An aspect includes providing direct communication between a server and a network switch in a cell-based fabric. A host channel adapter of a cell fabric hardware accelerator is configured to provide the server with direct access to memory within the network switch. A plurality of data packets having a fixed size is received at the host channel adapter from the server. The host channel adapter is coupled to a bus of the server. A direct transmission is performed from the cell fabric hardware accelerator to the memory within the network switch on an interconnect bus to write the data packets directly into the memory.

The present invention relates to computer networks and, more specifically, to cell fabric hardware acceleration in a computer network.
Ethernet networks are typically employed in local area networks (LANs) that include a plurality of network switches. A number of communication protocols have been developed and continue to evolve to enhance Ethernet network performance for various environments. For example, an enhancement to Ethernet, called data center bridging (DCB), converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) or data center Ethernet (DCE), supports the convergence of LANs with storage area networks (SANs). Other protocols that can be used in a data center environment in conjunction with Ethernet include, for instance, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Internet Wide Area Remote direct memory access Protocol (iWARP), Remote direct memory access over Converged Ethernet (RoCE).
Computer networks can be organized as cell fabrics as one alternative to Ethernet. A cell fabric typically uses fixed frame sizes, while Ethernet uses variable sized packets and frames. Formatting differences between network types can result in difficulty establishing efficient communication between a cell fabric and an Ethernet network. Typically, communication between a cell fabric and Ethernet requires higher-level protocol translation which can involve substantial overhead and increased latency.


A method of producing a CMC article having a net shape, and by which the article can be formed to have an exterior surface with desirable characteristics, such as being free of an imprint pattern of a fiber reinforcement material within the article. The method entails providing a body comprising the fiber reinforcement material, and depositing a coating on a surface of the body. The coating contains a carbonaceous binder and a slurry containing a ceramic particulate material. Following its deposition, the carbonaceous binder within the coating is cured to render the coating machinable, and the coating is then machined to approximately produce the net shape of the article.

The present invention generally relates to ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials. More particularly, this invention is directed to methods of forming a CMC article having desired shape, dimensional, and surface characteristics, such as those required to produce a suitable bonding surface.
CMC materials generally comprise a ceramic fiber reinforcement material embedded in a ceramic matrix material. The reinforcement material serves as the load-bearing constituent of the CMC, while the ceramic matrix protects the reinforcement material, maintains the orientation of its fibers, and serves to dissipate loads to the reinforcement material. Of particular interest to high-temperature applications are silicon-based composites, such as silicon carbide (SiC) as the matrix and/or reinforcement material. SiC fibers have been used as a reinforcement material for a variety of ceramic matrix materials, including SiC, TiC, Si3N4, and Al2O3. Continuous fiber reinforced ceramic composite (CFCC) materials are a type of CMC that offers light weight, high strength, and high stiffness for a variety of high temperature load-bearing applications. A CFCC material is generally characterized by continuous fibers (filaments) that may be arranged to form a unidirectional array of fibers, or bundled in tows that are arranged to form a unidirectional array of tows, or bundled in tows that are woven to form a two-dimensional fabric or woven or braided to form a three-dimensional fabric. For three-dimensional fabrics, sets of unidirectional tows may, for example, be interwoven transverse to each other.
Various techniques may be employed in the fabrication of CMC components, including chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and melt infiltration (MI). Each of these fabrication techniques have been used in combination with tooling or dies to produce a near-net-shape article through processes that include the application of heat and chemical processes at various processing stages. In the fabrication of SiC/Si—SiC (fiber/matrix) CFCC materials disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,015,540, 5,330,854, 5,336,350, 5,628,938, and 6,024,898 and commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0067316, continuous SiC-containing fibers or tows are coated to impart certain desired surface properties, such as with an interfacial release agent (e.g., boron nitride or carbon) to allow for limited and controlled slip between adjacent fibers, tows, and the surrounding ceramic matrix. In the case of a two-dimensional fabric, the relatively pliable fabric is cut and shaped within appropriate tooling prior to depositing coatings on the fabric. The tooling is then placed in a CVI reactor, where the desired coatings are deposited to yield a porous fiber preform. To increase the rigidity of the preform, the preform may be further coated with a ceramic material. For example, SiC preforms used in the fabrication of SiC/Si—SiC CMS's may be rigidized by depositing a SiC coating on the tows. The rigidized porous fiber preform is then infiltrated to fill the porosity in the preform, such as slurry casting an aqueous suspension of SiC particles followed by melt infiltration with molten silicon. Melt infiltration of the preform is performed to yield a near net-shape CMC article. During melt infiltration, the molten silicon reacts to form a SiC matrix containing some free silicon.
Within the tooling, the rigidity of the preform can be such that the reinforcement fabric is compressed against the tooling surface, with the result that an imprint pattern of the fabric is often visible on the surface of the final CMC article. Such a defect has been observed with preforms rigidized by CVI-deposited SiC coatings. Depending on the intended application of the article, an imprint pattern may be unacceptable, such as where the article is required to have an optical surface, defined herein as a surface that is sufficiently smooth to be suitable for bonding to, for example, a silicon wafer. Attempts have been made to cover the optical surface of a CMC article marred by an imprint pattern by depositing and then firing a layer of a particulate slurry. However, such attempts often do not produce acceptable results because the resulting coating is very fragile and thus difficult to accurately machine for the purpose of establishing the desired shape and dimensions of the CMC article and its optical surface. To address this problem, others have suggested applying a particulate slurry coating on slurry-cast CMC's to form an extension of the particulate used in the slurry casting process. However, the slurry is too soft to permit machining to high tolerances.
In view of the above, it would be desirable if an improved method were available for producing a CMC article with a surface whose shape, dimensions, and surface finish can be carefully controlled.

Method of producing a ceramic matrix composite article


A stay put towel/blanket comprising one or more essentially rectangular towel/blankets fabricated of a fabric with a length, a rectangular periphery, the towel/blanket having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface having strips of a pile-type fastener secured thereto from a location at the periphery to a region inwardly therefrom and an essentially rectangular backing sheet fabricated of a plastic material with a length greater than the length of one or more towel/blanket and a width greater than the width of one or more towel/blanket forming a rectangular periphery, the periphery being formed with a hem created by the folding of the backing sheet at its periphery at a location extending outwardly of the periphery of one or more towel/blankets, the hem having a weight means therein for weighting purposes, the sheet also having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including strips of a pile-type fastener secured there around at a location inwardly of the periphery and hem and across in alignment with the pile-type fastener of one or more towel/blankets for the removable coupling between one or more towel/blankets and the backing sheet, the upper surface further including various pockets and inflatable compartments, the lower surface having including one or more handles for being grasped by a user when the system is rolled up for transportation and storage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stay put towel/blanket system and more particularly pertains to precluding blankets and towels from blowing away.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of blankets and towels of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, blankets and towels of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of retaining objects in place while under the force of the wind are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,229 which discloses a Pocketed Beach Towel
U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,737 discloses a Beach and Picnic Blanket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,618 discloses a Weighted Towel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,964 discloses a Beach Blanket Stabilizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,467 discloses a Beach Towel With Pockets.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,718 discloses a Picnic Cloth Holder.
In this respect, the stay put towel/blanket system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of precluding blankets and towels from blowing away.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved stay put towel/blanket system which can be used for precluding blankets and towels from blowing away. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A glove including a textured surface on the inside designed to bring the texture into contact with the skin on the hand. The texture is provided over the entire interior of the glove, or just over selected areas of the glove that will provide the desired sensory contact with the hand. The texture may be a uniform pattern of raised projections, or a random placement of raised projections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device to heighten the sense of touch and feel, and more particularly, to a hand cover, or glove, having a texture on the inside in areas that correspond to sensory neurons in the hand, for example.
2. Background Information
In many daily and specialized task situations, gloves are worn to protect the palm of the hand, and in most cases the fingers, as well as to aid in grip.
In activities that rely on the sense of touch in the palm, the thumb and four fingers, gloves have proved to be a barrier between the sensory neurons of the hand, thumb and fingers. Improving the sensory elements of a glove would provide a distinct advantage to a wearer. However, gloves to date have focused on the exterior surfaces of the glove, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,967 "Non-Slop Golf Glove" issued to Millman, which was designed specifically for the sport of golf. Millman provides for rubber like protuberances on the outside of the glove to prevent slippage. Until this invention, however, no attention has been paid to the lack of sensory awareness that comes with the use of a glove due to the insular nature of the glove material that comes between the hand and the object in contact with the gloved hand. This invention overcomes this limitation by providing a textured surface on the inside of the glove.


Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors are provided. A CMOS image sensor includes a substrate including a pixel array and a peripheral circuit region, a photodiode and a floating diffusion region in the pixel array of the substrate, a transfer gate insulating layer and a transfer gate electrode on the substrate between the photodiode and the floating diffusion region, and a peripheral gate insulating layer and a peripheral gate electrode on the peripheral circuit region. The transfer gate electrode includes a first edge that is rounded to have a first radius of curvature, and the peripheral gate electrode includes a second edge that is rounded to have a second radius of curvature smaller than the first radius of curvature.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors and methods of fabricating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the development of information and communications technology (ICT) and digitization of electronic devices, image sensors having improved performance have been used in various fields of, for example, digital cameras, camcorders, portable phones, personal communication systems (PCSs), game machines, security cameras, and medical micro cameras. In general, the image sensor may include a pixel array including photodiodes (PDs) and a peripheral circuit region. A unit pixel may include a photodiode PD and a transfer transistor. The transfer transistor may be disposed between the photodiode PD and a floating diffusion region and may transfer charges generated by the photodiode PD to the floating diffusion region.

CMOS image sensors having a transfer gate electrode, and methods of fabricating CMOS image sensors having a transfer gate electrode


The specification describes a refractive lens for focusing cold neutrons. It comprises a plurality of concave lens elements made from materials with low neutron absorption.

Cold, long wavelength, neutron sources are useful in a variety of analytical, commercial, and medical applications. Cold neutron sources, frequently referred to as cold neutron (CN) sources, provide neutrons with velocities of the order of 2200 m/s and less, and wavelengths typically in the 0.2-10 nm spectral range. Cold, long wavelength, neutrons, i.e. 0.2-10 nm, are highly penetrating and useful for bulk applications requiring significant depth of neutron exposure. CN radiation is useful in microscopy, although resolution is inferior to electron and x-ray microscopy. The optical cross section for neutrons in neutron analysis is dominated by atomic nucleii. This is in contrast to electron and x-ray beams that are modulated by electron shell structure. Thus neutron beams see different structural landscapes in microscopy and add a new dimension.
Neutron beam facilities with higher beam intensities are coming on line, and promise a variety of important new and valuable applications. Neutron activation analysis, in which a material sample is exposed to a neutron beam and neutron spin properties detected, is a widely used and important technique for determining composition of matter. With highly focused CN beams microscopic samples, and microscopic regions of samples, can be analyzed. Spatial variations in composition over small areas can be resolved.
In semiconductor device manufacturing, CN sources are useful for non-destructive testing of semiconductor crystal structures for defect analysis and impurity profile analysis. Strain distribution in semiconductor crystals can be revealed by CN analysis and is used in the design and production of semiconductor lasers to predict device lifetime. High intensity and highly focused beams improve both spatial resolution and detection limits in these analyses.
CN beams are useful in medicine for abnormal tissue therapy. High flux beams are desired to reduce exposure time, and highly localized beams are beneficial in reducing radiation exposure of adjacent healthy tissue. In these, and other applications, some yet to be fully realized, the utility of the CN tool is usually in direct proportion to the intensity of the beam, and the control of the beam direction, i.e. the ability to focus CN beams. At the present time, both reactor (continuous) and spallation (pulsed) sources of cold neutrons suffer from very low total fluence. This fact severely limits the usefulness of CN apparatus in most applications.
CN beam lensing elements have been sought for some time both to focus the beam and increase the neutron flux density, and to simplify beam handling, i.e. manipulation and steering. Lensing elements can also be important to modify the angular divergence of a neutron beam in two circumstances. The first is in matching the cold neutron source to guide tubes, in which divergence needs to be matched to the critical angle for total internal reflection. The second is in scattering applications where the beam divergence is an important issue. In this case a lens, similar to an infinity corrected optic, can be used to reduce the beam divergence from a pinhole or other source.
Efforts to focus CN beams have met with only mild success. The best results to date have been with lenses and collimators based on reflective optics. It has been known for some time that neutrons will undergo nearly total reflection from a variety of materials. The critical angle however, is typically very high, leading to beam steering devices based on lightguide approaches. A widely used device of this kind is an array of capillary guides, sometimes referred to as a Kumakhov lens, and supermirror coated guide tubes. The capillaries are typically glass or plastic with the interior of the capillary coated with a neutron reflecting material, e.f. nickel. The individual capillaries are arrayed in a parallel bundle, closely packed to capture as much of the source beam as possible. The source then becomes in actuality a multiple beam source. The capillaries are bent inwardly with respect to the axis of the bundle to focus each of the multiple beams to a common focal point. For more details on these systems see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,008, issued Mar. 5, 1996; M. A. Kumakhov and V. A. Sharov, "A neutron lens", Nature, Vol. 357, 4 Jun., 1992, pp. 390-393,; H. Chen et. al., "Neutron focusing lens using polycapillary fibers, Appl. Phys. Lett. 64 (16), 18 Apr. 1994, pp. 2068-2070; Q. F. Xiao et al, " Neutron focusing optic for submillimeter materials analysis, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 65 (11), November 1994, pp. 3399-3402.
Neutron optics can also be important to defocus, or magnify, a neutron beam. An example in small neutron scattering is the case when resolution is limited by the fixed (and not optically small) spatial resolution of two-dimensional neutron detectors. A magnifying lens could be used to optimize the spatial variation of the signal in the plane of the detector.
The devices described in the references given above, and other focusing devices based on grazing angle reflection of neutrons, are typically difficult and expensive to make. Moreover, and perhaps more significantly, they are inefficient because a substantial fraction of the already low flux source beam is lost due to the unused space between capillaries. While in an ideal model, with zero wall thickness for the capillaries, and the capillaries arranged in a hexagonal close packed array, the loss due to interstitial space is only 9.3%, when the wall thickness and the thickness of the interior wall reflective coating is considered, with a typical wall thickness equal to at least 20% of the ideal diameter (OD), the interstitial loss approaches 50%. That large loss factor could be eliminated with a refractive optics lens, but to date no such lens exists.

Compound refractive lenses for low energy neutrons


Disclosed are systems and methods for spinal fusion and particularly, anterior cervical plating systems with a toggle pivotally mounted to a bone plate with at least two degrees of freedom of movement. In a particular embodiment, each toggle plate is slidably attached and pivotally mounted to the bone plate by a locking screw having an axis such that in at least one slidable position each toggle plate can pivot relative to the axis of the locking screw in the bone plate.

Various systems directed to fusion of the spine have been proposed. Examples include the systems described in the following U.S. Patents issued to Gary Michelson: U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,776, entitled "Locking Element For Locking At Least Two Bone Screws To An Orthopedic Device"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,586, entitled "Single-Lock Anterior Cervical Plating System"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,542, entitled "Single-Lock Anterior Cervical Plate System"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,783, entitled "Multi-Lock Anterior Cervical Plate"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,186, entitled "Single-Lock Skeletal Plating System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,721, entitled "Multi-Lock Anterior Cervical Plating System".
Of note, each of the above patents appears to disclose a system in which one or more bone screws are held to the bone plate via a locking mechanism (such as a screw) which rotates relative to the bone plate.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,927, entitled "Anterior Cervical Plating System" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,700, entitled "Anterior Cervical Plating System" appear to disclose a system in which one or more bone screws are held to the bone plate via a locking mechanism (such as a screw) which rotates relative to the bone plate.
Finally, each of U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,602, entitled "Bone Stabilization Plate With A Secured-Locking Mechanism For Cervical Fixation" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,786, entitled "Anterior Cervical Plating System" appears to disclose a system in which one or more bone screws are held to the bone plate via a locking mechanism which slides relative to the bone plate.
Of note, however, in these last two aforementioned systems it appears that each of the locking mechanisms is provided with only one degree of freedom, such that the locking mechanism may slide relative to the bone plate but may not be moved up or down relative to the bone plate (and relative to the bone screws within the bone plate). Thus, these last two aforementioned systems do not appear capable of providing pressure on bone screws which are disposed at varying depths relative to the bone plate.
Among those benefits and improvements that have been disclosed, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures constitute a part of this specification and include illustrative embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.


A wagering game that deals a hand to a player and a dealer. A numerical total of the player's hand is compared to a numerical total of the dealer's hand in order to determine which hand, the player's or the dealer's, is higher (and hence the winner). Before reaching the comparison, the player must make at least one additional raise wager(s) before being dealt an additional card(s).

1. Field of the Invention
The present inventive concept relates to a wagering game, and more particularly to a game which allows the player to compare a numerical total of the player's hand against a dealer's hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Casino table games are a major industry. Casinos are always interested in adding new and profitable variants of table games in order to provide their players with additional excitement and variety.

Wagering method and apparatus based on a numerical total


A kit for removing calcar bone from a resected face around a bone canal of a long bone prepared to receive an orthopaedic implant is provided. The kit includes a trial for insertion into the bone canal of the long bone and a fixture. The fixture has a connector for connecting the fixture to the trial and a guide for guiding the calcar reamer. The kit also includes a calcar reamer for removing calcar bone from the resected face around the bone canal of the long bone. The reamer includes a feature for cooperation with the guide of the fixture. The kit further includes an implant for insertion into the bone canal of the long bone.

Joint replacement surgery is quite common and it enables many individuals to function properly when they otherwise would not be possible to do so. Such patients of joint replacement surgery typically suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Artificial joints usually comprise metallic, ceramic and/or plastic components that are fixed to existing bone.
Such joint replacement surgery is otherwise known as total joint arthroplasty. Total joint arthroplasty is a well-known surgical procedure by which a diseased and/or damaged joint is replaced with a prosthetic joint. In a typical total joint arthroplasty, the ends or distal portions of the bone adjacent the joint are resected or a portion of the distal part of the bone is removed and the artificial joint is secured thereto.
A hip prosthesis may be modular or consist of more than one component. Such modularity has many advantages including reduced inventory, greater selection of an optimum hip prosthesis, and to assist in performing less invasive surgical procedures with smaller skin incisions and less soft tissue disruption.
One such modular hip system includes a sleeve that is slideably fitted over distal stem for insertion into the femoral canal of a femur. Such a sleeve type modular system is sold by DePuy Orthopedics Inc., Warsaw, Ind., as the S-ROM hip system. The S-ROM hip system includes a distal stem, a sleeve which slideably fits over the distal stem, and a neck trial that fits to the distal stem. The modular implant of the S-ROM hip system includes a stem to which a sleeve may slideably fit.
During the S-ROM surgical procedure, a sleeve is positioned proximally in the reamed canal of a resected femur. Once the sleeve, in the form of a trial sleeve, is positioned into the canal at the resected surface of the femur, a distal stem trial is positioned in the canal through the sleeve until it is seated into its proper position. At that point, a neck trial is secured to the distal stem trial making the trial stem assembly. A trial head is placed on the trial neck and a trial reduction is performed. If the trial reduction is satisfactory, the trial assembly is removed from the canal of the femur and an implant sleeve is positioned in the canal and an implant stem is inserted through the opening of this sleeve into position.
During the S-Rom surgical procedure, the level of the horizontal neck cut and the placement of the sleeve are the main contributors to the leg length of the stem. The surgeon first makes the initial resection. If the initial horizontal neck resection is too high, of if the sleeve is positioned distally into the stem to obtain the optimum leg length, the surgeon is required to remove excess bone that is superior to the top edge of the trial sleeve. Removing this excess bone reduces the risk of bony impingement.
The current method for removing this excess bone is in the form of using an osteotome or a saw to remove the bone, orienting the saw or the osteotome along the top surface of the sleeve trial. The top surface of the sleeve trial may be scraped or defaced to the point that metal shavings are released into the patient and the size etchings on the sleeve trials may become illegible.
The present invention is directed to alleviate at least some of the aforementioned problems with the prior art.


A new and distinct Calibrachoa cultivar named ‘DCALIADR’ is disclosed, characterized by a controlled, mounded to semi-trailing plant habit and large dark red flowers. Plants produce dark green foliage and have moderate vigor. The new variety is a Calibrachoa, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

The new Calibrachoa cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Calibrachoa varieties for ornamental purposes. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during March of 2016.
The seed parent is the unpatented, propriety variety referred to as Calibrachoa 'CA. 16-5018'. The pollen parent is unidentified. The new variety was discovered in March of 2017 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the open pollination, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'DCALIADR' was first performed by terminal vegetative cuttings during March of 2017, at a greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. Subsequent propagation by has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Date of first sale was Apr. 7, 2019, occurring in the United States. This sale was made directly by the inventor or one who obtained the claimed invention directly or indirectly from the inventor. This sale and all public disclosures made between Apr. 7, 2019 and the filing of this application fall within the exception allowed under 102(b)(1).


A film forming method and an apparatus therefor, in which reactant gas and carrier gas set at 10 torr through several atmospheres, much higher than the conventional plasma CVD gas pressure are put in a plasma condition of high density by utilizing standing waves or progressive waves of the microwave in a predetermined space, and then neutral radicals and ions of reactant species based on the reactant gas are guided to a substrate, thereby forming a thin film thereon at high-speed.

Recently, a method using plasma has been noticed as one of these film forming methods, which is called the plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method which puts the source gas or reactant gas in the plasma state to form extremely chemically active excitation molecule, atom, ions or radicals so as to promote chemical reaction, thereby growing the thin film on a substrate. This method is largely characterized in that since a chemically active ion or a neutral radical is used in the plasma state, the thin film is producible at a low temperature. Although the conventional CVD method may often be limited to a restricted process due to high-temperature formation, the plasma CVD method, which need not put the substrate at high temperature, can perform low-temperature formation, reduce thermal damage, restrict reaction between the substrate materials, and form the thin film onto a non-heat-resistant substrate. In a case where the thermodynamic reaction, even when possible, is remarkably slow, since the plasma excitation state is related thereto, the reaction may be promoted or the reaction normally considered to be thermodynamically difficult may be possible, so that novel material having various composition ratios conventionally considered impossible can be developed or a thin film of high-temperature forming material can be produced.
In the conventional plasma CVD method, a dc glow discharge method which applies dc voltage at a relatively high degree of vacuum of 0.1 to several torr between the parallel electrodes disposed within a reaction chamber to thereby perform glow discharge and a high frequency glow discharge method, which applies high-frequency power onto a coil coiled on the outer periphery of the reaction chamber formed with a quartz tube to thereby carry out non-electrode discharge, have mainly been utilized. In such methods, pressure or partial pressure of reactant gas within the reaction chamber is set low for easiness of generating plasma, whereby the thin film formation speed, somewhat different in the kinds of reaction gas, is very slow as several hundred to several thousand .ANG./min. Also, since the ion acceleration direction is orthogonal to the substrate in the glow discharge method, there is a fear that ions of reactant gas accelerated to high energy cause lattice defects in the thin film on the substrate, the sputtering causes damage thereon, or carrier gas is accelerated as ions so as to be taken in the thin film.
A light excitation plasma CVD method by laser or the like has hitherto been utilized according to remarkable progress of the laser, which is larger in photon energy due to a short wavelength of the light, so that the reactant gas is directly excited along the optical path to thereby form the neutral radicals or ions of reactant species, resulting in that it is difficult spatially control the location of film formation. Therefore, the problem is created in that a film may grow at an incident window through which the light is introduced into the reaction chamber and further that the plasma is hard to generate unless a relatively high degree of vacuum is applied as the same as the above-mentioned, resulting in that the film formation speed is also low.

High-speed film forming method by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) under high pressure and an apparatus therefor

UHA Mikakuto Precision Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd.


A film stretched uniaxially in the transverse direction selectively is obtained by preventing a phenomenon that the film is stretched also in the longitudinal direction in stretching the film in a direction transverse to the conveying direction.

For example, as described in Patent Document 1, there is known a film stretching machine which stretches a film in a width direction by conveying the film while gripping both side edges of the film with clips, and simultaneously increasing the distance between the clips.
In the film stretching machine disclosed in Patent Document 1, conventional clips to grip a film each have a flapper which swings so that its tip can come into contact with a placing face on which a film is to be placed and the contact angle of the flapper with respect to the placing face is determined so that the tension of the film may act in a direction in which the tension presses the flapper against its placing face.
Generally, a gripping part of a flapper is formed with a plane so that it can grip a film in a planar form.
Patent Document 1: JP 2005-104081 A
Patent Document 2: JP 4-230704 A
Patent Document 3: JP 5-11111 A
Patent Document 4: JP 5-11114 A
Patent Document 5: JP 5-288931 A
Patent Document 6: JP 5-288932 A

Method for producing stretched film, method for producing film, and film

Abstract: A film F is stretched in the transverse direction while being gripped with clips 2 each having a corrugated upper teeth part (holding member piece) 12 and a corrugated lower teeth part (holding member piece) 11. Furthermore, the film F is shaped into a wavy form using corrugated gripping members 6a and 6b and stretched in the transverse direction while being held with the clips 2 having the holding members.


The present invention relates to fiber cement flooring products. In particular, the present invention provides fiber cement flooring products, at least comprising cement and fibers, characterized in that these fiber cement flooring products comprise amorphous silica in an amount of between about 2 weight % and about 15 weight % compared to the total dry weight of the fiber cement composition of said fiber cement flooring product. The present invention further relates to methods for the production of such fiber cement flooring products as well as uses of such fiber cement flooring products in the building industry. The present invention further relates to fiber cement formulations and fiber cement materials, which are suitable for the production of fiber cement products for flooring applications.

Commercially available floorings, such as laminate flooring (using high or medium density fiberboard or particle board as the core layer), have gained overwhelming success in the flooring market. The success of this product is credited to certain properties such as stain resistance, wear resistance, fire resistance, good cleanability, and the ability to use just about any type of printed design. In addition, the overall emission of organic compound vapor is low and the laminate flooring is considered color stable and environmentally friendly over other competing flooring products.
One concern, however, with commercially available laminate flooring is the moisture resistance of the finished product and the sensitivity of the raw materials (high or medium density fiberboard, paper, and particle board) to moisture during the manufacturing process. In some instances, the moisture can lead to some serious quality control issues and application restraints. For instance, the higher moisture content in the product, such as in the particle board or fiberboard, can cause blistering and adhesion failure of the melamine surface to the core. Also, higher moisture contents can lead to dimensional instability of the finished product, which then results in the cupping or doming of the product, which is extremely undesirable.
Suppliers of laminate flooring have attempted to overcome the above problems by developing laminate flooring having better moisture resistance by using melamine, phenolic, or isocyanate binders to partially replace urea resins present in the laminate flooring. While this improvement has made the product more moisture resistant, the current commercially available laminate floorings are still prone to moisture damage. For instance, laminate floor thickness can swell by more than 10% and water absorbency can exceed more than 15% according to the 24 hours water absorption test.
Another attempted solution at the moisture resistance weaknesses of current laminate flooring has led some manufactures to apply a water-repellant material on the upper edges of the tongue and groove areas which further serve to resist any moisture penetration through joints. Still another attempted solution involves applying silicone caulk to seal the edges and voids of the laminate perimeter where the laminate flooring meets the wall. However, if very stringent installation instructions are not followed, the laminate flooring will still be subjected to moisture damage. Another weakness of laminate flooring is its susceptibility to break or chip at the corners of edges and the tongue and the groove profile because fibers in the high density fiber board are not cohesively bonded together with chemicals. Rather, they are pressed together primarily by tremendous pressure and heat.
An alternative commercially available flooring is acrylic impregnated wood flooring. Typical acrylic impregnated wood flooring is not an environmental and operational friendly product. In particular, it takes a long time to impregnate the liquid acrylic monomer into pores of the wood veneer and it is often difficult or impossible to penetrate the liquid fully to the desirable depth or uniformly into the pores of the wood. In addition, operators need to exercise tremendous caution for safely handling noxious liquid acrylic monomer and pay attention to the environmental consideration and government regulations. Due to such a time consuming and a labor intensive process, the product normally is very expensive.

Fiber cement flooring products and methods for the production thereof


A contact cap is attached to a top cover of a camera of a dental tooth measuring apparatus, and when shooting, positioning of the tooth to be measured is performed with a bite section being slightly bitten by both of adjacent teeth sandwiching the tooth to be measured, and with keeping a state where the inside of the adjacent teeth is in contact with a camera side surface of a positioning convex section. Positioning of the tooth to be measured and the adjacent teeth with variation among individuals with respect to the camera can be performed more precisely.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact cap for a dental tooth measuring apparatus as an ancillary apparatus for shooting applied at shooting (measuring) in the dental tooth measuring apparatus and a measuring method using the dental tooth measuring apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
When treatment with an artificial tooth (implant) is given to a patient at a dental clinic, especially an artificial tooth for an incisor is put, the colors of the patient's vital teeth (or non-vital teeth) to be adjacent to the incisor need to be measured by some method and compared for selecting an artificial tooth with suitable color for the teeth. As a method for measuring a shade of a tooth at present, the patient's teeth are compared with reference plates called a shade guide, and decide the number of the shade guide which is visually determined as the nearest shade by the dentist as the shade of the tooth. With the number, bleaching effect is checked or the number is notified to a dental technician's office to make an artificial tooth (implant).
In the conventional method of deciding a shade of an artificial tooth by visually determining with the abovementioned shade guide, the determination is susceptible to lighting and even the same tooth of the same patient may be determined as a different shade depending on the type of lighting in the room or influence of an outside light. The determination may also largely diversify according to the physical condition of the dentist (or the dental technician) that performs the determination so that it is difficult to satisfactorily select an artificial tooth.
What needed is a dental tooth measuring apparatus (shooting apparatus) which can shoot a corresponding tooth needed for correctly acquiring a shade of the tooth without being affected by lighting or a determiner under such circumstances and can acquire correct shade information of the tooth by the image information. As for the dental tooth measuring apparatus (shooting apparatus), a dental camera of the Patent Document 1 or a buccal cavity shooting apparatus of the Patent Document 2 are disclosed.
For the dental camera disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-355263 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), a mouthpiece is used as a hood to be attached to an opening for shooting. The mouthpiece has an engaging protrusion section and wing section, which position a tooth to be measured.
The buccal cavity shooting apparatus in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-305429 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) is for shooting a buccal cavity by applying a bitten mouthpiece to a light shielding cover attached to the apparatus.
When shooting is actually performed by the abovementioned tooth measuring apparatus, a single tooth (vital tooth) needs to be closely shot. If shooting is merely performed in a conventional closely shooting state, it is inevitably affected by lighting. Then, shooting needs to be performed under lighting of special light. In such a case, an outside light needs to be shielded and a contact cap for shooting which makes a hood for positioning an objective tooth more close to a shooting position needs to be attached to a camera. Fine adjustment needs to be made to the angle of gradient of the tooth to be measured, as the surface of a part to be measured is not necessarily kept in an upright position to the optical axis for shooting in a positioned state at shooting.

Contact cap for dental tooth measuring apparatus and measuring method using dental tooth measuring apparatus


A four stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed comprising at least one cylinder arrangement, an exhaust conduit, and at least one turbine. The cylinder arrangement comprises an exhaust port arrangement configured to open and close an exhaust flow area, ACYL. The cylinder arrangement has a maximum volume, VMAX. The exhaust conduit extends between the exhaust flow area, ACYL, and a turbine wheel inlet area, ATIN, of the turbine and has an exhaust conduit volume, VEXH that is ≤0.5 times the maximum volume, VMAX. The exhaust port arrangement is configured to expose the exhaust flow area, ACYL, at a size of at least 0.22 times the maximum volume, VMAX, when a piston of the cylinder arrangement is at the bottom dead centre, BDC.

In a four stroke combustion engine comprising a turbine such as e.g. a turbocharger, exhaust gas pressure in a cylinder is utilized to drive a turbine wheel of the turbine.
A piston of a four stroke internal combustion engine performs four strokes, an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke. An exhaust port arrangement of the internal combustion engine, comprising e.g. ordinary exhaust poppet valves, has to be opened before the piston reaches its bottom dead centre, BDC, during the power stroke. Otherwise, if the exhaust arrangement would open later, e.g. when the piston reaches the BDC, the internal pressure from the exhaust gases inside the cylinder would impede the movement of the piston towards the top dead centre, TDC, during the exhaust stroke. Available engine power would thus be reduced.
The opening of the exhaust arrangement before the bottom dead centre, BDC, of the piston during the power stroke permitting a portion of the exhaust gases to escape through the exhaust arrangement before the piston reaches BDC, is referred to as blowdown. The term blowdown may also be used in connection with the exhaust gases escaping through the exhaust arrangement prior to the piston reaching BDC and after the piston has reached BDC, while the pressure inside the cylinder exceeds the pressure in the exhaust system downstream of the exhaust arrangement. The energy (work) of the blowdown, blowdown energy, escapes through the exhaust arrangement and is not transferred to a crankshaft of the relevant internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,452 discloses a cylinder head in a compression-ignition engine with at least three cylinders each having a single opening for admission of fuel charge, a single opening for exhaust gases, a first set of channels which connect the fuel charge admitting opening with the inlet valves for discrete cylinders, and a second set of channels which connect the opening for exhaust gases with the exhaust valves for discrete cylinders. The inlet of a turbocharger is directly connected to the opening for exhaust gases and the outlet pipe of the turbocharger for fuel charge is directly connected to the fuel charge admitting opening. Thus, shortest possible gas ducts on inlet and outlet sides of the cylinders may be provided to avoid pressure and temperature losses in order to utilize as much exhaust gas energy in the turbocharger as possible.
DE 4414132 discloses direct ducts from the outlet valves of each cylinder of a combustion engine to a turbine. The attained energy yield is used to increase the air volume in the combustion chamber by increased charge, for reducing the NOx emission. The piston power, induced during the expansion stroke, is adjusted below that permitted by the supplied air volume to obtain the required, reduced NOx values. The exhaust manifold cross-section may be smaller than the valve through flow surface, with the cross-sectional widening only at the turbine gas inlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,592 discloses a turbo compound engine of internal combustion type having conventional reciprocally movable pistons, cylinders, manifolds, fuel-oxygen admixing apparatus or fuel injection, firing apparatus or compression ignition, and incorporating the improvement of respective nozzle means for conveying the hot, moderately high pressure combustion products (exhaust gases) from the respective cylinders to one or more turbines. The nozzle means have its inlet and discharge ends connected, respectively, with the respective boundary walls of respective combustion chambers or cylinders and with the inlet to a turbine. A quick opening nozzle valve admits exhaust gas from the respective cylinder to the nozzle means.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A new and distinct Coreopsis plant named ‘Pinwheel’ characterized by large daisy-type flowers that are about 4 cm in diameter, ray florets that are quilled or tubular rather than flat, deep green foliage, light yellow flower color, very free branching, very free flowering, and a mounding habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid of Coreopsis and given the cultivar name 'Pinwheel'. Coreopsis is in the family Asteraceae. This new cultivar originated from a controlled cross between a proprietary, unreleased mutant of Coreopsis 'Limerock Ruby' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,455) and Coreopsis auriculata, an unpatented plant, as the pollen parent.


A three-hour fireproof door (20) is made from a metal frame (26), a body (28), and a hinge (30). The body (28) is made from a concrete mix (40). The metal frame (26) is such that, when attached to a mold base (34), the body (28) may be cast in place. The concrete mix (40) contains an integral strengthening material (54) in the form of either a metal mesh (54) or an elastomer admixture (82).

Fire doors are rated in terms of the length of time a door can be exposed to furnace temperatures on one side of the door (the exposed side) without either excessive deformation of the door or excessive temperature rise on the opposite side of the door (the protected side). Additionally, the door under test is subjected to a water stream upon its exposed side immediately after the furnace temperatures are removed. These tests become increasingly rigorous as door ratings increase, i.e., the furnace temperatures become higher and the volume and force of the water stream increases for higher ratings.
Those skilled in the art recognize the fire resistance of concrete. Indeed, fireproof structures often use concrete as a basic construction material. For example, a conventional fireproof room may have concrete walls and a metal fire door, or a conventional fireproof wall may be constructed of a plurality of insulating concrete panels.
Concrete is a poor conductor of heat. Exposure of one surface of a concrete wall to a high temperature relative to the opposite surface produces a large thermal gradient through the wall. Such a thermal gradient may cause the wall to crack and, ultimately, to crumble due to uneven thermal expansion within the concrete. This effect increases as the thickness of the concrete decreases. The addition of rebar or other metal reinforcements to the wall may actually accelerate failure due to the widely differing thermal expansion coefficients of concrete and steel.
As a result of the tendency of concrete to crack when unevenly heated, fireproof doors of sizes and thicknesses for use in conventional public-building doorways tend not to be made from concrete. The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standard E152-72 for fire door testing has proven to be too rigorous for use with conventional concrete fireproof door construction techniques. Because of the severe thermal stresses induced in a door subjected to the ASTM standard, the test also determines suitability of a door for use as a security door, i.e., how well a door can resist impact damage and cracking.
For use as fire doors and security doors, the mechanical strength and weight are defining factors. Unfortunately, the stronger concrete is made, the denser it becomes and the more likely it is to crack under ASTM testing. Also, a stronger, denser concrete is likely to be too heavy for many door applications, e.g., in public buildings such as motels.
Those skilled in the art know that the addition of pumice may make concrete lighter without significantly affecting its strength. However, only insignificant reduction in weight results from the use of small-diameter aggregates, while large-diameter aggregates are unsuitable for the relatively thin panels used in doors as the aggregate diameter approaches a large percentage of door thickness.
Were a suitable concrete available, one that is both light-weight and capable of passing ASTM testing, its strength and dimensional stability would make it a desirable material for fireproof and security doors intended for public building use.


A window assembly for a vehicle having a body structure with a window enclosure, and a method of installing a window, is disclosed. The window assembly includes a window and a window regulator bracket assembly. The window is slidable into the window enclosure. The window regulator bracket assembly includes a support rod having an upper end mounted to the body structure and a lower end with threads. The window regulator bracket assembly also includes a spring housing slidably received on the lower end of the support rod, a compression spring, a support nut threadably received on the threaded portion in engagement with the spring plate, and a support jaw engaging the bottom edge of the window. The support nut is screwed onto the support rod against the bias of the spring to secure the window in its closed position.

The present invention relates generally to window supports in vehicles, and more particularly to a window regulator bracket assembly that supports a window.
For some vehicle applications, a particular window enclosure on a vehicle may have an option of being a movable window (raised and lowered by the vehicle operator via a conventional window regulator) or a fixed window. For vehicles with this option, it is cost effective to maintain the window and window enclosure the same for all of the vehicles, whether having a movable or a fixed window.
Accordingly, some mount the window with a manual or power window regulator, whether movable or fixed, so that the installation process, window and window enclosure are essentially the same for both. Then, for the vehicles with a fixed window option, the manual or power regulator, as the case may be, is hand cranked to place the window permanently in the closed position (i.e., no switch or other power window or manual window components are installed to allow for movement of the window after the vehicle leaves the assembly plant). But having a manual or power window regulator supporting a window that will never open is more expensive and heavier than is desired.
Some have tried other alternatives to mount a fixed window in a movable window enclosure. Some employ a stripped-down manual regulator, others bolt a bracket to body structure after the window is in its fully closed position, while others have driven bolts into glass run channels after the window is in its fully closed position. But each of these alternatives has undesirable drawbacks, such as significant alterations to the movable window installation process, high cost, excess weight or all three.


A structure for protecting a brake pedal of a vehicle from impact, the vehicle having a cowl crossbar provided with a pair of spaced apart connection holes, includes a supporter provided with a pair of converged brackets, each of the converged brackets provided with connection holes couplable with the connection holes of the cowl crossbar by using bolts, and a plurality of supporting protrusions provided on an end of the supporter, the supporting protrusions preventing the brake pedal from moving toward an occupant of the vehicle in the event of a collision.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure, for protecting a brake pedal from impact, comprising a supporter installed on a cowl crossbar installed on a vehicle frame in a transverse direction for supporting an instrument panel, in which the supporter is located at a position adjacent to a brake pedal arm so that the supporter prevents the brake pedal from being pushed toward a driver's seat when a traffic accident occurs, thereby protecting a driver from injury.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, brake systems serve to decelerate or stop a vehicle in motion, and simultaneously to maintain a parking state of the vehicle.
Of the brake systems, a foot brake, which is manipulated by a driver's foot in motion, employs a hydraulic mechanism. Hereinafter, a hydraulic braking system will be described in detail.
First, when a, driver's foot operates a brake pedal, a piston installed in a master cylinder moves forward by a push rod connected to a pedal arm, and compresses fluid placed in the cylinder.
The compressed fluid compresses brake fluid through a brake line, and the compressed brake fluid in a high-pressure state is supplied to a wheel cylinder, thereby allowing a lining or a pad to be compressed by a brake drum or a disk. Thus, a braking operation is achieved.
Then, when the, driver's foot releases the brake pedal, the brake fluid, having been compressed, is returned to the master cylinder, thus allowing the braking operation to be stopped.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating installation of a conventional brake pedal. The brake pedal 11 is installed on a dash panel 12 formed on a lower part of a vehicle frame.
When an accident of a vehicle happens, the dash panel 12, having a weak strength, is protruded toward a driver's seat, and thus the brake pedal 11 moves toward the driver's seat.
The brake pedal 11, having moved toward the driver's seat, may easily hits a driver's ankle or shin, thereby inflicting injury upon the driver.
In order to solve the above problem, there is proposed a method for increasing the stiffness of the dash panel 12. However, the increase of the thickness of the dash panel 12 necessary to mitigate the aforementioned problem increases the weight of the vehicle, thereby depreciating the rate of fuel consumption.

Structure for protecting brake pedal from impact


A method for controlling vehicle regenerative braking includes decreasing regenerative braking, provided a converter clutch is locked, such that regenerative braking torque reaches zero before a converter clutch opens due to vehicle speed reaching a reference speed; decreasing regenerative braking, provided the converter clutch is scheduled to open, such that regenerative braking torque reaches zero before the converter clutch opens due to vehicle speed reaching the reference speed; and braking the vehicle using wheel brakes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for controlling a regenerative braking event in a hybrid electric vehicle wherein blend-out control is coordinated with torque converter control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to maximize fuel economy in a hybrid electric vehicle, energy saving through regenerative braking with the electrical motor during a brake event is an integral part of the system. A high voltage battery can be charged through regenerative braking while the vehicle is slowing down. On the other hand, to maintain vehicle safety, conventional friction braking is also used when regenerative braking by itself cannot meet the driver demand. At low speed before the regenerative braking becomes unavailable or inefficient; regenerative braking torque should be ramped down to zero gradually and the conventional friction braking torque should ramped up to the driver demand to facilitate smooth brake torque transition. This process is referred as regenerative braking torque blend-out. Thus the driver brake demand can be satisfied with acceptable vehicle drivability, fuel efficiency and vehicle safety.
In a modular hybrid electric vehicle, a step ratio transmission and torque converter are located between an electrical motor and the driving axle with wheels. During a regenerative braking event, through the transmission and the torque converter the vehicle kinetic energy charges the high voltage battery by rotating the electrical machine. The torque converter clutch must be locked in order to fully transmit the vehicle kinetic energy to the electrical motor. If the torque converter must be open, it would transmit much less vehicle kinetic energy. In this case, the regenerative braking torque blend-out should be completed before the torque converter opens to prevent stalling the electrical motor.

Regenerative braking and torque converter control


An electron-emission type field-emission display and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed, of which the beeline distance of the electron emission is identical. The structure of the field-emission display has a cathode electrode so configured that beeline distances between all surface points of the cathode electrode and a gate conductive layer thereover are identical. The cathode electrode is fabricated from a silver paste and a carbon nanotube. To configure the silver paste, a gray-scale mask with a gradient light transmission rate from a center to a periphery thereof is used as a photomask to perform exposure upon the silver paste.

The present invention relates in general to an electron-emission type field-emission display and a method of fabricating the same, and more particular, to a cathode electrode having a configuration that the beeline distance between every surface point of the cathode electrode layer and a gate conductive layer over the cathode electrode is identical.
The invention of carbon nanotube (CNT) has stimulated a novel competition in the development of minimizing nanotechnology globally. Currently, application of the carbon nanotube in optoelectronic display includes carbon-nanotube field-emission display (CNT FED), which is the most potential flat display panel as recognized in the industry. The conventional field-emission display is constructed by a front panel and a substrate, which generates a spike discharge at the cathode spike to emit an electron beam. The electron beam then impinges the phosphor layer coated on the screen to generate image. Such type of display has the characteristics of larger display area, shorter response time, and wider viewing angle. Thereby, it can be broadly applied to electronic products that require flat panel display to replace the conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) screen.
The front panel and the substrate are housed in a vacuum package. A spacer is disposed between the front panel and the substrate to prevent the glass plate from being broken by atmosphere pressure. In the past, the high fabrication cost becomes a bottle neck of the development of the field-emission display. However, the development of carbon nanotube resolves the high-cost issue while the image quality of cathode ray tube is maintained. The carbon nanotube field-emission display also includes the power saving and small-volume features.
However, the current carbon-nanotube field-emission display is still problematic in application. FIG. 1 illustrates conventional field-emission display that includes an anode electrode layer 1a and a cathode electrode layer 2a. The anode electrode layer 1a includes a substrate 11a, a first conductive layer 12a on the substrate 11a, and a second conductive layer 13a covering the second conductive layer 12a. The first and second conductive layers 12a and 13a construct an anode 14a to be impinged by an electron beam from a cathode 26a. The cathode electrode layer 2a includes a substrate 21a, a first conductive layer (silver paste) 24a (silver paste) formed on the substrate 21a and a second conductive layer (carbon nanotube) 25a formed on the first conductive layer 24a. The first and second conductive layers 24a and 25a construct the cathode 26a. A dielectric layer 26a is formed on the substrate 2a around the cathode 26a, and the field-emission display further comprises a gate conductive layer 3a formed on the dielectric layer 22a. The gate conductive layer 3a has a through hole 31a aligned over the cathode 26a. As shown, the beeline distance between the periphery area of the second conductive layer 25a and the gate conductive layer 3a is shorter than that between the central area of the second conductive layer 25a and the gate conductive layer 3a. Therefore, the electric field at the periphery area of the second conductive layer 25a is higher than that of the central area of the second conductive layer 25a. As a result, the electrons drained at the periphery have a density larger than that of the electrons drained at the central area. The distribution of electrons results in a donut-shape electron beam. The non uniform distribution of electrons also results in leakage of electron beams through the gate conductive layer 3a.

Electron-emission type field-emission display and method of fabricating the same


Embodiments of the invention are based on a method for positioning a carrier with a plurality of electronic components in a device for testing the electronic components, wherein the carrier is provided with a pick-and-place unit.

In order to save space on printed circuit boards the level of integration of electronic components should be raised further and further. To this end some components are now beginning to be stacked vertically and connected three-dimensionally to form so-called 3D-ICs. The vertical connection of individual components is preferably realized in TSV technology (Through-Silicone-Via). Using TSV technology the connection between individual horizontal layers is effected by vertical metallic connections with a diameter of up to approx. 5 μm. These 3D-TSV-ICs are characterized by a high level of integration relative to their footprint and behave extremely robustly.
As such a 3D-integrated circuit (3D-IC) is a circuit which consists of a vertical stack of thinned individual chips. Seen from outside the circuit looks like a monolithic circuit, but strictly speaking is more like a hybrid circuit, but with a higher level of integration than typical hybrid circuits. The aim of 3D-integration is to achieve a still higher functionality of the ICs for a same-size footprint of the housing. Individual chip planes in the 3D-ICs are connected using through-contacting with the aid of TSVs. TSV, at the moment, represents the best available technology for realizing the high demands for the electric paths (short, robust, etc.).
The increased rejection rate which is due to the high level of integration can be minimized in that testing is carried out not only on the finished ICs and the individual components, but also on the stack whenever a new component is added to the existing stack and through-contacted.
US 2006/0290369 A1 discloses an electronic device testing unit for testing IC chips by means of pressing their input/output connections against contact units of a test head. The electronic device testing unit is provided in the form of a test plate with test plate body. The test plate comprises holders for holding the rear surfaces of IC chips, which surfaces do not comprise any protruding input/output connections, but which surfaces are essentially smooth holding surfaces. During the time of testing the holders are held on the test plate body in a swingable manner. The side surfaces of the holders are guided by means of guide surfaces, which are provided in the vicinity of the contact units. The IC chips are held by means of the holders.
US 2011/0018564 A1 discloses a wafer prober, which is provided with a storage space, one or more alignment units, contact units and a storage transport section. The storage space supports a wafer at a certain position, transports it to a further processing position of the wafer and is located at the further processing position. One or more alignment units position the wafer at a certain position relative to the storage space. The contact units are arranged in a number which is greater than that of the alignment units and they carry out an examination further processing in contact with the wafer at the further processing position. A storage space section transports the wafer between the alignment unit and the contact unit. The storage space is provided with three or more pin holes, an alignment marking and an alignment section.
This results in that many defects can be recognized at a very early stage of manufacture and can possibly even be repaired. Should one of the required components found to be defective, there is then no need to remove the finished module, but the defective component can be replaced before assembly by a component which has been tested and found to be OK.
Normally the ICs are held on the substrate until they are finished and it is only then that they are singularized by sawing the substrate. Intermediate tests prior to completion of the individual ICs are therefore normally carried out on the substrate.
There is however also the possibility via TSV to connect a processor module with e.g. a separately manufactured storage module. Therefore, one of the components may already have been singularized before it is tested. Testing of already singularized components is carried out in carriers, on which a larger number of components may have been fixed in their exact positions. In the following therefore the word "carrier" is used, independently of whether the components are components on a substrate or already singularized components on a carrier. Similarly, wafer or parts thereof are to be regarded as components not yet separated.
With components of this kind on a carrier, for example a processor on a substrate, which is to be connected via TSVs with a further component configured as a storage, contacts are provided on the substrate opposite to the component, and on that side which is to be connected with the further component. A reliable test can only be carried out if both kinds of contact can be contacted simultaneously.
In order to make an accurate association between the contacts of the electronic component and the test contacts, it has previously been sufficient to center the components mechanically. In view of the small distance, however, in particular of the contacts on the side of the electronic component, at which side a further component is to be connected, this is no longer sufficient. Mechanical centering comprises tolerances which are partly larger than the distances between individual contacts. Therefore errors during testing are unavoidable.

Method for positioning a carrier with a plurality of electronic components in a device for testing the electronic components

Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention                several markings at one side of the carrier are detected with at least one camera and the position of the markings is determined in relation to the known position of a nest for receiving the carrier,        the nest is moved into a position exactly opposite to the carrier,        the carrier is handed over to the nest,        several further markings at the other side of the carrier are detected by at least one further camera and the position of the further markings is determined in relation to the determined position of a test socket,        the nest is positioned in a position exactly opposite to the test socket and the carrier is pressed against the test socket.


Support structures which can be placed around the waist of a user, for example a mother nursing twins. A front member and a rear member cooperate to provide an openable enclosure which can first be placed around, and then closed around, the waist of the user. The front member provides a platform which is in front of the user and on which are placed one or more babies, or other items desired by the user. The platform has desired characteristics, for example a first surface which is horizontal and a second surface which is inclined towards the user.

A number of support structures for nursing mothers and their babies are known. Reference may be made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,770 (Matthews), U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,024 (Matthews), U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,196 (Littlehorn), U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,760 (Bartley), U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,303 (Mead), U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,773 (Littlehorn), U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,828 (Simon), U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,999 (Clark), U.S. Pat. No. 7,010,821 (Leach), U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,833 (Zenoff), and US 2007/0056110 (Tuoriniemi). The entire disclosure of each of those US patents and patent publication is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.


A flow control valve for use with a downhole motor includes a housing with at least one port and a sleeve with at least one opening. The sleeve is movable within the housing to align and offset the ports and openings. A first biasing member associated with a first portion of the sleeve and a second biasing member associated with a second portion of the sleeve bias the sleeve in a first direction, while pressure applied to the sleeve due to fluid flow moves the sleeve in an opposing second direction. Movement of the sleeve in the second direction compresses the first and second biasing members, disengages the first portion of the sleeve from the first biasing member, and aligns the openings with the ports to permit transmission of the pressure through the openings and ports.

When drilling a well, a bore is formed in the earth and extended via rotation of a drill bit, which is attached at the end of a string of tubulars. The drill bit can be rotated by rotating the attached tubular string, e.g., using a rotatable member engaged with the tubular string at the surface, though during some operations—most notably directional drilling operations—the drill bit is rotated using a downhole motor (e.g., a progressive cavity positive displacement pump). Typical downhole motors rotate an associated drill bit responsive to the flow of drilling fluid through the motor. Specifically, a movable rotor, positioned within a stator housing, rotates due to the pressure of the drilling fluid applied to the rotor. The rate at which the borehole can be extended, often referred to as the ROP (rate of penetration), can be optimized by providing a significant amount of weight to the drill bit (termed the weight-on-bit (WOB)).
In operations where a downhole motor is used, operators may often attempt to increase the ROP by providing drilling fluid into the tubular string in excess of the tolerance of the downhole motor. If the motor lacks sufficient horsepower or momentum to continue the drilling operation, the motor may stall. In other situations, the characteristics of the formation or damage to the drill bit can contribute to stalling of the motor. If the differential pressure across the motor becomes extremely high, which can readily occur during a stall, the continued provision of drilling fluid into the motor can cause severe damage to the motor—primarily to the rubber, composite, and/or elastomeric liner of the stator housing, as well as to other power transmission components (e.g., the flex shaft or tie-rod).
Stalls can often be prevented, by an operator, if a signal or indication of the pressure differential is communicated to the surface; however, lack of operator responsiveness and/or the incentive to maximize the ROP in spite of the risk of a stall can hinder the effectiveness of a human response. Additionally, in instances where formations vary greatly, little can be done to prevent damage to the drill bit, mud motor, and/or associated components in the bottomhole assembly. Mechanical devices can be used to reduce the damage caused by a stall, e.g., by detecting conditions indicative of a stall or conditions that may potentially lead to a stall, such as reduced motor speed and/or pressure in the tubular spring, then diverting the flow of fluid away from the motor, but mechanical devices are prone to damage and/or failure. Additionally, mechanical forces, such as those caused by the rapid extension of springs, can be significant, causing damage to threaded connections, tools, and other components, interfering with measurements in instruments and sensors in the bottomhole assembly, and potentially un-torqueing connections in the tubular string. Mechanical devices are also limited by size constraints, and are often unsuitable for use within smaller strings and wellbores. Further, many mechanical devices require use of a physical object that can obstruct the bore of the tubular string, such as a ball or dart, that must later be removed and/or otherwise overcome when it is desired to actuate other ball-activated tools located downhole from the device.
A need exists for devices and methods usable to control the flow of drilling fluid and bypass a downhole motor that can be activated and reset by a pressure differential to reduce the likelihood of a stall and/or minimize damage to components should a stall occur.
A need also exists for devices and methods usable to bypass fluid into the annulus about a tubular string to assist in moving cuttings and solids to the surface to improve the condition of the wellbore, while bleeding excess pressure from the tubular string.
A further need exists for devices and methods that can control the flow of drilling fluid to a downhole motor while leaving the central bore of the tubular string generally unobstructed, and can selectively allow split flow (e.g., partial flow toward the drill bit) to enable rotation of the bit, e.g., via the motor mount.
Embodiments usable within the scope of the present disclosure meet these needs.

Anti-stall bypass system for downhole motor


The invention relates to a cutting head for a brush cutter, edge trimmer or similar, the head being of the type including at least a passageway for a cutting string and a locking element of the cutting string. The cutting head is characterized in that the locking elements include at least one ratchet wheel, including a toothed wheel mounted in rotation around an axis in such a manner that said teeth project in the passageway. The ratchet can be arranged in such a way that the toothed wheel can turn in a given direction to allow the introduction of the cutting string in the passageway and cannot turn in the opposite direction, thereby locking the cutting string in the passageway.

Portable apparatus for cutting vegetation are well known in the art. Such apparatus generally comprise a heat engine or an electric engine at the end of a shaft. The engine, located at the vicinity of a handle, drives in rotation at a high speed of generally about several thousand rounds per minute. A cutting head holds one or a plurality of cutting strings. The one or the plurality of cutting strings extend more or less radially with respect to the axis of rotation under the effect of centrifugal force when the cutting head is driven in rotation. There are essentially two kinds of cutting heads having a locking element of the cutting string. A first kind of cutting head includes a reel receiving a cutting string wound to the reel, where the cutting string progressively winds off the reel as the cutting string wears away.
The second kind of cutting head includes a locking element of one or a plurality of cutting strings of short length.
The locking element that holds the cutting string onto the cutting head usually comprises one or a plurality of string strand passageways formed by metallic or similar eyelets mounted on a peripheral surface of the head. It is through these passageways that respective strands of string emerge from the head. The strand of string comprises a stop. Besides a high production cost induced by the stop, it is difficult to replace the cutting string onto the cutting head described above in the course of use because the user is generally wearing gloves.
To overcome this drawback, various locking elements for use with a cutting string have been proposed.
Most of these locking elements of the cutting string strand comprise a moving locking element, such as a cam, which is urged by a spring and/or by the centrifugal force generated during rotation of the head so as to exert pressure on the string. A supporting backing wall may be provided opposite the locking element in order to hold the string locally captive between the element and the supporting wall. Examples of locking elements are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,301,642 and 4,355,510, as well as European Patent No. EP 0824854. To improve the locking effect, it is also known to provide the locking element with a series of teeth capable of anchoring better in the material of the string, which is generally made of polyamide. U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,741 and European Patent No. EP 1416786 show a locking element comprising a cam provided with teeth and cooperating with a spring.
The teeth provide a better locking effect when used with a smooth cutting string strand, but are inoperative when used with a toothed cutting string as disclosed in European Patent Appln. No. EP 1422990, filed by the applicant and marketed under the Trademark Flexiblade©.
One of the objects of the invention is thus to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a cutting head for a brush cutter, edge trimmer, or similar comprising at least one cutting string strand passageway and a locking element of said cutting string of simple design, low cost and achieving the locking of smooth and/or toothed cutting string strand.

Cutting head for a brush cutter, edge trimmer or similar


A package structure includes a lead frame having a plurality of leads, each of which includes a first recession, at least a first device, and a plurality of solder joints respectively positioned in the first recessions for connecting the first device to the lead frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a package structure, and more particularly, to a package structure capable of achieving greater reliability and production yield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the semiconductor industry, the production of integrated circuits is generally divided into two stages: integrated circuit manufacturing and integrated circuit packaging. The manufacturing of integrated circuit includes processes such as wafer manufacturing, circuit design, photomask manufacturing, and wafer dicing. Integrated circuit packaging on the other hand, includes processes such as wire bonding or flip chip assembly for electrically connecting a circuit chip to a substrate or a lead frame.
As the demand of smaller, more functional and complex PDAs, cellular phones, CPUs, and memory modules increases each day, the development of semiconductors also moves toward a direction of higher density packaging. Among many popular package structures, a flip chip (FC) structure with the characteristics of rapid cooling, low inductance, multi-terminal, and small size has been used most commonly in favor of others. In general, a flip chip package involves formation of a plurality of bumps on a chip and the addition of a layer of solder paste on the lead frame. The chip is then attached to the lead frame by melting the paste via a reflow process. Essentially, this type of package structure has already been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,661,087. Nevertheless, the reflow process often causes the melting-state chip bumps and the solder paste to travel on the lead frame, which eventually causes the chip to move away from its original position and result in problems such as product failure or low production yields.
In the recent history of integrated circuit packaging, passive devices (i.e. electrical resistors, capacitors, or inductors) have often been used for applications requiring high frequency or various other electrical properties. In the past, passive devices have generally been placed on the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs). However, in order to reduce the space occupied on the PCB, most passive devices today are integrated into the chip. Eventually, a system in a package (SiP) was formed to provide a high efficiency, low cost, and small size package design for the market.
In the SiP design, the solder paste is often used as a linking medium between the passive device and the lead frame. After being processed by a reflow process via high temperature, the melting solder paste readily bonds the passive device and the lead frame together. Nevertheless, the reflow process often causes the solder paste to travel on the lead frame and the passive device to shift from its original position and results in problems such as product failure or low production yield. Consequently, it becomes a critical matter for the package industry to actively look for a package structure design that is able to effectively prevent the solder paste from moving on the lead frame.


Provided are a system and method for reducing failures due to hinge memory. The method, in one embodiment, includes providing a torsional element having an amount of hinge memory, wherein the hinge memory is at least partially created using an average operational temperature. The method, in this embodiment, further includes subjecting the torsional element having the hinge memory to a temperature equal to or greater than the average operational temperature while the torsional element is in a parked state for an amount of time to reduce the amount of the hinge memory.

A microdisplay display system uses an array of spatial light modulators (the microdisplay) to modulate light in order to display images on a display plane. The microdisplay can modulate light by reflectively altering the transmission path of the light or blocking the transmission path of the light. Microdisplay display systems have enabled the production of high quality display systems at a reasonable cost.
One widely used form of microdisplay is a digital micromirror device (DMD). A DMD is made up of an array of micromirrors that pivot along an axis depending upon an image being displayed. A single image can be divided into a number of bit planes, which when displayed sequentially, are integrated by the human eye into a single image. There are multiple bit planes for each color of light in the microdisplay display system. An individual micromirror can assume one of two states, ON or OFF. When a micromirror is in an ON state, the micromirror can reflect light from a light source onto the display plane, while when the micromirror is in an OFF state, the light is reflected away from the display plane. The combined effect of all the micromirrors in the microdisplay, in conjunction with sequentially colored light, produces images on the display plane.
FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate two commonly used forms of micromirrors. The diagram shown in FIG. 1a illustrates what is commonly referred to as a yokeless micromirror 100 and the diagram shown in FIG. 1b illustrates a yoked micromirror 150. The yokeless micromirror 100 includes a mirror 105 that is attached to a hinge 110, with the entirety resting on a hinge support structure 115. The mirror 105 pivots about the hinge 110 based on image data of the image being displayed. The yoked micromirror 150, of FIG. 1b, also includes a mirror 155 that is attached to a yoke 160. The yoke 160 is attached to the hinge 165. Both the mirror 155 and the yoke 160 pivot about the hinge 165.
FIGS. 2a through 2d illustrate potential micromirror positions. When in normal operation, a micromirror 200 can be in one of two positions, a first position that corresponds to an ON position and a second position that corresponds to an OFF position. The diagram shown in FIG. 2a illustrates one of the two positions. When another bit plane is to be displayed, or when the micromirror is not in use (e.g., during the power down process or when the device is completely turned off), the micromirror can be commanded to move to a reset position (e.g., parked position). The diagram shown in FIG. 2b illustrates the reset or parked position. Once in the reset position, the micromirror can move to either the ON position or the OFF position depending on the value of the image data. The diagrams shown in FIGS. 2c and 2d illustrate the ON position and the OFF position, respectively.
As the micromirror (mirror) 105 moves, a torque is applied to the hinge 110 in the same direction as the movement of the micromirror 105. If the micromirror 105 is operated in such a way that the micromirror 105 predominantly moves towards one side (one position, either ON or OFF), an effect known as hinge memory can occur. Hinge memory can be the result of the migration of the hinge material. If allowed to persist for an extended amount of time, hinge memory can cause catastrophic failure of the micromirror 105. For example, in displaying an all black (or an all white) image, the micromirrors of the microdisplay will spend a vast majority of the time (e.g., greater than 95%) in a single position. Practical examples would include the superposition of a black box containing a close-caption text stream over the image in a television, or an information display panel with text on a dark background.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a hinge memory mitigation system and method, which is configured to address the aforementioned issues.

Hinge memory mitigation system and method


Mechanisms for performing per-bit operations in system memory in a single operation thereby obviating the need for semaphore mechanisms when performing per-bit operations. A processor accesses an instruction that identifies the specific bit of system memory that is to be operated upon, as well as an operation to be performed on the bit. The operation may be, for example, a bit set, clear, or toggle. The processor then instructs system memory to perform the operation. Since the operation is performed in a single operation, other processes do not need to wait before continuing operation on the memory address of the specific bit. In addition, semaphores restricting access to the memory address need not be used while still retaining adequate assurance that the memory address will remain consistent.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mechanisms for accessing system memory. More particularly, the present invention relates to mechanisms for operating on system memory on a per-bit basis in a single processor operation.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Electronic and computing technology has transformed the way that we work and play. Many electronic or computing systems rely on system memory to retain information important for the proper operation of the system.
Information is maintained in system memory using binary digits which can be thought of as having a state of zero (i.e., off) or one (i.e., on). Each binary digit is often referred to as a "bit". Accordingly, a bit may store information regarding a Boolean value such as a configuration setting or a flag, and thus may convey information on its own.
However, more often, bits are clustered into groups of eight bits in what is referred to as a "byte". While a bit may convey information on its own, often it is the entire byte that conveys meaning. For example, one byte of memory may contain 256 (i.e., two to the power of eight) different values. A byte may just be used to represent any one of 256 colors, for example. Sometimes, groups of one or more bytes of memory are organized into entities called "words". Accordingly, words may contain 8 bits, 16 bits or any other positive integer multiple of 8 bits. For example, some systems may have executable instructions that have word lengths of 16, 32 or even 64 bits.
In order to change a value in memory, a processor typically loads a byte or a word from a system memory address into a processor register. The processor then performs an operation on this loaded value and places the result in a different processor register. The processor then stores the resulting value back into system memory. Accordingly, manipulation of memory is typically done in three separate phases; namely, load, process, and store. This takes some finite amount of time.
Meanwhile, other processes may try to access that same system memory address while the value from that address is in the very act of being manipulated by the processor. This may cause unstable results in that the resulting value will be different that what is expected. Accordingly, many systems typically use semaphore mechanisms to ensure that only one process at a time accesses a memory address. If a second process is to access that same memory address, then the second process waits until after the first process has written the resulting value to the system memory address and the first process releases that memory address. Accordingly, often processes need to wait before accessing particular memory addresses to ensure memory consistency.
Often, it would be appropriate for a process to change only a single bit in memory. After all, a single bit can contain information that is significant on its own, without reference to the byte or word that contains the bit. For example, as previously mentioned, the bit may represent a simple Boolean value such as a configuration setting or flag. Conventionally, in order to manipulate that bit, however, the entire byte or word needs to be loaded into a processor register, manipulated by the processor, and stored back into memory. Accordingly, the above-described semaphore mechanisms would be employed to m ensure memory consistency. What would be advantageous, however, are mechanisms in which the bit may be operated upon as desired, without requiring semaphore mechanisms that restrict access to system memory.


A composition for promoting hair growth in humans can include at least three of the following ingredients: Pygeum Africanum, Serenoa Repens, Ganoderma Lucidum, Piper Methysticum, and Zinc. The amount by weight of the identified ingredients in a particular formulation may range from at least 5% to no more than 50% of the formulation.

While everybody loses hair, millions of people suffer hair loss, the most common type of which is hereditary hair loss. There are many causes for hair loss, such as stress, diseases, and even certain medical treatments. While there have been many attempts at formulations designed to promote hair growth over the years, there remains a need for a formulation that may actually result in the promotion of hair growth in a human.

Composition to promote hair growth in humans


An optical charger includes a fixing block, a number of light receivers, a substrate, and a number of light emitters. The fixing block is used for receiving a battery. The light receivers are fixed on the fixing block. The battery is electrically connected to the light receivers. The substrate has a loading surface for loading the fixing block. The light emitters are positioned on the substrate and face the light receivers. The light emitters are electrically connected to an external power supply, and are used for converting electrical energy from the external power supply into optical energy and emitting light rays. The light receivers are used for receiving the light rays from the light emitters, and converting optical power of the light rays into electric energy. The battery receives and stores the electric energy.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to chargers, and particularly to an optical charger having light emitters and light receivers.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, chargers can charge electronic devices using electromagnetic induction. Therefore, a great amount of electromagnetic wave will be produced during electrical charging process which can have adverse effect on health of the users.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical charger that can overcome the above-mentioned limitations.

Optical charger with light receivers and light emitters