A strained structure of a semiconductor device is disclosed. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising a major surface; a gate stack on the major surface of the substrate; a shallow trench isolation (STI) disposed on one side of the gate stack, wherein the STI is within the substrate; and a cavity filled with a strained structure distributed between the gate stack and the STI, wherein the cavity comprises one sidewall formed by the STI, one sidewall formed by the substrate, and a bottom surface formed by the substrate, wherein the strained structure comprises a SiGe layer and a first strained film adjoining the sidewall of the STI.

As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance, and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design issues have resulted in the development of three-dimensional designs of a semiconductor device, such as a fin field effect transistor (FinFET). A typical FinFET is fabricated with a thin vertical "fin" (or fin structure) extending from a substrate formed by, for example, etching away a portion of a silicon layer of the substrate. The channel of the FinFET is formed in this vertical fin. A gate is provided over three sides (e.g., wrapping) the fin. Having a gate on both sides of the channel allows gate control of the channel from both sides. Further advantages of FinFETs comprise reducing the short channel effect and higher current flow.
However, there are challenges to implementation of such features and processes in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication. For example, non-uniform distribution of strained materials causes non-uniformity of strains applied to the channel region of the semiconductor device, thereby increasing the likelihood of device instability and/or device failure.

Strained structures of semiconductor devices

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A system and method detect the location of a workpiece as it passes from a feeding mechanism to a receiving pair of rollers. The system generally consists of a feeding mechanism having a pair of feeding rollers, a pair of receiving rollers, a motor control system for applying a fixed torque to the receiving rollers causing the receiving rollers to rotate, and a tachometer for monitoring the revolution speed of the receiving rollers. The motor control system for revolving the rollers consists of a motor, motor controller and a microprocessor to program the motor speed or torque. A decrease in the revolution speed of the receiving rollers indicates the workpiece has been received by the receiving rollers. An increase in the revolution speed of the receiving rollers subsequent to the decrease in speed indicates the workpiece has been released from the feeding mechanism.

The prior art method of sensing paper in a printer is to use mechanical flags in the paper path. Paper passing along the paper path causes the flags to move, triggering a signal. The signal indicates the presence of the paper. One drawback to the use of these flags occurs when the flags are used to monitor paper entering or exiting rollers. The mechanical flags must be located some distance away from the rollers so that neither the flags nor the rollers interfere with the other's operation. The flags therefore cannot be used to determine the precise time at which the paper enters or exits the rollers.
An inversion process is an example of when a more accurate determination of this time is important. The inversion process is used to discharge a printed page with the printed side down. Discharging pages with the printed side down allows a sequence of pages to be printed and discharged into a stack with the first page of the sequence being the bottom page of the stack.
Inverting a page must be performed quickly as another page may be following closely behind the first printed page. In order to take full advantage of the time allowed for inverting a page, it is desirable to start the inverting process as soon as possible. Providing a means for precisely detecting the exit time of a page from a roller allows the inverting process to begin as soon as the page leaves the rollers immediately preceding the inverter.
Accordingly, given the foregoing background relating to sensing paper entry and exit with respect to rollers, an object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for detecting more precisely when a workpiece is received by or released from a pair of rollers.


A local time of a broadband loop carrier terminal is synchronized to a network time received from a source external to the broadband loop carrier terminal by comparing the local time to the network time to generate an error offset, and adjusting the local time based on the error offset. The network time may be received in response to a Network Time Protocol (NTP) poll transmitted by the broadband loop carrier terminal. In some cases, the poll is transmitted over a communication medium using an asynchronous packet protocol, such as Ethernet or TCP/IP. In one embodiment, the local time is based on the output of a local oscillator (e.g., a voltage controlled oscillator), the frequency of which may be adjusted using control logic which uses a filtered version of the error offset along with a factory calibration and/or temperature compensation to produce a control voltage to control the oscillator frequency.

With the proliferation of the Internet and access to various forms of media over the Internet, including music, video, graphics, movies, and the like, there have been attempts to bring high speed access to the Internet to homes and business so that they may take advantage of the offerings provided over the Internet. To provide high speed communications from remote locations to a subscriber's home, various offerings are available, including cable television, cable modems, digital subscriber lines (DSL), integrated services digital network (ISDN) lines, as well as satellite offerings. These offerings are generally offered in addition to a regular voice communication telephone line and require hardware, cabling, software, etc. in addition to regular telephone communication equipment.
With the digitalization of the telephone system, the Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH) protocol has proliferated on the lines that connect a Telco switch to digital loop carrier equipment located in Junctor Wire Distribution Cabinets (JWICs). The telephone system is a synchronous system in which the time on the physical lines is generally uniform, ensuring that communications are sent and received at the same rate, with no fluctuation in the rate. In contrast, the Internet exists on Ethernet networks running the transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). TCP/IP running over Ethernet is a packet based communications system for which timing information is neither communicated nor important. As such, it has proven difficult to efficiently and effectively pass telephone communications traffic between asynchronous communications lines and synchronous or plesiochronous communications lines.
One prior solution for merging asynchronous and synchronous communications is to use two lines in which asynchronous packetized traffic is sent over an Ethernet line and non-packetized communications are transported in parallel over a synchronous or plesiochronous network. This requires installation and maintenance of two network infrastructures. Such duplicating of networks results in increased costs, increased need for hardware, and increased need for space.
In an effort to increase the availability of a single communications line to homes and businesses that handles telephonic voice, data, television, movies, music, facsimile, and other communications streams, the asynchronous Ethernet protocol has been suggested as a solution. However, in prior systems, time information from an upstream synchronous or plesiochronous network is not communicated across an asynchronous network such as Ethernet, requiring large buffers of memory to somewhat hide the frequency differences between the clock at the sending end and the clock at the receiving end of the communication. Using these buffers requires extra memory in an amount that is directly related to the frequency difference between the two clocks over the period of communication. Increased memory requirements results in increased cost for the devices used in the communications system. Using these buffers creates a need for additional processing and adds delay to the communications over the asynchronous network, reducing the quality of service and causing distortions, drop outs and failures. As such, the large buffer solution is inadequate because it cannot deliver a required quality of service of delivery of the communications. Lastly, if the period of communication is continuous, the buffers will either overrun or underrun, causing a lapse in communication.

System and method for synchronization of devices across a packet network


An optical tunable filter includes a first substrate 3 having a light transmitting property which includes a movable portion 31, a second substrate 20 having a light transmitting property which is provided so as to be opposed to the first substrate, a first gap 21 and a second gap 22 which are respectively provided between the movable portion 31 and the second substrate 20, an interference portion which causes interference of incident light between the movable portion 31 and the second substrate 20 through the second gap 22, and a driving portion which changes a distance of the second gap 22 by displacing the movable portion 31 with respect to the second substrate 20 using the first gap 21. This makes it possible to provide an optical tunable filter having a simpler structure and a smaller size, which can be manufactured through a simplified manufacturing process without using a release hole and can achieve stable driving of a movable portion, and a method for manufacturing such an optical tunable filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical tunable filter and a method for manufacturing the optical tunable filter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As for patents related to the optical tunable filter according to the present invention, the following documents can be mentioned.
<Filter Formed by Surface Micro-Machining>
In a conventional optical tunable filter, the thickness of a variable gap is controlled only by the thickness of a sacrifice layer. According to such a method, variations occur in the thickness of the variable gap depending on conditions for forming the sacrifice layer, thus resulting in a problem that a uniform Coulomb force is not generated between a thin film and a drive electrode so that stable driving cannot be achieved. Further, since a conventional optical tunable filter has a structure in which a movable portion protrudes from the surface of a substrate, the optical tunable filter is large in thickness (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-174721, for example).
<Filter Using SOI Wafer>
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,039 discloses a filter having a variable gap formed using an SiO2 layer of an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) wafer as a sacrifice layer. By using such an SiO2 layer of an SOI wafer as a sacrifice layer, it is possible to form a variable gap with high accuracy. In this filter, however, an insulating structure is not provided between a drive electrode and a movable portion, thus resulting in a problem that the movable portion and the drive electrode stick together when a large electrostatic attraction is generated therebetween (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,039, for example).
<Problem Common to Both Types of Filter>
In both types of filter, the sacrifice layer is ultimately released to form the variable gap. Therefore, a release hole is necessarily provided in the filter in order to feed a liquid for releasing to the sacrifice layer. This causes a problem that an area where Coulomb force acts is reduced so that a voltage for driving is increased. Further, if the variable gap is small, a phenomenon, in which the thin film and the drive electrode substrate stick together due to the surface tension of water, occurs when the sacrifice layer is released (that is, a phenomenon referred to as "sticking" occurs). Under the circumstances, there is a demand for a filter which can be manufactured without releasing a sacrifice layer.

Optical tunable filter and method for manufacturing the optical tunable filter


A read head makes a relative movement with respect to a recording medium to simultaneously read data from at least two of a plurality of recording areas of the recording medium in which the data is recorded. A memory section stores data from at least one of the two recording areas read by the read head. A relative position detecting section detects a relative position between the recording medium and the read head. A controlling section controls a storing operation of the data from the one of the two recording areas into the memory section, on the basis of an output of the relative position detecting section. A readout section reads out the data stored in the memory section in synchronization with a clock of a specified period. A modulation section demodulates the data read out by the readout section, after the modulation of the data read from another of the two recording areas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an information reproducing apparatus that reads information recorded on to a recording medium such as an optical card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In information reproducing apparatus using optical cards, since the reading speed is determined by the relative speed between the optical head for reading information and the recording medium, the optical scan (hereinafter referred to as scan) of a single track upon which rays of the reading light are directed for readout cannot make the readout speed for data much faster.
To improve this, an apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,293, for example, scans more than one track simultaneously and makes a parallel reading of information on the multiple tracks to make the readout speed faster.
The assignee of this application has proposed an apparatus, as is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2-141932, which scans a plurality of recording areas of the recording medium simultaneously to demodulate the data read from one recording area (track), and at the same time, to store in the memory the data read from the other recording area (track) and, after the demodulation of the former data is completed, demodulates the stored data. This arrangement allows the demodulation by a single system.
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the information reproducing apparatus disclosed in the above mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 2-141932. In FIG. 4, two tracks n and n+1 of the recording medium are scanned simultaneously, and the reflected light rays are detected by photodetectors 11 and 21, respectively. An output of the photodetector 11 is amplified by an amplifier 12, and then is converted into a binary signal by a binarizing circuit 13. The binary signal passes through a selector 14 and a PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) circuit composed of a phase detector 14 and a VFO (Variable Frequency Oscillator) 17 and then enters a demodulator 18 where it is demodulated. The output of the photodetector 21 is amplified by an amplifier 22, converted into a binary signal by a binarizing circuit 23, and stored in a memory section 24. After the demodulation of the data of the track n is complete, the stored signal is passed through the selector 14 and the PLL circuit 15 and supplied to the demodulator 18.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the memory section 24 of FIG. 4. The memory section 24 is made up of a clock module 25, a semiconductor memory 26, a counter 27, and an AND gate 28. When data is stored, the read/write switching signal is first set to the write mode, causing the AND gate 28 to be opened, while the reset signal is supplied to the counter 27, resetting its contents. All these actions are controlled by the controller (not shown). Then, the counter 27 counts up in response to the clock from the clock module 25. The output of the counter 27 is supplied as an address, via the address bus 29, to the semiconductor memory 26, whereas the clock signal from the clock module 25 is supplied to the AND gate 28, which supplies the write pulse to the semiconductor memory 26 in synchronization with the address setting, causing the data to be stored in the specified address. The reading of stored data from the semiconductor memory 26 is accomplished by, after the completion of demodulation of the track n's data, switching the selector 14 in response to the select signal from the controller (refer to FIG. 4) so that the data from the memory section 24 is supplied to the PLL circuit 15, and at the same time, changing the read/write switching signal to the read mode and supplying the reset signal to the counter 27 for an increment of address.
However, in the information reproducing apparatus of FIG. 4 where the clock from the clock module 25 is used as the write pulse for the semiconductor memory 26, if the data contains jitters, it will be stored together with the jitters in the semiconductor memory 26. This makes it impossible to reproduce the data accurately, particularly in the case of demodulating the data recorded in the self-clocked modulation method. Such jitters occur due to, for example, irregular motor rotation, known as cogging, caused by uneven magnetic force within the rotary motor that is used as a drive for the recording medium.

Information reproducing apparatus capable of eliminating jitters


Ink formulations have been conceived that result in inks having improved shelf life, tack and flow properties so that problems relating to ink plugging with contemporary ink pads are reduced. Another advantage of the inks is that they have improved paper dust resistance. These inks are made of a coloring material having an organic pigment dispersed in a modified rosin ester or dispersed in a modified rosin ester and triazine formaldehyde aryl sulphonamide resin dispersed in an alkyd oil. The solvent system is preferably composed of non drying solvents such as emollients and high molecular weight glycols.

Great demands have been made upon printing systems and materials therefor in light of the need of faster printing, in conjunction with the computer age, and the seeking of lower toxicity to comply with governmental environmental regulations. In high speed printing, a problem has been encountered with paper dust which is generated during paper transport and the impact of a printing element on the paper. This is particularly true of the printing on envelopes which are made of paper with loose fibers.
One of the components of the printing system that has required extensive modification is the ink. In most printing applications, a pad or roller made of a porous material is supplied with ink for the purpose of transferring the ink to a printhead. The printing pad may be one which is self contained or it may be one that is periodically supplied with ink from a reservoir. The problems in producing a satisfactory fluorescent ink are compounded because a plurality of dyes and pigments are required for achieving good color, fill in, edge acuity and the other qualities required from an ink. One of the major problems associated with inks is aging which results in printing that has a change in color and intensity with the passing of the time the ink is stored. An ink that overcomes the aging problem and shows low environmental sensitivity (high humidity and low and high temperatures), low tackiness and flow properties, material compatibility and paper dust resistance would be advantageous. Another consideration is that the ink pad must function in an open environment without drying for at least six months; therefore, the ink solvents should be non volatile.

Non aqueous dispersion ink with improved shelf life, tack and flow


Provided is anon-magnetic toner including toner particles each containing at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a wax component, and an inorganic fine powder, in which: (1) when a temperature in a temperature range of 50 to 80° C. at which a loss tangent (tan δ) shows a maximum is represented by T1, a storage elastic modulus of the toner at the temperature T1 (G′(T1)) satisfies a relationship of 5.00×107≦G′(T1)≦1.00×109 (dN/m2); (2) a continuous temperature range with a width of 15° C. or more in which the loss tangent (tan δ) is 0.80 to 2.00 is present in the temperature range of 50 to 80° C.; and (3) the loss tangent (tan δ) is 1.00 or more in a temperature range of 120 to 160° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-magnetic toner for use in a recording method using an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, a toner jet method, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has been strongly demanded that an electrophotographic apparatus such as a printer apparatus perform printing at an increased speed and be run at a reduced cost while achieving improvements in definition and quality of an image, and energy savings to an extent larger than the conventional one.
In association with such demand, characteristics requested of toner have become more and more sophisticated, and have covered a broader spectrum. Accordingly, attempts based on various viewpoints have been made on the development of the toner.
From the viewpoints of improvements in definition and quality of an image, a reduction in size of each particle of toner has been demanded in association with an increase in resolution of an image-forming machine up to, for example, 1,200 or 2,400 dpi. Production based on a polymerization method has been proposed as one method of producing the toner containing particles each having a reduced size. The toner based on the polymerization method is specifically obtained by the following method: a method involving the step of subjecting emulsified (agglomerated) resin particles and colorant particles to agglomeration and melt adhesion to prepare an amorphous toner (emulsified (agglomerated) toner) or a method of preparing toner particles (suspension polymerization toner) involving the steps of dispersing a radical polymerizable monomer and a colorant and subjecting the resultant to suspension polymerization by dispersing the droplets of the resultant in an aqueous medium or the like to obtain the toner having a desirable particle diameter so that toner particles are prepared.
In particular, in the case of the production of toner particles by the suspension polymerization method, each particle can be reduced in size with ease, and, furthermore, the resultant toner obtains uniform triboelectric charging performance because the toner shows a sharp particle size distribution and has a high sphericity, and the quality of a material for the surface of the toner becomes substantially uniform. As a result, a toner having high developing performance and high transferring performance can be obtained. In addition, a classifying step can be simplified because a sharp particle size distribution can be obtained as described above. Accordingly, the production of toner particles by the suspension polymerization method is preferable because of a large energy-saving effect, a large shortening effect on a time required for the production, a large improving effect on a yield in each step, and a large reducing effect on a cost for the production, from the viewpoint of a reduction in running cost.
Further, colorization has abruptly advanced in the field of electrophotography. Since a color image is generally formed by development with four kinds of color toners, that is, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toners which are appropriately superimposed, each color toner is requested to have a higher developing characteristic than that in the case where the toner is used for the formation of a monochromatic image. That is, a toner having the following characteristics has been requested: an electrostatic image can be faithfully developed with the toner, the toner is transferred onto a transfer material such as paper with reliability while being prevented from scattering, and the toner is easily fixed to the transfer material. Such toner produced by the suspension polymerization method as described above is suitable from such viewpoint as well.
The development of a toner that is easily fixed to a transfer material such as paper at low temperatures has been demanded from an energy-saving viewpoint. In association with an improvement in resolution of an image, the control of the gloss value of the image upon formation of the image has been requested simultaneously with the above demand in order that the quality of the image may be brought close to that of a photograph or print. Further, in the formation of a color image, good color mixing performance and good color reproducibility over a wide range have been requested. For example, the acquisition of an image having such a high gloss value that the quality of the image is close to that of a photograph has been requested.
To cope with such request, the glass transition point (Tg) of a binder resin to be used in toner must be lowered, or the average molecular weight of the binder resin to be used in the toner must be lowered. However, in extreme cases, merely lowering the Tg or average molecular weight of the binder resin to be used in the toner impairs the storage stability of the toner to such an extent that an image cannot be obtained. In addition, particularly at the time of high-speed development or in the case of a non-magnetic, one-component developing system suitably applicable to a small apparatus with a low running cost, the toner is apt to collapse owing to a reduction in strength of the toner, so the contamination of a member due to the melt adhesion of the toner or to the exudation of a wax in the toner is apt to occur. As a result, it may become impossible to achieve the following object: an image-forming apparatus with a long lifetime and a low running cost. That is, when improving the fixing characteristic of the toner is simply attempted, the developing characteristic of the toner is impaired. In contrast, when the developing characteristic precedes the fixing characteristic, it may be impossible to improve the fixing characteristic. Although a reduction in average particle diameter of the toner is indeed effective means particularly from the viewpoints of improvements in definition and quality of an image as described above, the means unfortunately promotes the contamination of a member due to the melt adhesion of the toner or to the exudation of the wax, thereby making it additionally difficult to achieve compatibility between the low-temperature fixability and developing characteristic of the toner.
The achievement of compatibility between such properties of toner apparently contradictory to each other, that is, development stability and low-temperature fixability is an important problem which the toner is requested to tackle, and various proposals have been heretofore made on the problem.
For example, there has been proposal focused on the viscoelastic characteristics where viscoelastic characteristics in each of two temperature regions, that is, the temperature region of 60 to 80° C. and the temperature region of 130 to 190° C. can achieve the compatibility between low-temperature fixability and offset resistance (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
Further, there has been disclosed that the compatibility between an additional improvement in fixability and developability can be achieved by specifying the local maximum value and local minimum value of a loss tangent (tan δ) as a ratio between a storage elastic modulus (G′) and a loss elastic modulus (G″) for the viscoelastic characteristics of toner (see Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4).
However, each conventionally proposed technology is still susceptible to improvement in terms of the following point: while good fixing performance and high gloss are maintained, such damage to toner as described above is alleviated, and, for example, even when an increase in temperature inside a contact developing system due to continuous paper feeding in the system occurs, stable developing performance is obtained over a long time period.
[Patent Document 1] JP 09-34163 A
[Patent Document 2] JP 2004-333968 A
[Patent Document 3] JP 2004-151638 A
[Patent Document 4] JP 2004-264484 A


A composite writing instrument comprising a writing instrument mechanism having a plurality of refills and a rod-like delivery mechanism, the composite writing instrument comprising middle shaft provided between a front shaft and a rear shaft, return springs having one end terminated at the middle shaft to urge the refills, respectively, backward; sliding cams mounted at rear portions of the refills and terminated at the other ends of the return springs to be urged backward, a cam body having at a front portion a cam operating portion which presses the rear end of either of the sliding cams to selectively advance the refills; a guide tube rotatably engaging the cam body and having a guide groove in the axial direction; a slider formed in the guide tube holding a rod-like article and being slidable in the axial direction along the guide groove of the guide tube, the cam body being provided with an engaging portion which engages the middle shaft so as to be slidable in the direction of the front shaft and be rotatable, the cam body further being formed with a helical groove in an inner periphery at the rear portion thereof, and the slider being provided with an engaging projection in engagement with the helical groove of the cam body, whereby the rotation of the cam body is controlled about the middle shaft by engagement of an engaging piece formed at the rear end of the middle shaft and a projection of the cam body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composite writing instrument provided with a plurality of writing members and a mechanism for delivering a rod-like article such as an India rubber.
2. Prior Art
In the past, there has been proposed a composite writing instrument in which a plurality of writing members, for example, a mechanical pencil element and a ball point pen element are received into a single tube in the front portion. Such a composite writing instrument is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,822. The conventional writing instrument has a sleeve-like operating cam in engagement with a slider and two guide grooves which axially extend and diametrically oppose each other, wherein a mechanical pencil element and a ball point element are selectively used by a guide secured to the rear end of a shaft case.


A foam collar system for boats which is affixed to the external surface of the boat hull. The foam collar system is formed from a molded polymeric foam material, a reinforcement coating on the outer surface of the polymeric foam and a surface coating on at least a portion of the reinforcement coating. The foam collar acts as a fender for the boat during boarding of other craft or mooring. In this manner, a durable, highly attractive foam fender system for high speed boats with planing hulls is provided. Also disclosed is a method for making the foam collar and a boat including the foam collar. The foam fender does not require inflation, it can be fabricated in an aesthetically pleasing manner, it is durable and it is inexpensive to make and maintain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foam collar system for boats which is affixed to the external surface of the boat hull.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is directed to solving the problem of providing an external fender system for protecting the hull of a boat. The fender system must not interfere with the normal operation of the boat while providing sufficient protection for the hull of the boat when mooring the boat or bringing the boat along side another boat for boarding. The fender system must also be aesthetically pleasing.
Several constructions for fenders and/or auxiliary flotation for boats are known from the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,235 (Hodges) relates to a system of elongate rails installed on the exterior hull surfaces of boats and projecting externally from the exterior hull surfaces. These elongate rails include a skin made from a woven fabric material and an interior made of polyethylene foam. These rails are for the purpose of deflecting spray, reducing the tendency of the bow to go under in choppy or turbulent seas, reducing heel and side-slipping while turning, contributing lift, acting as fenders to protect the hull, providing accessible hand-holds and footsteps, reducing the rocking motion of the boat and adding flotation to the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,865 (Woolworth) relates to a small boat comprising a flotation chamber located at the gunwale. The flotation chamber is defined by a first member integral with the sides of the hull extending upwardly and defining an upper end portion and a second member or cover secured at its bottom portion to the hull. A connecting device resiliently engages the upper end portion with the second member to secure a flotation material in the form of a block of expanded polystyrene or the like within the flotation chamber. A rub rail is defined at the upper end of the flotation chamber and can be formed either by a separate connecting member or by a portion of one of the other members. The flotation means of this patent serves both to provide flotation and to act as a rub rail to protect the boat from damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,556 relates to a rigid inflatable boat including a hull with an inflatable buoyancy collar. The collar comprises a number of separate inflatable members each of which has an axially extending bore so that it may be securely attached to mountings on the hull straps passing through it. Since the inflatable members are separate, rupture of one does not seriously effect either the pressure in the other members or the load capability of the craft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,746 relates to an inflated flotation collar formed by positioning a longitudinal inflatable member along at least part of the length of both the port and starboard sides of the hull. The terminal portions of the member are secured so that the linear length of the gunwale over which the member extends is substantially fixed and so that the member is held substantially at gunwale level on the hull by securing devices passing around and over but not under the hull. This device is provided mainly for flotation and is designed to minimize localized stresses on the hull.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,674 (Covington) discloses an aluminum boat including laterally outwardly bowed gunnels. Each of the gunnels is provided with an outer tubular aluminum flotation member extending therealong which is bowed to conform to and is welded to the outer surface of the gunnel. The aluminum tubes are filled with flotation material and have for their primary purpose to provide additional flotation to the boat should it become swamped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,624 (Lowther) discloses auxiliary flotation gear for fishing boats. The flotation gear comprises two float wings of substantially triangular contoured construction which conform to the hull of the boat and are securely affixed to the exterior stern of a fishing boat above the waterline. The float wings may be constructed of a closed cell, rigid foam. The foam is preferably covered with a fabric such as nylon reinforced vinyl or another suitable durable fabric. The float wings are provided to aid flotation and stability should the boat become swamped.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,436 (Hansen) relates to a foam stabilized watercraft. The high performance boat of this patent is stabilized through the use of foam stabilizing members mounted on the sides of the hull above the chine and extending from the transom along the length of the boat. The sides of the boat also include an upper and lower flange extending outwardly from the sides of the boat adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the stabilizing members at the location where the stabilizing members attach to the sides of the hull. The lower flange helps to ensure that water is not forced between the sides of the boat and the stabilizing members. The stabilizing members are attached to the sides of the hull without use of holes extending from the exterior to the interior of the hull thereby preventing water from seeping into the hull of the boat.
Although the foregoing patents provide numerous alternatives for ensuring additional flotation for boats as well as some fender means, none of the prior art references teaches a fender means which is inexpensive to manufacture, aesthetically pleasing, and durable. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming these disadvantages of the prior art fender means.


During the completion of a subsea horizontal tree, a tubing hanger and internal tree cap are run together with the same running tool and running string. The running tool has a linking assembly that connects the tree cap to the tubing hanger during running, retrieval, or workover, so that the tree cap supports the weight of the tubing hanger and string of tubing. The linking assembly can be retrieved with the running tool or retrieved on wireline through the running string.

A conventional subsea horizontal tree includes a wellhead housing which contains one or more casing hangers, one of which is secured to a string of production casing that extends into the well. A horizontal tree body, also known as a tree or tubing spool or spool tree, mounts to the top of the wellhead housing and seals to it. The horizontal tree body has a central bore axially through it and a horizontal or lateral production flow passage through the wall of the horizontal tree body. A tubing hanger lands and seals in the central bore of the horizontal tree body and is secured to a string of tubing that extends through the production casing hanger and production casing into the well. The tubing hanger has a production bore axially through it that is in fluid communication with the tubing. The tubing hanger also has a lateral flow passage in fluid communication with the tubing hanger production bore and with the lateral production flow passage in the horizontal tree body.
Annular seals are located between the tubing hanger and the central bore of the horizontal tree body above the production flow passage to provide primary, and occasionally, secondary barriers to leakage from the production flow pathways and well bore. Additionally, one or more wireline deployable plugs fit in one or more lockdown profiles in the tubing hanger production bore to provide primary, and occasionally, secondary barriers to leakage from the production and well bores. A tree cap may also fit above the tubing hanger in the central bore of the horizontal tree body. The tree cap may be of an internal or external lockdown configuration. In either case, the tree cap will seal to the central bore of the horizontal tree body and act as an additional barrier to leakage from the well. The tree cap of either configuration may have a vertical bore through it.
Another typical feature of subsea horizontal trees is an annulus and workover passageway that establishes a fluid communication pathway between the annular space around the tubing below the tubing hanger and a space inside the central bore of the horizontal tree body above the tubing hanger. This annulus and workover passageway can be ported through the tubing hanger, through the horizontal tree body or a combination of both. Alternatively, the annulus and workover passageway may be ported entirely out of the tree from a position below the tubing hanger.
In practice, there are generally two horizontal tree configurations: (1) a horizontal tree with a tubing hanger fitted with one or more plugs in its production bore and an internal tree cap, with a plug in its vertical bore; or (2) a horizontal tree with a tubing hanger fitted with at least two plugs in its production bore and eliminating the internal tree cap. This second style of horizontal tree typically utilizes a tree cap that locks externally to the tree body and may or may not include a seal to the tree body. In either tree cap case, the annulus and workover passageway will contain at least two closure members in the form of gate valves, for example.
The primary difference between these two general horizontal tree configurations is that the first has a primary and secondary barrier that employs independent lockdown structures for the two barriers, and the second has a primary and secondary barrier that ultimately rely on the tubing hanger to horizontal tree body lockdown structure. Some operators, and some regulatory authorities believe that the first and second horizontal tree configurations are equivalently safe in operation. Other operators and regulatory authorities believe only the first configuration meets the dual barrier industry philosophies and/or regulatory requirements.
One advantage of the second configuration is that the elimination of the internal tree cap eliminates the need for a second drill pipe run to install it. In running (or working over) the first style of horizontal tree, the tubing hanger is run into the horizontal tree body typically on a hydraulically-actuated running tool that is run on drill pipe. Afterwards, the internal tree cap is run into the horizontal tree body typically on the same hydraulically-actuated running tool, or one very similar, on drill pipe. This results in two drill pipe trips to the seafloor.
In running (or working over) the second style of horizontal tree, the tubing hanger is run into the horizontal tree body typically on the hydraulically-actuated running tool on drill pipe. Afterwards, a lower plug is run on wireline and landed, locked and sealed to the production bore of the tubing hanger and then an upper plug is run on wireline and landed, locked and sealed to the production bore above the first plug. In deeper water wells, this results in potentially significant rig time savings. However, it comes with the compromise that the two plugs rely on the single tubing hanger lockdown mechanism to ensure that the tubing string assembly does not part from the tree and cause potentially significant leakage of the well bore to the environment.

Method of running a tubing hanger and internal tree cap simultaneously


To achieve low wear and hence a greater shape durability of track parts, it is proposed that the contact surface of a track part have a curvature having a constant difference .DELTA.K in relation to the curvature of the corresponding current contact surface of the wheel supported on it, or that successive contact surfaces of the track part and the wheel have a continually changing curvature difference .DELTA.K with the curvature difference between the contact surfaces of the track part and wheel lessening as the angle of contact tangent increases.

Wear on the wheel as well as on the rail, i.e. on its rail head, is influenced on the one hand by the materials used and on the other hand to a large extent by the shape of the wheel and the rail.
The rails used today--whether in standard track sections or, for example, in points and crossings--have rail heads that comprise three sections having abruptly changing radii in those areas in which they come into contact with the wheels of a railway vehicle travelling thereon. The flank-side section thus has a radius of 13 Mm, the following section a radius of 80 mm, and the section passing into the horizontal a radius of 300 mm. To these aforementioned abrupt changes in the curvature is allocated a wheel in which a continual change in the curvature takes place, with a curvature radius likewise of 13 mm being present in the area of the wheel flange interacting with the flank area of the rail. If there is a correspondence as regards the curvature and hence the curvature radii in this area, there are in all other areas divergences, that change abruptly.
In view of these geometries, the general principle must be based on a one-point, two-point and line contact between wheel and rail, depending on the rail curve, which determines the contact between wheel and rail head.
One-point contact is always whenever the curvature of the wheel is smaller than that of the rail at the respective contact angle (=angle between normal force and vertical=angle between wheel/rail contact tangent and horizontal). With this contact, a relatively low longitudinal slip results from the diameter difference between the current roll circles of the wheels in a wheel set and the brake force or traction force transmission. Since, however, load and guidance forces act together at one point, crushing yield points can be exceeded that might lead to damage and cracking both on the wheel and on the rail.
Two-point contact is determined by the separation of the wheel contact point and the wheel flange pressure point.
The greater part of the wheel load is effective in the wheel contact point, and the guiding force and parts of the wheel load in the wheel flange pressure point. Since a pure rolling motion of the wheel is only possible in one diameter, whereas the two-point contact involves differing diameters, sliding wear occurs at one point at least, whereas sliding occurs in the other contact point. The linear contact between wheel and rail occurs both from the one-point and the two-point contact, exceeding the crushing yield point continuing sliding wear.
When the respective contact surface between wheel and rail is considered, there are different contact surfaces in a straight section and a curved section, these surfaces being elliptical in form and therefor known as contact ellipses. The main axis of the contact ellipses is therefore always of the same magnitude, since a section of the wheel following a circle is supported on the surface of the rail that is flat when viewed in the longitudinal direction. However, the short half-axis, i.e. the transverse axis, changes as a function of the wheel position in relation to the rail head. However, the smaller the short axis is, the higher the surface pressure and hence the load. The result is an undesirable wear that leads, in particular in the case of the rail, to a geometry change that makes renewal necessary.

Contact surfaces of a track part and railway wheel


A spinning reel includes a handle, a reel unit, a rotor, a spool, a spool shaft, and an oscillating mechanism. The oscillating mechanism includes a traverse cam and a slider including a slider body, a through hole, an engaging member, a first bearing, and a retainer member. The slider body is coupled to the spool shaft. The engaging member has a shaft part and an engaging part. The engaging part is mounted to a tip end of the shaft part to be engaged with helical grooves. The first bearing has a fitted part, a protruding part, and a support hole. The fitted part is fitted into the through hole. The protruding part has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the fitted part. The fitted part includes a stepped surface on an end thereof abutting the protruding part. The retainer member retains the first bearing at the stepped surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning reel, and particularly to an oscillating mechanism for a spinning reel, which is configured to reciprocate a spool back and forth in conjunction with rotation of a handle.
2. Background Art
Spinning reels are provided with an oscillating mechanism configured to reciprocate a spool back and forth in conjunction with rotation of a handle. The oscillating mechanism includes a traverse can shaft and a slider. Helical grooves, which intersect with each other, are formed on the traverse cam shaft. The slider can unitarily move a spool at least in the axial direction. A pinion gear, which is meshed with a drive gear produced in the form of a face gear, is rotatably mounted to the outer peripheral side of the spool shaft. Therefore, the slider is disposed adjacently to the drive gear, while avoiding interference with the drive gear.
The slider includes a slider body and an engaging member. The spool shaft is coupled to the slider body. The engaging member is engaged with the helical grooves, and is configured to reciprocate the slider body back and forth by rotation of the traverse cam shaft. The engaging member is attached to the interior of the slider body, while being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the traverse cam shaft.


Consumable abrasive-containing oral hygiene tablets are described. The tablets include glycine as an abrasive. The glycine average (Mv) particle size may be greater than 45 μm. The tablets may be used with an oral irrigator and, when placed in the irrigator's fluid flow path, may disintegrate, release the abrasive, and improve the cleaning efficacy of the irrigator.

Human tooth decay is the damage caused by acid erosion of a tooth. Bacteria in the mouth produce the eroding acids when they eat sugars in foods people eat. Over time, the acids destroy enamel, the outer layer of a tooth, and even dentin, the middle layer. Decay can be formed as a hole or cavity.
Teeth can be extrinsically stained by foods such as berries and chocolate, drinks such as coffee, wine, and dark-colored sodas, and smoking. Extrinsic stains range from white streaks to yellow tints or brown spots and pits.
Some tooth decay and stains can be removed by a dental professional with air abrasion, a technique in which fine abrasive particles are propelled toward the tooth surface by compressed air or gas running through a dental handpiece. Small areas of decay or stain are removed as the stream of abrasive particles strike affected regions.
Air abrasion can be uncomfortable for a patient and harsh on teeth because the procedure removes small portions of the tooth surface. Air abrasion is also messy, as the procedure produces a cloud of fine dust. The fine particles can expose the patient and dental professionals to inhalation-associated health risks.
Powder jet devices, which combine an air-abrasive mixture with water and spray the composition onto teeth, may present health risks from inhalation of fine particles. The abrasive particles also remove small areas of the tooth surface.
Stains can be reduced or removed by bleaching the teeth. Dental professionals can apply a light-activated bleaching gel held against the teeth in trays for about 30 to 60 minutes. Home bleaching trays use a weaker bleaching agent. Consistent home bleaching practice can reduce stains over the course of several weeks or months. Less harsh, but also less effective, home remedies include whitening gels and strips applied to the teeth. Regular brushing of the teeth can also help prevent or reduce stains, but can also be harsh on the teeth.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded as subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound.

Tablet including abrasive for dental cleaning


A crosslinked rubber composition contains a rubber component and para-aramid short fibers having a filament fineness of 2.5 dtex or more and dispersed in the rubber component.

The present invention relates to crosslinked rubber compositions.
Crosslinked rubber compositions containing para-aramid short fibers are used in various rubber products.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-108564 discloses a transmission belt using a rubber composition containing para-aramid short fibers. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-18893 discloses a tire using a rubber composition containing para-aramid short fibers. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-200545 discloses a hose using a rubber composition containing para-aramid short fibers.


An improved circuit interrupter having a solenoid in series with the line and load terminals with an armature operable to activate a trip mechanism within the circuit breaker upon experiencing current levels indicative of short circuit conditions. The traditional solenoid coil is replaced with a free form conductor stamped in a serpentine pattern with adjacent legs deformed slightly in opposite directions to permit an electromagnetic material to be disposed therebetween. Current is directed through the conductor progressively back and forth through the serpentine pattern and creates a magnetic field in the electromagnetic material which is sufficient to activate an armature when current levels approximate short circuit conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to circuit breakers having a magnetic trip assembly in which the magnetic field induced by an abnormal current unlatches a latchable operating mechanism to trip the breaker, and more particularly, to such a magnetic trip assembly which employs a solenoid to translate the magnetic field into mechanical movement to cause actuation of trip mechanism.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers provide protection for electrical systems from electrical fault conditions such as current overloads and short circuits. A common type of circuit breaker used to interrupt abnormal conditions in an electrical system incorporates a thermal trip device which responds to persistent low levels of overcurrent and a magnetic trip assembly which responds to higher levels of overcurrent in a fraction of a second. An example of such a circuit breaker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,531. In such circuit breakers, the thermal trip device comprises a bimetal which bends in response to a persistent low level overcurrent passing through it to unlatch a latchable operating mechanism. The latchable operating mechanism is spring operated to open electrical contacts which interrupt the current. In a large number of commercial circuit breakers a rotatable trip bar is provided to initiate the unlatching of the latchable operating mechanism in response to either the electrothermal stimulus or an electromagnetic stimulus. The electrothermal stimulus is related to I.sup.2 t=K; or stated another way, the amount of overload current present over a predetermined period of time. The electromagnetic stimulus is related to short circuit conditions, sometimes referred to as an instantaneous tripping situation. Generally, the calibration of the electrothermal stimulus is related the angular swing through which the trip bar rotates in response to impingement thereon by the bimetallic member. On the other hand, response to the short circuit condition is related to how quickly an armature can be attracted to an electromagnetic member. In each case, the current flowing in the main terminals of the circuit breaker provides input into the electrothermal or electromagnetic response. As the size of the circuit breaker apparatus is reduced during miniaturization, the need for a highly calibrated, rugged and repeatable electromagnetic trip mechanism exists, that can reduce manufacturing costs.

Molded case circuit breaker having an improved electromagnetic trip


A novel infant child restraint system includes a base for an infant safety seat that has a height adjustment to allow the base to assume one of a plurality of positions when mounted to the vehicle seat. In one embodiment, a base for an infant safety seat features a height adjustment assembly that includes a release knob accessible from a top surface, a shaft having a first end that is attached to a release knob, a first retaining member disposed on the shaft, and an adjustable foot adapted to be disposed in a cavity and having a locking member on an inner surface. The shaft has a locked position, wherein the first retaining member cooperates with the locking member to hold the adjustable foot in a first height position, and a second, unlocked position where the first retaining member does not contact the locking member.

Child restraint systems are well known in the art, and are designed to protect children from injury or death during collisions. The design of child restraint systems typically vary depending on the age and relative size of the child. For example, children under 4 feet, 9 inches tall may require the use of a simple booster seat until they are large enough to use an adult seat belt. Infant safety seats typically have more components, and place an infant in a rearward-facing, semi-recumbent position.
Typically, an infant safety seat is made up of two components: a car seat carrier, and a base into which the car seat carrier is mounted. The base is positioned on the seat of a vehicle, such as a car, truck, train, or airplane, and secured using the restraint system of the vehicle, or a latch system. For example, a base is typically secured in place on an automobile seat through the use of the vehicle's seat belt or a LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHildren) system.
The car seat carrier is then attached to the base, typically using one or more connection points. This allows the base to be left secured to the vehicle seat, while only the carrier is removed. To provide maximum protection to the infant, the carrier is typically oriented such that when the infant is properly placed in the carrier, the infant's feet are nearest the seat back.
There are a number of issues associated with each of these two components. One such issue is the variation in slope and position of the vehicle seat onto which the base is placed. For example, some vehicle seats are horizontal, or nearly horizontal. Others, however, are much more sloped. Typically, the inner portion of the seat, where it meets the seat back, will be at a lower height than the outer portion of the seat, where the child's legs hang from. Therefore, the base, unless it has an adjustment, is positioned at different inclinations, based on the vehicle's seat. These differences in inclination cause the infant car seat to also be at different inclinations, some of which may not offer sufficient protection and comfort for the infant. Height adjustments within the base can be used to minimize this issue.
Currently, some of these issues are addressed in a variety of ways, with varying degrees of success. In some cases, the solutions to these issues are expensive, thereby raising the price of the infant safety seat. It would be beneficial if these issues could be addressed in a safe, convenient and cost effective manner.

Adjustable foot for an infant car seat base


Electrical actuator having a stator body and a rotor body which is pivotable iN the stator body through an angle of rotation. The actuator further comprises energizing means for exerting an electromagnetic torque on the rotor body and a control unit for controlling the angle of rotation. The control unit has a cascade control structure with a first control member for converting an electrical input signal corresponding to a required angle of rotation into an electrical intermediate signal corresponding to a required electromagnetic torque to be exerted on the rotor body and with a second control member for converting the intermediate signal into an output signal corresponding to a required electrical current through the energizing means. The first and second control members allow for specific intermediate calculations of the required electromagnetic torque and the required current, whereby the response time and accuracy of the control unit are improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical actuator comprising a first actuator body, a second actuator body which is pivotable with respect to the first actuator body through an angle of rotation about an axis of rotation, electrical energizing means for exerting an electromagnetic torque on the second actuator body, and an electrical control unit for controlling the angle of rotation of the second actuator body, said control unit comprising an electrical input for receiving an electrical signal corresponding to a required angle of rotation of the second actuator body and an electrical output for supplying an electrical signal corresponding to a required electrical current through the energizing means.
The invention further relates to a throttle device for use in an air inlet of an internal-combustion engine, which throttle device comprises a throttle-valve housing, an air passage which is connectable to the air inlet, a throttle-valve which is journalled in the throttle-valve housing so as to be pivotable in the air passage, and an electrical actuator for pivoting the throttle-valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electrical actuator of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is disclosed in chapter 15.2 entitled "Linear Position Control" of the book "Control of Electrical Drives" by W. Leonhard, ISBN 3-540-13650-9 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo. The control unit of the known actuator has a so-called cascade control structure comprising a system of several superimposed control loops for the electromagnetic torque, the angular acceleration, the speed of rotation and the angle of rotation of the actuator. The control loop for the electromagnetic torque comprises a control member with an electrical input for receiving an electrical signal corresponding to a required angular acceleration and an electrical output for supplying the electrical signal corresponding to the required electrical current through the energizing means. The cascade control structure provides a natural control sequence which corresponds to the structure and operation of the actuator. As a result, the control unit has a transparent structure and can be designed and optimized step by step.
A drawback of the known actuator is that the response of the control unit of the known actuator to alterations of the signal corresponding to the required angle of rotation is relatively slow if the dependence of the electromagnetic, magnetostatic or mechanical characteristics of the actuator on the angle of rotation of the second actuator or on the current through the energizing means is strongly non-linear. Due to the non-linearity of said characteristics, the number of iterative calculations which have to be made by the control unit before a required angle of rotation is achieved is relatively high.

Electrical actuator with a refined cascade control unit


In a fixing device, a recording material having an unfixed toner image formed thereon is inserted between a pair of rotating members, and the toner image is fixed on the recording material by heating/pressing the recording material having the unfixed toner image formed thereon. By providing the fixing device with a releasing layer, made of a PFA resin having end groups of --CF.sub.3, formed on a surface of a fixing rotating member, which serves as one of the pair of rotating members, contacting the unfixed toner image, and a releasing layer, having a volume resistivity of 10.sup.13 -10.sup.15 .OMEGA..multidot.cm (when applying a DC voltage of 500 V) and made of a PFA resin containing a conductivity providing material, formed on a surface of a pressing rotating member, which serves the other one of the pair of rotating members, a problem of offset is solved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device which fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording material as a permanent image by heating/pressing the recording material having the unfixed toner image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical conventional image fixing device used in an image forming apparatus, in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material as an unfixed image, and a permanent image is provided by fixing the unfixed image by heating/pressing the recording material, is configured as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a fixing roller 1 is a fixing rotating member, serving as recording-material conveying means, and includes a releasing layer 12 made of a fluororesin, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or the like, formed on a core bar 11 made of aluminum, iron or the like, and a heater 3, serving as heating means, incorporated within the fixing roller 1 for heating the fixing roller 1 from inside.
A pressing roller 2 is a pressing rotating member, and is pressed against the fixing roller 1 by pressing means (not shown) to form a fixing nip N. The pressing roller 2 includes a releasing layer 23 made of a fluororesin, such as PFA, PTFE or the like, having an excellent releasing property, formed on an elastic layer 22 made of a heat-resistant silicone sponge rubber or the like, which is formed on a core bar 21 made of aluminum, iron or the like.
The releasing layer 12 prevents an "offset" phenomenon in which a toner image is transferred onto the fixing roller 1 to stain the succeeding image. The offset phenomenon is more assuredly prevented by applying a bias voltage having the same polarity as the polarity of toner to the core bar 11 from a fixing bias power supply 8 by utilizing static charges particular to the toner. (While FIG. 1 illustrates a case in which the toner has a negative polarity, a positive fixing bias polarity is applied to the toner when the toner has a positive polarity.)
The releasing layer 23 prevents the offset toner transferred from the recording material toward the pressing roller 2 via the fixing roller 1 and the toner adhering to the back surface of the recording material from adhering to the surface of the pressing roller 2.
The cathode and the anode of a diode 9 are connected to the core bar 21 of the pressing roller 2 and the ground of the main body of the apparatus, respectively, in order to prevent the potential of the core bar 21 of the pressing roller 2 from being negative. Thus, a potential difference is provided between the surface of the fixing roller 1 and the core bar 21 of the pressing roller 2, to prevent the offset phenomenon by the electric field produced by the potential.
Unfixed toner 7 is fixed on the recording material by being heated/pressed at the fixing nip N.
An entrance guide 4 guides the recording material 6 having the unfixed toner image formed thereon so as to be conveyed to the fixing nip N, where the unfixed toner image is fixed as a permanent image on the recording material 6.
A thermistor 5, serving as a temperature detection sensor for detecting the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1, contacts the surface of the fixing roller 1 with a predetermined contact pressure, and turns on/off (an electric circuit for turning on/off power supply is not shown) power supply to the heater 3 so that the temperature of the fixing roller 1 is maintained constant.
When forming the releasing layer 12 of the fixing roller 1 with a PFA (a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer) resin, although thermoplasticity is superior to other fluororesins, a current flows through a local portion when a bias voltage is applied, so that the releasing layer 12 is degraded at that portion, to degrade the releasing property and to cause adherence of toner. A portion where the toner adheres causes a partial defect in the fixed toner image formed on the recording material. As an effective method for solving this problem, the use of a PFA resin having end groups of --CF.sub.3 has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application (Kokai) No. 5-72934 (1993)).
When forming the releasing layer 12 of the fixing roller 1 with the PFA resin having end groups of --CF.sub.3, although it is advantageous to also form the releasing layer 23 of the pressing roller 2 with a PFA resin from the viewpoint of releasability, there is a problem of causing an electrostatic offset phenomenon in toner.


There is disclosed an amplifier for operating from a power supply having a first voltage level. The amplifier comprises: 1) a plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors, each of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors having a relatively thick oxide layer and fabricated using a first process such that the each thick-oxide field effect transistor can withstand a gate-to-source difference, a gate-to-drain difference, and a gate-to-bulk difference at least equal to a first maximum operating voltage, wherein the first. maximum operating voltage is at least equal to the first voltage level; and 2) a first thin-oxide field effect transistor coupled to a first input of the amplifier, the first thin-oxide field effect transistor having a relatively thin oxide layer and fabricated using a second process such that the first thin-oxide field effect transistor can withstand a gate-to-source difference, a gate-to-drain difference, and a gate-to-bulk difference at least equal to a second maximum operating voltage, wherein the second maximum operating voltage is less than the first voltage level.

The present invention is generally directed to switched capacitor systems and, in particular, to an amplifier for improving the open-loop gain and bandwidth of a switched capacitor system.
Switched capacitor systems are used in a wide variety of applications, including digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuits, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuits, equalizers, filters, and the like. A switched capacitor system typically comprises an operational amplifier (i.e., op-amp) with a first output (or feedback) capacitor (COUT1) coupled (directly or indirectly) between a first output and a first input of the op-amp and a first input capacitor (CIN1) coupled (directly or indirectly) between the first input and ground. The switched capacitor system also may comprise a second output (or feedback) capacitor (COUT2) coupled (directly or indirectly) between a second output and a second input of the op-amp and a second input capacitor (CIN2) coupled (directly or indirectly) between the second input and ground.
Through a series of switching operations, charge is distributed on these capacitors to effect a closed loop gain. This closed loop gain is subject to a finite error caused by the non-ideal open-loop gain of the operational amplifier. The open-loop frequency response is also attenuated by the capacitive voltage divider produced at the input between the feedback capacitor and the capacitor to ground. The effective capacitance of the capacitor to ground is equal to the sum of the capacitance of the fixed external capacitor and the input (parasitic) capacitance of the operational amplifier. Generally, the input parasitic capacitance is predominantly caused by the gate-to-source capacitance of MOSFET devices in the operational amplifier. Hereafter, the input parasitic capacitance may be approximated by using the gate-to-source capacitance interchangeably.
In any given system, reduction of the op-amp input capacitance reduces the capacitance voltage division at this node and improves the open-loop gain and bandwidth of the system. Reducing the op-amp input capacitance may be achieved by making the input transistors of the op-amp smaller. However, reducing op-amp input capacitance is problematic when dealing with very small devices. Very small channel length devices typically have higher gains than larger channel devices. However, small channel length devices (i.e., 0.18 micron) are unable to withstand large operating voltages. Hence, small channel length devices typically operate from a 1.6 volt to 2.0 volt power supply, while larger channel length device (i.e., 0.4 micron) typically operate from a 2.7 volt to 3.6 volt power supply. Thus, reducing the device size in order to reduce input capacitance often entails reducing the power supply. Since a reduced power supply results in reduced performance of the op-amp transistors, at least part of the benefit of reducing input capacitance is lost.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved operational amplifier for use in switched capacitor systems. In particular, there is a need for an operational amplifier having a reduced input capacitance that is still able to operate from higher power supply voltages.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an operational amplifier that has both thick-oxide transistors and thin-oxide transistor and operates from a high voltage supply. The present invention replaces a thick oxide transistor with a thin oxide transistor having smaller width (W) and length (L) at the input of the op-amp. Since the capacitance of the oxide (Cox) is inversely proportional to the thickness of the oxide (Tox), the thin-oxide input transistor would actually have increased input parasitic capacitance per square micron, if all other factors are the same.
To maintain the same amplifier characteristics, the W/L ratio of the transistors may be held constant. However, W and L are reduced proportionally. If the product, Wxc3x97Lxc3x97Cox, is lower for the thin oxide device, then replacing a thick-oxide transistor with a thin-oxide transistor having much smaller area decreases the overall input capacitance of the op-amp, thereby improving open-loop gain and bandwidth.
As an example, consider an operational amplifier that has two device (i.e., transistor) types. The first device has a minimum L=0.4, Tox=70 A, and a Cox=5 fF/um2. The second device has a minimum L=0.2, Tox=35 A, and a Cox=10 fF/um2. For a given W=40 and L=0.4, the first device has a parasitic capacitance, Cp1 (e.g., approximately equal to gate-to-source capacitance, Cgs), of 0.4(40) (5 fF)=80 fF. If the second is scaled to obtain the same W/L ratio, with minimum L=0.2 and W=18, then the second has a parasitic capacitance Cp2=Cgs=0.2(18)(10 fF)=40 fF. Assume the output (feedback) capacitor, COUT, is 80 fF and the input capacitor to ground, CIN, is 80 fF. Therefore, the voltage division at the input of the op-amp is 80/160=0.5 for the first device. The voltage division at the input of the op-amp is 80/120=0.67 for the second device. This represents an improvement of 1.34 over the first device (or a 2.5 dB improvement in open-loop gain). Similarly, bandwidth is improved.
The present invention is able to use thin-oxide devices in an operational amplifier operating from a large power supply by replacing only devices that are not exposed to the full power supply voltage. For example, replacing some of the N-type transistors in an input differential pair of the op-amp allows such a switched-cap amplifying system to obtain improved open-loop gain and bandwidth using thin oxide devices while maintaining a power supply voltage suitable for use with the thick oxide devices. The biasing of the cascade transistors and other devices in the operational amplifier must be such that the thin-oxide transistors in the differential pair never see more than, for example, a 1.8 volt gate-to-source difference, gate-to-drain difference, or gate-to-bulk difference.
Thus, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an amplifier capable of operating from a power supply having a first voltage level, wherein the amplifier comprises: 1) a plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors, each of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors having a relatively thick oxide layer and fabricated using a first process such that the each thick-oxide field effect transistor is capable of withstanding a gate-to-source difference and a gate-to-drain difference at least equal to a first maximum operating voltage, wherein the first maximum operating voltage is at least equal to the first voltage level; and 2) a first thin-oxide field effect transistor coupled to a first input of the amplifier, the first thin-oxide field effect transistor having a relatively thin oxide layer and fabricated using a second process such that the first thin-oxide field effect transistor is capable of withstanding a gate-to-source difference, a gate-to-drain difference, and a gate-to-bulk difference at least equal to a second maximum operating voltage, wherein the second maximum operating voltage is less than the first voltage level.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a configuration of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors and the first thin-oxide field effect transistor prevents the first thin-oxide field effect transistor from being exposed to a gate-to-source difference greater than the second maximum operating voltage.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors and the first thin-oxide field effect transistor prevents the first thin-oxide field effect transistor from being exposed to at least one of a gate-to-drain difference and a gate-to-bulk difference greater than the second maximum operating voltage.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the amplifier further comprises a second thin-oxide field effect transistor coupled to a second input of the amplifier, the second thin-oxide field effect transistor having a relatively thin oxide layer and fabricated using the second process such that the second thin-oxide field effect transistor is capable of withstanding a gate-to-source difference, a gate-to-drain difference, and a gate-to-bulk difference at least equal to the second maximum operating voltage.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a configuration of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors and the second thin-oxide field effect transistor prevents the second thin-oxide field effect transistor from being exposed to a gate-to-source difference greater than the second maximum operating voltage.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the plurality of thick-oxide field effect transistors and the second thin-oxide field effect transistor prevents the second thin-oxide field effect transistor from being exposed to at least one of a gate-to-drain difference and a gate-to-bulk difference greater than the second maximum operating voltage.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the first and second thin-oxide field effect transistors comprise a differential pair input stage.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms xe2x80x9cincludexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprise,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term xe2x80x9cor,xe2x80x9d is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cassociated therewith,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term xe2x80x9ccontrollerxe2x80x9d means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

Amplifier for improving open-loop gain and bandwidth in a switched capacitor system


A moisture alert device that has a number of moisture detecting sensor divots around the outside of the device where the sensor divots are connected to insulated circuits within the device that transmits a moisture detections signal to a base, the base sending the signal to a control device, which in turn sends the moisture detection signal to a user by visual, auditory or tactile means. In some cases, the moisture detection signal transmitted to a wireless receiving device. The device can be a wearable garment such as a vest, or in other situations, the device can be a bed component such as a pillow case.

PREVIOUSLY the inventors created an apparatus for a child who bed wets while sleeping only. The main function of this apparatus is for urine detection only on both sides of the pad. As well as creating an alarm to notify wetness detection.
Previously invented pads focused only on urine of children and/or adults who wet their beds on a constant basis. They included electrical circuits with an alarm which activate the alarm to detect small amount of urine. The alarm will then de-activate within a few minutes if it's below a certain amount of urine. The patent is specific for children who urinate in bed. The apparatus has to be at a certain amount of urine to prompt the alarm to go off.
Originally the patent is designed to treat children for bed wetting issues. The pad comes with a loud alarm and bright light for notification. The first alarm is loud which includes a spotlight. The second alarm will awaken the caregiver or nurse monitoring the specific pad. There is a 20 minute delay to notify caregiver that the alarm for bed wetting has gone off. This particular design will provide a count of the number of bed wetting occurrences that night.
The main programming system of one pad is an electronic 12 stepper relay. Programming this invention can be set off by a large alarm or 20 minute delay alarm. The alarm has options for reinforcement and non-reinforcement trials.
However, the lighting on the invention has a service light which can be turn off until reactivated. The purpose of the light on the pad is to remind the caregiver to reactivate the alarm. The light will let you know that urine on the pad has been detected even when the alarm is deactivated.
The main source for the inventions is urine detection and there is no other detection for moisture whether water and/or any moisture substances. The pad only provides detection for a small amount of space. The invention notification is limited to alarms for the child and for the caregiver.
The apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140 to Finley, 1974 May 7, had limited options regarding moisture detection. Originally the apparatus treat patients who had problems bedwetting only. In the summary of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140, primary objective is to provide an apparatus which will treat children for bedwetting. The problem had been partially solved by the implementation of this pad, but this still has not solved the detection of other types of moisture issues. This pad does not allow people of all ages, animals, equipment and objects that release moisture or any liquid substance, which may need assistance in detecting other moisture substances. As well as notify of the detection with wireless technology capabilities.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140 failed to solve the problem for other moisture detection and a solution is very well needed. This inventor did not think about, animals, infants, adults, equipment, elderly or anyone who is bedridden and/or unable to walk or talk that may need detection for mucus, blood, vomit or any moisture that may or may not be hazardous and/or harmful to the person or animals on the pad. Also the inventor did not think whether a piece of equipment or object that may leak which can cause huge liquid damage.
Performance of the apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140 operates by battery. An apparatus with more detection options need to operate with battery and electric socket options. This U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140 had a limited number of options with a transistor located in the bedroom of the parent. The inventor didn't consider a solution for other persons who may need to be notified of other types of moisture than urine to be detection using the pad. A solution is needed for these types of situations.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,140 only use three types of notification for urine bedwetting, which are loud bell; a "blue" spotlight and an alarm to awaken patient's caregiver. Finally, Finley did not consider all types of reasons why other people may need notification for other types of moisture other than urine. As well as provide notification for people who are not just caretakers, patients or children.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,449 to Regal, 1979 Aug. 7, disclosed another type of pad only could be used for a child who bed wets while asleep with urine detection only. Regal did not consider moisture detection for other types of moisture as well as person of all ages, animals, equipment and other objects who are not specifically asleep and need close monitoring. This is not effective in helping to detect other moisture incidents that may occur outside of bedwetting incidents.
The pad in U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,449 disclosed an aversive stimulus notification to a child depending on a certain amount of urine exposed. This pad does not effectively detect if the moisture is not urine and some other type of moisture.
Regal pad does not allow persons of all ages, animals, equipment and other objects and moistures of any type to be properly detected. The pad only could be used for detection by placing the pad beneath a bed sheet.

Moisture alert pad (M.A.P.), moisture alert pad pillowcase (M.A.P.P.), and moisture alert pad vest (M.A.P.V.)


A undergarment for allowing quick wearing thereof. The device includes a panel having a body portion and elongate first and second leg portions. The body portion has a pair of ends and first and second sides extending between the ends of the body portion. The ends of the body portion are attachable to each other at the first and second sides of the body member such that a space for receiving the lower torso of a user is formed. The first leg portion is extended from the first side of the body portion, and the second leg portion is extended from the second side of the body portion. The side edges of the first leg portion are attachable to one another such that a tubular first pant leg is formed adapted for inserting a leg of a user therein while the side edges of the second leg portion are attachable to one another such that a tubular second pant leg is formed adapted for inserting a leg of a user therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to undergarments, in particular, long underwear commonly known as long johns and more particularly pertains to undergarment for allowing quick wearing thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of undergarments, in particular, long underwear commonly known as long johns is known in the prior art. More specifically, undergarments, in particular, long underwear commonly known as long johns heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art undergarments, in particular, long underwear commonly known as long johns include U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,914; U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,756; U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,763; U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,795; U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,353; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 316,923.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new undergarment. The inventive device includes a panel having a body portion and elongate first and second leg portions. The body portion has a pair of ends and first and second sides extending between the ends of the body portion. The ends of the body portion is attachable to each other at the first and second sides of the body member such that a space for receiving the lower torso of a user is formed. The first leg portion is extended from the first side of the body portion, and the second leg portion is extended from the second side of the body portion. The side edges of the first leg portion are attachable to one another such that a tubular first pant leg is formed adapted for inserting a leg of a user therein while the side edges of the second leg portion are attachable to one another such that a tubular second pant leg is formed adapted for inserting a leg of a user therein.
In these respects, the undergarment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing quick wearing thereof.

Removable undergarment for use beneath standard clothing


A skimmer-diverter assembly that cooperates with a conventional water circulating and filtration system of a swimming pool, the skimmer-diverter assembly comprising a diverter releasably attached to a mounting bracket that is removably attached to a skimmer inlet opening of the swimming pool filtration system. The diverter including upper and lower diverter housings each diverter housing having an upwardly extending pin. The mounting bracket including upper and lower bracket housings each of the housings having a bore sized to receive the pin of the diverter housings. The diverter further including a handle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a debris removal apparatus for swimming pools and more particularly to a swimming pool deflector for directing floating debris into a swimming pool's standard pool skimming system.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Modern swimming pools are almost universally equipped with filtration systems which, when operative, continually remove water from the swimming pool through inlet openings provided in the sides of the swimming pool. As the water is moved through these inlet openings, debris on the surface of the water in the swimming pool is also removed through the inlet openings and is subsequently filtered from the water which is then returned into the swimming pool. This filtration system creates a current which flows around the inner periphery of the pool and causes the water and surface debris to flow outwardly to be removed through the inlet openings. These devices are commonly referred to as skimmers.
While skimmers will eventually remove surface debris from the entire surface of the swimming pool, only the water and surface debris immediately adjacent the periphery of the swimming pool is removed by the skimmer because the inlet openings are parallel to the current flow of water past the opening. Therefore, it often takes several hours for surface debris to move outwardly against the periphery of the swimming pool so that it can be removed by conventional skimmers.
It has been previously proposed that the efficiency of conventional skimmers may be increased by deflector devices which extend outwardly from the side of a pool at one or more of the inlet openings of the skimmer for deflecting surface debris and water into the inlet openings as the current causes such surface debris and water to flow past the inlet openings. Disadvantages of such previously proposed deflector devices have related to the difficulty in installing the deflectors to the side wall of the pool. Other deflector devices are semi-permanently installed causing potential hazards when the pool is in use if the deflector devices remain projecting outwardly into the swimming pool.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved deflector assembly for assisting a swimming pool skimmer in removing debris from the surface of water in the swimming pool. As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome limitations and shortcomings of the prior art.

Skimmer-diverter assembly for assisting in the removal of debris from swimming pools


A system and method for generating a carrier-compliant shipping label for a supplier to transport a product to a consumer includes determine a shipping rate for a shipping method of a carrier to transport the product to the consumer and determining a time period for transporting the product. The consumer may select the carrier based upon the shipping rate and the time period. Some embodiments generate a carrier-compliant shipping label for the product and deliver the carrier-compliant shipping label to the supplier to transport the product from the supplier to the consumer. In such embodiments, determining a shipping rate may include retrieving the weight and location of the product from the data received from the supplier to determine the rates of a carrier from a rate table or via a carrier interface.

Suppliers such as manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and individuals typically maintain an inventory of products to sell to consumers. Suppliers that regularly maintain or distribute large quantities of one or more types of products negotiate agreements with carriers to facilitate sales to traditionally less sophisticated consumers such as small businesses and individuals. The carriers, such as the United States Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), DHL Airways (DHL), and the like, facilitate the transactions by transporting the product from the supplier's storage facility, or pickup location, to the consumer, or drop-off location. However, the number of carriers, shipping methods offered by the carriers, and costs involved with effective management or administration of the carriers, each having a complex set of rules and rates, makes it economically infeasible for the suppliers to offer a wide variety of carriers and shipping methods. Further, various suppliers realize costs to manage overlapping groups of carriers and distribute the costs by limiting delivery of their respective products to the carriers and shipping methods they selected.
The advent of the Internet and other wide area networks (WANs) provides even individual consumers with sophistication in regards to carriers and shipping methods. For instance, the consumer can locate and access product costs for different suppliers and carrier costs for different carriers with little effort and time with respect to older methods such as calling by telephone or browsing catalogs. As a result, consumers find themselves disadvantaged by the limited shipping options offered by suppliers. In particular, one supplier of a product may offer the product at a lower price than a second supplier but the difference in the overall cost to the consumer for purchasing the product and paying for shipping depends on the shipping options available from the suppliers.
Some current WAN systems attempt to reduce carrier management costs incurred by suppliers by selecting flat shipping rates for products and using a single carrier to transport the product from the supplier to the consumer but these systems simply force some consumers to supplement shipping costs of other consumers. Other WAN systems, such as the systems described in United States patent application 20020032612 and in United States patent application 20020032573, both published Mar. 14, 2002, attempt to address the limited number of shipping options by facilitating management of larger numbers of carriers. These systems, however, increase the complexity of management of the carriers by increasing, for instance, accounting efforts to pay carriers and distribute costs associated with management of the carriers, negotiation efforts to maintain the best rates for carrier accounts for internal and external consumers, and training efforts to train personnel to follow guidelines associated with the rules, rates, and carrier-compliant shipping labels of each carrier.

System and method for generating shipping labels


An expendable electrical connector uses a plurality of modular housings sequentially assembled for receiving receptacle assemblies. The expendable electrical connector does not use dedicated moulds for different numbers of the receptacle assemblies and cost is decreased. Two neighboring modular housings share a side plate so that total length of the expendable electrical connector will be shortened and cost will also be decreased. Each of the modular housings may be made from a metallic sheet by punching process, and used to cover each of the receptacle assemblies and the modular housings can be connected with each other. The modular housings provide a good performance of grounding and shielding electromagnetic interference without dedicated grounding steps for individual receptacle assemblies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an expendable electrical connector, and in particular to an electrical connector which is consisted of a plurality of modular housings sequentially for receiving receptacle assemblies. Two neighboring modular housings share a side plate so that total length of the expendable electrical connector will be shortened.
2. Description of Related Art
Hubs or fabric switches in prior art are usually electrical connectors having a plurality of receptacles, and have a housing with a plurality receiving spaces. The receptacles are respectively positioned within corresponding receiving spaces. In addition, the housing is usually made of plastic, and a mould which is used to manufacturer the housing is dedicated to number of receptacles. Thus, cost is increased and total length of the electrical connectors is lengthened due to separation between neighboring housings.
The receptacles need a metallic housing to cover an insulation body, and the metallic housing is used to shield electromagnetic wave or grounded. The receptacles are separately positioned within the housing and grounded, and the insulation body is covered at least four side plates so that cost is increased.
Thus, there is a need for an expendable electrical connector to overcome above disadvantages.