An improved gas turbine blade is disclosed that utilizes a blade tip shroud with tapered shroud pockets to remove excess weight from the shroud while not compromising shroud bending stresses. Excess shroud weight removed by the tapered pockets reduces overall blade pull while maintaining material necessary to increase shroud stiffness. The resulting rib created between the tapered pockets provides a surface, away from possible areas of stress concentration, for drilling radial cooling holes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shrouded turbine blades and more specifically to the mass reduction of shrouded turbine blades while not compromising the resistance to shroud bending stresses.
2. Description of Related Art
Gas turbine blades are rotating airfoil shaped components in series of stages designed to convert thermal energy from a combustor into mechanical work of turning a rotor. Performance of a turbine can be enhanced by sealing the outer edge of the blade tip to prevent combustion gases from escaping from the flowpath to the gaps between the blade tip and outer casing. A common manner for sealing the gap between the turbine blade tips and the turbine casing is through blade tip shrouds. Not only do shrouds enhance turbine performance, but they serve as a vibration damper, especially for larger, in radial length, turbine blades. The shroud acts as a mechanism to raise the blade natural frequency and in turn minimizes failures due to extended resonance time of the blade at a natural frequency. A portion of a typical turbine blade with a shroud is shown in FIG. 1. The figure shows turbine blade 10 with an airfoil section 11 and shroud 12. The shroud is manufactured integral to the airfoil 11. The airfoil further contains a leading edge 15 and trailing edge 16 that run generally perpendicular to shroud 12. Shroud 12 has a thickness and has sidewalls 17, which are cut to create an interlocking configuration when adjacent turbine blades are present. The interlocking mechanism occurs along two bearing faces 13. That is, along bearing face 13 is where adjacent turbine blades (not shown) contact shroud 12. It is the interlocking of the turbine blade shrouds 12 at bearing faces 13, that creates the means for damping out vibrations as well as for sealing the hot combustion gases within the turbine gas-path. An additional feature of a typical turbine blade shroud is knife edge 14. Depending upon the size of the blade shroud, one or more knife edges may be utilized. These seals run parallel to each other, typically perpendicular to the engine axis, and extend outward from shroud 12. The purpose of these seals is to engage the shroud blocks of the turbine casing (not shown) to further minimize any leakage around the blade tip. While the purpose of the shroud is to seal the combustion gases within the flow path as well as to provide a means to dampen vibrations, the shroud has its disadvantages as well.
A drawback to the shroud concept is the weight the shroud adds to the turbine blade. During operation, the turbine blades spin on a disk, about the engine axis. A typical industrial application includes disk speeds up to 3600 revolutions per minute. The blades are held in the disk by an interlocking cut-out between the blade root and the disk. As the turbine blade spins, the centrifugal forces cause the blade to load outward on the turbine disk at this attachment point. The amount of loading on the disk and hence the blade root, which holds the blade in the disk, is a function of the blade weight. That is, the heavier the blade, the more load and stresses are found on the interface between the blade root and disk, for a given revolutions per minute. Excessive loading on the blade root and disk can reduce the overall life of each component.
Another drawback to shrouds is creep curling of the blade shrouds. Depending on the thickness of the shroud, the shroud edges can xe2x80x9ccurlxe2x80x9d up at their ends and introduce severe bending stresses in the fillets between the shroud and blade tip. Shrouds curl due to the bending load on the edges of the shroud from gas pressure loads as well as centrifugal loads. The curling of a shroud is analogous to the bending of a cantilevered beam due to a load at the free end of the beam. An industry known fix to this curling phenomenon is to increase the section thickness of the shroud uniformly which will result in a stiffer shroud and more resistance to curling. The downside to simply increasing the shroud thickness uniformly is the additional weight that is added to the shroud by this additional material.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved turbine blade shroud that reduces the overall blade mass, which in turn reduces the amount of pull on the turbine disk, increasing the life of both the turbine blade root and corresponding disk locations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved turbine blade shroud that does not compromise shroud bending stresses or mass balance of the shroud.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved turbine blade shroud that includes a rib section along the shroud for drilling cooling holes such that no high stress concentrations occur from these cooling holes.


A processor apparatus for use in a multiprocessor computer system having a main memory storing a plurality of data items and being coupled to a bus operating according of a SNOOPY protocol. The processor apparatus includes a processor, a primary cache, a backup cache and a bus interface. The backup cache memory a first TAG store comprising a plurality of VALID indicators, one VALID indicator for each of the data items currently contained in the backup cache memory. The primary cache memory includes a second TAG store comprising a plurality of address indicators and a plurality of VALID indicators, one address indicator and one VALID indicator for each of the data items currently contained in the primary cache memory. The interface includes a duplicate TAG store coupled to the primary cache memory, the duplicate TAG store consisting of a copy of the address indicators of the second TAG store. The bus interface is coupled to the processor, the backup cache memory and to the bus. The bus interface operates in accordance with a SNOOPY protocol to monitor transactions on the bus for write transactions affecting data items in the corresponding backup cache memory having set VALID indicators. The bus interface will invalidate or update each VALID data item of the backup cache memory when there is a write transaction affecting data item and assert an invalidate signal for an affected data item indicated by the address indicators of the duplicate TAG store. The invalidate signal causes the VALID indicator in the second TAG store for the affected data item to be cleared.

Modern computer systems utilize various technologies and architectural features to achieve high performance operation. These technologies and architectural features include reduced instruction set computers, high speed cache memories and multiprocessor systems. Innovative arrangements of high performance components embodying one or more of the above can often result in significant improvements in the capabilities and processing power of a computer system.
A reduced instruction set computer (RISC technology) represents a "back to basics" approach to semiconductor chip design. An instruction set comprises a set of basic commands for fundamental computer operations, such as the addition of two data values to obtain a result. The instructions of an instruction set are typically embedded or hard wired into the circuitry of the chip embodying the central processing unit of the computer, and the various statements and commands of an application program running on the computer are each decoded into a relevant instruction or set of instructions of the instruction set for execution.
LOAD, ADD and STORE are examples of basic instructions that can be included in a computer's instruction set. Such instructions may be used to control, for example, the movement of data from memory to general purpose registers, addition of the data in the registers by the arithmetic and logic unit of the central processing unit, and return of the result to the memory for storing. In recent years, with significant advances in the miniaturization of silicon chips, chip designers began to etch more and more circuits into the chip circuitry so that instruction sets grew to include hundreds of instructions capable of executing, via hard wired circuitry, sophisticated and complex mathematical and logical operations.
A problem with the proliferation of instructions included in an instruction set is that the increasing complexity of the circuitry required to implement a large number of instructions resulted in a slow down in the processing speed of the computer. Moreover, it was determined that a relatively small percentage of the instructions of the instruction set were performing a large percentage of the processing tasks of the computer. Thus, many of the instructions have become "expensive" options, whose relatively infrequent use does not make up for the slow down caused by large instruction sets.
The objective of a RISC design is to identify the most frequently used instructions of the instruction set and delete the remaining instructions from the set. A chip can then be implemented with a reduced, but optimal number of instructions to simplify the circuitry of the chip for increased speed of execution for each instruction. While a complex operation previously performed by a single instruction may now have to be executed via several more basic instructions, each of those basic instructions can be executed at a higher speed than was possible before reduction of the instruction set. More significantly, when the instructions retained in the instruction set are carefully selected from among those instructions performing the bulk of the processing within the computer, the RISC system will achieve a significant increase in its overall speed of operation since that entire bulk of processing will be performed at increased speed.
By way of example, in some "large" instruction set systems, twenty percent of the instructions were performing eighty percent of the processing work. Thus a RISC system comprising the twenty percent of the instructions would achieve significantly higher speeds of operation during the performance of eighty percent of the workload.
The high performance capabilities achieved in a RISC computer are further enhanced when a plurality of such RISC computers is arranged in a multiprocessor system utilizing cache memories. A multiprocessor system can comprise, e.g., a plurality of RISC computers, an I/0 device and a main memory module or modules, all coupled to one another by a high performance backplane bus. The RISC computers can be utilized to perform co-operative or parallel processing as well as multi-tasking among them for execution of several applications running simultaneously, to thereby achieve dramatically improved processing power. The capabilities of the system can be further enhanced by providing a cache memory at each one of the RISC computers in the system.
A cache memory comprises a relatively small, yet relatively fast memory device arranged in close physical proximity to a processor. The utilization of cache memories is based upon the principle of locality. It has been found, for example, that when a processor accesses a location in memory, there is a high probability that the processor will continue to access memory locations surrounding the accessed location for at least a certain period of time. Thus, a preselected data block of a large, relatively slow access time memory, such as a main memory module coupled to the processor via a bus, is fetched from the main memory and stored in the relatively fast access cache memory. Accordingly, as long as the processor continues to access data from the cache memory, the overall speed of operation of the processor is maintained at a level significantly higher than would be possible if the processor had to arbitrate for control of the bus and then perform a memory read or write operation, with the main memory module, for each data access.
While the above described cached, multi-processor RISC computer system represents a state-of-the-art model for a high performance computer system, the art has yet to achieve an optimal level of performance efficiency.
One problem associated with multiprocessor systems having a cache memory at each processor of the system, is cache coherency. In a multiprocessor system, it is necessary that the system store a single, correct copy of data being processed by the various processors of the system. Thus, when a processor writes to a particular data item stored in its cache, that copy of the data item becomes the latest correct value for the data item. The corresponding data item stored in main memory, as well as copies of the data item stored in other caches of the system, becomes outdated or invalid.
In a write back cache scheme, the data item in main memory is not updated until the processor requires the corresponding cache location to store another data item. Accordingly, the cached data item that has been modified by the processor write remains the latest copy of the data item until the main memory is updated. It is, therefore, necessary to implement a scheme to monitor read and write transactions to make certain that the latest copy of a particular data item is properly identified whenever it is required for use by a processor.
One known method to provide the necessary coherency between the various cache memories and the main memory of the computer system, is to implement a SNOOPING bus protocol wherein a bus interface of each processor or other component in the multiprocessor computer system, monitors the system backplane bus for bus activity involving addresses of data items that are currently stored in the processor's cache. Status bits are maintained in a TAG store associated with each cache to indicate the status of each data item currently stored in the cache. The three possible status bits associated with a particular data item stored in a cache memory can be, e.g., the following:
SHARED--If more than one cache in the system contains a copy of the data item. A cache element will transition into this state if a different processor caches the same data item. That is, if when SNOOPING on the system bus, a first interface determines that another cache on the bus is allocating a location for a data item that is already stored in the cache associated with the first interface, the first interface notifies the other interface by asserting a SHARED signal on the system bus, signaling the second interface to allocate the location in the shared state. When this occurs the first interface will also update the state of it's copy of the data item to indicate that it is now in the shared state.
DIRTY--A cache entry is dirty if the data item held in that entry has been updated more recently than main memory. Thus, when a processor writes to a location in its cache, it sets the DIRTY bit to indicate that it is now the latest copy of the data item. A broadcast of each write is initiated whenever the SHARED bit is asserted.
VALID--If the cache entry has a copy of a valid data item in it. In other words, the stored data item is coherent with the latest version of the data item, as may have been written by one of the processors of the computer system.
In accordance with known SNOOPING bus protocols, when a processor writes to a data item in its cache and the data item is in the VALID, SHARED state, a write for the data item is broadcast on the system bus. Each processor having a copy of the SHARED data items in a VALID state must decide whether to accept the write from the bus to update its copy of the cached data item, or to change the state of its copy of the data item to NOT VALID.
Typically, the interface monitoring the backplane bus in accordance with the SNOOPY protocol ascertains whether a particular data item relating to a broadcast write is present in the cache memory system associated with the interface. This is accomplished by comparing the address for the data item of the broadcast with address TAGS for the data items stored in the cache. The address TAGS for data items currently in the cache, are stored in the TAG store. The interface also probes the status bits of a data item in the cache having a TAG that matches the address TAG of the data item relating to the broadcast write to determine if a VALID copy is present in the cache.
For simplification of data paths and fast and efficient operation, a duplicate TAG store can be arranged in close proximity to the interface. For example, in a hierarchical cache arrangement, a primary cache system is placed in close proximity to a processor. A backup cache is then arranged intermediate the primary cache and the interface. The primary cache can store a subset of the data items in the backup cache so that when a data item required by the processor is not presently in the primary cache, the backup cache is probed for the data item before a fetch from main memory. If the data item is in the backup cache, it is loaded into the primary cache and a main memory fetch is avoided.
The hierarchical cache arrangement permits the implementation of a smaller and, accordingly, relatively faster primary cache for primary use by the processor, yet reduces the number of main memory fetches by storing a superset of the data of the primary cache in the backup cache. The backup cache which is often larger and therefore relatively slower than the primary cache, can return a data item, if present in the backup cache, much faster than a main memory fetch over the backplane bus. Thus, the hierarchical cache arrangement optimizes system performance by utilizing a relatively fast memory for primary use and providing an intermediate superset of data items which can be probed before resorting to a main memory fetch.
In a hierarchical arrangement, the interface must be able to probe both the primary cache and the backup cache for VALID copies of data items relating to broadcast writes. The use of a duplicate TAG store, located at the interface, for the TAG information of the data items stored in the primary cache, facilitates an efficient probe of all cache locations within the hierarchical cache memory system. However, as should be understood, the duplicate TAG store requires a certain amount of memory space, particularly when both TAGs and status bits are duplicated.

Duplicate tag store for a processor having primary and backup cache memories in a multiprocessor computer system


The present invention comprises a central vacuum producing system suitable for collecting both liquid and gaseous material, one or more end effectors for use at a site at which liquid and gaseous material are produced, and a coupling device or connector for operably coupling one or more end effectors to the central vacuum. In this embodiment, the connector may be made of various materials, and may include a suitable liquid monitor or counter such as a flow meter.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for material handling and, in one embodiment, a fluid, i.e., gas and liquid, and bioaerosol management system and method suitable for use in the medical field. The present invention encompasses a method of handling, collecting, managing, measuring and/or disposing of fluids, including gases and liquids and, in some embodiments, solids.
The present invention may be well suited for use in the medical field, particularly in surgery, whether surgical procedures are being carried out in an operating room(s) or other clinical locations. It is well suited for use in controlling the flow of gases (e.g., air, inert gases, oxygen, etc.), liquids, fluids and bioaerosol and/or biohazardous material used or produced during surgical procedures. It provides for the removal of bioaerosols, fluids and liquids which are associated with surgical procedures, and provides for assessing or measuring the quantity of liquids, e.g., saline solution, blood, plasma, ascites and the like, produced or used during surgical procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,060 (Goosen), U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,510 (Murry et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,106 (Shave et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,928 (Lindkvist) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,086 Treu et al.) disclose examples of the use of vacuum in the medical field, including a liquid collection device for use with surgical procedures (the U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,060). The disclosures of these five patents, particularly as to the use of vacuum in the medical field, are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,571 (Lampotang et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,909 (Cosmescu) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,937 (Kurtz et al.), disclose the use of various type of flow measuring devices including air flow meters (the U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,937), and/or pressure and/or flow and fluid sensors (the U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,909). The disclosures of these three patents, particularly as to the flow measuring and sensing devices, is incorporated herein by reference.
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a system comprising a centralized evacuation system, one or more "end effectors" and a connector for operably coupling the one or more end effectors to the centralized evacuation system.
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a connector for operably coupling one or more end effectors to a wall port of a central vacuum system, wherein the connector facilitates the coupling of the one or more end effectors and is adapted to receive both gaseous and liquid material. In some embodiments, the connector is adapted to separate gaseous and liquid material and, after the separation, collect and measure the quantity of liquid material, and, in some embodiments, to measure and/or display the quantity of such gaseous and liquid material. In some embodiments, the connector is adapted to modify or adjust the vacuum pressure provided by the central vacuum and/or the flow rate of the material being picked up.
One centralized evacuation system of a type suitable for use in the system of the present invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,026, the disclosures of which patent are incorporated herein by reference. The patent discloses a centralized system for removing the plume resulting from surgical procedures, wherein the plume is drawn away from the surgical field by a vacuum. The disclosed system is suitable for vacuuming or suctioning both liquids and gas and includes a central suction device that includes a centrifugal separator and a vacuum producer. The central system is "central" because it is located in a mechanical room which is removed from or remote with respect to one or more operating rooms served by the vacuum system. Such systems include a suitable network of conduits or piping, and typically include wall inlets, ports or wall-mounted boxes with openings or ports for connecting a flexible conduit to an end effector. These end effectors may take various forms including that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,492, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and/or various embodiments thereof. As used herein the term "end effectors" is intended to encompass any structure adapted to provide for bringing a vacuum adjacent to a material or item to pick or suck up the material or item, and may include typical tubular wands or cautery tools carrying generally tubular devices which may be positioned adjacent to a surgical field to provide for removal of bioaerosol gases and/or liquids. The term is also intended to encompass such structures and devices adapted to be applied to picking up or handling both liquid and gaseous material and, in some instances, solid material.

Fluid and bioaerosol management vacuum connector and system


An aquarium snail collection system and method, including a collector that is void of any enclosing structure and having a base and a substantially continuous and substantially permeable sidewall that extends upwardly from a central portion of the base to define an interior bait cavity. An upper portion of the sidewall is left open to permit easy access to the bait cavity and also to provide a structure that does not trap air that might cause the collector to float upwardly from the substrate.

Many species of aquarium snails exist. Some snails are considered beneficial to aquariums while others are considered to be pests. Beneficial snails are usually introduced on purpose, whereas pest snails are usually introduced by accident, mostly as hitchhikers on plants or eggs on plants. Examples of more common pest snails in freshwater aquariums are Trumpet, Ramshorn, and Pond snails. These snails reproduce at a rapid rate and can quickly become a nuisance in an aquarium if not controlled.
Various snail traps for aquariums are known. However, these are overly complicated and involve structures designed to attract and funnel snails into an enclosed trapping area. It has been discovered that such complex structures are disadvantageous and unnecessary to effectively collecting snails for removal from an aquarium. An example of such a trap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,560.
The present disclosure relates to a system for collecting aquarium snails so that they may be easily collected and removed from the aquarium.


A single-usage disposable hypodermic syringe in which the needle cover of the conventional syringe is replaced by a tubular housing which encloses from the tip of the needle cannula to the rear end of the barrel. An empty space is reserved inside the needle locking base for the positioning of a plug. When an arc segment of a projected member located at the front of the plunger is moved forward with the plunger, the plug with the channel is being pushed to the bottom of the empty space, allowing the plug to rotate and block off the opening of the needle cannula. The medication can no longer be given. A triangular plate installed in the rear portion of the Y-shaped plunger is used to restrict the movement of the projecting plate. Only when the projecting plate is rotated and swing away that the syringe is able to accept medication. The syringe cannot be reused and the tubular housing is used to cover the overall syringe for disposal.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hypodermic syringe, particularly to a syringe which can only be used once and absolutely cannot be reused.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Our understanding of how the body works has broadened rapidly in recent years, paralleled by equally dramatic improvements in medical technology. As a result of this progress, a person's chances of staying healthy into old age depend increasingly on following expert advice and making full use of preventive technique such as vaccination. Therefore, the hypodermic syringe used for vaccination is getting a lot of attention. It is demanded that the syringe shall be disposed after each use. However, it hard to tell whether the syringe is brand new of have been used before. In order to assure that the conventional syringe cannot be reused on another patient for safety reason, improvements to the existing syringe needs to be developed.

Single-usage disposable hypodermic syringe

2F, No. 17, Alley 13, Lane 2, Chung-Sun Rd., Sec, 2,


A knitting needle for use in knitting machines. The needle includes a shaft and a butt extending from the shaft for being received within a cam track of a knitting machine. The butt has a pair of substantially parallel side faces aligned with the needle shaft and upper and lower edges extending between the side faces. A medial face extends along a medial portion of each upper and lower edge of the needle butt between the side faces. A pair of angled faces extends between each medial face and side face to interconnect the medial face and side faces. The angled faces have an inclination angle approximately equal to the maximum inclination angle of the cam of the knitting machine in which the knitting needle is used. Each medial face may be arcuate in shape and the angled faces may be tangent to each associated arcuate face. Alternatively, the medial faces may be substantially planar and substantially perpendicular to the side faces of the butt.

Knitting machines often employ a plurality of knitting needles that are moved reciprocally in concert with one another to form a knitted fabric. Often, the knitting needles are reciprocated by a cam which defines an undulating track which urges the knitting needle to and fro. For example, many circular knitting machines have a cam which defines a recessed slot, or track. The needles used with such slotted cams have a longitudinal shaft from which a protrusion known as the butt of the needle extends. This butt of the knitting needle is received within the recessed cam track. The cam track generally defines an undulating path which the needle butt must follow as the butt is moved relative to the cam in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle. Thus, the undulating sides of the cam track engage the needle butt and cause the knitting needle to move in a reciprocating fashion.
To increase efficiency and productivity, it is often desirable to maximize the speed at which the knitting machine may be operated. However, it has been found that increasing the operating speed of the knitting machine can impose severe stresses and increased wear on the knitting needles. As machine speed increases, the speed of reciprocation of the knitting needles installed in the machine likewise increases, and the cycle time for a complete reciprocation of each needle decreases.
As a result of the increasing machine speed, the initial force which is generated when the needle butt impacts the edge of the cam track is also greater than in machines operating at slower speeds. This impact and the forces associated with sliding of the needle butt within the cam track may cause increased wear of the needle butt. The impact may also cause the needle to vibrate. These vibrations may be transmitted from the butt to the shaft of the needle, and further, along the shaft of the needle to the hook at the end of the needle. Because the hook of the needle is relatively weak, it has been found that this increased impact causes greater breakage and wear of the needle hook.
Prior attempts to reduce needle wear and breakage have included modification of the cam track itself. Since the momentum of the needle increases as it is reciprocated at higher speeds, closed cams have been developed having wave-like needle guiding grooves. However, these closed cams have a fixed groove size. Also, modern cams have tracks which have angles of inclination that vary from point to point. Because of these variations, it has been found that the edges of the needle butt may not contact the edges of the cam track smoothly, which is another source of vibration and wear of the needle. In the past, this problem has been partially ameliorated by beveling the corners of the needle butt. However, this measure has not met with the desired success because the relatively small beveled surfaces at the corners of the butt do not provide a large contact area and generally do not conform to the inclination angle of the cam track. As a result, significant butt wear and vibration may still result when the butt impacts the cam track. Additionally, the beveled corners do not permit smooth sliding of the needle butt along the cam track.
It is sometimes desirable to use needles of different gauges in a machine. For example, a 28 gauge needle may have a thickness of about 0.42 mm, whereas an 18 gauge needle may be about 0.65 mm thick. Thus, the difference in thickness between a 28 gauge and an 18 gauge needle is 0.23 mm. If the same cam is used with an 18 gauge or 18 gauge needle, the clearance between the needle butt and cam track may vary according to the thickness of the needle. In the foregoing example, the clearance variation could be as about 0.23 mm if the inclination angle of the cam were about 45.degree..
It is necessary to insure that the clearance between the cam track and butt is appropriate in order to minimize breakage and wear of the knitting needle due to impact. If the clearance between the cam track and butt is too great, the frequency of needle breakage and the amount of wear of the needle butt are increased. However, if the clearance between the cam track and butt is too small, breakage of the needle butt may result.
Since the clearance between the needle butt and the cam track varies with the needle gauge, it has heretofore sometimes been desirable to change the cam when the gauge of the needles in the machine is changed to insure that the clearance between the needle butt and cam track sidewalls remains appropriate. However, changing the cam is quite expensive. As a result, it is desirable to be able to change the gauge of the knitting needles used in the machine without changing the cam in the machine without encountering the problems associated with improper butt--cam clearance.
In light of the aforementioned deficiencies, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new knitting needle having a butt which permits different gauge needles to be used on a machine having a single size cam track.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle for use in knitting machines which has a butt that facilitate smooth sliding of the butt along the sides of the cam track.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle for use in knitting machines having a butt which mitigates the impact forces between the cam track and needle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle having a butt which experiences less wear when used in a knitting machine.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle having a butt which reduces the wear and breakage of the needle hook associated with use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle having a butt with faces that engage the cam track so as to reduce the amount of vibration within the knitting needle.


The apparatus is a coupling device that couples a cart to a continuously moving towline which is recessed into the cart support surface. A vertically movable coupling pin engages the towline and is lifted away from the towline to disengage the cart from the towline. To prevent irregularities in the support surface from accidentally lifting the pin away from the towline, the pin is attached to the cart through a structure that also permits the cart to move freely relative to the pin but maintain the pin engaged with the towline. The preferred embodiment attaches the coupling pin to a movable tube that moves within a fixed tube, and the movable tube also can be lifted by a cam and locked into a position with the pin disengaged.

This invention deals generally with conveyor systems and more specifically with carts moved by an endless chain or towline recessed in the path of the cart and to which the cart is coupled when being moved.
The use of independent carts or other vehicles propelled by a continuously moving towline or chain recessed into a track in the floor is well established in manufacturing and storage facilities. A particular benefit of such systems is that the movement of any cart can be stopped for loading or unloading by disconnecting the cart from the towline and moving it out of the path of the other carts. A common method of coupling the carts to the towline is by the use of a vertically movable coupling pin mounted on the cart. Thus, when the pin is lowered into the recessed floor track and coupled to the towline, the cart moves at the same speed as the towline, and when the pin is raised out of the floor track the cart is stationary.
Typically, the moving towline or chain has coupling fixtures that accept the cart coupling pins and push the pins and the carts along the path. The cart pins are usually manually movable upward out of the floor, and the pins are locked in a high position when disengaged to prevent the pin from inadvertently lowering. When the pins are lowered into the coupling position they are also supported by a fixture on the cart to make the pins accessible for raising.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,516 to Diehl shows two notches at the tops of angle bars of different heights, with the higher notch holding the pin in its disengaged position, and the lower notch holding the pin in the position coupling it to the tow chain. U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,126 to Salapatas discloses similar high and low notches in a sleeve to couple and disengage the pin from the towline. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,152 to Rhodes discloses a pin with a part that rests on the cart frame and lifts the pin out of engagement with the towline when the cart contacts another cart ahead of it.
The problem with all of the prior art coupling pin structures is that they do not accommodate to a cart moving over an uneven surface or even minor obstructions on the supporting surface. All that is necessary to uncouple a cart from the towline is something as mundane as a piece of plywood on the floor over which the cart is moving. In that situation, a cart wheel would move up over the edge of the plywood, but the increased height can lift the coupling pin out of engagement with the towline and stop the cart. Ironically, if the cart included the Rhodes invention described above, the entire production line would soon be brought to a complete halt.
It would be very beneficial to have a coupling pin structure that could accommodate to height variations in the cart support surface and permit the cart to remain coupled to the towline.


An apparatus and a method for controlling a recording operation for a video cassette recorder system having a digital tuner, prevent broadcast signals from being combined with menu screen data when a GUI is activated in the course of a watching and a recording operations. The apparatus and the method check whether the GUI is activated, and then performs an automatic switching operation so as to record the broadcast signals before menu screen data generated from the GUI are combined with the broadcast signals if the GUI is activated. Therefore, the apparatus and the method basically prevents the menu screen data from being combined with the broadcast signals.

As well known to those skilled in the art, a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) is an appliance used to record broadcast signals (that is, programs) on videotapes, or play programs recorded on videotapes. Such a VCR has been widely propagated to such an extent that almost all houses are provided with VCRs.
Recently, a cable broadcasting using different frequency bands from those of a terrestrial broadcasting has spread rapidly in addition to a development of the terrestrial broadcasting. However, there is a problem in that either a set-top box having therein a tuner for the cable broadcasting or an exterior-type cable tuner should be required separately so as to receive broadcast signals.
In order to solve the problem, a VCR system having a digital tuner therein has been proposed, which provides a function of allowing a user to record a specific cable broadcasting program on a videotape while watching any broadcasting program depending on the user's selection.
In this case, users can be provided with various menu screens through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) while simultaneously watching and recording a cable broadcasting program. Such menu screens, e.g., broadcasting program guide menu screens, provide convenience to users, but there is a problem in that menu screen data representing the menu screens are also recorded together with a cable broadcasting program on a videotape.
That is, these menu screen data are inevitably recorded on the videotape together with broadcast signals even though the users do not want the menu screens to be displayed. Therefore, when a broadcasting program recorded on the videotape is replayed, the menu screens are also displayed undesirably.

Apparatus and method for controlling recording operation for video cassette recorder having digital tuner


A field multiplexed dispersive imaging spectrometer (20). The novel system includes foreoptics (22) for receiving incoming electromagnetic energy, a disperser (24) disposed to receive energy from the foreoptics (22), and a focal plane array (28) disposed to receive energy from the disperser (24). The disperser (24) is a computer generated holographic disperser designed to disperse light into several, overlapping diffraction orders. In the preferred embodiment, the disperser (24) is designed with greater energy in the central, undiffracted order than in the other diffracted orders. The system (20) also includes a processor (30) which takes the data detected by the focal plane array (28) and generates a representation of the input image in several color bands using an iterative restoration algorithm (32).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to imaging spectrometers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Military seekers have evolved and become increasingly more complex. Twenty-five years ago, seekers were only concerned with the intensity of a target. Today there are imaging seekers which take into consideration the total image of the target, as well as its spectral signature. Current one-color imaging systems do not provide enough information to make unique identification of items within the field of regard. These imagers can provide the spectral signature of a target as a whole, but not the spectral distribution of each and every pixel in the image.
Many attempts to field a multi-spectral imager have been made, some more successful than others. One successful prior art imager is the computer tomographic imaging spectrometer (CTIS). Developed in the mid 90's, the CTIS does not utilize spatial scanning such as commonly found in pushbroom types of instruments, nor does it employ interferometric scanning such as found in Fourier-transform spectrometers which are employed as imaging devices by utilizing a focal plane array (FPA) in the focal plane. The CTIS achieves true flash spectral imaging by aperture-coding spectral and spatial information onto the FPA using a computer-generated holographic (CGH) disperser. Restoration of the measured data is necessarily performed after the data is collected so that there is a required time delay between capture of the (xf, yf) focal plane data, and generation of the true (x, y, λ) object cube.
While the CTIS solved the problem of providing imagery in many spectral bands, it had several limitations. First, it demonstrated inefficient use of the focal plane, providing images in small numbers of pixels. A 1024×1024 pixel focal plane yielded only an 80×80 pixel image in 108 color bands. Second, the CTIS had poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) caused by the design which required all diffraction orders to not overlap thus presenting low intensity to each pixel. Third, it had high instrument self-radiance caused by the CTIS design which employed an intermediate focal plane with collimation stage. Furthermore, the CTIS showed very poor performance in the infrared spectrum, and the mechanical layout resulted in a device which was too large for many applications. Plus, the technology could not be retrofit into existing sensor packages.
Hence, a need exists in the art for an improved system or method for obtaining multi-spectral image measurements which offers better infrared performance than the prior art and is of size and cost suitable for use in military seeker applications.

Field multiplexed dispersive imaging spectrometer


An example operation may include one or more of storing, in memory, a cloud architecture document of a cloud computing environment, transforming the cloud architecture document into infrastructure as code (IaC) based on predefined code and storing the IaC in a machine-readable file, deploying the cloud computing environment via a host platform, and executing the machine-readable file and automatically configuring cloud resources of the cloud computing environment based on the IaC included in the machine-readable file.

Cloud computing architecture refers to the components and subcomponents required for cloud platform which may include, but is not limited to, storage, accessibility, software capabilities, applications, hybrid cloud components including on-premises components, middleware, and other cloud resources. In some cases, the cloud computing architecture may be virtual, referred to herein as Infrastructure as a service (IaaS). A cloud architecture document or diagram is often used to facilitate a user, such as a cloud operator, in setting up and configuring the components of the cloud computing platform. The cloud architecture document may visually depict the cloud components/sub-components and the relationships between them.
However, when deploying a cloud solution based on a cloud architecture document, the cloud operator must visually inspect and comprehend the depictions and relationships in the document and manually input configurations into a user interface to integrate the cloud resources together using input commands. In other words, a user must manually configure settings for and interconnect the cloud components such as storage, a virtual network, applications, capabilities, and other various components. The process can take the person a significant amount of time.

Implementation of architecture document via infrastructure as code

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and apparatus for providing a coating on the exterior surfaces of a plurality of elongate members, such as wires, including positioning a plurality of elongate members substantially parallel to each other, coating the exterior surfaces of each member with a coating, removing any excess coating from desired portions of each member and curing the coating to adhere the coating to each member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to coated fasteners, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing a continuous in-line process for mass-producing coated fasteners, such as staples or nails, arranged in a strip or block for ease of handling and packaging as well as loading into a driving tool. A coating is utilized which is composed of 100% dry solids, is virtually free of solvent emissions when applied and during curing and covers substantially the entire exterior surface of each fastener. The coating protects the fastener against corrosion, adheres successive fasteners together into a strip or block and provides improved retention of the fastener when driven into a desired surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coating the exterior surfaces of fasteners frequently is desirable to protect fasteners from corrosion. Such coatings also are utilized to adhere a plurality of fasteners together into a strip or block for ease of handling with fastener driving or dispensing devices, such as a staple gun, nail gun or the like.
For example, wire staples or nails frequently are provided successively arranged and secured in a strip. Each strip contains a desired number of staples or nails which are adhered together by the coating and enable easy insertion of the strip within a magazine of a staple or nail gun.
The coating holds the fasteners together in a strip yet is thin enough to enable insertion of the fasteners within the staple or nail gun and allow for separation of the individual fasteners from the strip upon firing of the gun. Such coatings typically are composed of a nitrocellulose resin dissolved in an organic solvent which is applied to the fasteners. After the solvent is evaporated, the coating remains adhered to the fastener. During solvent evaporation, the coating can be utilized to adhere successive fasteners into a strip. An example of such a coating and process is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,985.
Upon evaporation of the solvent in such coatings, however, a large amount of undesirable volatile compounds are emitted. To conform to existing government regulations, the emitted volatile compounds must be contained and properly disposed which adds significant costs to the process.
Additionally, in that patent the individual fasteners first are formed into their desired shapes before coating and adhering them together into strips. This procedure makes it difficult to handle the individual fasteners and arrange them as required for processing.
It therefore would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for mass-producing coated fasteners which utilizes a coating composed of 100% dry solids and is virtually free of solvent emissions when applied and during curing where substantially the entire exterior surface of each fastener is provided with the coating. The coating serves to protect the fastener from corrosion, adhere successive fasteners together into a strip and provide increased retention when the fastener is driven into a surface.

Method and apparatus for coating fasteners


Disclosed is a system for fabricating a liquid crystal display using liquid crystal dropping and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display using the same. The present invention includes a liquid crystal forming line dropping liquid crystals on the first substrate, a sealant forming line forming the sealant on the second substrate, and a bonding and hardening line bonding the two substrates to each other and hardening the sealant, printing a sealant, bonding the substrates each other, and hardening the sealant and an inspection process line of cutting the bonded substrates into panel units and grinding and inspecting the unit panels. And, the GAP process line includes And, the present invention includes the processes of dropping LC on a first substrate using a dispenser, forming a main UV hardening sealant on a second substrate, bonding the first and second substrates to each other in a vacuum state, UV-hardening the main UV hardening sealant, cutting the bonded substrates into cell units, grinding the cut substrates, and inspecting the grinded substrates finally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disposing liquid crystal within a liquid crystal display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and notebook computers often require thin, lightweight, and efficient flat panel displays. There are various types of flat panel displays, including liquid crystal displays (LCD), plasma display panels (PDP), field emission displays (FED), and vacuum fluorescent displays (VFD). Of these, LCDs have the advantages of being widely available, easy to use, and possessing superior image quality.
With characteristic advantages of excellent image quality, lightness, slim size, and low power consumption, LCD, one of the panel devices, has been widely used so as to replace CRT (cathode ray tube) as a mobile image display. Besides the mobile usage for a monitor of a notebook computer, LCD is also developed as a monitor for computer, television, or the like so as to receive and display broadcasting signals.
In spite of various technical developments to perform a role as an image display in various fields, an effort to improve image quality of LCD inevitably becomes contrary to the above characteristics and advantages in some aspects. In order to use LCD for various fields as a general image display, the development of LCD depends on the facts that the characteristics of lightness, slim size, and low power consumption are maintained and that image of high quality including definition, brightness, large-scaled area, and the like is realized properly.
Such an LCD is mainly divided into a liquid crystal display panel displaying an image thereon and a driving unit applying a drive signal to the liquid crystal display panel, in which the liquid crystal display panel includes first and second glass substrates bonded to each other so as to have a predetermined space therebetween and a liquid crystal layer injected between the first and second glass substrates.
The LCD device displays information based on the refractive anisotropy of liquid crystal. As shown in FIG. 1, an LCD 10000 includes a lower substrate 10005, an upper substrate 10003, and a liquid crystal layer 10007 that is disposed between the lower substrate 10005 and the upper substrate 10003. The lower substrate 10005 includes an array of driving devices and a plurality of pixels (not shown). The individual driving devices are usually thin film transistors (TFT) located at each pixel. The upper substrate 10003 includes color filters for producing color. Furthermore, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are respectively formed on the lower substrate 10005 and on the upper substrate 10003. Alignment layers are formed on the lower substrate 10005 and on the upper substrate 10003. The alignment layers are used to uniformly align the liquid crystal layer 10007.
The lower substrate 10005 and the upper substrate 10003 are attached using a sealing material 10009. In operation, the liquid crystal molecules are initially oriented by the alignment layers, and then reoriented by the driving device according to video information so as to control the light transmitted through the liquid crystal layer to produce an image.
The fabrication of an LCD device requires the forming of driving devices on the lower substrate 10005, the forming of color filters on the upper substrate 10003, and disposing liquid crystal in a cell process (described subsequently) between the lower substrate 10005 and the upper substrate 10003. Those processes as typically performed in the prior art will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
Initially, in step S11101, a plurality of perpendicularly crossing gate lines and data lines are formed on the lower substrate 10005, thereby defining pixel areas between the gate and data lines. A thin film transistor that is connected to a gate line and to a data line is formed in each pixel area. Also, a pixel electrode that is connected to the thin film transistor is formed in each pixel area. This enables driving of the liquid crystal layer according to signals applied through the thin film transistor.
In step S11104, R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) color filter layers (for reproducing color) and a common electrode are formed on the upper substrate 10003. Then, in steps S11102 and S11105, alignment layers are formed on the lower substrate 10005 and on the upper substrate 10003. The alignment layers are rubbed to induce surface anchoring (thereby establishing a pretilt angle and an alignment direction) for the liquid crystal molecules. Thereafter, in step S11103, spacers for maintaining a constant, uniform cell gap is dispersed onto the lower substrate 10005.
Then, in steps S11106 and S11107, a sealing material is applied to outer portions such that the resulting seal has a liquid crystal injection opening. The opening is used to inject liquid crystal. The upper substrate 10003 and the lower substrate 10005 are then attached together by compressing the sealing material.
While the foregoing has described forming a single panel area, in practice it is economically beneficial to form a plurality of unit panel areas. To this end, the lower substrate 10005 and the upper substrate 10003 are large glass substrates that contain a plurality of unit panel areas, each having a driving device array or a color filter array that is surrounded by sealant having a liquid crystal injection opening. To isolate the individual unit panels, in step S11108 the assembled glass substrates are cut into individual unit panels. Thereafter, in step S11109 liquid crystal is injected into the individual unit panels by way of the liquid crystal injection openings, which are then sealed. Finally, in step S11110 the individual unit panels are tested.
As described above, in the prior art liquid crystal is injected through a liquid crystal injection opening. Injection of the liquid crystal was usually pressure induced. FIG. 3 shows a prior art device for injecting liquid crystal. As shown, a container 10012 that contains liquid crystal, and a plurality of individual unit panels 10001 are placed in a vacuum chamber 10010 such that the individual unit panels 10001 are located above the container 10012. The vacuum chamber 10010 is connected to a vacuum pump that generates a predetermined vacuum. A liquid crystal display panel moving device (not shown) moves the individual unit panels 10001 into contact with the liquid crystal 10014 such that each injection opening 10016 is in the liquid crystal 10014.
When the pressure within the chamber 10010 is increased by inflowing nitrogen gas (N2), the liquid crystal 10014 is injected into the individual unit panels 10001 through the liquid crystal injection openings 10016. After the liquid crystal 10014 entirely fills the individual unit panels 10001, the liquid crystal injection opening 10016 of each individual unit panel 10001 is then sealed by a sealing material.
While the prior art technique described above is generally successful, there are problems with pressure injecting liquid crystal 10014. First, the time required for the liquid crystal 10014 to inject into the individual unit panels 10001 is rather long. Generally, the gap between the driving device array substrate and the color filter substrate is very narrow, on the order of micrometers. Thus, only a very small amount of liquid crystal 10014 is injected per unit time. For example, it takes about 8 hours to inject liquid crystal 10014 into an individual 15-inch unit panel 10001. Increasing the size of the individual unit panel 10001, say to a 24-inch unit panel, dramatically increases the already excessive time (to more than twenty hours) that is required to inject the liquid crystal.
Second, the prior art technique requires an excessive amount of liquid crystal 10014. For example, consider that only a small amount of liquid crystal 10014 in the container 10012 is actually injected into the individual unit panels 10001. However, since liquid crystal 10014 exposed to air or to certain other gases can be contaminated by chemical reaction, the remaining liquid crystal 10014 in the container 10012 should be discarded. This increases liquid crystal fabrication costs.
Therefore, an improved method and apparatus for applying a liquid crystal between substrates would be beneficial.

System and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display devices


A pressure sensing module for an electronic device includes a substrate and a module housing coupled to the substrate. The module housing defines a first chamber and a second chamber. The second chamber is separate from the first chamber. The first chamber is configured to connect to an environment around an electronic device. The second chamber is configured to connect to an internal volume of the housing of the electronic device. A first pressure sensing element is electrically coupled to the substrate and disposed in the first chamber and is operative to detect an external pressure around the electronic device. A second pressure sensing element is electrically coupled to the substrate and disposed in the second chamber and is operative to detect an internal pressure within the electronic device housing.

Many electronic devices include pressure sensors. For example, an electronic device may include an external pressure sensor. The external pressure sensor may be connected to an external environment around the electronic device and may be operative to measure the pressure of the external environment (i.e., the ambient pressure around the electronic device). By way of another example, an electronic device may include an internal pressure sensor. The internal pressure sensor may be connected to an internal volume defined within the electronic device and may be operative to measure the pressure of the internal volume.

Dual pressure sensing module with a shared electrical substrate


Embodiments are disclosed relating to methods of ordering transactions across a bus of a computing device. One embodiment of a method includes determining a current target memory channel for an incoming transaction request, and passing the incoming transaction request downstream if the current target memory channel matches an outstanding target memory channel indicated by a direction bit of a counter or the counter equals zero. The method further includes holding the incoming transaction request if the counter is greater than zero and the current target memory channel does not match the outstanding target memory channel.

On-chip communications between memory channels and a central processing unit (CPU) may be serviced by a bus having a single port to access address space provided by the memory channels. Transactions, such as read and/or write requests, may target different types of memory, such as cacheable, non-cacheable, device, and strongly-ordered memory types. Protocols governing the function of the bus may specify that transactions having the same identifier and/or targeting the same type of memory are transmitted to a requested memory channel in order, and responses are returned in order. Order can be maintained by keeping track of identifiers for every outstanding transaction on all outgoing ports, enabling transaction requests and/or responses to be reordered based on the tracked information. However, such tracking involves memory resources and associated logic to store and process the tracked information, and can result in processing delays.
A transaction identifier may represent a memory type, such as cacheable, non-cacheable, device, and strongly-ordered memory types. Typically, transactions of a particular memory type are targeted to a particular memory channel; however it is possible for transactions having the same memory type to target different memory channels. As indicated above, it may be desirable to maintain transaction ordering per identifier. For example, in certain settings, it can be important to perform order tracking for all transactions targeting strongly ordered memory in order.


One or more component braces may be installed into the upper valley of a V-styled engine block to provide resistance to deformation of the block when used in an operating motor. The component braces include first and second mounting portions separated by a body portion, where the mounting portions may be constructed as arms extending from the body portion. An intermediate mounting portion may also be included that is centrally located with respect to the first and second mounting portions, but below a line defined by the first and second mounting portions. The securing of the component brace at the mounting areas provides rigidity to the upper portion of the engine block to resist deformation, such as would occur as relative movement between the cylinder banks. The resistance to such deformation aids in the prevention of cylinder bore wall distortion as well as engine block cracking.

The present invention is directed to preventing deformation of an engine block of a motor, and in particular to a brace for mounting to an engine block to prevent deformation.
Many of the components of reciprocating motors, such as automobile, light truck, and heavy-duty motors, are subjected to high loads during operation. One such component subjected to high operational loads is the engine block or block, which experience loads from the combustion events occurring in the combustion chambers formed by the cylinder heads, pistons, and cylinder bores of the block. These forces are transmitted to the engine block at, amongst other locations, the cylinder heads and the crankshaft, which is mounted to the engine block.
A portion of the forces that are applied to the engine block are imparted in a non-linear dynamic manner due to the alternating firing sequence of the pistons and the reciprocating connection of the connecting rods to the pistons and crankshaft. These forces impart strain on the engine block, which results in distortion and can even lead to failure of the engine block.
Various locations on the engine block will be subjected to distortion from twisting, compressive, and/or tensional forces. The cylinder bores are one such area subject to distortional strains, with this area experiencing significant distortion due to their proximity to the origin of the forces and the relatively narrow walls of the cylinder bores.
Distortion to the cylinder bores can be very problematic to the operation of reciprocating motors. For example, during the compression cycle of the piston distortion to the cylinder bore can reduce the amount of compression in the cylinder by allowing the gas and air mixture to escape past the piston rings, thus reducing the amount of gas and air in the cylinder prior to firing. Furthermore, upon a combustion event, the burnt gasses can escape past the piston rings and reduce the force transmitted to the crankshaft, thus further reducing the power output of the motor. In addition, such distortion can improperly allow the discharging of combustion exhaust gasses into the oil pan area, and allow oil to enter the combustion chamber and increase harmful emissions. Distortion to the engine block cylinder bores, therefore, reduces the efficiency of a reciprocating motor as measured by the amount of fuel consumed relative to the power output, thus necessitating that the motor utilize more fuel to obtain a desired power output than would otherwise be required, and can increase harmful emissions.
Distortion to the engine block can also result in total failure of the motor due to cracking of the block or can cause the piston to seize in the cylinder bore due to an excessively out of round condition of the bore. Engine blocks are most commonly constructed of cast iron, but may alternatively be constructed from aluminum, or other alloys or materials, and are relatively inelastic. Therefore, strain causing distortion can cause cracks to form in engine blocks, particularly at sharp corners or areas having thinner wall sections or at voids formed during the casting operation. The cyclic nature of the strain can cause the cracks to propagate and cause the motor to fail.
Distortion of engine blocks is a problem for all motors, whether spark ignition (SI) gasoline motors or combustion ignition (CI) diesel motors or alternative fuel burning motors. However, engine blocks formed to have a V-style configuration are particularly apt to experience distortion causing strain. V-style motors are formed to have two cylinder banks that are oriented at an angle with respect to one another and are produced in a wide variety of sizes, such as V6 and V8. V-style motors are used for SI, CI, or alternative fuel burning motors. In general, each bank of cylinders of a V-style motor extends out away from a central portion of the block and there typically exists an upper valley between the cylinder banks. The upper valley usually contains components related to actuating the engine valves and is thus referred to as a lifter valley and an intake manifold may be placed above the upper valley.
The non-linear forces resulting from the offset relationship of the pistons firing within the angled cylinder banks and the extension of the cylinder banks from the central portion of the engine block contribute to the strain causing distortion in this area of an engine block. These strains are magnified on engines subjected to high loads, such as towing vehicles or racing vehicles, but are also significant relative to the continuous drive to obtain more performance from smaller engines where the lighter weight engine blocks are constructed of less material and thus subject to higher strains.
Devices have been constructed to attempt to reduce engine block strain. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,974 issued to Markou discloses a reinforcement plate for a reciprocating engine, also known as an engine girdle, constructed for attachment to the lower portion of an engine block. However, the disclosed reinforcement plate does not provide reinforcement to the upper portion of the engine block adjacent the cylinder bores.
Therefore, a technique for reducing engine block deformation at the upper portion of V-styled motors is desired in order to increase efficiency and reduce engine block failures.


The invention relates to modified Polyethylene Naphthalate (PEN) polymers with fast crystallizing properties, which helps in crystallization of amorphous PEN resin prior to its solid state polymerization (SSP).

Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) is a naphthalate-based polyester that is used in the production of fiber, film and rigid packaging applications. Like most thermoplastic polyesters, PEN is also produced by melt phase polymerization, which gives the amorphous polymer a medium intrinsic viscosity (I.V.). To increase the I.V., amorphous PEN chips are crystallized and then subjected to solid state polymerization (SSP). The pre-crystallization process used for the related polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cannot be used for PEN because of the differences in their physical and chemical properties. For example, PEN's Tg is about 120° C., its melting point, Tm, is about 270° C., and its softening point or sticking temperature is in the range of about 140° C. to about 150° C. Hence, the crystallization temperature used for PEN is normally in the range of about 180° C. to about 220° C., which is much higher than that used for PET, wherein PEN chips undergo a sticky stage when they cross the softening point or sticking temperature. To avoid sticking or lumping of PEN chips, agitated vessels or fluidized beds are used.
Several methods have been adopted to precrystallize amorphous PEN before it is subjected to SSP.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,883 describes a modified PEN process with enhanced crystallization characteristics of amorphous PEN by the addition of small amount of polyether glycols such as polytetramethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,644 describes precrystallization of amorphous PEN prepolymer which comprises: (1) heating the amorphous PEN prepolymer to a temperature that is within the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C. in the presence of a stream of an inert gas or under a vacuum to devolatilize the amorphous PEN prepolymer; and (2) subsequently heating the devolatilized PEN prepolymer to a temperature within the range of about 150° C. to about 260° C. while providing agitation to produce crystallized PEN prepolymer. The precrystallized PEN prepolymer is subsequently subjected to SSP by heating it to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 1° C. below its sticking temperature for a period of time sufficient to produce the high molecular weight PEN resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,063 describes the manufacture of PET and PEN chips wherein the amorphous strands have a hole in the middle. The chips do not need any special precrystallization procedure, such as devolatilization, prior to SSP.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,361 describes a precrystallization procedure for PEN involving coating the amorphous PEN chips with ethylene carbonate, which avoids the devolatilization procedure before SSP.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,744,578 and 5,750,644 describe processes for the crystallization of a PEN prepolymer containing volatile components. The temperature is maintained in the range of about 20° C. above the Tg and about 10° C. below the Tm while the PEN prepolymer is agitated. The PEN prepolymer is present as chips or pellets. The crystallization is performed in the presence of a liquid or a mixture of liquids that do not degrade the polymer during crystallization. The liquid or liquids employed may be those whose vapor pressure at the amorphous PEN softening temperature is insufficient to forestall expansion of the pellets. When this class of liquid or liquids is employed, the crystallization vessel is pressurized with an inert gas, including air, to prevent prepolymer expansion. If the liquid or liquids possess sufficiently high vapor pressures at the PEN softening temperature, the pellets do not expand even without the inert air pressurization, thereby avoiding deformation of the PEN chips during crystallization.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,423 describes a PEN copolymer process wherein the devolatilization prior to SSP can be avoided by modifying the PEN with diethylene glycol (DEG). Crystallizing the PEN copolymer solids by heating the solids to at least their sticking temperature at an average rate of at least 10° C./minute, to form agglomerate-free crystallized solids. The process may be performed under agitation. The pellets heated up during the crystallization step do not agglomerate or suddenly expand as the temperature rises to and through the sticking temperature of the PEN copolymers. The process allows one to rapidly heat up PEN during crystallization, and do so without conducting a prior drying step or devolatilization step.
All the above precrystallization procedures prior to SSP are cumbersome and involve invariably more than one stage of precrystallization, thereby risking deterioration in quality.
A need therefore exists for a simpler crystallization procedure that uses only a single stage of crystallization.

Fast crystallizing modified polyethylene naphthalate


A double-row slot plunge milling processing method for integral impellers, which comprises planning a double-row plunge milling cutter path along two side blades of an impeller flow channel; a cutter arrangement sequence of the cutter path following the direction of an inlet and outlet of the flow channel; determining cutter diameter according to the width of a bottom portion of a cross-section of the flow channel and segmenting the flow channel, the width of a bottom portion of the cross-section of each segmented flow channel being greater than one times the cutter diameter and smaller than two times the cutter diameter. Compared with existing methods for layer cutting of high feed, the present invention can increase rough-processing efficiency of integral impellers by more than 50%, while facilitating the elimination of plunge milling cutter bumping, and effectively reducing redundant cutter paths; the implementation process being simple and facilitating CAM software integration.

An integral impeller is a core component of turbomachinery such as centrifugal compressor and turbine engine, and has a wide application. With the development of science and technology and technological progress, the market competition of turbomachinery is becoming more and more fierce. The improvement of the impeller processing efficiency and the reduction of the production costs are goals pursued by major turbomachinery companies.
Cutting processing is a main method in integral impeller manufacturing, and due to a geometric characteristic of impeller part, more than 70% of workpiece materials need to be removed, and most of them need to be removed in the rough processing stage. Therefore, it is very important to improve the efficiency of rough processing of the integral impeller. Positioned five-axis milling processing, commonly known as 3+2 processing, is currently a commonly used processing method for rough processing of the integral impeller. Compared with the previous five-axis linkage end milling rough processing method, the positioned five-axis milling processing method matching with the high feed cutter developed and matured in recent years can obviously improve the efficiency of rough processing of the integral impeller.
Plunge milling processing is a newly arisen milling processing technology in recent ten years, and in the process, a cutter moves along an axial direction by using a bottom cutting edge to process. Compared with high feed layer cutting processing, the plunge milling processing has a smaller radial force and a better cutting stability. Some literatures reporting the successful application of the plunge milling technology show that the plunge milling processing can improve the processing efficiency by 50%, or even more than twice. However, since the plunge milling processing technology is still under development, most of the reported plunge milling processing technologies only introduce how to realize plunge milling, and fail to thoroughly discuss a detailed arrangement method of the plunge milling technology on the basis of improving the processing efficiency and eliminate redundant cutter paths. Since the high feed layer cutting processing technology has been developed very maturely, and the processing efficiency has reached a certain level, it is difficult to obtain the expected improvement of processing efficiency if the arrangement of plunge milling technology is unreasonable and there are too many redundant cutter paths.

Double-row slot plunge milling processing method for integral impellers


The assembly includes a pair of heat exchangers, each including an upper and lower manifold, parallel and spaced relative to one another. Tubes extend between each set of upper and lower manifolds with fins disposed between each of the tubes. A valve system controls fluid flow between the upper manifolds and the lower manifolds. The valve system is movable between a maximum cooling mode with fluid flow form the first upper manifold through both of the tubes and to said first lower manifold. A temperate mode allows fluid to flow from the first upper manifold to the first lower manifold and from the second upper manifold to the second lower manifold to prevent flash fogging. A maximum cooling mode allows fluid to flow from the second upper manifold through both of the first and second tubes to the lower manifolds.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a heat exchanger assembly for heating and cooling the cabin of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,793, assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, discloses a heat exchanger assembly having a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger sandwiched together in parallel and abutting relationship to one another. The first heat exchanger includes a first upper manifold and a first lower manifold spaced and parallel from the first upper manifold. The first heat exchanger includes a plurality of first tubes parallel and spaced relative to one another and extending between the first manifolds. The second heat exchanger includes a second upper manifold and a second lower manifold spaced and parallel from the second upper manifold. The second heat exchanger includes a plurality of second tubes parallel and spaced relative to one another and extending between the second manifolds.
Heat exchangers are often used in typical HVAC systems for heating and cooling the cabin of a vehicle. The '793 patent discloses a system for allowing refrigerant or engine coolant to run through both sets of tubes at a given time, which in certain modes can cause flash fogging of the vehicle windshields.

Secondary loop-integral heater core and cooler


A power supply circuit includes a connector for a fan, a speed adjusting circuit, a speed feedback circuit, a control module, first and second power sources, and a switching module. The speed adjusting circuit is connected to a modulation pin of the connector. The speed feedback circuit is connected to a speed pin of the connector. The control module receives a speed signal from the fan through the speed feedback circuit and outputs signals correspondingly. The switching module selects the first or the second power source to supply power for the fan according to the signals from the control module.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a power supply circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Fans are used for heat dissipation in a server. However, if the fans cannot get power, the fans stop operating, and the heat can damage the server.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

ShenZhen Treasure City Technology Co., LTD.


A flexible antenna capacitively coupled to related circuitry components for an active wearable data transceiver electronic location and identification device. Wearable data transceivers (WDXs) are employed as bracelets, badges, and may be incorporated with back pack straps and clothing at locations such as collars, cuffs, and hems. They employ various colors. Active transceiver communication devices are also mounted on objects for real time location tracking and identification. Body-mounted WDXs match the body with the antenna for sending and receiving signals. WDX power includes coplanar battery cells and circuitry has radio transmitter and radio receiver components.

Many applications incorporate radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. RFID tags employ reflected energy originally transmitted from an RFID reader, and do not generate RF energy. Some Real Time Location Systems (RTLSs) track objects by associated RFID tags. For individuals, a badge is used for tracking in environments such as health-care facilities, warehouses, and other areas where location is important. These RFID personnel badges communicate with fixed or hand-held readers. These devices employ a combination of antennas and electronics. They provide structures to support and protect the antennas and electronics, and to mount or attach them to objects. In many applications size, shape and mechanical properties such as flexibility, are important but impeded. Bulky materials and construction add undue thickness and stiffness to devices. These devices require adequate electrical connections, mechanical support, and appropriate positioning of components such as connectors and antennas. Structures for these purposes can add complexity, thickness, inflexibility and cost to the RFID device.
Additionally, RFID systems operate over various frequencies from high-frequency (HF) through super-high-frequency (SHF). Multiple operating issues arise in these ranges. While the performance of an RFID tag operating in the HF band may be less affected by the tag's proximity to the human body, a typical worn device is approximately 10 cm in length, including the antenna. This is a small fraction of a wavelength for the lower frequencies. Antennas which are a small fraction of a wavelength in linear dimensions are very inefficient radiators and receptors. As a result, the useful operating range for the HF band can be just a few inches from the reader antenna, significantly limiting the usefulness of HF tags. RFID systems operating at higher frequencies, however, may provide longer ranges in part because the shorter wavelength is more comparable to the antenna dimensions. This dimension match improves efficiency. However, compared to the HF band, signals at these higher frequencies are much more strongly affected by obstacles and materials in the immediate environment of the antenna due to the shorter wavelengths. Furthermore, antennas operating on or adjacent to the human body will be severely detuned and possibly rendered inoperable. Thus, the usability of these antennas in identification devices with RFID capability is very limited. When on or near the surface of a human body, the reactive near fields are influenced by the human tissue and there may be an impedance mismatch between the antenna and connected circuits, resulting in poor overall efficiency. This mismatch may detune the antenna and reduce the energy radiated away from the body, further impairing performance.
Another characteristic of RFID systems is that the performance of such systems is governed by the Radar Equation (1).
                              P          r                =                                            P              t                                                  G              T                                                  A              r                                    σ                                                                                F              4                                                                          (                                  4                                    π                                )                            2                                                  R              4                                                          (        1        )
Where Pr=the power returning to the receiving antenna, Pt=the transmitter power, Gt=the gain of the transmitting antenna, Ar=the effective aperture (area) of the receiving antenna, σ=the radar cross section or scattering coefficient of the target, F=the pattern propagation factor, and R=the range
Essentially, this means that the system performance is limited by the fourth power (1/R4) of the distance to the RFID tag. This is due to the fact that the RFID interrogator transmitter power needs to reflect off the RFID tag and be received by the interrogator.
The above problems with RFID systems may result in limited range, difficulty simultaneously tracking multiple proximate tags, and limited information capacity. What is needed is an economical, flexible and wearable device that efficiently communicates information in support of applications such as personnel or equipment location.

Wearable data transceiver with coupled antenna


A lithographic projection apparatus in which a balance mass is supported by a base frame using at least one supporting member which is coupled to both the base frame and balance mass. Free horizontal movement is provided by providing the supporting member with at least two pivot points.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lithographic apparatus and methods.
2. Background Information
The term "patterning device" as here employed should be broadly interpreted as referring to structure that may be used to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section, corresponding to a pattern that is to be created in a target portion of the substrate. The terms "light valve" and "spatial light modulator" may also be used in this context. Generally, such a pattern will correspond to a particular functional layer in a device being created in the target portion, such as an integrated circuit or other device (see below). Examples of such a patterning device include:
A mask. The concept of a mask is well known in lithography, and it includes mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, and attenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. Placement of such a mask in the radiation beam may cause selective transmission (in the case of a transmissive mask) or reflection (in the case of a reflective mask) of the radiation impinging on the mask, according to the pattern on the mask. In the case of a mask, the support structure will generally be a mask table, which ensures that the mask can be held at a desired position in the incoming radiation beam, and that it can be moved relative to the beam if so desired.
A programmable mirror array. One example of such a device is a matrix-addressable surface having a viscoelastic control layer and a reflective surface. The basic principle behind such an apparatus is that (for example) addressed areas of the reflective surface reflect incident light as diffracted light, whereas unaddressed areas reflect incident light as undiffracted light. Using an appropriate filter, the undiffracted light can be filtered out of the reflected beam, leaving only the diffracted light behind; in this manner, the beam becomes patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable surface. An alternative embodiment of a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of very small (possibly microscopic) mirrors, each of which may be individually tilted about an axis by applying a suitable localized electric field, or by employing piezoelectric actuation means. The mirrors may be matrix-addressable, such that addressed mirrors will reflect an incoming radiation beam in a different direction with respect to unaddressed mirrors; in this manner, the reflected beam is patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable mirrors. The required matrix addressing can be performed using suitable electronic circuitry. In both of the situations described hereabove, the patterning device can comprise one or more programmable mirror arrays. More information on mirror arrays as here referred to can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,891 and 5,523,193, which are incorporated herein by reference, and PCT patent applications WO 98/38597 and WO 98/33096, which are incorporated herein by reference. In the case of a programmable mirror array, the support structure for the array may be embodied, for example, as a frame or table which is fixed or movable as required.
A programmable LCD array. An example of such a construction is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,872, which is incorporated herein by reference. As above, the support structure in this case may be embodied, for example, as a frame or table which is fixed or movable as required.
For purposes of simplicity, the rest of this text may, at certain locations, specifically direct itself to examples involving a mask (or "reticle") and mask table; however, the general principles discussed in such instances should be seen in the broad context of the patterning device as hereabove set forth.
Lithographic projection apparatus may be used, for example, in the manufacture of devices such as integrated circuits (ICs). In such a case, the patterning device may generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (e.g. a wafer of silicon or other semiconductor material) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single wafer will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system (e.g. one at a time).
Among current apparatus that employ patterning by a mask on a mask table, a distinction can be made between two different types of machine. In one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion at once; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. In an alternative apparatus—commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus—each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the projection beam in a given reference direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. Since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor M (generally<1), the speed V at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor M times that at which the mask table is scanned. A projection beam in a scanning type of apparatus may have the form of a slit (e.g. rectangular or arcuate) with a slit width in the scanning direction. More information with regard to lithographic devices as here described can be gleaned, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,792, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In a manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a pattern (e.g. in a mask) is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Prior to this imaging step, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. After exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (PEB), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. This array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g. an IC. Such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. If several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will be repeated for each new layer.
Eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). The devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. Further information regarding such processes can be obtained, for example, from the book "Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing," Third Edition, by Peter van Zant, McGraw Hill Publishing Co., 1997, ISBN 0-07-067250-4.
The term "projection system" should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection system, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, for example. For the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the "lens." The radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping, reducing, enlarging, patterning, and/or otherwise controlling the projection beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a "lens."
Further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such "multiple stage" devices, the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. Dual stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441 and PCT Application WO 98/40791, which documents are incorporated herein by reference.
In a lithographic projection apparatus, if a substrate table is moved by an actuator attached to a base frame, a reaction force is transferred to the base frame. In some apparatus, a substrate table may weigh as much as 40 to 70 kg or more, and the acceleration of the substrate table may be on the order of 5 to 60 m/s2. Therefore, the reaction force may be high enough to cause deleterious vibrations or movement of the base frame.
The effect of such a reaction force can be reduced by the use of a freely mounted balance mass. For example, a positioning actuator may be used between the substrate table and the balance mass such that the substrate table is moved in one direction whilst the balance mass is moved by the reaction force in the opposite direction. In such case, the balance mass may be moved by an amount equal to the distance moved by the substrate table times the mass ratio of the substrate table to the balance mass. In this way, no substantial reaction forces are transmitted to the base frame, and the centre of gravity of the balance mass and the substrate table relative to the base frame stays relatively constant.
The balance mass and substrate table are mounted, as near as possible, in a frictionless manner, e.g. using air bearings, such that no further parasitic forces are transmitted to the base frame or other parts of the lithographic projection apparatus as a result of movement of the substrate table.
To meet the ever-present demand for imaging features of reduced size, it is desirable to reduce the wavelength of radiation used for the projection beam. Thus, the need for improved resolution encourages the development of lithographic projection apparatus making use of extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) (e.g. with a wavelength in the range of 5-20 nm). Currently, an EUV lithographic projection apparatus must use mirrors in the projection system because no material suitable for forming refractive optical elements for EUV is yet known.
Additionally, the beam must be kept in vacuum to avoid contamination and attenuation of the beam. Unfortunately, the requirement for the projection beam to be kept in a vacuum means that the use of air bearings for the balance mass is no longer practical. Although a design has been proposed in which the air bearings are covered by a metal bellows, this design is complicated and heavy.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


A method for digitally signing information in real-time, based on a user request for the information. In one embodiment, the method is useful in a Web server, and can be implemented using a server-side API filter. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a data request from a user and determining whether the data requested should be marked. If the data should be marked, the method includes marking the data with a signature identifying at least one component of the user request; and storing information identifying the user with the request and the at least one component. Multiple types of marking techniques can be used on a single data file.

Currently many businesses have intellectual property (IP) in the form of images, binary files and source code stored on internal, secure servers. This data is available through various mechanisms. One common form of availability is an internal Website which makes such information available for download as either stand-alone content or supporting content for Web-pages. Other mechanisms include FTP servers and file sharing servers. It is generally difficult to track the source of any images which are improperly distributed outside of the business, especially where FTP and Web servers are the source of the information. As a result, the intellectual property rights of the company may be compromised if the information is released outside of the company. Other than the images appearing in the public realm businesses have no way of tracking the image or other data back to the source of the leak.
A number of digital watermarking techniques are currently in use to identify the source of digital information such as stock photographs. It is relatively common to see a copyright notice superimposed on an image in order to prevent users from improperly using the image. Currently, most standard image watermarking technologies require that images be watermarked prior to their being requested. This is done generally with a visible watermark on the image (i.e. a semi-transparent over-lay of the company logo), or with a non-visible watermark, typically identifying the image as being the property of the company.
In most applications of digital watermarking, only one method of digital watermarking is employed, making the means to defeat the image watermarking technology much more feasible to achieve. By focusing only on a single method for digital watermarking, prior art processes are limited in providing long-term protection of the digital data.