A counterbalance system for a cantilevered beam pumping unit includes a counterbalance support structure adapted to be mounted in an operating position on the cantilevered beam of the pumping unit. A suspension element is connected to the counterbalance support structure so as to depend from a suspension end of the counterbalance support structure, and a counterbalance weight is connected to the first suspension element in a spaced apart relationship with respect to the counterbalance support structure. A stabilizer device is connected to the counterbalance weight via a first pivot connection and is connected to a structure separate from the counterbalance weight via a second pivot connection.

As a major component of oil and gas production, reciprocating pump jacks are a form of counterbalanced reciprocating pumps that lift oil in wells with insufficient bottom-hole pressure to lift reserve fluids to the surface. The most common of these pumps include an above ground drive unit that produces an effective reciprocating mechanical action from a rotating, counterbalanced crankshaft connected through a walking beam. The pump is positioned "down-hole" at an effective depth that draws directly from underground reserves. The reciprocating down-hole pump can be hundreds or even thousands of feet below the surface, contained within the well casing. The connection to the above ground drive unit or visible pump jack is through long, heavy sucker rods and connecting links. With current technology the reciprocating action of the above ground pump jack raises and lowers the entire length of the sucker rods along with pumped oil and well fluids as the down-hole pump is actuated. The weight lifted with each stroke can sometimes exceed twenty thousand pounds. This requires matching counterweights on the above ground drive. These counterweights can be beam balanced where the counterweights opposing the weight of the down-hole components are located on the walking beam, opposite the pivot point from the down-hole weight. Crank-balanced counterweights are located on the rotating crankshaft of the driving reduction gear, which transforms rotational movement into reciprocating stroke movement. And, combinations and variations of beam and crank-balanced counterweights exist in the form of compound counterweight systems. This in turn requires considerable energy input from a "primary mover" or motor, usually an electric motor. Because the pumping cycle of these pumps produce a relatively low volume of pumped fluids, between 5-40 liters per stroke, long run-times for these pumps can consume relatively large amounts of energy. This energy consumption is part of the calculated "lift cost," which reflects the relative efficiency and profitability of such production wells.
While other pumping schemes exist such as gas injection pumping and different forms of hydraulic pumps or cavity pumps, the familiar pump jack is the most common method to lift oil reserves to the surface. To improve reliability, implementation and repair costs, and, most importantly, production costs, much attention has been focused on this component of oil and gas production since its development around the turn of the twentieth century.
Most attempts to improve the pump jack system of pumping have included improvements in materials of construction, design improvements in critical components such as bearing surfaces, reduction gearing, components and methods of efficient counter-weight balancing, stroke mechanics and overall harmonics of rotary and reciprocal actions and the use of frequency drive systems to more efficiently match mechanical harmonics to motor drive output throughout the pump cycle, which can produce improvements in efficiency. Reducing down-hole weights which must be lifted with each pumping cycle by use of lighter weight components can reduce pumping work directly. The benefits of lighter weight down-hole components sometimes are off-set by increased failure rates and reduced capacity.


Systems and methods for improved power supply and use in a battery powered device, such as a mobile manipulation robot, are disclosed. These systems include field replaceable batteries that may be hot-swapped with no robot downtime, methods for automating battery replacement messaging and robot operation when battery power is low, and improved mechanical systems having lower energy requirements, and thus extending the lifetime of the battery operated mobile manipulation robot.

The recent development of robotic devices, and in particular autonomous robotic devices which use battery power, has been significant. These devices find use in a large number of environments, and are configured to perform a wide range of functions. For example, small battery powered cleaning robots, such as detailed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,031,805 and 9,550,294, are configured to vacuum floors in residential and small commercial settings. These robots include batteries which may be recharged when the robot docks with a charging station. In general, these small robots are able to complete their assigned tasks on a single battery charge, and thus the down-time associated with recharging does not pose a problem (i.e., the battery is recharged before the floors need to be cleaned again).
Larger systems, such a humanoid robots, robots configured to restock inventory, and robotic vehicles which perform in hazardous environments, are generally larger, and therefore have greater power requirements. As such, they may not be able to complete an assigned task on a single battery charge. Moreover, their assigned tasks may be open-ended such that any down-time would represent an impediment. For example, in logistics facilities, such as distribution centers or retail stores, goods are constantly being put-away (stocked or shelved) and picked (retrieved from the shelves). Since these robots are generally expensive, most facilities limit their total number. As such, the downtime required to charge a robot working in such a facility would represent a significant delay in the flow of goods within the facility.
Previous solutions to such a problem include the exchange of discharged batteries for fully charged batteries. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0005846 describes manual replacement of discharged batteries in a robotic vehicle. Since the batteries typically weight in excess of 50 pounds, the manual effort to replace a battery is not insignificant.
More fully automated systems are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0181129, which describes a system for swapping battery packs of an electric vehicle which includes an automated conveyance system that pushes a replaceable battery into a battery compartment on the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 9,776,326 describes a method for exchanging batteries at a battery exchange station which uses a stationary robot to remove and replace exhausted batteries in a mobile robot. Both systems are intended to relieve human workers from the burden of handling, e.g., lifting into place, the heavy batteries. Both systems, however, impose additional expense to purchase and maintain the battery exchange robot.
Because of these limitations, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods to reduce the power needs of such mobile robots, and thus provide mobile robots having smaller batteries and/or extended service times on a single battery charge, and methods and systems that may reduce or eliminate the time required to recharge a mobile robot, such as by providing improved systems and methods for battery exchange.

Field replaceable battery pack and lift counterbalance for a mobile manipulation robot


A T-fitting for use in plumbing, particularly in the installation of an appliance that requires connection to the existing water supply to the building in the building in which the appliance is installed. The fitting has an inlet and an outlet having connectors for connecting to the existing water line after the water line has been cut. A second outlet is provided to connect to a water supply line to the appliance. Preferably, the second outlet has an integral valve so that the water may be regulated to the appliance without affecting the flow of water in the existing water line.

The installation of point of use drinking water systems, feed lines to ice makers and feed lines to furnace humidifiers is a specialized profession. Typically, such installations are contracted for on a fixed price basis. Accordingly, it is very important to the individuals that make such installations that they be able to spend a minimum portion of the time that is allocated to the installation task in doing the required plumbing work. These individuals are typically not fully equipped as a plumber would be, so the installation must be simply accomplished.
From the customer's point of view, it is very important that the installation be done as neatly as possible. The customer rightly views the installation of such appliances as being a very sanitary type operation, especially installations that are related to drinking water. There is also an expectation that the installation will be done quickly, with a minimum of difficulty. This reinforces the expectation of the customer that the equipment that is installed will be clean and simple and troublefree. A complex installation process conveys the impression that the equipment is complex and may be troublesome for the new owner to both operate and maintain.
The plumbing portion of the installation is virtually always the same. The installation effectively involves tapping into an existing cold water line. When the installation is complete the integrity of the existing water line must be restored so that the line can continue to supply water to portions of the building as before. In practice, an existing cold water line is cut, usually with a tube cutter. A fitting is put in place that permits a portion of the water to be diverted to the new appliance. Alternatively, the line is pierced by a connector that is designated to pierce the line as the connecter is drawn into compression with the line. In more modern buildings, water line installations are virtually always tubes of either 1/4 inch (3/8 O.D.); 3/8 inch (1/2 O.D.); or 1/2 inch (5/8 O.D.) in diameter. A supply line to the appliance being installed, the point of use drinking water system or ice maker, is virtually a 1/4 inch or a 3/8 inch diameter line.
The installation should not require the skills and array of equipment that is available to a plumber. The installation must be within the skills and limited equipment of the installer. For these reasons soldering or threading of pipe is not desirable. Additionally, it is desirable to utilize the minimum number of parts in making the plumbing connection. This minimizes the stock of parts that the installer must have available in the vehicle that is used to make the installation call.
Any such connection, while being simply made, must also be reliable, long lasting, and not prone to leaking. Since the existing water line serves other areas in the building, a problem with the device that effects the interception of the water line affects more than just the new equipment installation. All water to the building may have to be shut down while repairs are effected. This is a considerable annoyance to the purchaser of the appliance and a considerable expense to the installer.
Further, costs of the parts used must be an absolute minimum. The sales and installation of such appliances is very competitive business. The installation must be seen by the customer as being cost effective. The purchase of the appliance must be seen by the customer as compelling when compared with other potential uses that the customer could make of limited resources.
In the past a number of individual components have been available to installers to perform the plumbing function during installation of point of use drinking water systems and ice makers. Typically, the components were assembled on-site during the installation. The assembly was made from a stock of parts that was carried in the installer's vehicle. Correct parts had to be assembled to mate with the specific size of water line in the building. This meant a great deal of mixing and matching of various individual components to effect the interception of the water line. The result was that the time for installation was greatly lengthened and costs were not minimized.
Additionally many of the components were made of polyvinyl chloride material and were designed to be assembled by gluing. The glue for such material emits a very strong, lingering odor which has been found to be objectionable. Adequate ventilation is strongly recommended by the manufacturer of the glue. It simply may not be practical or possible to have such ventilation during the installation process. Additionally, the glue is very messy. It readily adheres to the hands of the installer and once it has dried is very difficult to remove. The odor and appearance of the glue are not consistent with the neatness that is expected by the owner of the premises in which the appliance is being installed. Additionally, a glued joint should be allowed to set for twelve to twenty-four hours before subjecting the joint to water pressure in order to ensure a safe bond.
The components that were assembled to effect the installation described above typically came from a number of different suppliers. This created an inventory and ordering problem for the installers. A minimum of four different components, some of which were comprised of a number of individual parts, were required to perform the installation.
Alternatively, a piercing or saddle type of connector has been utilized. Such connectors have a sharp projection that is aimed at the existing water line. Adjustable bands encompass the line. As the bands are tightened around the line, the projection pierces the line. Further tightening of the bands brings the connector into compression with the water line. The object is to create a watertight seal with the line. Water to service the newly installed appliance is drawn off through the puncture in the line.
This type of device has the advantage of being easy to use and of being a single unit that effects the interception of the water line and is available from a single source. In practice, however, the piercing type of connector is frequently prone to leaking. The act of drawing the connector up tight on the water line simply is not adequate to effect a good seal. Once a leak develops, the punctured water line usually must be cut in order to be repaired, as there is no effective way to then make a good seal at the puncture. A number of states, including Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and others, have prohibited the use of piercing or saddle type connectors for these reasons. However, since up to now there has been no suitable alternative, these states are not enforcing the prohibition.
Accordingly, it would be a decided advantage to have a single device, readily available to the installer, that effectively would accomplish all the plumbing installation work for the point of use drinking water system, ice maker, or furnace humidifier.


A palladium-only (i.e., platinum free) oxidation catalyst body is used to oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream of a diesel engine powered vehicle, which is operated at a fuel-lean air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) for much of the time it powers a vehicle. Periodically, a recent history of the temperatures of the exhaust gas at the inlet to the palladium oxidation catalyst body is prepared in a computer control module. And a recent history of the A/F of the operating engine is considered. These temperature and A/F values are then used in determining whether the engine should be temporarily operated in a fuel-rich or stoichiometric A/F mode to provide an exhaust gas composition suitable for rejuvenation of the palladium by reducing its oxide formed during lean operation of the engine.

It has been necessary to employ exhaust gas flow-through catalyzed reactors for the conversion of carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (e.g., propylene), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gas stream flowing from, for example, gasoline-fueled, spark-ignited engines and diesel-fueled, compression-ignited engines that power automotive vehicles.
In the case of gasoline-fueled engines that are operated at close to the stoichiometric air-to-fuel mass ratio (e.g., about 14.5/1), a three-way catalyst, typically comprising platinum and/or palladium particles, carried and supported on alumina particles, has been effective in simultaneously oxidizing carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, oxidizing residual hydrocarbons (HC) to carbon dioxide and water, and reducing NOx constituents (NO and NO2) to nitrogen and water. The exhaust gas, driven by the piston action of the reciprocating engine, flows through an extruded, monolithic, catalyst support body formed with many small, parallel, flow-through channels (e.g., 400 per square inch of inlet area) extending from an inlet face to an outlet face of the catalyst-support body. The walls of the many channels are suitably coated with a thin washcoat layer of the alumina-supported platinum-group metal catalyst particles. The relatively low oxygen content of the exhaust from the gasoline engine, operated in a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio combustion mode, typically permits the three-way conversion of CO, HC, and NOx during passage of the exhaust through a single catalyst body.
The exhaust stream flowing from a diesel-fueled engine or a gasoline engine operated in a lean-burn mode (A/F=14.6/1 or higher) typically contains about eight to ten percent by volume of oxygen and a like proportion of water. The temperature of the exhaust may vary from about 150° C. to about 500° C. depending on time of engine operation, current engine loading, and other variable engine operating conditions.
Compared with engines operated in a stoichiometric A/F mode, the lean-burn exhaust stream still contains small amounts of CO and HC, and it contains larger amounts of the NOx constituents. Each of these constituents must be converted in the exhaust to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water. And no single catalyst body has been devised to accomplish such conversions.
Different combinations of catalyst treatments have been proposed for the treatment of diesel exhausts. While a diesel engine is generally operated at a high A/F ratio (greater than 14.6/1) there are periods during cold start, heavy loading, or other driving situations in which the engine is briefly operated at close to stoichiometric A/F ratio, or even slightly fuel-rich (A/F about 14/1). The exhaust system must be devised to accommodate such engine operating modes. One system uses three or more catalytic reactors located in a progressive flow arrangement in the exhaust system, extending from the exhaust manifold of the diesel engine under the truck cab or passenger vehicle body, and extending to an outlet at which the treated exhaust is discharged to the ambient atmosphere. In this exemplary system, the exhaust gas flows sequentially through (i) a platinum and palladium-containing oxidation catalyst (DOC) for oxidation of CO and some HC, (ii) a lean NOx trap for storage of NOx during fuel-lean operation, and (iii) a selective catalytic reduction reactor (SCR) using ammonia as the reductant for NOx. An aqueous solution of urea is injected into the hot exhaust stream just upstream of the SCR reactor to provide ammonia for the catalyzed reduction reaction.
There is a need to reduce the costs of this complex exhaust treatment system for fuel-lean NOx containing exhausts. And one critical cost has been the use of platinum in the DOC. An alumina supported, platinum particle-containing catalyst has proven effective in the oxidation of CO and HC in diesel exhaust containing eight volume percent oxygen despite the wide temperature range (150° C. and higher) of exhaust temperatures produced during diesel engine operation. Palladium is much less expensive than platinum and is as active as platinum for CO and HC oxidation. But palladium tends to lose its activity to oxidize the CO and HC at lower exhaust temperatures (lower than 250° C.) after prolonged exposure to oxygen-containing exhaust at lean exhaust temperatures above about 300° C. It would be useful, and less expensive, to have a way to maintain the oxidation efficiency of a palladium-only DOC catalyst.

Rejuvenation control of palladium-only diesel oxidation catalyst


An electrical resistance heater (12) has an elongate electrical heating coil (C) with a plurality of convolutions (C1, C2). An electrical insulator (10) supports the convolutions and includes an insulator body (18) mountable to a support frame (19). A generally circular projection (20) extends from one side of the body and is integrally formed therewith. A generally arcuate section (26, 28) of the projection, on opposite sides of the projection, is spaced from an adjacent surface (30, 32) of the body. A notch (34, 36) is formed by the respective surfaces of the body and the projection for respective coil convolutions (C1, C2) to be received in the respective notches. The upper end (42, 44) of the faces (38, 40) of the projection are tapered outwardly from the top of the projection to facilitate coil installation. A shoulder (30s, 32s) formed on the insulator body adjacent each notch helps retain the coil convolutions in the notches. An insulator (110) having a pair of projections (120a, 120b) integrally formed with an insulator body (118) is used to support coil convolutions on both sides of the insulator.

This invention relates to electrical resistance heaters and coil insulators therefor, and more particularly, to a coil insulator for mounting adjacent convolutions of an electrical resistance heating coil, the insulator employing point suspension to mount the convolutions. The insulator has the advantages of eliminating coil bowing, and the insulator can be used in an automated assembly process for manufacturing a resistance heating assembly. Insulators for mounting convolutions for both one and two reaches of coil are described.
In heating units for use in a variety of appliances, electrical resistance heating elements are mounted on a frame and convolutions of an electrical heating coil are carried on the insulator to electrically isolate the heating element from the frame. There are a variety of insulators which have been designed for this purpose; among these being insulators such as shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,692,599, 4,675,511, 4,559,412, 4,531,017, 4,472,624, 4,458,141, 4,363,959, 4,268,742, 4,268,189, D262,285, and D261,260. All of these insulators are designed to support a plurality of coil convolutions with some of the insulators supporting two adjacent convolutions, and some of the insulators supporting three.
Previous insulator designs have a variety of drawbacks. Some allow coil convolutions to be supported only on one side of the insulator. Others are not readily susceptible for use in automated assembly processes. Hand insertion of insulators and installation of coil convolutions onto the installed insulator is both time consuming and costly. This latter is particularly true of three point suspension insulators such as taught in the '511, '189, and '017 patents referred to above. Another problem with three point suspension insulators is that bowing of the coil can occur between insulators. This can lead to shorting of the coil. Other problems with previous insulators is their lack of ability to retain coil convolutions in place when vibrations are experienced in an appliance. Severe vibrations, or vibrations occurring over prolonged periods of time can dislodge a convolution from its associated insulator. The unrestrained convolution is now free to contact either the frame for the heating unit, or another convolution. In either instance, an electrical short results, According to the present invention, a new electrical insulator is provided which prevents dislodging of coil convolutions because of vibrations, or handling of the unit during storage, transport, or installation.


In the purification of air to remove water and carbon dioxide and other contaminants prior to cryogenic separation of oxygen and nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide are adsorbed on a solid adsorbent and are periodically desorbed to regenerate the adsorbent by the passing of a heated regenerating gas such that the quantity of heat added to the regenerating gas to produce desorption is no more than 90 percent of the heat of adsorption liberated during the adsorption of the water and carbon dioxide. The process is applicable to removing other contaminants from other gas streams also.

The present invention relates to a method of removing a component or components from a gas stream by adsorption onto a solid adsorbent with regeneration of the adsorbent at intervals.
In such methods, the gas stream is fed in contact with a solid adsorbent to adsorb the component to be removed which gradually builds-up in the adsorbent. The concentration of the removed component in the adsorbent will gradually rise. The concentration of the removed gas component in the adsorbent will not be uniform but will be highest at the upstream end of the adsorbent bed and will tail off progressively through a mass transfer zone in the adsorbent. If the process is conducted indefinitely, the mass transfer zone will progressively move downstream in the adsorbent bed until the component which is to be removed breaks through from the downstream end of the bed. Before this occurs, it is necessary to regenerate the adsorbent.
In the pressure swing adsorption PSA system this is done by stopping the flow into the adsorbent of gas to be treated, depressurising the adsorbent and, usually, by passing through the bed counter-current to the product feed direction a flow of a regenerating gas, usually at a lower pressure than the gas to be treated and low in its content of the component adsorbed on the bed.
As the component which is being removed is adsorbed while the bed is on-line, the adsorption process will generate heat of adsorption causing a heat pulse to progress downstream through the adsorbent. During the regeneration process, heat must be supplied to desorb the gas component which has been adsorbed on the bed. In PSA, one aims to commence regeneration before the heat pulse mentioned above has reached the downstream end of the bed. The direction of the heat pulse is reversed by the process of regeneration and the heat which derived from the adsorption of the gas component in question is used for desorbing that component during regeneration. One thus avoids having to add heat during the regeneration step.
An alternative procedure is known as temperature swing adsorption (TSA). In TSA, the cycle time is extended and the heat pulse mentioned above is allowed to proceed out of the downstream end of the adsorbent bed during the feed or on-line period. To achieve regeneration it is therefore necessary to supply heat to desorb the adsorbed gas component. To this end the regenerating gas used is heated for a period to produce a heat pulse moving through the bed counter-current to the normal feed direction. This flow of heated regenerating gas is usually followed by a flow of cool regenerating gas which continues the displacement of the heat pulse through the bed toward the upstream end. TSA is characterised by an extended cycle time as compared to PSA.
Each procedure has its own characteristic advantages and disadvantages. TSA is energy intensive because of the need to supply heat to the regenerating gas. The temperatures needed for the regenerating gas are typically sufficiently high, e.g. 150.degree. C. to 200.degree. C., as to place demands on the system engineering which increase costs. Typically, there will be more than one unwanted gas component which is removed in the process and generally one or more of these components will adsorb strongly and another much more weakly. The high temperature used for regenerating in TSA needs to be sufficient for the desorption of the more strongly adsorbed component. Usually, in order to deal with the need to adsorb differing components from the gas stream at the same time, the optimised TSA system will use a dual adsorbent bed containing a first layer for adsorbing the more strongly adsorbed component (e.g. water) and a second layer for adsorbing a more weakly adsorbed component (e.g. carbon dioxide). Thus, for removing water and carbon dioxide from the gas stream, a TSA system will typically use an adsorbent bed having a first layer of alumina for the removal of water and a second layer of 13X molecular sieve for the removal of carbon dioxide and other minor components. However, the process usually uses either all zeolite compared to alumina and so needs a high regeneration temperature, normally in excess of 100.degree. C. to virtually boil the adsorbed water off the zeolite. To minimise the amount of water which has to be desorbed, it is usual to pre-cool the air to be treated, thus condensing out much of its water content.
The high temperature used in a TSA system give rise to a need for the use of insulated vessels, a purge preheater and an inlet end precooler and generally the high temperatures impose a more stringent and costly mechanical specification for the system. In operation, there is extra energy cost associated with using the purge preheater.
Whilst the PSA system avoids many of these disadvantages by avoiding the need for coping with high temperatures, the short cycle time which characterises PSA brings its own disadvantages. In each cycle of operation the adsorbent is subjected to a feed period during which adsorption takes place followed by depressurisation, regeneration and repressurisation. During depressurisation, the feed gas in the bed is vented off and lost. The amount of feed-gas lost in this way is known as the "switch loss". The short cycle time in the PSA system gives rise to high switch losses. Also, because the cycle is short it is necessary that the repressurisation be conducted quickly. In practice, one has two beds of adsorbent undergoing the above cycles of operation with the cycles being phased with respect to one another that there is always one of the two beds in its feed or on-line period. Accordingly, the time available for repressurisation and regeneration is limited by the time the other bed can spend in the feed part of its cycle which is in turn limited by the short cycle time. The rapid repressurisation implied by these constraints causes transient variations in the feed and product flows which can adversely affect the plant operation, particularly the operation of processes downstream from the adsorption system.
PSA is described by Skarstrom, C. W. in "Heatless Fractionation of Gases over Solid Adsorbents", Vol. 11, 95, N. W. Li(ED) C.R.C. Press, Cleveland, Ohio 1972 and in U.S. Pat. No.4,711,645 (Kumar).
TSA is described by von Gemmingen, U. in "Designs of Adsorptive driers in air separation plants"--Reports on Technology 54/1994--(Linde) using lower than normal temperatures, i.e. 80.degree. to 130.degree. C. and short cycle times.
A still lower temperature form of TSA is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,548 (Grenier) using a regeneration temperature of 35.degree. C. with a 13X molecular sieve adsorbent. The prior removal of water by cooling the feed air is essential to this process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,851 discloses that one may practise TSA such that the heat pulse is consumed in desorbing both the more strongly and weakly adsorbed components from the adsorbent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,915 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,178 disclose an adsorption process in which moisture and carbon and carbon dioxide are removed from atmospheric air by adsorption in separate respective beds. The moisture laden bed is regenerated by pressure swing adsorption in a relatively short operating cycle while the CO.sub.2 laden bed is regenerated thermally at considerably longer time intervals. The accomplishment of this naturally necessitates considerably increased apparatus cost in view of the need for separate columns to contain the moisture and carbon dioxide removing beds and additional ancillary equipment. Whilst providing certain benefits, to some extent the teaching of these specifications suffers from the disadvantages of both PSA and TSA. One has the high switch loss and variable output of PSA water removal module and one also has the high energy demand and equipment cost of the TSA carbon dioxide removal module.
EP-A-0766989 discloses the use of alumina followed by molecular sieve for removing carbon dioxide and water from air prior to cryogenic separation. Here the heat pulse produced by heating the regenerating nitrogen rich gas is not consumed in the bed but is halted before it enters the upstream alumina portion of the bed.
In `Adsorption Purification For Air Separation Units`-M. Grenier et al, Intersociety Cryogenics Symposium, Winter Annual Meeting of ASMI, Dec. 9-14, 1984, New Orleans, La., adsorption of carbon dioxide and water from air is carried out using a bed containing an upstream (having regard to the flow direction during adsorption) portion of alumina and a downstream portion of molecular sieve. Water is adsorbed on the alumina which protects the molecular sieve from the water. Carbon dioxide is adsorbed principally on the molecular sieve.
Regeneration of the adsorbent is achieved by passing heated nitrogen through the adsorbent bed in the direction opposite to the flow direction during adsorption. After a period, the heating of the nitrogen is stopped but the flow of nitrogen is continued. This produces a pulse of heat moving through the adsorbent and the heat in the heat pulse provides energy for desorbing the water and carbon dioxide from the adsorbent. It is indicated that one may seek to arrange for the heat added during the heating of the nitrogen to exactly balance the heat needed for desorption. If the heating is continued for too long, heat will be left in the bed at the end of the regeneration which will interfere with adsorption of water and carbon dioxide when the bed goes back on-line and may be passed into the cryogenic nitrogen/oxygen separator, disturbing its functioning.
It is said that if the heating is discontinued too soon the result will be that part of the bed will not be regenerated. This is seen as being of lesser consequence and so one may provide a very small over-sizing of the alumina bed so that the heat pulse never leaves the bed but dies within the extra alumina during successive cycles.

Purification of gases using solid adsorbents


A system is disclosed for measuring head framing and tip straightness in a liquid handler. The present system uses a test plate, having an upper surface formed of clay or other impressionable material. The test plate may be placed at a liquid handling station. Pipette tips may then be loaded onto the head, and the head positioned at the station including the test plate. The head may be actuated in the z-direction so that the tips leave an imprint in the upper surface of the test plate. The imprint of the tips on the test plate may then be analyzed using any of a variety of measurement techniques to determine head framing alignment or misalignment.

Liquid handling tools are used in laboratories for dispensing a selected quantity of reagent, samples or other liquid to designated containers arrayed in an x-y plane on the liquid handling tool. The liquid handler includes a head with an x-y array of pipette-receiving shafts. Pipette tips arranged in the same x-y array may be loaded from a storage tray at a tip load station onto the shafts. The head may then move the pipette tips over containers, or wells, arrayed in a well plate at a well plate station to aspirate liquid samples for transfer to another location.
An issue common to all liquid handlers is that they need to be properly "framed." That is, when the head of the liquid handler goes to a given position (tip load station, or a well plate station), the head needs to be correctly located (or "framed") relative to the target position below, in both the x and y directions, and rotationally in the x-y plane. Poor machine framing can lead to issues such as pipette tips not mounting properly on the handler shafts, tips not entering the target-wells of a well plate properly, or well plates lifting off the deck of the liquid handler when retracting tips from it. A related issue is that when using pipet tips, the tips themselves need to be straight, and they need to mount straight, which often does not happen if the head is not properly framed to pipette tips at the tip loading station.

Laboratory liquid handler head check planarity guide


In order to reduce the conversion and cleaning effort between pre-dispersion by a dissolver (2) and fine dispersion by an agitating ball mill (3), it is proposed to combine both devices in a single container. The casing (31) of the agitating ball mill (3) is in the form of a toroidal annular channel with a central hole (34). The drive shaft (21) of the dissolver (2) runs through said central hole (34) in the agitating ball mill (3). Dispersion may take place in the dispersing device simultaneously or in succession. The agitating ball mill (3) is preferably lowered inside the container (1) along the common axis after a pre-determined time and caused to act on the substance to be dispersed (5).

The invention relates to a dispersing device consisting of a container for accommodating and processing a substance to be dispersed, a flow generator driven by a first shaft, a grinding device containing a grinding medium and having a casing with openings, through which the substance to be dispersed can pass due to the flow generated by the flow generator, and an agitator mounted inside the housing which can rotate relative to it. The invention also relates to a process for the pre-dispersion and fine dispersion of a fine to very fine, solid particulate material in a dispersant in a container for accommodating the substance to be dispersed, where pre-dispersion is performed using a dissolver and fine dispersion using an agitating ball mill.
A device of this kind disperses fine to very fine, solid particulate constituents in the liquid phase.
Three sub-steps occur simultaneously during the dispersion process:
1. Wetting of the surface of the solid material to be incorporated by the liquid constituents of the mill base,
2. Mechanical separation of agglomerates into smaller agglomerates and primary particles, and
3. Stabilization of primary particles, agglomerates and aggregates to prevent renewed clumping (flocculation).
Although the following description primarily relates to the dispersion of paints and coatings, this processing technique can also be applied in a similar manner in other fields (e.g. biology, food processing technology, pharmacy, agrochemistry, ceramics industry and the like).
When dispersing paints, for example, it is of economic interest to minimize the use of relatively expensive primary colorant particles. The better the dispersion, the more intense are the colour effect and gloss. Thus, good dispersion can reduce, for example, the use of expensive primary colorant particles by using cheaper secondary particles. In the ideal situation, each primary particle is wetted separately.
A dispersing device which exhibits the characteristics of this generic description is known from EP 526 699 A1.
A grinding device of this kind is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,783. This patent specification presents an agitating submersible mill which disperses according to the circulation process. It essentially consists of a wear-resistant strainer filled with grinding balls which is submerged in a double-walled container. A cylindrical drive shaft runs through the centre of the strainer. This drive shaft drives the bar-shaped agitator mounted inside the strainer. The walls of the strainer exhibit sieve-like perforations.
In order to enable the circulation of the grinding medium through the strainer, the drive shaft drives a flow generator in addition to the agitator. This flow generator must be positioned outside the strainer in order to ensure adequate flow. Thus, the drive shaft penetrates the strainer. A separating and sealing system is fitted at the point of penetration to prevent the grinding media from escaping from the strainer.
The central position of the flow generator has definite advantages in terms of fluid mechanics, because it ensures uniform circulation throughout the container.
However, in order to carry out an economical dispersion process using the dispersing device known from the prior art, the substance to be dispersed must be pre-dispersed. Pre-dispersion is preferably performed using a dissolver disk due to the fact that optimum pre-dispersion is indispensable from an economic standpoint, particularly in the case of agglomerates which are difficult to disperse and require the use of the grinding device during subsequent processing. An inadequately pre-dispersed product not only necessitates longer running times of the grinding unit known from the prior art, but it also frequently happens that the desired fineness is not attained. As a rule, faults or errors in pre-dispersion cannot be compensated for by other systems, particularly because inadequately pre-dispersed products clog the holes in the strainer during subsequent use of the grinding device, thus hindering, or even completely stopping, circulation through the strainer.
However, the dissolver can often achieve only pre-dispersion, i.e. the substance to be dispersed can only be dispersed up to a certain degree of fineness. An agitating ball mill or similar grinding device must be used for further dispersion, or "fine dispersion".
When switching from pre-dispersion to fine dispersion, either the container with the substance to be dispersed, the respective drive unit for the machine, or the attachments must be exchanged, or the substance to be dispersed must be pumped out of the container and into a separate agitating ball mill.
In addition, the entire installation must be cleaned when switching products--a change from red paint to white paint, for example. When cleaning the ball mill, it is very difficult to clean the separating and sealing system. The conversion and cleaning processes thus cause extensive idle times and costs.


An object of the present invention is to prevent generation of wear at a rod collision portion in an electromagnetic intake valve of a high-pressure fuel supply pump by reducing inclinations of the intake valve and a rod.

In a high-pressure fuel supply pump equipped with a conventional electromagnetic intake valve described in the PTL 1 or PTL 2 listed below, the electromagnetic intake valve in which the intake valve is held in a valve-opening direction by a rod by a biasing force of a spring in a state where an electromagnetic coil is not energized is described. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, the intake valve is closed by a magnetic attractive force generated in the electromagnetic intake valve. Accordingly, it is possible to control movement of the intake valve to open and be closed depending on whether or not the electromagnetic coil is energized, whereby the supply amount of high-pressure fuel can be controlled.
In addition, it is described that the conventional electromagnetic intake valve described in PTL 1 is constituted by an intake valve made of a flat plate, a seat member that seats the intake valve, a rod that holds the intake valve in a valve-opening direction by a biasing force of a spring, and a member that guides the rod. It is possible to stabilize an operation of the intake valve by guiding the rod in this manner and to accurately control a flow rate.
In addition, it is described that the conventional electromagnetic intake valve described in JP 2012-251447 A is constituted by a cup-type intake valve, a seat member having both functions of a seat for the intake valve and a guide for a rod, and a rod that holds the intake valve in a valve-opening direction by a biasing force of a spring. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to stabilize the operation of the intake valve and to accurately control a flow rate.

High-pressure fuel supply pump provided with electromagnetic intake valve

Abstract: A structure of the electromagnetic intake valve of the high-pressure fuel supply pump is configured as follows. A seat portion of an intake valve and a guide portion of a rod are configured as an integral part, and further, a rod guide is made to have a sufficiently long length so that it is possible to perform guide at one portion. Further, the intake valve seat portion and a surface where the rod collides with the intake valve are formed on the same plane.


The invention relates to a HiPIMS method by means of which homogeneous layers can be deposited over the height of a coating chamber. Two partial cathodes are used for said purpose. According to the invention, the length of the individual power pulse intervals applied to the partial cathodes is chosen individually and thus a required coating thickness profile over the height of the coating chamber is achieved.

The HiPIMS technique is a physical vapor coating method. More precisely, it is a magnetron-assisted sputtering process in which the target supplying the sputter material is subjected to a very high discharge current density, so that a high electron density is generated in the plasma and the majority of the sputtered particles are ionized. For this, current densities between 250 W/cm2 and 2000 W/cm2 are used and particular requirements are therefore made of the generator supplying the power. In particular, it is not possible to have such a power being applied onto the target on a sustained basis, since the latter would overheat and thus become damaged. The power therefore needs to be pulsed. Within the power pulse, very high desired discharge densities are achieved and the target heats up. During the no-impulse period (impulse pause) the target can cool down again. Impulse duration and no-impulse period must be coordinated with one another in such a manner that the average power reaching the target does not exceed a threshold value. For HiPIMS, generators are therefore needed that are capable, when pulsed, of supplying a very high power.
If the HiPIMS method is used for coating workpieces, the workpieces are often distributed over the entire useful coating height. Workpieces are understood to mean both tools as well as other components. In many cases, it is important to coat the workpieces, regardless of whether they are placed at the top, in the middle or at the bottom, with the same layer thickness and with the same layers. This aim is difficult to achieve, in particular when, as in the HiPIMS process, plasmas and their density exert a considerable influence on the coating rate. This is due among others to the fact that the plasmas themselves are influenced by the environment surrounding them, which can result in different coating rates over the height of the coating chamber. In DC sputtering, the attempt is normally made to compensate this by adjusting the magnetic fields over the height. Interventions in the magnet system can however lead locally to modified plasma conditions, which in turn results in different layer properties. The high requirements made in terms of the layer thickness distribution yield a limited useful area (and thus a reduced economic efficiency), since the efficiency of the method mentioned as regards the improvement of the layer thickness homogeneity is limited. A further method for correcting the layer distribution is the use of masks, which is however not very practical should the load or the workpiece geometry change.
It would be desirable to have available a HiPIMS method with which it is possible in a simple manner to adjust the coating rate over the height of a coating chamber and thus achieve a homogenous coating over the entire chamber height without negatively influencing the plasma density and its negative effects on the layer properties.
This constitutes the task of the present invention.

OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON


The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for controlling and measuring a cell handover, where the method for controlling a cell handover includes: acquiring terminal information; and after a random access request sent by a terminal is received, performing, according to the terminal information, beamforming for a random access response corresponding to the random access request, and sending the random access response to the terminal, where the random access response includes: configuration information of a resource required by the terminal during communication after the terminal hands over from a source cell covered by a source base station to a target cell covered by a target base station. A success rate of performing a cell handover by the terminal is improved in embodiments of the present invention.

On a Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A for short) communications system, a Low Power Node (LPN for short) is introduced, where the low power node and a macro cell node together form a heterogeneous network. On the heterogeneous network, the main purposes of the low power node are: to enhance coverage, increase capacity, improve communication quality of an edge user, enhance group mobility and temporary network deployment, reduce costs, and the like. The introduction of the low power node changes an original typology of the communications system, and therefore it has a practical significance for studying new features in a heterogeneous network scenario.
A process of performing a cell handover by a terminal (also called a User Equipment, UE for short) is as follows: For example, a source macro cell node, that is, a source base station, sends a handover command to the terminal; after receiving the handover command, the terminal sends a random access request to a target macro cell node, that is, a target base station; the target base station receives the random access request sent by the terminal, allocates a resource required by the terminal during communication in a target macro cell to the terminal, and sends corresponding configuration information of the resource to the terminal by using a Random Access Response (RAR for short); and the terminal receives the RAR and performs resource reconfiguration for the target macro cell according to configuration information carried in the RAR, thereby completing a handover of the terminal from a source macro cell to the target macro cell.
For a co-channel Heterogeneous Network (Het-net for short), because a low power node is introduced, co-channel interference exists between a macro cell node and the low power node. Because of co-channel interference between a neighboring macro cell node and the low power node, a failure probability of RAR transmission is relatively high, which results in a relatively high failure rate of performing a cell handover by a terminal.

Method, apparatus, and system for controlling and measuring cell handover


There is provided an end-side member to be arranged at an end of a photoreceptor drum unit which is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body, the image forming apparatus body including a drive shaft having a concave portion, the concave portion being a hole having a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape and twisted in an extending direction of an axial line of the drive shaft. The end-side member includes a convex-shaped bearing member which is engageable with and disengageable from the concave portion. A depression to be engaged with a rim of an opening of the concave portion is formed in at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the bearing member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an end-side member used in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a copy machine, and a photoreceptor drum unit and a process cartridge provided with the end-side member.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a copy machine includes a process cartridge detachably provided at a body of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, also referred to as an "apparatus body").
The process cartridge is a member which forms content of print, such as characters or drawings, while being attached to the apparatus body and transforms the content to a recording medium such as a paper. Therefore, the process cartridge is provided with a photoreceptor drum on which content to be transferred is formed and a charging tool and a developing tool for forming the content to be transferred to the photoreceptor drum.
In relation to the process cartridge, the same process cartridge is attached to or detached from the apparatus body for maintenance, or an old process cartridge is detached from the apparatus body and a new process cartridge is attached to the apparatus body to replace the old process cartridge with the new process cartridge. It is desirable that a user of the image forming apparatus can do such attachment and detachment of the process cartridge by themselves, and in that regards, it is desirable that such attachment and detachment of the process cartridge is easy to do.
In addition, the rotation of the photoreceptor drum included in the process cartridge when the photoreceptor drum is operated is necessary. Thus, the photoreceptor drum is provided with a bearing member such that a drive shaft of the apparatus body is engaged therewith in a direct manner or via another member and the photoreceptor drum receives rotation force from the drive shaft and rotates.
In contrast, it is necessary to release (separate) the engagement between the drive shaft of the apparatus body and the bearing member provided at the photoreceptor drum and reengage the drive shaft and the bearing member every time in order for the process cartridge to be attached to and detached from the apparatus body as described above.
JP-A-8-328449 and JP-A-10-153941 disclose techniques of providing a drive shaft moving in an axial direction on the apparatus body side, forming a twisted hole with a polygonal cross-sectional shape at the drive shaft, and providing, as a bearing member, a projection with a polygonal columnar shape which is inserted into the twisted hole at the drive shaft for delivering drive force. The projection disclosed in JP-A-8-328449 has a twisted columnar shape corresponding to the twisted hole at the drive shaft. In contrast, the projection disclosed in JP-A-10-153941 has a non-twisted columnar shape.
An object of both the techniques disclosed in JP-A-8-328449 and JP-A-10-153941 is to enhance rotation accuracy of the photoreceptor drum and to reliably deliver the drive force from the apparatus body to the photoreceptor drum.

End-side member, photoreceptor drum unit and process cartridge


The disclosed bar code reader includes an auto-focusing component for rapidly producing in focus images. An imaging system makes use of an aiming pattern that impinges upon the coded indicia of a target. The imaging system includes a light monitoring pixel array and a focusing lens that is fixed with respect to the pixel array for transmitting an image of the target object onto the pixel array. The imaging system also includes a moveable prism mounted for movement along a path of travel to transmit light passing through the focusing lens onto the pixel array. A drive motor moves the prism relative the lens to adjust a focus of an image of the object formed at the pixel array.

Various electro-optical systems have been developed for reading optical indicia, such as bar codes. A bar code is a coded pattern of graphical indicia comprised of a matrix or series of bars and spaces of varying widths, the bars and spaces having differing light reflecting characteristics. Systems that read and decode bar codes employing CCD or CMOS-based imaging systems are typically referred to as imaging-based bar code readers or bar code scanners.
Imaging systems include CCD arrays, CMOS arrays, or other imaging pixel arrays having a plurality of photosensitive elements or pixels. Light reflected from a target image, e.g., a target bar code is focused through a lens of the imaging system onto the pixel array. Output signals from the pixels of the pixel array are digitized by an analog-to-digital converter. Decoding circuitry of the imaging system processes the digitized signals and attempts to decode the imaged bar code.
The ability of an imaging system to successfully decode an imaged bar code is dependent upon the ability to satisfactorily capture a clear image of the target bar code that is focused onto the pixel array. Generally imaging scanners do not have movable lenses. They depend on using a small aperture such that mildly out-of-focus objects (barcodes) do not appear excessively blurred. A class of scanners or bar code readers sold by the assignee of the present invention use a bi-focal system, in which the lens is driven by an electro-magnetic motor, to one of two stable positions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,955 describes such a bi-focal system and is incorporated herein by reference.
While auto-focus in a bar code reader is a desirable feature, commercially available auto-focus sub-systems, such as those commonly used in digital cameras and camcorders, suffer from large size, slow action, and/or high power requirement.
Whether the imaging system is housed in a handheld, portable bar code reader or a permanently mounted reader, the user of the device cannot be expected to manually focus the imaging system by moving the lens, thus, there is a need for an automatic focusing system or auto focus system for an imaging system.
Bar code imaging systems require a variable focus optical system to maximize barcode reading range and deliver high quality images over a range of distances. The high scan rate for barcode reading imposes a high-speed requirement on the auto focusing technique to be used in the imaging system.
A typical two-dimensional barcode imaging scanner has an aiming pattern generator for the user to aim the scanner at the target and a separate illuminating system for illuminating the entire two-dimensional field of view. One auto-focusing technique that uses this aiming pattern is described in U.S. published patent application 2006:0038017 published on Feb. 23, 2006, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This above published application improves imaging quality through use of an auto-focus mechanism. Use of a moving lens tends to increase the device size. It is therefore desirable to create a compact auto-focus mechanism that does not appreciably increase device dimensions in relation to existing fixed focus imaging devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,068 is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference. The '058 patent describes focusing an electro-optical reader for reading indicia by moving one prism relative to another prism. An outgoing laser beam directed to indicia has a return image focused by the moving prism.

Imaging bar code reader with single prism focus adjustment


The interdental brush has a quadrangular shaped handle portion with an angled brush head portion with a brush head cartridge attached at one end and a removable brush head holder at the other end. The brush head can fit in a contra-angle arrangement or co-directional arrangement to the angle of the handle and the brush head support. In addition, there is a positive grip handle with a projecting thumb finger grip. The removable brush head holder into which the brush head can fit provides a smaller interdental brush and one that can be used away from home.

Interdental brushes are used as a part of the teeth cleaning regimen of many people. They are useful brushes to clean between teeth, near the gum line, around various dental prosthesis, such as braces, and around various bridge work. Interdental brushes have a shape that can penetrate many spaces that a regular toothbrush cannot penetrate. Also, there are several brush head shapes that can be used. This improves the level of a person's oral care hygiene.
A problem with interdental brushes is the lack of versatility of the units. Many are straight, stick-like holders. Others that have a contra-angle are useful with the brush head in only one direction. Also, most do not have fully formed insert cartridges. They rely on the user to bend the wire of the brush head and attach it to a handle. And none of these interdental brush units combine an at home brush and a portable brush consisting of a detachable sub-unit that can be used for travel and other away-from-home use. All of these problems are solved and needs met with the interdental brush of this invention.


Provided is a semiconductor encapsulation structure, including: a device base (1) and a cover plate (2). The device base is provided with a cavity (11) for accommodating a chip (3). The device base is further provided with a cover-plate sintered layer (12). The cover-plate sintered layer is metallized. The cover plate matches the device base. The cover plate is provided with a base sintered layer (22). The base sintered layer is also metallized. The cover plate is connected to the base by sintering. The cover plate is connected to the base by sintering, so that low-temperature connection is achieved, thereby avoiding damage to the chip and electronic components in the base caused by high connection temperature. Furthermore, encapsulating costs are greatly reduced while ensuring connection reliability.

Conventional semiconductor encapsulating is usually conducted in two manners. One is soldering with a solder, in which a substrate and a cover plate are metallized first, and then a solder material is used for reflow soldering. This manner is eutectic soldering with a metal solder. The other is parallel welding, in which metal materials at a contact surface of a base and a cover plate which have the metal materials provided at a welding position thereof, are instantaneously melted and welded according to the principle of electric resistance welding. Both manners are airtight encapsulating and have relatively high material costs and production equipment costs.

Shenzhen Refond Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.


A dual type BNC connector comprises an insulating housing, two BNC plugs and a plurality of conducting wires; a rear end of the housing is disposed with at least one pick-up plate; the pick-up plate is disposed with a plurality of engagement grooves; the plurality of engagement grooves are respectively engaged with the plurality of conducting wires electrically connected to at least one BNC plug to allow the plurality of conducting wires to be respectively retained at specific positions, not to inclined to influence the stability of the signal transmission and not to contact one another to form a short circuit and to be convenient for being respectively inserted into a plurality of slots on a circuit board simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector, and more particularly to a dual type BNC connector.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many patents concerning a dual type BNC connector. For example, Taiwan Patent No. M241844 entitled as "Dual type BNC connector", Taiwan Patent No. M270544 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,138 entitled as "Multiple pieces dual type BNC connector with all metal shell", Taiwan Patent No. M270543 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,503 entitle as "Multiple pieces dual type BNC connector", Taiwan Patent Publishing No. 267610 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,880 entitled as "Dual-plug BNC connector".
Please refer to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C. A plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 bent 90 degrees to a side of a housing 100 of a dual type BNC connector 10 are disposed on a rear end thereof. Ends of the plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 are respectively electrically connected a signal terminal 15 and a metal housing 16, other ends thereof are extended out of the dual type BNC connector 10 and used for inserting into corresponding slots on a circuit board. The plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 placed at the rear end of the dual type BNC connector 10 mentioned above are not fixed on the housing 100, pins 111, 121, 131 and 141 of the plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 are always not aligned with the plurality of slots of the circuit board simultaneously; spacing intervals of the plurality of pins 111, 121, 131 and 141 must be first adjusted and can then be inserted into the plurality of slots during assembly, it wastes the labor and time. Furthermore, the plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 may not be parallel to one another very well (inclined to one another) such that the stability of the signal transmission is influenced and a short circuit is generated due to the mutual contact among them. Also mounting grooves can be made on the housing to hold the plurality of conducting wires, but the plurality of conducting wires can not be respectively retained at specific positions.
Please refer to 7A, 7B and 7C. Another conventional dual type BNC connector 20 is approximately the same as the conventional dual type BNC connector 10 mentioned above, But, a housing 200 of the dual type BNC connector 20 is disposed with a hole 201 used for accepting a capacitor 202. A conducting sheet 203 is coupled to the housing 200 through two retaining elements 204 to shield the hole 201; one end of the capacitor 202 contacts a metal shell 21 and another end thereof contacts the conducting sheet 203. The capacitor 202 is used for filtering noise in electric signals. A plurality of conducting wires 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the dual type BNC connector are also fixed on the housing 200. Therefore, they have the same deficit as the plurality of conducting wires 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the dual type BNC connector 10 mentioned above.


A method for providing an operable filter system for filtering particles out of a beam of radiation in lithography is disclosed. The method includes providing a slack foil or wire for intercepting the particles, mounting at least a first point or side of the foil or wire to a first position of a mounting assembly, and substantially stretching the slack foil or wire at least within the beam of radiation, substantially parallel to a direction in which the radiation propagates.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In order to be able to image smaller features, it has been proposed to use extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) with a wavelength in the range of 5 to 20 nm, particularly 13.5 nm, or a charged particle beam, e.g. an ion beam or an electron beam, as the exposure radiation in a lithographic apparatus. An example of an EUV radiation source is a laser produced plasma source or a discharge produced plasma source. Plasma radiation sources, however, besides EUV radiation often generate debris, which debris should be kept from entering an illumination system and/or a projection lens.
International Patent Application WO 99/42904, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a debris filter including a plurality of foils or plates, which foils or plates are arranged radially around the radiation source.
European Patent Application EP1274287 discloses a debris removing system for preventing debris emitted by a radiation source, from entering an optical system. The debris removing system includes a trapping unit having a trapping surface, e.g. a plurality of fins, (approximately) parallel to an axis passing through the radiation source. The debris removing system further includes a rotation unit for rotating the trapping unit about the axis.

Method for providing an operable filter system for filtering particles out of a beam of radiation, filter system, apparatus and lithographic apparatus comprising the filter system


A glass substrate is bonded through a resin to the top surface of a semiconductor wafer on which a first wiring is formed. A V-shaped groove is formed by notching from the back surface of the wafer. A second wiring connected with the first wiring and extending over the back surface of the wafer is formed. A protection film composed of an organic resin or a photoresist layer to provide protection with an opening is formed on the second wiring by spray coating. A conductive terminal is formed by screen printing using the protection film as a solder mask. A cushioning material may be formed on the back surface of the wafer by spray coating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which has ball-shaped conductive terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CSP (Chip Size Package) receives attention in recent years as a three-dimensional mounting technology as well as a new packaging technology. The CSP means a small package having about the same outside dimensions as those of a semiconductor die packaged in it.
A BGA (Ball Grid Array) type semiconductor device has been known as a kind of CSP. A plurality of ball-shaped conductive terminals made of metal such as solder is arrayed in a grid pattern on one principal surface of a package of the BGA type semiconductor device and is electrically connected with the semiconductor die mounted on the other side of the package.
When the BGA type semiconductor device is mounted into electronic equipment, the semiconductor die and external circuit on a printed circuit board are electrically connected by compression bonding of each of the conductive terminals to each of wiring patterns on the printed circuit board.
Such a BGA type semiconductor device has advantages in providing a large number of conductive terminals and in size reduction over other CSP type semiconductor devices such as an SOP (Small Outline Package) and a QFP (Quad Flat Package), which have lead pins protruding from their sides. The BGA type semiconductor device is used as an image sensor chip for a digital camera incorporated into a mobile telephone, for example.
FIGS. 11A and 11B show outline structure of a conventional BGA type semiconductor device. FIG. 11A is an oblique perspective figure showing a top side of the BGA type semiconductor device. And FIG. 11B is an oblique perspective figure showing a back side of the BGA type semiconductor device.
A semiconductor die 104 is sealed between a first glass substrate 102 and a second glass substrate 103 through epoxy resins 105a and 105b in the BGA type semiconductor device 101. A plurality of conductive terminals 106 is arrayed in a grid pattern on a principal surface of the second glass substrate 103, that is, on a back surface of the BGA type semiconductor device 101. The conductive terminals 106 are connected to the semiconductor die 104 through a plurality of second wirings 110. The plurality of second wirings 110 is connected with aluminum first wirings pulled out from inside of the semiconductor die 104, making each of the conductive terminals 106 electrically connected with the semiconductor die 104.
More detailed explanation on a cross-sectional structure of the BGA type semiconductor device 101 will be given hereafter referring to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the BGA type semiconductor devices 101 divided along dicing lines into individual dice.
The first wiring 107 is provided on an insulation film 108 on a top surface of the semiconductor die 104. The semiconductor die 104 is bonded to the first glass substrate 102 with the resin 105a. A back surface of the semiconductor die 104 is bonded to the second glass substrate 103 with the resin 105b.
One end of the first wiring 107 is connected to the second wiring 110. The second wiring 110 extends from the end of the first wiring 107 to a surface of the second glass substrate 103. The ball-shaped conductive terminal 106 is formed on the second wiring 110 extended onto the second glass substrate 103.
A protection film 111 of an organic resin is formed before dicing on a top surface of the BGA type semiconductor device 101 described above, which has a V-shaped groove VG (Refer to FIG. 13A.). Conventionally, the protection film 111 is formed on a surface of the second wiring 110 by facing up the back surface of the semiconductor die 104, potting a thermosetting organic resin on it and spinning a semiconductor wafer, in which the semiconductor dice 104 are formed, to spread the thermosetting organic resin on the back surface utilizing centrifugal force.
In this method, however, the thermosetting organic resin accumulates too thick in a bottom of the V-shaped groove VG around the dicing line (dashed line), as shown in FIG. 13A. It is because the thermosetting organic resin has a property of a sticky paste. As a result, the organic resin accumulated in the bottom of the V-shaped groove VG shrinks more than the organic resin covering other portion of the semiconductor device 101, when the protection film 111 is hardened by baking (heat treatment). There arises a problem that the larger shrinking in the bottom of the V-shaped groove VG causes a warping in the semiconductor wafer. (The warping in direction indicated by arrows in FIG. 13B is caused.)
The warping in the semiconductor wafer poses a problem to a manufacturing process that follows. Especially in a process step to form the conductive terminal 106 by screen printing using the protection film 111 as a mask, accuracy of printing alignment gets worse, resulting in reduced yield or potential deterioration in reliability of the BGA type semiconductor device 101.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Manufacturing method of semiconductor device


A fiber reinforced composite structure includes multiple plies of pre-impregnated fiber reinforced material. Consecutive plies are layered such that the fibers of one ply are at 90 degrees relative to the fibers of a proximate ply, and such that the fibers of each ply are oriented at positive or negative 45 degrees with respect to a reference plane of the fiber reinforced composite structure. In a method for fabricating a fiber reinforced composite structure, pre-impregnated fiber reinforced composite plies are layered into a tool layup. Each ply is cut on the bias at either plus 45 degrees or minus 45 degrees. The bias angles of the layered plies alternate one relative to the next. The layered plies are cured after layering.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of composite design and more specifically to the field of structural detail fabrication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laminates contain fibers having a given direction of the fibers within a resin. Unidirectional laminates are usually suitable for carrying loads in only one direction. They are usually weak in the transverse direction to ply orientation. The properties of unidirectional composites are quite different from isotropic materials. Unidirectional materials are highly anisotropic and have exceptional properties, for example, strength, in the fiber direction and mediocre properties perpendicular to the fiber direction. On the other hand, isotropic laminates may be equally strong in all directions.
There are limited applications where composites are used (or bear a load) purely in a unidirectional configuration. In most applications, there will be some loading away from the direction of the fibers. In this situation, if a unidirectional laminate is used, it is only the resin, which is not itself reinforced, that resists this off-axis load. Hence, composite structures are conventionally made by combining unidirectional fibers in different directions relative to one another to enhance load bearing capacity. Such laminates are known as multi-directional laminates.
Stacking laminates with plies in different orientations is useful when there is a need to optimize multi-directional load-carrying capacity. One common way of creating these multi-directional laminates is to layer the laminates with each laminate layer having a ply bias or fiber orientation angle different from the next. A common sequence of layering uses ply bias angles of +45°, −45°, 0° and 90° relative to the reference plane defined by the component to be built. For example, the reference plane may be defined relative to the long axis of a long, straight component such as a stringer, or relative to the central axis of a radial component such as a frame for a fuselage. This sequential stacking of additional ply bias angles creates an isotropic laminate that is more suitable for carrying loads in more than one direction. However, in order to form a circular axis, such as the central axis of a fuselage frame, some material must be sectioned and/or positioned at an orientation that is not ideal, potentially leading to lower strengths, increased labor, manufacturing time and waste.
Orientation requirements for conventional isotropic composite lay ups require layer by layer application of laminates to a bond tool, for example using laminates having the +45, −45, 0 and 90 degree ply angles described above. Thus, conventional methods of manufacturing larger composite parts with curved portions may require the use of multiple ply sections for each ply layer in order to maintain the ply orientation tolerance necessary to create an isotropic composite structure.


Fast mobile device authentication can be achieved during inter-domain handovers between administrative domains operating under a federated service agreement using pseudonym identifications (PID). Specifically, the mobile device may derive a PID when obtaining authentication in a first wireless network, and then use the PID to obtain fast authentication in a second wireless network. The PID may be generated during an Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) authentication procedure using public keys associated with the mobile device and the first wireless network. The PID (or a derivative thereof) may then be provided to an authentication server in a second wireless network for validation. The PID may be validated by the second authentication server via online or offline validation procedures. The PID can also be used as an electronic coupon for accessing the second network.

Mobile station authentication is commonly performed during call setup to ensure that only valid subscribers are permitted access to a wireless network. To achieve authentication, mobile devices may be required to participate in an authentication protocol with an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server prior to accessing the network, which may introduce significant latencies into session establishment. Indeed, delays attributable to mobile station authentication may significantly reduce quality of service (QoS) for mobile subscribers that are traveling between different network domains, such as a mobile subscriber that is being handed over from a cellular network (e.g., a long term evolution (LTE) network) to a wireless local area network (WLAN), e.g., a Wi-Fi network. Accordingly, techniques for quickly authenticating mobile stations during inter-domain handovers are desired.

Fast authentication for inter-domain handovers


A fine pitch capillary bonding tool for making ball bonds having a consistent bonded ball size even though the air balls may vary in diameter is provided. The convential shaped bonding tool is provided with a novel ball constraining recess in the working tip. When an air ball is bonded it is forced into the constraining recess which has a shoulder portion for exerting a downward bonding force. The ball being bonded extrudes vertically into the constraining recess without laterial extrusion which would create mashed balls of varying diameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bonding tools used for fine wire bonding. More particularly, the present invention relates to capillary bonding tools used for making conventional strength ball bonds while constraining and controlling the size of the finished ball bond.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Capillary wire bonding tools are well known in the prior art and are classified in International Class HOI 21/603 and in U.S. Class 228, Subclasses 1.4; 4.5; 180 and other subclasses.
Capillary wire bonding tools that are used in automatic ball thermosonic wire bonders have been standardized into families or groups designed for special applications or problems. Fine pitch bonding tools are especially designed to enable bonding of pads which are closely spaced one to another. Due to miniaturization of semiconductor chips such as computer chips, the lead out pads on the chip and the pitch or spacing of pads on chips are constantly growing smaller. Pad sizes of 3.0 mils square placed on 3.2 mil centers are now being bonded using 1.0 mil fine gold wire which is melted or flamed off to form a 1.6 to 1.7 mil diameter air ball which is mashed to form a first bond. The diameter after making the bond increases at least 10% so that the resulting bonded ball has an average diameter of 1.8 to 1.9 mils. The mashed ball bond is not symmetrical and the maximum diameter can easily exceed the size of the bonding pad. Since the bonding tool has some placement error offset from the center of the bonding pad, conventional ball bonding produces bonds which over flow the edges of a bonding pad and the bonded devices are rendered unacceptable.
In the prior art, the term constrained bond and constrained bonding generally referred to controlling the amount of mash-out or lateral extrusion of a ball during ball bonding. Heretofore, this broad terminology has also included reducing the diameter of the air ball so that the mashed and expanded ball is of lesser size than a conventional mashed ball. While it was known that the ball size ratio (BSR) could be reduced from about 2.4 times wire size to about 1.7, the bonded area and the shear strength of the bond was also diminished. Further, if the air ball was too small it would clog the hole in the capillary during a bonding operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,270, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, shows and describes a bonding tool developed for producing unsymmetrical mashed balls and is incorporated by reference herein. This tool employs a non-symmetrical working face having an elongated chamfer recess defined by two chamfer diameters CD1 and CD2 and is designed for use in a rotary head wedge wire bonder. The elongated chamfer recess produces a mashed ball bond that is more narrow in width than in length, thus, is well suited for bonding state of art semiconductor chips.
It would be desirable to provide a fine pitch bonding tool that could produce a smaller symmetrical bonded ball having enhanced shear strength. Such a symmetrical tool would be used on conventional non-rotary head automatic gold wire bonding machines which operate at higher speeds than rotary head bonding machines but could also be used on rotary head bonding machines.

Fine pitch bonding tool for constrained bonding


The invention provides a transurethral ablation device comprising a catheter sized for insertion into a urethra of a male patient. A distal end of the catheter defines a lateral cavity. A vacuum line applies vacuum pressure to the cavity to capture a portion of the urethra and a portion of the prostate into the cavity. An ablation probe has a distal tip mounted within the catheter adjacent the cavity, and is movable for insertion into the captured portion of the prostate. The ablation probe can be inserted with an orientation substantially parallel to the urethral wall. Alternatively, multiple ablation probes can be provided for simultaneous use in ablating tissue with a target site in the prostate. A suction cannula may be used to remove ablated tissue from the target site.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common medical problems experienced by men over 50 years old. Urinary tract obstruction due to prostatic hyperplasia has been recognized since the earliest days of medicine. Hyperplastic enlargement of the prostate gland often leads to compression of the urethra, resulting in obstruction of the urinary tract and the subsequent development of symptoms including frequent urination, decrease in urinary flow, nocturia, pain, discomfort, and dribbling.
One surgical procedure for treating BPH is transurethral needle ablation (TUNA). The TUNA technique involves transurethral delivery of an electrically conductive needle to the prostate site. The needle penetrates the prostate in a direction generally perpendicular to the urethral wall, and delivers electrical current to ablate prostate tissue. The electrical current heats tissue surrounding the needle tip to destroy prostate cells, and thereby create a lesion within the prostate gland. The destroyed cells may be absorbed by the body, infiltrated with scar tissue or become non-functional.
Other transurethral ablation procedures involve delivery of microwave, radio frequency, acoustic, and light energy to the prostate gland. In addition, some procedures involve delivery of localized chemotherapy, drug infusions, collagen injections, or injections of agents which are then activated by light, heat or chemicals to destroy prostate tissue. These procedures, as well as the TUNA procedure, pose the risk of trauma to the urethral wall. In addition, the precision and uniformity of the procedures in terms of the ability to target specific prostate tissue raises challenges. In addition, ablation of specific shapes and volumes of prostate tissue continues to be difficult.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2002/0177847, to Long, describes an endoscopic ablation system with a side opening that pulls esophageal tissue into contact with ablation electrodes using vacuum pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,247 to McGaffigan et al. discloses a transurethral needle ablation device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,702 to Lundquist et al. describes another transurethral ablation needle device. Table 1 below lists documents that disclose devices for transurethral ablation of prostate tissue.
TABLE 1Pat. No.InventorsTitle2002/0177847LongEndoscopic ablation system withflexible coupling6,514,247McGaffigan et al.Transurethral needle ablation devicewith aligned handle6,241,702Lundquist et al.Radio frequency ablation device fortreatment of the prostate
All documents listed in Table 1 above are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their respective entireties. As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate readily upon reading the Summary of the Invention, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and Claims set forth below, many of the devices and methods disclosed in the patents of Table 1 may be modified advantageously by using the techniques of the present invention.

Device and method for transurethral prostate treatment


A novel interpretable and steerable deep sequence modeling technique is disclosed. The technique combines prototype learning and RNNs to achieve both interpretability and high accuracy. Experiments and case studies on different real-world sequence prediction/classification tasks demonstrate that the model is not only as accurate as other state-of-the-art machine learning techniques but also much more interpretable. In addition, a large-scale user study on Amazon Mechanical Turk demonstrates that for familiar domains like sentiment analysis on texts, the model is able to select high quality prototypes that are well aligned with human knowledge for prediction and interpretation. Furthermore, the model obtains better interpretability without a loss of performance by incorporating the feedback from a user study to update the prototypes, demonstrating the benefits of involving human-in-the-loop for interpretable machine learning.

Machine learning is being used more in devices and computing systems to make decisions or predictions. Despite their practical uses, machine learning algorithms generally lack transparency which limits their application in many critical decision-making scenarios. The demand for more transparent and intelligible machine learning system is becoming more urgent as recent regulations in the European Union require the "right to explanation" for algorithms used to make individual-level predictions.

System and method for interpretable sequence and time-series data modeling


A terminal connection structure for an electric cable includes a first terminal connected to a part of an internal conductor which is exposed by peeling off a first insulating covering, a second terminal connected to a part of an external conductor which is exposed by peeling off a second insulating covering, and a housing member that surrounds an outer periphery of the first terminal and an outer periphery of the second terminal and contains the first terminal and the second terminal which are arranged coaxially in a separated manner.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a terminal connection structure for an electric cable.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, as an electric cable to be arranged in a place where shielding of electromagnetic waves or so is required (for example, inside an electric appliance of an automobile or the like), a coaxial electric cable has been widely used (Reference should be made to JP-A-2011-81957). The coaxial electric cable has such a structure that one or a plurality of internal conductors (core wires) are covered with a first insulating covering (an internal insulator), and an external conductor which is provided on an outer periphery of the internal insulator is covered with a second insulating covering (an external insulator). Moreover, such a structure that a shield conductor is provided on an outer periphery of the external insulator, and the shield conductor is covered with a third insulating covering (a protecting sheath) has been also known. End parts of these conductors are respectively connected to connection terminals at a side of the coaxial electric cable, and at the same time, connected to connection terminals, circuits, electric wires, and so on of a mating appliance to be connected via the connection terminals. In this manner, the coaxial electric cable is electrically continued to the mating appliance.
In case where the connection terminals at the side of the coaxial electric cable are connected to a plurality of the conductors in the coaxial electric cable, and the coaxial electric cable is connected to the connection terminals of the mating appliance to be connected via the connection terminals, there are arranged a plurality of the connection terminals in a terminal connection part of the coaxial electric cable. In this case, for example, in such a structure that two pieces of the internal conductors are drawn out in parallel and connected to the connection terminals at the side of the coaxial electric cable so as to be opposed to the connection terminals of the mating appliance to be connected, the two connection terminals are arranged in parallel in the terminal connection part of the coaxial electric cable. Therefore, the terminal connection part of the coaxial electric cable grows bulky in size, which makes a problem in attaining space saving of the connection structure for the coaxial electric cable.
Moreover, in case where an interval between the connection terminals which are arranged in parallel is not constant, there is such anxiety that deterioration of connection workability or deterioration of electrical continuity due to discordance of impedance may be incurred. In addition, in the same manner as the terminal connection part at the side of the coaxial electric cable, a terminal connection part in the mating appliance also grows bulky in size. Therefore, in order to attain the space saving of the connection structure of this type, the terminal connection part in the mating appliance too must be taken into consideration.
This invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and an object of the invention is to provide a terminal connection structure for an electric cable in which a terminal connection part of the electric cable (a coaxial electric cable) can be made compact in size, and connection workability and electrical continuity performance can be enhanced.

Terminal connection structure for electric cable