that computer for six months. When the offending user boots six months later, that user maintains the static IP address of x.x.x.x for their computer, which advertises itself to the network and other users as that IP address. In operation, other users (including the offending user) may be trying to access the server that has the IP address of x.x.x.x. Because traffic is redirected from that correct server to the computer of the offending user, the network does not operate properly. Again, the offending computer with the wrong IP address needs to be located quickly and efficiently. Even worse is when an offending user must be located because of malicious behavior. Then it often becomes more critical to locate the offending user quickly and efficiently.
One current solution to locate the offending network device and its MAC address is for a technician or other user to log-in manually into each network switch and determine if the offending or faulty network device is directly connected to that network switch and take any necessary actions such as shutting down the port, isolating the offending or faulty network device on a separate VLAN, rate limiting that offending or faulty network device, blocking all traffic from that located MAC address and/or similar solutions. This manual log-in technique is a lengthy, cumbersome process, especially in larger networks where there are many network switches to search. Also, a detailed knowledge of the network architecture is required, thus requiring the technician hunting for the offending network device to determine if the device is directly connected to the network switch or if the MAC address was learned on a switchport that is tied to another network switch. For example, the faulty or offending network device could be located multiple hops away.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for locating offending network device and maintaining network integrity


A prescription pill vial with dosage indexer is disclosed. The prescription pill vial includes a body having a sidewall and bottom forming an enclosure for prescription medications. The sidewall extends below the bottom forming a cavity beneath the enclosure. A rosette is on the bottom of the body. The rosette has a plurality of detents thereon. An indexer is configured to fit into the cavity and rotate therewithin. The indexer has a spring-biased pawl that engages the detents on the rosette, limiting the rotation of the indexer to a number of predefined positions corresponding to the detents on the rosette.

1. Field of the Invention
The present patent document relates generally to prescription pill vials and more particularly to a prescription pill vial with a ratcheting dosage indexer incorporated into the bottom of the vial.
2. Background of the Related Art
Prescription pill vials with dosage indexers are useful in order for individuals to remember or be reminded of how many pills they have previously taken that day. Indexers may also be used to track the time of when to take the next pill, or when the last pill was taken. Prior art indexers suffer from the disadvantage of being easily bumped, therefore, causing confusion as to whether a dose was previously taken or not and being difficult to turn. Therefore, there is a perceived need in the industry for a prescription pill vial with an indexer that is easy to turn, yet is not easily dislodged from its current position.

Prescription pill vial with ratcheting dosage indexer


The present invention provides a pixel structure, which includes a TFT substrate (20), a CF substrate (30) and a liquid crystal layer (40). The TFT substrate (20) includes a first transparent substrate (22) and a pixel electrode (24). The CF substrate (30) includes a second transparent substrate (32) and a common electrode (34). The pixel electrode (24) includes a first sub pixel electrode (26) and a second sub pixel electrode (28). The common electrode (34) includes a first sub common electrode (36) and a second sub common electrode (38). The first sub pixel electrode (26) and the first sub common electrode (36) have a first voltage difference and the second sub pixel electrode (28) and the second sub common electrode (38) have a second voltage difference. The first voltage difference is greater than or less than the second voltage difference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal display technology, and in particular to a pixel structure.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal displays have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus widely used. Most of the liquid crystal displays that are currently available in the market are backlighting liquid crystal displays, which comprise a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The operation principle of the liquid crystal display panel is that, with liquid crystal molecules interposed between two parallel glass substrates, a driving voltage is applied to the two glass substrates to control the rotation direction of the liquid crystal molecules in order to refract out light emitting from the backlight module to generate an image. Since the liquid crystal display panel does not emit light by itself, light must be provided from the backlight module in order to normally display the image. Thus, the backlight module is one of the key components of a liquid crystal display. The backlight modules can be classified in two types, namely a side-edge backlight module and a direct backlight module, according to the position where light gets incident. The direct backlight module comprises a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light-emitting diode (LED), which is arranged at the backside of the liquid crystal display panel to form a planar light source directly supplied to the liquid crystal display panel. The side-edge backlight module comprises an LED light bar, serving as a backlight source, which is arranged at an edge of a backplane to be located rearward of one side of the liquid crystal display panel. The LED light bar emits light that enters a light guide plate (LGP) through a light incident face at one side of the light guide plate and is projected out of a light emergence face of the light guide plate, after being reflected and diffused, to form a planar light source for the liquid crystal display panel.
The present-day liquid crystal display panels, particularly large-sized liquid crystal display panels, often show color shifting at large view angles. The larger the view angle is, the more severe the color shifting will be. In order to expand the view angle and suppress color shifting, a low color shift design that is often adopted for the large-sized liquid crystal display panels is to increase the number of domains making up of a pixel. A pixel is commonly divided into four domains and if a pixel is partitioned to two pixel zones, namely a main pixel zone and a sub pixel zone, then the number of domains is increased to eight. This increases the view angle and improves color shifting at large view angles.
The main pixel zone and the sub pixel zone are powered by means of two or more different thin-film transistors. Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which are respectively a schematic view of a pixel structure adopting a low color shift design and an equivalent circuit diagram thereof. A pixel 102 is partitioned into a main pixel zone 104 and a sub pixel zone 106. When the gate line of number Gn is activated, a first thin-film transistor (or main thin-film transistor) 202 and a second thin-film transistor (or sub thin-film transistor) 204 are respectively operated to convey electrical charges to a first storage capacitor Cst1 of the main pixel zone 104 and a second storage capacitor Cst2 of the sub pixel zone 106, which collectively constitute the pixel 102. When the gate line of number Gn is de-activated and the gate line of number Gn+1 is activated, a third thin-film transistor (or charge sharing thin-film transistor) 206 is switched on to allow the electrical charges of the second storage capacitor Cst2 of the sub pixel zone 106 to partly release to a charge sharing capacitor Cb. This causes a differential potential between the main pixel zone 104 and the sub pixel zone 106, achieving the purposes of suppressing color shifting.
A pixel structure having such an arrangement can achieve suppressing of color shifting; however, three thin-film transistors and two gate lines are needed for each pixel to control the charging of the pixel and this causes a great loss of aperture ratio of the pixel.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A method including forming a first metal wire in a first dielectric layer, the first metal wire including a first vertical side opposite from a second vertical side; and forming a second metal wire in a second dielectric layer above the first dielectric layer, the second metal wire including a third vertical side opposite from a fourth vertical side, where the first vertical side is laterally offset from the third vertical side by a first predetermined distance, and the second vertical side is laterally offset from the fourth vertical side by a second predetermined distance, where the first metal wire and the second metal wire are in direct contact with one another.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to the fabrication of stacked metal wires of an inductor.
Miniaturization of electronic circuits is a goal in virtually every field, not only to achieve high density in mechanical packaging, but also to decrease the manufacturing costs of the circuits. Many digital and analog circuits, including complex microprocessors and operational amplifiers, have been successfully implemented in silicon based integrated circuits (ICs). These circuits typically include active devices, such as bipolar transistors and field effect transistors (FETs), diodes of various types, and passive devices, such as resistors and capacitors.
One area that remains a challenge to miniaturize is radio frequency (RF) circuits, such as those used in cellular telephones, wireless modems, and other types of communication equipment. The problem is the difficulty in producing a good inductor in silicon technologies that is suitable for RF applications. Attempts to integrate inductors into silicon technologies have yielded either inductor Q values less than five or required special metallization layers such as gold. The Q value of an inductor may equal the efficiency of the inductor divided by the losses of the inductor.
It is well known that the direct current (DC) resistance of a metal line that forms a spiral inductor is a major contributor to the inductor Q degradation. One way to reduce this effect is to use wide metal line-widths, however, this increases the inductor area and the parasitic capacitance associated with the structure. The larger inductor area limits the miniaturization that can be achieved, and the parasitic capacitance associated with the larger area decreases the self-resonance frequency of the inductor, thereby limiting its useful frequency range. Also, since the Q is directly proportional to frequency and inversely proportional to the series loss of the inductor, the metal line widths cannot be arbitrarily large.
One approach may include fabricating an inductor in which multiple metal wires are stacked vertically to achieve desired Q values. Optimally, the multiple metal wires would all be of an equal width and would be aligned perfectly one on top of the other; however, due to fabrication constraints and current processing capabilities or limitations there exist some misalignment between one metal wire stacked above another metal wire. The misalignment between adjacent metal wires may yield performance and reliability issues due to cracking at or near an intersection between adjacent metal wires.
Therefore, it may be desirable, among other things, to overcome the deficiencies described above.


An ink jet device includes an ink jet print head and a deaerator having an ink passage, a membrane and a vacuum chamber. The ink passage has an exit connected to the ink jet print head and an inlet, and the membrane has a first side and a second side. The first side contacts ink in the ink passage and the second side contacts the vacuum chamber. The inlet of the ink passage is located above the exit.

The present invention relates generally to ink jet devices, and more particularly to ink jet devices with an ink deaeration function.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,082 describes the deaeration of ink in an ink jet system in which ink flows from a reservoir upwardly past membranes having a reduced pressure on a side opposite the ink. The reduced pressure deaerates the ink which then exits an orifice. U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,082 is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
European Patent Application No. 0 709 212 describes a pen-based degassing scheme for ink jet pens which has a heater element to remove gases in a standpipe region of an ink jet cartridge.


A method for etching a dielectric layer comprising the following steps. A structure having a low-k dielectric layer formed thereover is provided. A DARC layer is formed over the low-k dielectric layer. A patterned masking layer is formed over the DARC layer. Using the patterned masking layer as a mask, the DARC layer and the low-k dielectric layer are etched employing an CHxFy/O2/N2/Ar etch chemistry.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication and more specifically to damascene etch methods.
When simultaneously etching wide and relatively narrow trenches/vias, the microloading effect produces more etching in open areas (wide trenches/vias)than in narrow/dense areas. Thus, wider openings are generally etched deeper than narrow openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,092 B1 to Tang et al. describes a dual damascene etch process using a CHF/O2/Ar etch with anti-reflective coating (ARC) layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,847 to Pu et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,710 to Hori et al. each describe low-k material etches with CO/N/CHF and Ar etch chemistries.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,134 B1 to Farber et al. describes a method and apparatus for monitoring wafer characteristics and/or semiconductor processing consistency using wafer charge distribution measurements.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,266 to Abraham describes methods an apparatus for improving microloading while etching a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,677 to Zheng et al. describes a method for reducing microloading in an etchback of spin-on-glass or polymer.
Accordingly, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an improved method of high selectivity, low etch depth micro-loading process for non middle stop layer damascene etching.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
It has now been discovered that the above and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished in the following manner. Specifically, a structure having a low-k dielectric layer formed thereover is provided. A DARC layer is formed over the low-k dielectric layer. A patterned masking layer is formed over the DARC layer. Using the patterned masking layer as a mask, the DARC layer and the low-k dielectric layer are etched employing an CHxFy/O2/N2/Ar etch chemistry.

High selectivity, low etch depth micro-loading process for non stop layer damascene etch

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


A video imaging system includes an imaging array having a plurality of picture elements (pixels) formed in a substrate. An analog to digital converter formed in the substrate converts signals from the pixels into digital pixel signals. A defect detection circuit formed in said substrate provides a defective pixel output signal indicating, as the digital pixel signal corresponding to the pixels is processed, if any one pixel of the plurality of pixels in the imaging array is defective. The video imaging system includes a defect substitution circuit, also formed in the substrate, that substitutes a corrected pixel for any defective pixel. The video imaging system is responsive to a gain control signal to adjusts the pixels in magnitude. The gain control signal is applied to the first circuit to control the analysis of the pixel to determine if it is defective.

Defects in the individual picture element (pixel) cells that constitute a video imager, unless corrected, may cause defects in the output images produced by the imager. These defects may appear as bright spots or lines in an otherwise dark image or dark spots or lines in an otherwise bright image. Because video imagers typically include a large number of pixel cells, it is difficult to produce imagers that are free of such defects.
One way of effectively increasing the yield of imagers is to substitute a corrected signal component for that produced by any individual defective element of an imager. However, before such a correction can take place, it is necessary to detect those elements of the imager which are defective.
One proposed solution to this problem involves (1) analyzing the output signal from an imager, in the absence of an image, to detect the location of each then-existing defective element, (2) permanently storing the location of each defective element in a memory which is associated with the imager, and (3) during subsequent use of the imager, substituting a corrected signal for the signal produced by each detective element as determined by its location stored in the memory. This proposed solution may be impractical because many defects are temperature dependent. Therefore, defective elements present during subsequent use of the imager may not have been present at the time of analysis and storage of the location of defective elements in the memory. In any case, the requirement for a memory associated with the imager increases the cost of a solid-state television camera employing this proposed solution to the problem of detective imager elements.
Many systems exist which detect defective pixels in an imager array with reference to a test pattern or other fixed image. For examples, dark current defects in an imager may be detected by analyzing the image obtained when the camera's lens is capped. Similarly, defects that cause dark pixels may be detected by imaging a flat white test card. Errors detected by these methods must be stored so that they may be corrected when the camera captures active video images.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,120 to Peter A. Levine, entitled DEFECT DETECTION MEANS FOR CHARGE TRANSFER IMAGER, describes circuitry for determining and correcting defects in the pixels of an x-y imager using active video data. In the system described by this patent, a low-resolving power optical element is used to focus an image onto an imager that has a higher resolution than the resolving power of the optics. The difference between the resolution of the imager and the resolving power of the lens is used to distinguish errors in the imager array from transitions in the image. The referenced patent describes a charge-coupled device (CCD) imager array, which is formed on one substrate, and a correction circuit, which is formed on a separate substrate. Because the imager and the correction circuit are on separate substrates, the device is difficult to make, requiring two integrated circuit fabrications, and is relatively large in size.

Addressable imager with real time defect detection and substitution


A birefringence measurement system includes a lens mounted for selective movement into and out of use in the optical setup so that a wide range of sample types can be handled by the system without reconfiguring the primary components of the optical setup of the system (moving the detector, changing the light source power, etc.) in a manner that would sacrifice the cost effectiveness, efficiency, mechanical reliability and repeatability of measurements for such systems.

This invention relates to birefringence measurement systems, examples of which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,985,227, hereby incorporated by reference.
A schematic diagram of an optical setup 20 of one embodiment of such a system is shown in FIG. 1. That system employs as a light source 22 a polarized, 1550-nm diode laser. The light beam B1 from the source 22 passes through a polarizer 24 that is oriented at 45 degrees. The system also includes a photoelastic modulator (PEM) 26 oriented at 0 degrees and operated at 42 KHz. The source 22, polarizer 24, and PEM 26 components of the optical setup are typically secured in a casing or cabinet and are collectively referred to as a source module 28.
A sample holder 30, which can be mounted on a computer-controlled X-Y stage, is located in the path of the optic axis 25 of the optical setup 20, thereby to allow the beam to scan various locations of an optical element or sample 32. The light passing through the sample is then detected for determination of the birefringence of the sample.
The light beam B2 that emanates from the sample (hereafter referred to as the "sampled beam" B2) is directed through another PEM 34 that is oriented at 45 degrees and operated at 47 KHz. After passing through an analyzer 36 oriented at 0 degrees, the sampled beam B2 is directed into the receiving or active area 38 of a Ge-photodiode detector 40. The PEM 34, analyzer 26 and detector 40 components of the optical setup are collectively referred to as a detector module 42 that includes an entrance aperture 44 through which the sampled beam B2 enters the detector module.
The light source beam B1 (in this case, laser light) is well collimated, and compact detectors (that is, having relatively small active areas 38 on the order of 1-6 mm) may be employed, especially where the sample 32 has smooth, parallel surfaces normal to the incident light beam B1, or exhibits other physical characteristics such that the beam path is substantially unaltered in passing through the sample.
The cost effectiveness and efficiency of a birefringence measurement system as just described is enhanced when the system can analyze a wide variety of sample types and sizes. Moreover, it is important to maintain the mechanical reliability and repeatability of measurements for a given system by minimizing or eliminating the need for repositioning the components of the source module 28 and detector module 42 irrespective of changes in the size or shape of the sample.
Some samples for which birefringence measure is desired are shaped or configured so that the sampled beam is spread as a result of diffusion, defocusing, scattering, fanning or other mechanisms. For instance, as diagrammed in FIG. 2, a sample 232 may be formed of material, such as polycrystalline silicon, which will alter the source light beam B1 so that the sampled beam B2 emanating from the sample 232 is spread, as compared to the incident beam B1, such that only a small portion of the light that passes through the sample and then through the entrance aperture 44 will impinge upon the active area 38 of the detector 40. Thus, the intensity of the light reaching the detector 40 is too low for accurate detection that would permit determination of birefringence characteristics of the sample. This effect becomes more problematic when even larger samples are tested. The foregoing problem with beam spreading associated with samples such as polycrystalline silicon or the like will also arise with other types of sample material. For example, single crystal silicon or other material may have a surface roughness that can similarly diffuse or spread the light beam directed through it.
This invention is directed to a method of addressing the foregoing problem attributable to such beam-spreading samples without reconfiguring the optical setup of the birefringence measurement system (by moving the detector, changing the light source power, etc.) in a manner that would sacrifice the cost effectiveness, efficiency, mechanical reliability and repeatability of measurements for such systems. The system of the present invention is thus reliably usable with a wide range of samples, regardless of the size, shape, finish, or other physical characteristics of the material.

Birefringence measurement of polycrystalline silicon samples or the like


A lamp crusher housing is mounted on a wheeled rack selectively to have its lower, discharge end connected to the upper end of any one of a plurality of waste drums. Several lamp supply chutes are secured at their lower ends in registry with access openings formed in a cover that is secured over the upper end of the housing so that lamps dropped through the chutes pass into the path of lamp crusher members that rotate in the housing. Toxic gases released in the housing are withdrawn from the housing through a filter element by a vacuum pump or suction fan which communicates with the housing interior and the lower ends of the feed chutes. Flexible baffle elements in the chutes prevent glass fragments and any vortex from backing up from the housing into the chutes; and a pivotal deflector plate in one of the chutes guides smaller lamps into the path of the rotating crusher blades.

This invention relates to a fluorescent lamp crusher device, and more particularly to an improved, multipurpose such device which has the capability of accepting and crushing a variety of lamps of different types and shapes.
There currently are available in the marketplace prior art fluorescent lamp crushers, such as for example the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,404, U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,497 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,429, each of which is owned by the Assignee of the present application. In addition to including means for filtering out mercury vapors released upon the destruction of fluorescent lamps, these various patents also disclose additional means for preventing leakage of such vapors into the atmosphere, and also means for automatically shutting down the associated crusher machine when the associated filter elements require replacement. However, with further development of the nature of gas or vapor filled lamps, it has become necessary to adapt such prior art machines to accommodate a variety of different types of lamps, such as mercury vapor, sodium pressure, metal haloid lamps, as well as more conventional flood and incandescent lamps. Moreover, since these lamps are now manufactured in a variety of different shapes, it is necessary for lamp crushers of the type described to provide means for accepting and safely crushing various such lamps.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved lamp crusher of the type described which has a variety of differently shaped lamp feed chutes which communicate with the interior of the crusher machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved such lamp crusher which is provided with various chute sealing devices which prevent any undesirable gas, vapors or glass particles from being discharged rearwardly in the feed chutes from the interior of the crusher housing.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type described which has means for adjustably mounting the machine selectively above one of several waste drums into which crushed glass is discharged.
A further object of this invention is to provide for machines of the type described means for sensing the contents of an associated waste drum into which crushed lamps are disposed, and for automatically shutting down the machine when the contents of the drum reaches a predetermined level.
Still another object of this invention is to provide for a machine of the type described an improved crusher blade design which functions to crush glass into finer, nearly granular size, thereby permitting a large volume of lamps to be destroyed per waste drum.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


There is provided a disposable personal article with a polymer having a glass transition temperature ranging between 25 and 45xc2x0 C. The polymer is tacky over the temperature range, which is approximately that of the body, and results in better sealing of the personal care product to the wearer and so a decrease in the amount of bodily exudates that escape to soil the clothing of a wearer. The preferred polymer has a main chain, lateral perfluoroalkyl groups and lateral alkyl groups.

The invention is related primarily to personal care products and may also be applied to some medical products. More particularly, it concerns disposable personal articles such as feminine care napkins, diapers and training pants, swimwear, wound care dressings and bandages, facemasks, and adult incontinence products, that conform and adhere to the body of the wearer.
Disposable personal care products typically are made with a top sheet material (also referred to as a cover sheet or liner) an absorbent core and a liquid impermeable back sheet. Some may also have a surge layer or other specialized layers between the top sheet and absorbent core.
Personal care products generally have parts with sealing surfaces that are adapted to hold the product against the wearer to reduce leakage. Such parts may be referred to as xe2x80x9cleg cuffsxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cwaistbandsxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccontainment flapsxe2x80x9d and the like, indicating their role in keeping bodily exudates within the product and so protecting the clothing, bedding, etc., from being soiled.
While currently available leg cuffs, waistbands, etc., function relatively well, there remains a need for personal care products that provide a greater degree of protection to the wearer. It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a personal care product that conforms and adheres to the body for increased leakage protection
The objects of the invention are achieved by a disposable personal article made with a polymer having a glass transition temperature ranging between 25 and 45xc2x0 C. A preferred polymer has a main chain, lateral perfluoroalkyl groups and lateral alkyl groups. This polymer is preferably applied to a sealing surface of the article to aid in keeping any bodily exudates within the product and so avoid soiling the clothing or bedding of the wearer, as well as to seal contaminates out so that they do not contact the wearer.

Disposable personal articles which conform and adhere


The present invention relates to the development of collections of a single gene locus from a collection of individuals or organisms, called genome anthologies. The invention describes several novel methods for producing collections of a gene or gene families from multiple individuals or organisms. One method is targeted in vivo cloning. Another method is locus specific primer extension and exonuclease degradation method.

Analysis of genetic population structure of any organism at the molecular level, requires a thorough understanding of the nature and distribution of DNA sequences among its component individuals and populations. Techniques used in such studies have included allele frequency data (Bowcock, 1987), restriction fragment length polymorphisms (Botstein et al., 1980) and by discovering association among loci for mapping both simple (Collins, 1995) and complex diseases (Lander et al 1989). Similarly, a wealth of data have emerged from studies on the maintenance and evolution of DNA sequences in specific areas of the Drosophila genome such as Adh (Krietman 1983), Xdh (Riley et al., 1989) and amylase (Aquadro et al., 1991). Clearly, a detailed analysis of genomic regions and the genealogy of these genomes across populations, species and genera, using a variety of highly innovative techniques toward the construction of high density haplotypes, and sequence analysis of specific regions would yield information not only on the genome diversity among populations, their aggregates and species but also reveal the significance of diversity at the phenotypic level.
The study of haplotype (haploid genotype) diversity has been recognized as an important tool for studying evolutionary lineages among populations (Templeton et al 1987)) as well as establishing associations and linkage or gametic disequilibria among loci. Since 1989, several methodologies for haplotyping individual genetic markers at specified loci have been investigated using strictly molecular means. The concept of linkage disequilibrium, defined as non-random associations of alleles among loci, plays an important role in mapping genes that are valuable in population, anthropological and medical research. In addition, polymorphic short tandem repeat markers (STR) have been employed to obtain informative haplotypes for linkage analysis (Weber & May, 1989; Dubovsky et al., 1995). However, the use of such haplotype systems is compromised by frequent instances of ambiguous linkage phase in a population sample. Although genotyping of pedigrees often allows determination of linkage phase for many populations of medical and anthropological interest, material on informative families is often unavailable or inadequate. Furthermore, robust statistical methods to estimate haplotype frequencies (Excoffier & Satkin, 1995) often mis-identify rare haplotypes and occasionally generate spurious haplotypes (Tishkoff et al., 1996b). Hence, new and accurate molecular methods for generation of haplotypes are urgently needed.
Methods to isolate genes and specific loci can be grouped into the following two broad categories: construction of genomic DNA libraries and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). First, production and maintenance of genomic libraries is not only labor intensive, but also requires at least three fold over-sampling to meet the odds of recovering the specific locus. Occasional under-representation of specific regions due to variations in the method of construction of libraries, cloning vectors and stochiasticity associated with biological systems, further increases the uncertainty of recovering a well-defined region of interest. Thus, library construction and screening to study molecular genetic diversity of a large number of individuals across several populations and species will become a formidable task.
Alternatively, while PCR methods offer rapid and efficient analysis of specific loci, there is a limitation on the size of the sampled region. Current methods can accommodate up to 35 kb using cloned DNA as template (Barnes, 1994), but only 25 kb from complex genomic DNA (Cheng et al., 1994). Additionally, optimizations of conditions for long range PCR of genomic DNA, coupled with the introduction of sequence errors during amplification, pose serious problems in the comparative analysis of DNA sequence variation of a specific region among individuals and populations. Directly cloning the desired region from native genomic DNA would provide an effective alternative to library construction and PCR.
One object of the present invention relates to methods for generating collections of a single genetic locus from various sources.
Another object of the present invention relates to genome anthologies, that is, collections of a specific locus, including, for example, a gene or group of genes from multiple sources.
Another object of the present invention relates to the generation of genome anthologies from all members of a gene family from one source or from multiple sources.
Yet another object of the present invention relates to the use of such genome anthologies in a method for identifying specific haplotyping targets.
A further object of the present invention relates to novel methods for haplotyping individual genetic markers at specified loci.
Yet another object of the present invention relates to harvesting human DNA variants to generate targets for drug discovery.
A further object of the present invention relates to the use of haplotyping to screen individuals for sensitivities to specific drugs or treatment regimes.
Another object of the invention is the development of molecular haplotyping kits for a several loci distributed throughout the human genome.
Another object of this invention is to collect multiple variants of a single complete gene from different members of a population, in a manner that not only is efficient, but results in a permanent, replicatable, expressible, fully manipulatable, individually identifiable collection of hemizygous entities.
Another object of this invention is to use genetic variation 1) to enhance the efficacy of therapeutics by customizing such genetic variation for specific population groups, 2) to reduce the costs of developing new drugs, and 3) to increase the chances that a new drug will be successful in clinical trials and, therefore, gain FDA approval.

Genome anthologies for harvesting gene variants


Compositions and methods of using exogenous antioxidant compounds and additives for cannabis and hemp production and growth and methods for enhancing the production of secondary metabolites and alleviating stress in cannabis and hemp plants are described.

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The plant is also known as hemp, although this term is commonly used to refer to varieties of Cannabis cultivated for non-drug use. Cannabis is a complex plant with over 400 chemical entities of which more than 60 of them are cannabinoid compounds, some of them with opposing effects. The two most researched compounds in cannabis plant are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Traditional cultivation methods for cannabis plants are based on large-scale automatically controlled cultivation management facility using soil with automatic watering arrangement, or hydroponic or aeroponic systems like cultivation channels. A soil pH between 5.8 and 6.5 is generally used, although it can be adjusted beyond these values. Nutrients are taken up from the soil by roots and can be exogenously added in the form of fertilizers.
Traditional cultivation conditions and fertilizers used for cannabis are unable to provide a consistent condition such that the cannabinoid and essential oil components of the cannabis are reproducibly expressed from the same strain of cannabis. Additionally, improper growing conditions cause various forms of stress, such as nutrient stress, temperature stress, light stress and water stress, which can stunt or halt plant growth, damage the plant, or in the worst case cause them to die. Thus, there is an unmet need to provide compositions and methods for cultivating cannabis under conditions and using nutrient compositions to ensure increased productivity and quality of cannabis, which reproducibly express and produce the desired components, while at the same time reduce or alleviate stress. The present technology addresses such unmet need.

Methods for increasing secondary metabolite production in cannabis


A method includes initiating, through an interface of a data processing device, reverse playback of a video file stored in a memory of the data processing device. The method also includes causing, through a set of instructions associated with a processor of the data processing device communicatively coupled to the memory and/or an operating system executing on the data processing device, the processor to read frames corresponding to the video file in a reverse chronological order within a desired timeframe following the initiation of the reverse playback. Further, the method includes decoding, through the processor, each frame corresponding to the reverse chronological order for rendering thereof on the data processing device.

A data processing device (e.g., a personal computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a mobile device such as a mobile phone) may have video files stored therein. The video files may be rendered on a user interface of a multimedia application (e.g., Windows Media Player®) on the data processing device. A user (e.g., a referee in a sports match, television broadcaster personnel) of the data processing device may want to play a video file in reverse on the data processing device in order to determine a course of action based on examining time-specific events displayed through the video file. The user may have to manually move a slider on the data processing device to go to a particular point in time of the video associated with the video file. The aforementioned process may not be smooth and may require unnecessary human finesse, leading to frustration on part of the user.

Reverse video playback in a data processing device


Embodiments of a method and apparatus for generating information are provided. An embodiment of the method can include: extracting search data in a preset period; determining target search statements from the search data; determining attributes of the entities in the target search statements; and clustering, for each of the entities involved in the target search statements, the target search statements including the each of the entities according to the attributes in the target search statements including the each of the entities, and determining a target attribute of the each of the entities based on a sum of a number of searches for the target search statements in each of clustered groups. The embodiment can achieve flexible information generation.

In the Internet search, a part of QA searches may be described by combining the entities and the attributes. The entity may be information characterizing a concept, a thing, or an event, for example, "Washington," "Seattle," "Gulf War," "Big Bang Theory," and "Mr. Liu." The attribute may reflect characteristics of the entity, or information associated the entity. For example, if an entity is "arthritis," then the example of the attribute may include "treatment," "inquiry," and so on. In order to meet such QA demand, usually it is necessary to exploit each entity and the attribute of the each of the entities.
The existing approach usually exploits entities and attributes of the entities based on encyclopedia or vertical websites. Such solutions need to have authoritative vertical websites, and require comprehensive attributes of the website entity. Another existing approach usually manually defines common attributes of entities based on the vertical types of the entities. However, the existing approaches fail to determine target attributes (such as popular attributes more frequently searched or more concerned by users, or unpopular attributes infrequently searched or unconcerned by users) from the exploited attributes of entities.

Method and apparatus for generating information

Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd.


A content addressable memory device having a search parameter table.

Networks contain a collection of computing systems (e.g., clients and servers) that are interconnected by transmission lines to enable the transfer of data between them. A network typically includes multiple access points (e.g., routers and servers) that may switch and/or route data between transmission lines to transfer data from a source to a destination. Data is typically transmitted in the form of packets that are made up of smaller data cells. A packet is a unit of data that is routed between a source and a destination on a packet-switched network. When a file (e.g., e-mail, graphics, etc.) is sent from one place to another on a network, the file is divided into such smaller packets making them more efficient for transmission. The individual packets for a given file may travel different routes throughout networks with each packet containing both data and transmission information associated with the routing of data. As such, a packet may be described as having a payload containing the data, and one or more headers that contain the routing information (e.g., a destination address).
When all the packets have arrived at a destination, they are reassembled into the original file at the receiving end. Such a packet switching scheme is an efficient way to handle transmission on a connectionless network. This is in contrast to a circuit switching scheme where a connection (e.g., a voice connection) requires the dedication of a particular path for the duration of the connection.
A router is a device (e.g., hardware, firmware, software) that determines the next network segment to which a packet should be forwarded towards its destination. A router may be positioned at points within a network or where one network meets another, referred to as a gateway. A router may create and maintain tables of the available routes and their conditions (routing tables) for use with other information to determine the best route for a given packet. Typically, a packet may travel through a number of network points having routers before arriving at its destination.
When a data packet arrives at the input of a router, several lookups may be performed by the router to determine the subsequent handling of the packet, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The lookups may include, for examples, where to send the packet next (Next Hop), the quality of service requirement (QoS), the Ethernet port address, etc. Consider, for example, a packet arriving at Router-A. Router-A needs to determine whether the packet is destined for local servers connected directly to Router-A, or if the packet should go to the next router on a route (Router-B) to a destination. Additionally, Router-A may assign a priority based on the destination address (DA) and the source address (SA) of the packet.
The packet header may first be parsed or processed to get the values from different fields (e.g., SA, DA, protocol type, QoS, etc) in order to perform the various lookups. A packet classification lookup, for example, may be performed using SA, DA and other relevant fields in the packet header. The Next Hop lookup, for example, may also be performed to determine whether the packet is meant for local servers or for Router-B. If the packet is destined for Router-B, the packet is then put in a queue for Router-B. If the packet is destined for a local server (e.g., Server-1 or Server-2), then a media access control (MAC) lookup is performed to send the packet to the appropriate server. In the preceding example, three lookups are necessary for sending the packet on its way: Packet Classification, Next Hop, and MAC. However, often there are other lookups performed on the packet header, with the number of lookups exceeding five or more.
Routers may use processors (e.g., network processor, control plane processor, microprocessor, etc.) and content addressable memory (CAM) devices to perform the various lookups on packets. The CAM device can be instructed by the processor to compare a search key, also referred to as a comparand (e.g., generated from packet header data), with data stored in its associative memory array. The CAM simultaneously examines all of its entries and selects the stored data that matches the key. As such, before a search can be performed, data must be stored in the CAM array.
When the entire CAM device is searched simultaneously for a match of the stored data with the key comparand data, the CAM device indicates the existence of a match by asserting a match flag using match flag logic, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Multiple matches may also be indicated by asserting a multiple match flag. The CAM device typically includes a priority encoder to translate the matched location into a match address or CAM index and outputs this address to a status register so that the matched data may be accessed. The priority encoder may also sort out which matching memory location has the top priority if there is more than one matching entry.
Data may be represented in the form of strings of binary digits ("bits") having a low ("0") logic state and a high ("1") logic state. Different types of CAM devices may be used with different data formats. A binary CAM is designed to operate with "0" and "1" states, while a ternary CAM is designed to operate with "0", "1", and "don't care" states. The bits may be organized into groups such as a word (e.g., 64 or 72 bits wide) and stored in different segments of a CAM device. The search keys used for different data fields may have different word sizes, for example, the search key for a Classification lookup may be 128 bits wide and the search key for a Next Hop lookup may be 32 bits wide.
A CAM device may include multiple blocks with each block storing a different table, for performing a different lookup. For example, a router may include a 32 bit wide Next Hop CAM block, a 128 bit Classification CAM block, and a 48 bit MAC CAM block. Each of the multiple CAM blocks within a CAM device are typically connected to common data and instruction buses that are used to communicate the various keys and other input and output data with the processor. The search key is usually provided together with instructions to the CAM device on the instruction bus. The instructions typically contain information about the blocks contained within the CAM device, for example, block or table identifiers and global masking identifiers associated with a particular search.
Some prior art CAM devices utilize large instruction bus widths in order to receive such information. For example, if 2 bits are used to designate a block ID and 3 bits are used to designate global masking ID, then an instruction bus would need to be at least 5 bits. If multiple, concurrent searches were supported, and each compare operation could identify a unique table identifier/global mask combination, the width of the instruction bus may be undesirably increased to simultaneously accommodate all of the compare instructions. As the number of lookups increases, such CAM device architectures could undesirably limit the system's overall throughput.

Search parameter table in a content addressable memory


When one of the failure detecting devices disposed at some spots in an electronic appliance detects failure of the electronic appliance, the failure detecting device detecting the failure generates a certain voltage. From the voltage, a certain specific voltage of good stability is generated as a first information indicating the occurrence of a failure in electronic appliance, and a second information is generated indicating place of failure. A means is provided for generating voltage, or data, which contains the elements of both first and second informations. Based on the voltage, or data, generated from the means, a place of failure is specified and displayed.

As shown in FIG. 6, prior art failure diagnostic apparatus comprises a plurality of failure detecting devices 1a-1z, each of which failure detecting devices generates various voltages according to the state of failure detected. Diverse voltage levels generated by the respective failure detecting devices 1a-1z are delivered to input port of a microcomputer 4, each of the voltages at a different time. From the level of voltage and the time of input a signal is discernible as to which failure detecting device it is from, and from the voltage content of the failure is judged; the results of judgment is displayed on a Light Emitting Diode 5, or a sole display device, indicating the content of failure with the number of blinking.
In prior art failure diagnostic apparatus, however, the accurate designation of the place of failure was difficult because the output of failure detecting device is inputted direct to microcomputer 4 and the voltage level and the time fluctuate depending on the state of failure.
In the prior art apparatus shown in FIG. 7, disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No.6-290378, at first a control unit 11 issues series signals ordering slave devices 12, 13, 14 and 15 to detect failure; responding to the series signals the slave devices 12, 13, 14 and 15 output their respective failure data. A failure place specifying unit 19 receives the failure data and conducts diagnosis; judging the place of failure from the timing at which one of the series signals the failure data was outputted, and the content of failure from the level of voltage.
Among the problems prior art procedures have is the difficulty in accurately locating a place of failure; because in the prior art procedures the voltages from failure detecting devices are delivered direct to the input port of a microcomputer, furthermore, the failure diagnosis is dependent on dual factors, viz. the voltage level and the time, and the voltage level and the time fluctuate depending on the state of failure.
According to what is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-290378 the content of failure and the place of failure are diagnosed based on failure data generated in response to an order in the form of series signals issued from outside; which means that the failure diagnosis is not available without receiving an order in the form of series signals from the outside.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A cargo-carrying vehicle has a plurality of flooring members. A pair of parallel, spaced-apart frame rails confines the flooring members therebetween in closely spaced adjacent relation to form a floor surface. A pair of end members extends transversely between the frame rails at the ends thereof to secure the frame members against movement parallel to the frame rails. At least one of the end members is selectively moveable relative to the frame rails to permit selective removal of one or more of the flooring members from between the frame rails.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to flooring systems for vehicles adapted to carry cargo, such as trailers. More specifically, the present invention relates to flooring systems having the ability to easily repair or replace the structural members comprising the load-bearing floor.
2. Summary of Prior Art
Commonly, the load-bearing floors of many cargo-carrying vehicles (trailers and railcars principally) comprise wooden planks, usually 2×6 or 2×8. These floors are strong and light in weight, but are susceptible to damage and deterioration in use.
The typical construction of these floors provides a generally rectangular wrought iron or steel frame that is welded together. If one or more of the wooden planks becomes damaged or deteriorates and requires replacement, the frame must be cut apart and reassembled using various tools, including welding and cutting torches.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,380, Jul. 10, 1990, to Ballyns, et al. discloses a platform for a lift used in conjunction with a truck. Wooden planks are held in a frame that can be disassembled to permit selective removal of the planks. This disassembly causes the entire frame structure to effectively be disassembled and is not structurally sound because the removable pieces are coupled to one another. Thus this construction is not adapted to use in a trailer or vehicle in which the floor is a major structural member.
A need exists, therefore, for an improved flooring system for cargo-carrying vehicles that permits selective removal and replacement of one or more of the flooring members that comprise the floor surface of the vehicle. The system should be relatively easy to operate and should not require complete disassembly of the vehicle or a major portion thereof.


A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a diagnostic execution module and a diagnostic disabling module. The diagnostic execution module diagnoses a fault in at least one of an oxygen sensor and a catalytic converter based on input received from the oxygen sensor. The diagnostic disabling module disables the diagnosing based on at least one of a temperature of the catalytic converter and a mass flow rate of air flowing through the catalytic converter.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
An oxygen sensor may be positioned downstream from a catalytic converter to measure oxygen levels in exhaust gas produced by an engine. The oxygen levels and an air/fuel ratio of the engine may be determined based on an output voltage of the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor may output a rich voltage indicating a rich air/fuel ratio and the oxygen sensor may output a lean voltage indicating a lean air/fuel ratio.
Diagnostic systems may identify faults in the oxygen sensor based on a response time of the oxygen sensor. The response time of the oxygen sensor is the amount of time that the oxygen sensor takes to respond to a change in the oxygen levels at the oxygen sensor. The response time of the oxygen sensor typically increases over the life of the oxygen sensor. A faulty oxygen sensor may be identified when the response time of the oxygen sensor is greater than a predetermined time.

Diagnostic system and method for an oxygen sensor positioned downstream from a catalytic converter


A modular storage frame includes: at least two storage floors each having four coupling heads, four coupling tubes, at least four opposing elements and a storage board, wherein the coupling head has two coupling portions, two neck portions and a joining portion; at least four joining tubes having four inner tubes and four outer tubes; and four supporting elements coupling respectively with the bottommost ones of the inner tubes, wherein the outer tube has two positioning elements protruding to an outside thereof. The positioning elements may provide the storage floors to be relatively firmly positioned. The opposing elements protruding from the coupling tubes may have the storage board to be easily placed and the plight that the opposing elements are not easily assembled with the coupling heads may be avoided.

a) Field of the Disclosure
The invention relates to a storage frame, and more particularly, to a modular storage frame.
b) Brief Description of the Related Art
A traditional modular storage frame is disclosed in the specification and figures issued in R.O.C. Pat. No. M312234. The modular storage frame includes a supporting element 22 arranged in an inner side of a frame sleeve 211, but this arrangement causes the assembly for the both to be difficult.
The modular storage frame includes a coupling tube 12 with radially reduced thicknesses at two ends thereof and with a smooth peripheral surface and thus the coupling tube 12 has no anti-slip and positioning function. Accordingly, the traditional modular storage frame has to be improved.


The system controller 12 attains program table data from a received electric wave upon turning on the power source. Program table data are rearranged for every ensemble and stored again. The user makes an input operation to set a channel-feed selection which requires switching of a program to be attained. Then, the system controller 12 performs a processing of attaining a program listed next in the same ensemble as that of the program which has been attained just before based on the rearranged program table data. When attaining a program next to a program listed in the last, the ensemble is switched to another ensemble. Programs are attained sequentially from the program listed first in the another ensemble thus switched. Switching to a different ensemble takes place at a reduced frequency, so that the time until output of an attained program can be shortened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiver, method thereof, program thereof, recording medium recording the program, and communication system, which receive plural sets of data into which plural different data items are divided, in the form of electric waves having different frequency bands, from a ground station and plural artificial satellites, appropriately demodulate the sets of data, to obtain predetermined sets of data and plural data items included in the sets of data.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally known digital broadcasting which provides a large number of music programs is, for example, a digital broadcasting system constructed by XM SATELLITE RADIO COMPANY, i.e., so-called XM digital broadcasting. In the XM digital broadcasting, total 100 programs to be provided are divided into two sets each including 50 programs to reduce loads to outputs of electric waves and to reduce loads to programs to be obtained. Also, in the XM digital broadcasting, ground stations each settled on the ground and two artificial satellites output electric waves in respectively different frequency bands between the two sets each including 50 programs. The total 100 programs are thus provided.
That is, in the XM digital broadcasting, electric waves are outputted from the ground stations and artificial satellites so that the programs can be received in not only city areas but also suburbs. Also, in the XM digital broadcasting, the electric waves of different frequency bands which respectively differ between the sets each including 50 programs are outputted from each of the two artificial satellites, so that even a moving object which is moving like a vehicle can receive the programs. This is because the electric waves from one artificial satellite can be securely received even if the electric waves from the other satellite come to be not received due to movement of a moving object. Thus, in the XM digital broadcasting, the electric waves in different frequency bands which differ respectively between the sets of programs are outputted from each of two artificial satellites and one ground station. Electric waves in total 6 kinds of frequency band are used.
Also, the XM digital broadcasting adopts a structure in which electric waves of three kinds of the set including a desired program to be obtained are received, among the outputted electric waves of the total six kinds of frequency band, in order to obtain the desired program. To switch the program to be obtained to another program, for example, there is a method of directly selecting another program by operating a button. There may be another method of, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, selecting another program by continuously changing programs until a favorite program is found out, in consideration of the large number of programs provided. Alternatively, there is another method of sequentially outputting programs each for a predetermined time period until the same genre as that immediately before starting switching the program is selected.
When a program which has been being obtained is switched to another program, there is a case that the another program belongs to the other set of programs than the set of programs to which the foregoing program belongs. In this case, it is necessary to receive electric waves of the other three kinds of frequency band, which correspond to the other set of programs. Further, electric waves are received with a time delay for four seconds or so maintained between the two artificial satellites, due to the positional relationship between the artificial satellites and the like. That is, there is a time interleaf between the two artificial satellites. Suppose hence that programs are switched by shifting programs forwardly as shown in FIG. 14, in case of a program configuration as shown in FIG. 5, for example. As shown in FIG. 15, two seconds or so are required until another program in the same set is outputted. However, six seconds or so are required if a program is switched to another program in the other set and if only one electric wave can be received from satellites. Therefore, every time when a program is switched to another program in a different set of programs, a long time is required before the another program is outputted. Utility is thus not improved.
It may be possible to eliminate the drawback of the time interleaf by attaining all of the electric waves of the six kinds of frequency bands equivalent to the two sets of programs. In such a structure, the number of programs increases several times, enhancing the data amount outputted in the form of electric waves. Consequently, processing loads are increased so that the size and power consumption of the device may increase.

Receiver, method thereof, program thereof, recording medium recording the program, and communication system


A coated ink jet paper with (1) a cellulosic substrate, (2) a first ink receiving coating on the front side of the substrate capable of absorbing an ink vehicle, and which receiving layer coating is comprised of (a) a hydrophilic binder polymer, (b) an ink wetting/ink spreading agent, (c) a dye mordant, (d) a lightfastness agent, (e) a filler, (f) a biocide; and (3) a second traction controlling coating in contact with the reverse side of the substrate, and which coating is comprised of a polymer with a glass transition temperature of from between about a negative -50.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C., a lightfastness agent, an antistatic agent, a pigment, and a biocide. The cellulosic substrate can be comprised of alkaline sized and acid sized blends of hardwood kraft and softwood kraft fibers, which blends contain from about 20 percent to 80 percent by weight of softwood and from about 80 to about 20 percent by weight of hardwood. The sizing value of the cellulosic substrate varies between 50 seconds to 500 seconds, the porosity varies from 100 to 600 mil/minute, and the thickness varies between 50 microns to 250 microns.

The present invention is directed to coated photographic papers, that is for example coated papers containing a supporting substrate derived from natural cellulose, and possessing the appearance of a photographic base paper, and with certain coatings thereover and thereunder, and the use of these papers in ink jet printing processes, in xerographic imaging systems, and digital imaging processes, and wherein there is provided, for example, developed images that simulate, for example, silver halide and the like photographs. More specifically, the present invention is directed to photographic papers capable of recording clear, brilliant, glossy images with, for example, an optical density between about 1.5 and about 2.0 for a black ink, between about 1.2 to about 1.6 for a cyan ink, between about 1.1 to about 1.4 for a magenta ink, and between about 0.85 to about 1.0 for a yellow ink, and with lightfastness values of greater than about 95 percent, that is for example from about 95 to about 99.5 percent, for all the aforementioned inks, waterfastness values greater than about 90 percent, for example from about 90 to about 95 percent, for the inks and low edge raggedness values of about 0.25 millimeter (between black and yellow), about 0.30 millimeter (between cyan and yellow), about 0.30 millimeter (between magenta and yellow), and about 0.45 millimeter (between magenta and cyan), and which papers are comparable in look and feel to conventional color photograph prints. The coated papers can be prepared from papers containing an ink receiving layer on the front side of the paper and a traction promoting pencil or pen writeable coating on the back side, reverse, or opposite side of the ink jet photographic paper. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to ink jet printable coated papers comprised of (1) a substrate such as paper, (2) a first ink receiving coating on the front side of the paper capable of absorbing the ink vehicle and comprised of a hydrophilic binder, an ink wetting agent, a flavor imparting compound, a lightfastness agent, a dye mordant and a filler; and (3) a second traction promoting coating in contact with the back, or reverse side of the photographic paper, and which coating is comprised of at least one, for example from 1 to about 10, from 1 to about 5, and preferably 1 component selected from polymers with a glass transition temperature of between about a minus -50.degree. C. to about a plus 50.degree. C. (Centigrade throughout), and preferably from about -40.degree. C. to +25.degree. C., such as a polyester latex, a styrene-butadiene latex and the like, and a filler such as zirconium oxide, microspheres, and the like.


A microfluidic printing apparatus includes at least one ink reservoir; a moveable plate having a plurality of delivery chambers in an array each for forming an ink pixel, and a plurality of microchannels connecting the reservoir to a delivery chamber; and a plurality of microfluidic pumps each being associated with a single microchannel for supplying ink to particular delivery chambers. The moveable plate moves between different positions for permitting the delivery chambers for sequentially delivering ink from an associated microchannel into its associated delivery chamber to control the amount of ink delivered to each delivery chamber; and a computer for controlling the microfluidic pumps and the movement of the moveable shutter plate for causing the correct amount of ink to be conveyed into each delivery chamber.

Microfluidic pumping and dispensing of liquid chemical reagents is the subject of three U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,585,069; 5,593,838; and 5,603,351, all assigned to the David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc. The system uses an array of micron sized reservoirs, with connecting microchannels and reaction cells etched into a substrate. Electrokinetic pumps comprising electrically activated conductors within the capillary microchannels provide the propulsive forces to move the liquid reagents within the system. The electrokinetic pump, which is also known as an electroosmotic pump, has been disclosed by Dasgupta et al., see "Electroosmosis: A Reliable Fluid Propulsion System for Flow Injection Analysis", Anal. Chem. 66, pp 1792-1798 (1994). The chemical reagent solutions are pumped from a reservoir, mixed in controlled amounts, and them pumped into a bottom array of reaction cells. The array may be decoupled from the assembly and removed for incubation or analysis. When used as a printing device, the chemical reagent solutions are replaced by dispersions of cyan, magenta, and yellow pigment, and the array of reaction cells may be considered a viewable display of picture elements, or pixels, comprising mixtures of pigments having the hue of the pixel in the original scene. When contacted with paper, the capillary force of the paper fibers pulls the dye from the cells and holds it in the paper, thus producing a paper print, or photograph, of the original scene. One problem with this kind of printer is the accurate control of the print density. The problem comes about because the capillary force of the paper fibers is strong enough to remove all the ink from the device, draining it empty. If the paper is not removed from contact with the ink cells at the correct time, the print density will be too high or too low. Moreover, the correct paper contact time varies with the ambient temperature, making the timing problem more difficult One solution to this problem is given in the above mentioned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/868,416, where a special paper is employed which will absorb only a limited amount of ink. Nevertheless, it would be cheaper if plain paper can be employed for this kind of printing. Another solution to this problem is given in the above mentioned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/903,747, wherein an array of microvalves, each individually addressed, controls the flow of ink to the paper. The complexity of individually addressed valves leads to a high cost printing apparatus. In would be cheaper and easier to manufacture a device that did not have to many individually addressed valves. A problem with microfluidic ink printers is that they can leak ink when not in the printing condition, and further that the ink can be contaminated by the outside environment causing degradation in properties.

Microfluidic printing array valve with multiple use printing nozzles


A process for preparing acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof from propane, in which the propane is initially dehydrogenated under heterogeneous catalysis to give propene, secondary components are removed and the remaining gas mixture, comprising propane and propene, is subjected to the heterogeneously catalyzed partial oxidation to acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof as the target product, target product is removed from the product gas mixture and the remaining residual gas, comprising excess oxygen and unconverted propane, is recycled into the propane dehydrogenation in such a way that the other propane fed to the dehydrogenation is at least partly converted under dehydrogenating conditions at the recycle point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof from propane, by    A) feeding to a first reaction zone A at least two gaseous, propane-containing feed streams, at least one of which comprises fresh propane, and, in reaction zone A, subjecting their propane fed in this way to a heterogeneously catalyzed dehydrogenation to obtain a product gas mixture A comprising propane and propylene,    B) conducting product gas mixture A out of reaction zone A and, in a first separation zone A, removing at least a portion of the constituents, other than propane and propylene, present in product gas mixture A, and using remaining product gas mixture A′ comprising propane and propylene    C) in a second reaction zone B to charge at least one oxidation reactor and, in the at least one oxidation reactor, subjecting the propylene present in product gas mixture A′ to a (selective) heterogeneously catalyzed gas phase partial oxidation with molecular oxygen to give a product gas mixture B comprising acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof as the target product and also excess molecular oxygen,    D) conducting product gas mixture B out of reaction zone B and, in a second separation zone B, removing target product present in product gas mixture B, and, of the remaining residual gas comprising unconverted propane, molecular oxygen and any unconverted propylene, recycling at least a portion comprising unconverted propane, molecular oxygen and any unconverted propylene as one of the at least two propane-containing feed streams into reaction zone A.
2. Description of the Background
Acrylic acid is an important basic chemical whose uses include as a monomer for preparing polymers which are employed, for example, dispersed in aqueous medium, as a binder. Acrolein is an important intermediate, for example for the preparation of glutaraldehyde, methionine, folic acid and acrylic acid.
The process, described in the preamble of this document, for preparing acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof from propane is known (for example from WO 01/96270, US 2003/0187299 A1 and from the documents DE-A 10245585 and DE-A 10246119 and the prior art cited in these documents).
In the processes for removing target product present in product gas mixture B, the target product is transferred from the gaseous into the condensed phase, for example, by absorptive and/or condensative measures. Useful absorbents include, for example, water, aqueous solution and/or organic solvent. In the course of this "condensation" of the target product, a residual gas which is not transferred into the condensed phase normally remains and comprises the constituents of product gas mixture B which are comparatively difficult to condense. These are typically in particular those components whose boiling point at atmospheric pressure (1 bar) is ≦−30° C. (their total content in the residual gas is generally ≧70% by volume, frequently ≧80% by volume and in many cases ≧90% by volume). These include primarily unconverted propane, excess molecular oxygen remaining in reaction zone B and any unconverted propylene. In addition, the residual gas will generally contain inert diluent gases, e.g. N2, CO2, noble gases (He, Ne, Ar etc.), CO and also, to a small extent, acrylic acid, acrolein and/or H2O (the steam content in the residual gas may be up to 25% by volume, frequently up to 20% by volume or up to 10% by volume, but in many cases also below 10% by volume or below 5% by volume). This aforementioned residual gas forms (based on the amount of propane contained therein) the majority (normally at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 95%, or more) of the residual gas formed in separation zone B and is therefore also referred to in this document, inter alia, as main residual gas.
Especially when the condensation of the target product is effected by absorption by means of an organic solvent, at least one second residual gas comprising unconverted propane and any unconverted propylene is generally obtained in separation zone B (based on propane contained therein, its amount in comparison to the amount of main residual gas is normally substantially smaller). This can be attributed to the fact that, as the condensed phase forms, it also absorbs to a certain extent unconverted propane and any unconverted propylene. In the further course of the extractive, distillative, crystallizative and/or desorptive removal of the target product from the condensed phase, this unconverted propane and any propylene is normally recovered as a constituent of at least one further gas phase and preferably recycled into reaction zone A. This may be effected, for example, in a mixture with the main residual gas (in that case, referred to in this document as overall residual gas). However, it may also be effected in the form of independent gas streams to be recycled into reaction zone A. The latter may be oxygen-free or else oxygen-containing (secondary residual gas) (for example, when it is obtained by stripping by means of air or at the top of a rectification column flushed by means of air as a polymerization inhibitor).
In the context of this invention, main residual gas, overall residual gas and secondary residual gas are all residual gas comprising unconverted propane, molecular oxygen and any unconverted propylene which can be recycled into reaction zone A. According to the invention, molecular oxygen-free residual gas which is obtained in separation zone B and comprises unconverted propane and any unconverted propylene may be recycled into reaction zone A in a mixture with main residual gas and/or secondary residual gas (i.e., for example, as a constituent of overall residual gas) and/or else independently (in this case, it is residual gas which is not recycled into reaction zone A in the context of the invention). In the latter case, this recycling may be effected without any restriction, i.e., for example, even as a constituent of the starting reaction gas mixture of reaction zone A. Preference is given in the process according to the invention to recycling the entire amount of the gas streams comprising the unconverted propane and any unconverted propylene obtained in separation zone B into reaction zone A. Portions may (as will be explained in detail in the further course of the application), if appropriate, also be used for other purposes, for example for energy generation and/or synthesis gas production and/or as a diluent gas in reaction zone B.
In the aforementioned prior art documents, the recycling of residual gas comprising unconverted propane, molecular oxygen and any unconverted propylene into reaction zone A should be at the same point as the feed of the remaining propane-containing feed streams into reaction zone A (i.e. as the constituent of the starting reaction gas mixture; cf., for example, FIG. 6 in US-2003/0187299 A1). A disadvantage of this procedure is that the molecular oxygen present in the residual gas reduces the selectivity of propene formation in reaction zone A and increases the selectivity of by-product formation of the carbon oxides CO and CO2 as a consequence of partial full combustion of propane and/or propylene. This is especially true when the residual gas to be recycled is main residual gas.
DE-A 10211275 attempts to remedy the aforementioned problem by proceeding as described above but simultaneously dividing the product gas mixture A formed in reaction zone A into two portions of identical composition and recycling one of the two portions into reaction zone A as the hydrogen source. However, a disadvantage is that the deactivation rate of the dehydrogenation catalysts in this procedure is not fully satisfactory.

Preparation of acrolein or acrylic acid or a mixture thereof from propane


A device is provided by which the stiffness coefficient of a flexure, in either a pitch or roll direction, can be measured while a slider is mounted thereon and while the flexure and slider are in a loaded condition as might be obtained during normal operational conditions of a HGA in a HDA. There are two methods of making the measurement, a static method in which the slider is loaded by an external weight called a pendulum and the angular displacement of the slider is measured, and a dynamical method in which the pendulum is caused to oscillate while in contact with the slider and its natural and loaded frequencies of oscillation are measured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the design of a hard disk drive (HDD) suspension that includes a slider mounted on a flexure. More particularly, it relates to a device and method using the device for measuring the flexure stiffness under load conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive (HDD) uses an encapsulated thin film magnetic read/write head (transducer), called a slider, to read and write data on a magnetic medium or storage disk. The slider has a pre-patterned air-bearing surface (ABS) and is a part of a flexible head gimbals assembly (HGA). Looking at FIG. 1, there is shown a highly schematic side view of a prior art HGA. The slider (10) is mounted on a gimbal assembly or flexure (20), The flexure is affixed to a relatively rigid loadbeam (30). The loadbeam exerts a downward force on the flexure through a downward pointing protrusion called a dimple (35). The loadbeam is connected to a base-plate (70) through a pivot or bend-zone (60). The combination of the loadbeam, the gimbal assembly (referred to herein as a flexure), the electrically conducting leads (or traces) (not shown), the pivot and a base-plate, is collectively termed the suspension. The suspension is activated by a servo actuator and associated electronic control circuitry to position the slider at various locations along the magnetically encoded tracks on the disk. As the disk is rapidly rotated by a spindle motor, hydrodynamic pressure causes an air flow between the ABS of the slider and the surface of the disk. This flow lifts and suspends the slider so that it literally flies above the surface of the disk (at a "fly height" of approximately 10 nm) on a layer of air called, appropriately, the air-bearing layer. The edge of the slider into which the disk rotates is called its "leading edge," the opposite edge, which contains the read/write head is called the "trailing edge." The loadbeam, as is known in the art, has a small downward extending protrusion or "dimple" ((35) in FIG. 1) formed on its disk-facing side that presses against the backside of the slider at a contact point, providing a downward force (typically 2.5 grams) and serving as a pivot for the slider to rotate about. This suspension system of loadbeam and gimbal provides mechanical support for the slider while also allowing the slider pitch and roll capability when fly height is achieved. In addition, the system provides an electrical connection (i.e., a placement for the routing of conducting traces) between the read/write head and the pre-amplifier.
In an operating disk drive the slider is "loaded" by its position over a rapidly spinning disk (i.e., the slider is placed under a combination of forces as a result of upward hydrodynamic pressure from the air bearing layer and mechanical downward forces). The downward component of the load force is due to elastic deformation of the suspension at the bend zone (shown in FIG. 1). This force is transmitted to the slider through the dimple that contacts the flexure.
The ABS of the slider is virtually parallel to the surface of an operationally spinning disk (well within 1 mrad of horizontal). However, when the slider is unloaded the ABS orientation is no longer a result of disk rotation and it deviates from its flying attitude. This deviation, referenced to the loadbeam orientation, is known as static attitude. It consists of two components, pitch static attitude (PSA) and roll static attitude (RSA). Corresponding to PSA, the flexure exhibits a pitch stiffness (kp). The product of PSA and kp represents a pitch moment exerted by the flexure on the flying slider.
Enabling the slider to fly in a stable manner above the disk places stringent requirements on the suspension design, such as providing a proper range of its vertical stiffness (Kz), gimbal (flexure) pitch and roll stiffness (Kp, Kr), gimbal pitch/roll static attitude (PSA/RSA), operational shock performance (G/gram) and the like. These requirements are mainly static and based on system geometry.
The flexure pitch stiffness increases when a load-force is applied through the loadbeam dimple to the slider. Traditional stiffness measurements are made in the absence of load forces. Such measurements are inaccurate for the purposes of slider air bearing surface (ABS) design, because the stiffness may increase significantly when the slider is loaded. Applying a load-force through mechanical contact is difficult, as any misalignment of the contact will affect the measurement. Unfortunately, there is no easy method to detect and correct such misalignment error. Similarly, friction at the ABS, caused when the load-force impedes slider motion in the plane of the ABS, also affects the measurement. This important friction term is statically indeterminate. Note that the physics of a flexure mounted slider under load, including the effects of dimple friction, is presented in "Slider Pitch Moment Associated with Dimple Friction" by Li-Yan Zhu, Chao-Hui Yang, Yen Fu and Ellis Cha, to be published in ASME J. Tribology, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
A prior-art approach to measuring pitch and/or roll stiffness is to shake the HGA and measure the resulting slider resonance frequencies. Although a load-force similar to the "gram-load" present under actual operating conditions cannot be exerted, a small spring force, known as the dimple contact force (DCF), prevents dimple slip when the vibration amplitude is very small. Thus the "loaded" pitch stiffness can be calculated. This method, however, can only measure the pitch stiffness when the slider pitch is equal to its PSA. It cannot measure pitch stiffness at the flying condition, which is nearly zero pitch. Furthermore, this method does not fully reflect the contribution of dimple curvature to pitch and roll moments.
Another prior-art approach is to support the slider by two or more separate load cells. The nominal load force can be exerted by the load beam. The slider pitch and roll angles can be adjusted by translating at least one load cell. The pitch and roll moments can be calculated by multiplying the distance between two load cells by the difference in load forces exerted on the load cells. However, as described above, friction on the slider ABS is very difficult to assess and compensate.
The prior art does not disclose a significant number of methods for measuring flexure stiffness under the full gram load. The importance of stiffness, however, is well recognized in the prior art. Himes et al. (US Published Patent Application 2003/0007292) discusses the need for reducing stiffness at various points in the structure of the HGA. In particular, Himes teaches the fabrication of a low stiffness printed circuit interconnect to enable electrical connectivity within the HGA assembly. A method of measuring the stiffness of small assemblies, not specifically directed to flexures, is taught by Slocum et al. (US Published Patent Application 2003/0009898). Slocum teaches a method of applying a probe to an end of a flexible member and pushing the member while the displacement of the member is measured. Because of misalignment difficulties mentioned above, this method does not seem appropriate for measuring the stiffness of a flexure under actual loading conditions encountered during disk drive operation.
It is clear that a novel method is needed to overcome the shortcomings of the prior-art methodology and such a method will be presented herein.

Self-loaded pendulum for slider flexure stiffness measurements